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704 Day 4 (Wednesday) - Red Hills Camp

When I awoke the next morning, I found that Mr Max had been thoughtful enough to get the shower fire going. Warm water on a cold morning was quite welcome. It was even more welcome because a cold rain began to fall on me as I showered (the shower area had no roof). I did my best to remain within the spray of the heated water.

We would be going to Red Hills Camp today, but not before doing our conservation project. The hike itself would be a longer one, six miles, and would involve a climb of almost 2,000 feet. This would be our longest climb, and in itself would make for a tiring day. However, to this was added the labour of the conservation project. With these matters in mind, we knew that breakfast would be important. Therefore, we opened up the bags for trail menu #4, and prepared its dinner (a boilable spaghetti concoction) for our breakfast. Breakfast would become our lunch, and lunch our dinner. Swapping meals is a common practise among Philmont crews, and is left up to the discretion of their leadership.

After breakfast, we broke camp and headed to the staff lodge where we would receive instructions on where we would be doing our project. Three hours of conservation work is a requirement if crews are to earn their Arrowhead award. Typically, crews do this in two parts. Our first 1.5 hours were scheduled for a location somewhere down the Sawmill-to-Red Hills trail. Thanks to my dad's camera skills, we began to get some fairly nice pictures beginning at this point.

. As usual, the project involved trail maintenance. There must have been 50 shovels set aside the trail, and only us 9 working on it Before the work had ended, the project staff asked for the itinerary sheet so that he could sign off on it.

Where was the sheet?!

It seems that I had left it at the Ute Gulch Commissary the day before. I and Matt headed back to get it (which is why you do not see us in the picture, R5-07). The trip does not take all that long when you do not have a pack on. We returned with sheet in-hand after about an hour and a half. At least I did not actually lose it, but this was still an embarassing turn of events. The project staff member, whose initials were "C.L.A.", signed us off on the itinerary sheet, and so we were half-way towards meeting our requirement.

Sawmill Conservation Project: Derek and I wait as the project staff, "C.L.A.", adjusts his shorts and signs us off. From the placement of the tree moss, and the angle of the sun, it is some time before 11 a.m. I suppose that a 1.5-hour project, starting some time after 8 a.m. would put us in that time frame.

click for map

We picked up our gear and hit the trail to Red Hills Camp. It would be a hike of moderate distance, and there would be some steeper grades to ascend.

On the way, we hiked up a Jeep trail that went up about 800 feet, and then passed along the western fenceline border down south around Comanche Peak and its camp. This route was rather winding, but there was really none any more direct.

The hike dragged on, and soon it began to wear on us. We were getting pretty spread out on the trail, a sure sign that folks were getting tired. Mr Max decided it was time for a break, and while we were at it, we broke out our lunch (the Pop-Tarts which were supposed to be our breakfast). After the infusion of sugar and starch, and about 15 minutes rest, we climbed onwards. Some of the route went along ridge crests, but much was over hilly terrain. Up and down the inclines we trudged on tiring legs. My over-sized Asolo boots made a steady clop-clop-clop noise as we descended each downward side of a hill. There were several times when I decided that going down-hill was surely more of a strain than going up. We stopped for several more breaks so as to pace ourselves. Fortunately, it was only partly sunny. In fact, it drizzled a bit towards the end, and we made about half of the route with rain gear on. I think Mr Max had the extra benefit of "Gators" -- nylon canvas wrappings placed over the calves to keep the rain (and snow) out of your boots. When we finally got to Red Hills itself, the camp area is well covered with trees, and so the ground is grassless and rather muddy when wet. Comanche Creek seeps through it -- which explains the mosquitos. It must have been a well camped area because there was not much ground cover, just packed, reddish dirt which is now mud. We ran around in this area for a few hours jumping through the shallow creek, having fun. There were several other crews camped here, scattered at a distance around the creek. This was a very relaxed camp, no scheduled activities.

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