2026 Philmont Scout Ranch
Online Contingent Crew Application
Submit by January 24, 2025

Patriots’ Path Council (“PPC”) has reserved 20 Philmont crews for the summer of 2026 for a 15 Day Adventure, including a two-day Colorado Tour, with an estimated cost of $3,600 per person. 

Each parent / guardian adult advisor – youth participant combination is eligible for an automatic $500 Adventureship (discount).  All PPC participants may apply for further financial assistance through the Thomas A. Pepe Adventureship Fund.

Each crew should consist of 12 Scouts and Scouters, with a minimum of 3 adults, 9 youths and a maximum of 4 adults, 8 youths. Crews consisting of less than 12 persons will have a higher per person fee.  A unit may submit more than one application, but priority will be given to every unit’s first application before any unit’s second application is considered.  Philmont requires all crews to have at least 3 adults.

PPC units, and out of council units interested in participating as a group should complete and submit the Crew Application online on the PPC website https://ppcbsa.org/programs/adventure/ no later than January 24, 2025 and submit a deposit of $700 per person. The Watchu crew selection process will take place on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 7:00 pm. The application will be considered on time and eligible for the crew selection process if all of the following criteria are met:

• Received by January 24, 2025. Application must be submitted online.  https://ppcbsa.org/programs/adventure/
• Application must include at least 8 members, with the numbers of youth and adults age 21 and over as specified on the application. Crews with less than 12 members must recruit additional crew members and be willing to accept individuals assigned by PPC as needed to create a full crew of 12.  Crews failing to fill a 12-member roster will have a higher per person fee.
• Pay a deposit equal to $700 per crew member on the application by January 28, 2025.
• Units must rank their preference for travel dates.

On January 28, 2025 at the Watchu crew selection process:

• All on-time applications with timely deposits will be included in the process of being assigned available crew slots. District provisional crews will be given first choice of travel dates. PPC crews will be given secondary choice by lottery.  All other applications with deposits will then be assigned their highest ranked preferred travel date that is available until all slots have been assigned.  Only crews that have paid the specified deposit will receive a crew slot assignment.
• Crew applications received after January 24, 2025, and out of council crews that are not certified as PPC participants, will participate in the process as “all other applications”.  Applications and deposits received after January 28, 2025 will be assigned as received if space is available.
• A representative of the crew is encouraged, though not required, to attend the drawing.
• If the number of crews expressing interest is greater than the number of available slots, the drawing will continue to develop a waiting list.  (Additional crew slots may be available from Philmont)
• Crew deposits are fully refundable if the crew does not accept the date slot awarded on January 28, 2025 or if no date slot is awarded.  After February 11, 2025, the PPC Refund Policy applies ($100 is non-refundable as are non-refundable expenses as incurred).
• PPC reserves the right to remove individuals or crews from the contingents for failure to make payments per the specified schedule.

Estimated Per Person Fees:

Crew of 12 = $3,600 (deposit of $700 plus 5 payments of $580)

Crew of 11 = $3,670 (deposit of $700 plus 5 payments of $580 and a final payment of $70)

Crew of 10 = $3,740 (deposit of $700 plus 5 payments of $580 and a final payment of $140)

Crew of 9 = $3,810 (deposit of $700 plus 5 payments of $580 and a final payment of $210)

If estimated costs (typically airfares) are greater than budgeted, an additional payment will be assessed to cover those costs.

All program fees may be paid by check, electronic check, or credit card, but a 3% fee will be added on to all credit card payments to cover the out-of- pocket cost to the council.

If the number of crews is fewer than 20 on May 1, 2025, PPC reserves the right to cancel one or more contingents, and/or to reassign crews from cancelled contingents to open slots in the remaining contingents.  Deposits will be returned to any crew whose contingent is cancelled by the council, and that crew will be given priority choice in the 2027 contingents.

Any questions regarding 2026 PPC Philmont contingents and the process that will be used to fill them should be directed to Andrew Joiner at 973-765-9322 ext. 252 or email chiefwatchu@watchu.org.

*NOTE: To participate in Crew Selection Process AND to reserve a slot, crews must include at least 8 members, with a distribution of youth and adults as shown below. Crews that are smaller than 12 must recruit additional members, and be willing to accept individuals assigned by PPC to the crew, as needed, to fill it.

 CREW SIZE        YOUTH**           ADULTS (age 21 and over)

8                         6                                          2

9                      7 or 6                                  2 or 3

10                        7                                          3

11                        8                                          3

12                     9 or 8                                  3 or 4

**at time of participation, 14-years old OR 13 and completed 8th grade

2026 Contingents and Travel Dates:

                        CONTINGENT                                 TRAVEL DATES

                                   625               Tuesday, June 23, 2026 to Tuesday, July 7, 2026

                                   626               Wednesday, June 24, 2026 to Wednesday, July 8, 2026

                                   627                Thursday, June 25, 2026 to Thursday, July 9, 2026

627 Contingent is #1 on the waitlist from Philmont and may not be available at time of selection.

                                   711               Thursday, July 9, 2026 to Thursday, July 23, 2026

                                   716                Tuesday, July 14, 2026 to Tuesday, July 28, 2026

                                   717               Wednesday, July15, 2026 to Wednesday, July 29, 2026          

                                                             

Expected 15-Day Adventure activities (may be substitutions of similar items):

                                                                                               

12-day Philmont Trek                                                                                         

Round Trip Airfare to CO                                                                                  

Bus transportation in CO, 6 meals, 2 nights                                           

Round Trip Bus CO to Philmont and 1 meal                                                      

Hike in Garden of the Gods or Red Rocks                                                         

Visit summit of Pike’s Peak                                                      

Whitewater rafting on AR River                                               

Hotel lodging / activity center in CO Springs                                                    

Out of council units may be certified as PPC participants in the Watchu Program only by the PPC High Adventure Committee, and this is reserved for units who have adult leaders that serve as Watchu staff and actively support the program.