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Doing philmont this year in June with my 14 year old. We have been prepping and shit for a year now.
I sit at 28# loaded with water. I sweat too much that i have to bring 4ltrs of fluids with me and still refill often. Fucking humidity.
His bag is 23#.
The transformation you see from start to finish in backpacking is interesting. Some people drop out. Others learn and adjust quickly
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Age and attitude is a big factor. Mental prep is extremely important.
Family boys did a Philmont Autumnbtrek this past October. We anticipate potential blizzard conditions so it's not light packing. My three boys, 24, 18, and 17. Plus my 30 year old son-in-law. I was 51. Except the teenagers the rest of us give every visible impression of not being ready. I actually gave myself a 50:50 chance of dying on the trail due to a surprise heart issue.
Of all of us an outside observer would pick me at 220 pounds or my son-in-law at 265 pounds(right at the allowable limit) to be the ones that would derail the trip.
Nope, it was my cocky oldest son at 24 who has been to Philmont 5+ times. He's never been to Philmont at his age. And never been there at his current weight, 215 pounds. It never crossed his mind while doing our prep hikes that his body changes from being a mostly fit teen would affect him so much at altitude.
When the other three did a morning hike up the Stockade trail to the Tooth of Time, he and I stayed behind so we wouldn't slow them down.
Son-in-law took this Pic. My cocky 18 year old on the left insisted on packing the helmets.
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