As long as you don't add too much water you can't go far wrong! As for the tortillas, the past two summers I've been there you have been able to ask for them at backcountry commissaries. They're heavy, but they can be super tasty. You can also use them to line your bowl and then you don't have any dinner mess to clean up!
I must say, my crew never thought of doing it like this (we also didn't take the giant pots into the backcountry, we just used what our JetBoils had)...our Ranger suggested we just cook in the bags (not easy, but still worked) and two people would eat from the bags...minimum cleanup and super easy!
Good video. Though he doesn't talk about removing the "Do not eat" packet, it does show him removing it from what he dumps in. Originally, we planned on using the turkey bag method, but when we realized they were no longer allowed, resorted to the Tupperware method. We brought a large Tupperware (Rubbermaid, whatever) bowl with a sealing lid. We took one of the Phil provided aluminum pots and would boil water in it for sterilizing and cooking water. We would put all the food in the plastic bowl, add water and seal the lid. Clean up was fairly easy and we weren't scraping the bottom of an aluminum pot with a metal spoon when serving or cleaning. The Tupperware was relatively light weight and rugged and replaced one of the aluminum pots. We could pour boiling water in it to clean it as well. The shape was also good since it didn't have corners like the bottom of the aluminum pots.
Even though I never made it to Philmont I did learn this method while hiking at camp Powhatan / Ottari in Va. One trick I thought of is to buy a .99 cent rubber spatula and pull the rubber off the end. It made a great scraper. I also cut up foam kitchen sponges into thirds. These 2 things make cleanup quicker and more thorough than scraping with a spoon. Turkey bags seem like a lazy and wasteful way to do it.
I was thinking the same thing about the packets! You're missing out on the refried beans and mexican dinner (rice and chicken) though. Beans + Mexican Dinner = Mexican Fiesta! One of the best dinners of the trek in this humble Ranger's opinion, especially if you can get some tortillas from a back country commissary!
When I was a ranger there in '02 and '04 turkey bags were the norm. But the principle at Philmont always was low impact camping. I guess the next time I head out there just gotta adjust to the new rules..
Excellent video! Only teeny thing I'd add is that you need to remove the packet in some of the dehydrated meals; you have no idea how many boys don't do that until you see it :) On turkey bags: our ranger said not to use them, and so we wound up cleaning the pot so well that the yum-yum bags got returned to base! But, the refried beans can't be mixed in with the chicken dinner, imo, because that's just nasty. Good to have for a few nights just in case.
our ranger had us turn OFF the stove and thus remove the boiling factor...after he left us on the trail we reverted back to our way of cleaning dishes so we didn't get sick. might want to re-enforce with your rangers the proper cleanup methods. Our guy didn't even have us using soap after our meals to clean our dishes. luckily we know better, our scouts backpacking during the summer quite a bit, we started doing it right so we didn't get sick. BOILING WATER and soap.
We sure do! Each summer we hire two videographers, eight photographers, five writers and two marking staff. Please visit our website to download an application.
Trekked in '88, '90, and '91. Our "plates" were Philmont frisbees. If memory serves, that was pretty much the accepted way to go due to space and weight issues. I'm looking at the bowls in this video and wondering if they're somehow standard now and if the frisbees are long gone?
We're sorry to hear that your ranger did not encourage you to follow our cooking method outlined in the video above. As mentioned in the video, there are several draw backs to cooking in plastic bags. 1)Additional trash - It's also nearly impossible to remove all of the food debris from the plastic bags, creating heavier, more smelly trash. 2) By cooking in separate groups, Scouts are distanced from the traditional patrol method where duties are rotated evenly throughout the entire crew.
Depends on when you are there. "Rainy" season is later in the summer, late July - August. In June and July it is drier. It rained almost every day when we were there in '14, but only for about 20-30 min, then it would clear out. The climate is still very dry and you and your gear will dry out in about an hour. "Mountain Effect" rain, they call it. The moisture from the low valleys rises with the heat, cools over the mountains and rains. But even though it rained every day, we were still considered in a 13 year drought. The next year they had flooding rains, and all of the brown I saw when I was there was replaced by green!
Check your Philmont Guidebook to Adventure. There is also this page on the website: philmontscoutranch.org/PhilmontTreks/Dining/DietaryRestrictions.aspx
Disinfecting anything in boiling water takes a minimum 10 minutes at a rolling boil at sea level. At altitude, it’s more like 15 minutes. This 3 second thing doesn’t exist.
I love the meal. I just think it's sorta nasty, and unfortunately, a crew doesn't have time to experiment with getting proportions right for both beans and rice in one pot. Unlike rangers! :) Been there twice; never did carry tortillas :/
I noticed that too. When we were there in '14 the carbs were Lipton noodles or other supermarket shelf products. They were fine and tasted good, but not Mountain House. Too expensive, I guess.
As long as you don't add too much water you can't go far wrong! As for the tortillas, the past two summers I've been there you have been able to ask for them at backcountry commissaries. They're heavy, but they can be super tasty. You can also use them to line your bowl and then you don't have any dinner mess to clean up!
I must say, my crew never thought of doing it like this (we also didn't take the giant pots into the backcountry, we just used what our JetBoils had)...our Ranger suggested we just cook in the bags (not easy, but still worked) and two people would eat from the bags...minimum cleanup and super easy!
