Last weekend the sky was a deep blue as we hiked out of the woods of Copper Park on the way to the summit of Baldy. I spent a few minutes letting my senses remember the feel of the forest, the smell of the pines as we made our way upward. For a minute, I jumped back in time to 39 years earlier when as a young Ranger I guided crews in this very area of the Ranch. That is the magic of Philmont. We all have vivid memories of special times and places spent there. Through the PSA we are fortunate to get the chance to relive a little of that magic with treks, day hikes, reunions and service opportunities.
As members of the PSA, we can keep the uniqueness of Philmont alive for others to discover by our financial support. I encourage each of you to make your donation to the Annual Fund so the PSA can continue to grow. Thank you for being a valued member.
From the top of Baldy I could see back across the Ranch and realized just how great a gift Waite Phillips made to the BSA and all of us. As we hiked slowly down back into the pines I remembered something Mark Anderson had quoted from Mr. Phillips earlier that morning…”These properties are donated and dedicated to the Boy Scouts of America for the purpose of perpetuating faith—self reliance—integrity—freedom.”
John Murphy, VP Development
Philmont Staff 1972-74
Please help us reach our goal by donating now, joining the 19.73 Club, or learning more…
John,
I just had to write you because I have one of your old Philmont horses. He has the slash reverse S brand on his left shoulder. I am so excited to finally find out where he came from. I call him Rio. He is about 30 years old now. I still do trail rides on him and he loves it. Rio is a sorrel and white Tobiano Pinto with a huge blaze on his head. He is about 15 hands. His head is very unusual. He has a bit of a dish forehead and moose nose like an Arabian, but his head is big like a paint’s. I will I could send you pictures of him to see if you remember him. He is a wonderful horse and I love him. I bought him from a horse trader who had 100’s of horses. Rio is the kindest horse you will ever meet. He gets soooo excited when we go out on the trail. I have to spin him in circles for a while to slow him down at first. He loves treats! I just wanted you to know. Please write me and tell me if you have an email address where I can send pictures of him. I am sure someone will remember him. He is quite the character. Thank you so much for your time, Cynthia Forrest, Amarillo, TX