At 9 a.m., Monday, July 26, three busloads of Scouts left St. Louis for Philmont Scout Ranch, 215 sq. miles of wilderness in Northeastern New Mexico. St. Roch Troop 98 was represented by Scoutmaster Joseph Wilmering, Fr. Palmer, Scouts Andy Bender, Kevin Crudden, Charlie Hatch, Joe Newsham, and Tad Wilmering for the two-week trip.
Following a 22 hour bus ride to the ranch the group was assigned a Ranger who, after the final selection of the trails to be hiked, helped all repack to reduce the weight of their packs and reviewing camping skills during the first two days on the trail. Then the group was on its own.
The hikers averaged 7 miles a day with full packs on trails which were mostly up and down mountains and canyons, with rain almost every afternoon. It hailed five times and one night the temperature fell to 25.
Original photograph caption
Area scouts in New Mexico. Front row — sitting, Ranger Eric Wunz, Father Palmer, Mr. Wilmering, Andy Bender. Standing are Joe Newsham, Tad Wilmering, Kevin Crudden and Charlie Hatch.
Originally published in The Paper, October 1971.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1971_10.pdf, printed page 2.