Good video. Though he doesn't talk about removing the "Do not eat" packet, it does show him removing it from what he dumps in. Originally, we planned on using the turkey bag method, but when we realized they were no longer allowed, resorted to the Tupperware method. We brought a large Tupperware (Rubbermaid, whatever) bowl with a sealing lid. We took one of the Phil provided aluminum pots and would boil water in it for sterilizing and cooking water. We would put all the food in the plastic bowl, add water and seal the lid. Clean up was fairly easy and we weren't scraping the bottom of an aluminum pot with a metal spoon when serving or cleaning. The Tupperware was relatively light weight and rugged and replaced one of the aluminum pots. We could pour boiling water in it to clean it as well. The shape was also good since it didn't have corners like the bottom of the aluminum pots.
Man, I already miss Philmont, cannot wait to come back next summer!
Hi Matthew! That's a good point about remembering to remove the 'Do Not Eat Packet'. Thanks for the feedback!
I didnt know yall had video people out at Philmont man id love to do that!
Even though I never made it to Philmont I did learn this method while hiking at camp Powhatan / Ottari in Va. One trick I thought of is to buy a .99 cent rubber spatula and pull the rubber off the end. It made a great scraper. I also cut up foam kitchen sponges into thirds. These 2 things make cleanup quicker and more thorough than scraping with a spoon. Turkey bags seem like a lazy and wasteful way to do it.
I was thinking the same thing about the packets! You're missing out on the refried beans and mexican dinner (rice and chicken) though. Beans + Mexican Dinner = Mexican Fiesta! One of the best dinners of the trek in this humble Ranger's opinion, especially if you can get some tortillas from a back country commissary!
When I was a ranger there in '02 and '04 turkey bags were the norm. But the principle at Philmont always was low impact camping. I guess the next time I head out there just gotta adjust to the new rules..
Excellent video! Only teeny thing I'd add is that you need to remove the packet in some of the dehydrated meals; you have no idea how many boys don't do that until you see it :)
On turkey bags: our ranger said not to use them, and so we wound up cleaning the pot so well that the yum-yum bags got returned to base! But, the refried beans can't be mixed in with the chicken dinner, imo, because that's just nasty. Good to have for a few nights just in case.
our ranger had us turn OFF the stove and thus remove the boiling factor...after he left us on the trail we reverted back to our way of cleaning dishes so we didn't get sick. might want to re-enforce with your rangers the proper cleanup methods. Our guy didn't even have us using soap after our meals to clean our dishes.
luckily we know better, our scouts backpacking during the summer quite a bit, we started doing it right so we didn't get sick. BOILING WATER and soap.
We sure do! Each summer we hire two videographers, eight photographers, five writers and two marking staff. Please visit our website to download an application.
Trekked in '88, '90, and '91. Our "plates" were Philmont frisbees. If memory serves, that was pretty much the accepted way to go due to space and weight issues. I'm looking at the bowls in this video and wondering if they're somehow standard now and if the frisbees are long gone?
Holadude96 I havent heard of the frisbee method. I was there as a scout and staff member in 2010 and 2014
How long to sterilize dishes? Video says "3 seconds" Guidebook to Adventure states "at least 30 seconds"
We're sorry to hear that your ranger did not encourage you to follow our cooking method outlined in the video above. As mentioned in the video, there are several draw backs to cooking in plastic bags. 1)Additional trash - It's also nearly impossible to remove all of the food debris from the plastic bags, creating heavier, more smelly trash. 2) By cooking in separate groups, Scouts are distanced from the traditional patrol method where duties are rotated evenly throughout the entire crew.
I didn't see you sterilize the large serving spoon!
does it rain a lot in philmont
Depends on when you are there. "Rainy" season is later in the summer, late July - August. In June and July it is drier. It rained almost every day when we were there in '14, but only for about 20-30 min, then it would clear out. The climate is still very dry and you and your gear will dry out in about an hour. "Mountain Effect" rain, they call it. The moisture from the low valleys rises with the heat, cools over the mountains and rains. But even though it rained every day, we were still considered in a 13 year drought. The next year they had flooding rains, and all of the brown I saw when I was there was replaced by green!
philmont i am a begetarian and i am going to philmont do i have seperate meals ot just starve to death in the backcountry
Check your Philmont Guidebook to Adventure. There is also this page on the website: philmontscoutranch.org/PhilmontTreks/Dining/DietaryRestrictions.aspx
In my times, the technical term was "Fart Food".
This guy brushes his teeth well
Man, I hope you have some tobacco for that pouch of freeze dried Bistro..
Country
Disinfecting anything in boiling water takes a minimum 10 minutes at a rolling boil at sea level. At altitude, it’s more like 15 minutes. This 3 second thing doesn’t exist.
I love the meal. I just think it's sorta nasty, and unfortunately, a crew doesn't have time to experiment with getting proportions right for both beans and rice in one pot. Unlike rangers! :)
Been there twice; never did carry tortillas :/
Belay that "Tobasco" not tobacco Gents...
The sound quality is trash
That is not the food we got in the back countertop
I noticed that too. When we were there in '14 the carbs were Lipton noodles or other supermarket shelf products. They were fine and tasted good, but not Mountain House. Too expensive, I guess.
And oh yeah: IWTGBTP!
IWTGBTP
His face makes me uncomfortable