Getting Ready
In August of 2008 I am scheduled to go on a backpacking trip with the Boy Scouts. We are headed to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. If you are not familiar with the camp it is one of the Boy Scout’s premiere high-adventure bases. I went when I was a Boy Scout, and we hiked 60 miles in 10 days in full backpack gear. We hiked to heights above the tree line. I am not sure we ever saw any flat land on the whole hike. It was a tough but good trip. The Boy Scout web site gives some idea what can happen. Here is a short sample from the camp’s Risk Advisory.
“A Philmont trek is physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding. Each person will carry a 35- to 50-pound pack while hiking five to 12 miles per day in an isolated mountain wilderness ranging from 6,500 to 12,500 feet in elevation. Weather could include temperatures from 30 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, low humidity (10 percent to 30 percent), and frequent, sometimes severe, afternoon thunderstorms.”
That sounds like fun but wait the advice goes on. “If you decide to attend Philmont, you must be physically fit, have proper clothing and equipment, be willing to follow instructions and work as a team with your crew, and take responsibility for your own health and safety. Like other wilderness areas, Philmont is not risk free, and you should be prepared to listen to safety instructions carefully, follow directions, and take appropriate steps to safeguard yourself and others.
Parents, guardians, and potential participants in Philmont programs are advised that journeying to and from Philmont, and one's stay at Philmont, can involve exposure to accident, illness, and/or injury associated with a high-elevation, physically demanding, high-adventure program in a remote, mountainous area. Campers may be exposed to occasional severe weather conditions such as lightning, hail, flash floods, and heat. Other accident possibilities include injuries from tripping and falling, motor vehicle accidents, worsening of underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or asthma, incidents, heart attacks, heat exhaustion, and falls from horses. Philmont's trails are steep and rocky. Wild animals such as bears, rattlesnakes, and mountain lions are native and usually present little danger if proper precautions are taken.”
It reminds me of the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared.” Here is the real issue and risk for me: I am not in good enough shape to make that hike right now. I need to get into better shape, or this trip will be a dreadful experience. I need to be able to hike with a backpack weighing 50 pounds for several miles at a time. The hike will be at altitudes that my body is not accustomed to—so I will need to work harder here at sea-level to be prepared.
The convenient thing about scheduling a trip like this is I know it is coming. I can start working out in advance. I can prepare my body. Well, in the spiritual world we also need to condition our spirit. One pass through Psalms and you will find that this life is full of heart break and danger. From a spiritual perspective we need to “Be Prepared”. Jesus advises us that we do not live by bread alone, but we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matt 4:4) I sometimes get a visual of the world filled with spiritual weaklings. We must remember and prepare for the difficult days before they arrive. So we must read our Bibles everyday to remain in spiritual shape. Life is a spiritual journey. Some days are more difficult than others, but often the mountaintop views are afforded on the more difficult days. Since we do not know when the spiritual tests will come, prepare in advance. For the world is filled with wild animals such as bears, rattlesnakes, and mountain lions, but they provide much less danger if proper precautions are taken.
