1 T RAINING F OR C REW L EADERS

2 OBJECTIVES M ENTAL T OUGHNESS O N T HE T RAIL I N C AMP C REW L EADER’S R OLE

3 M ENTAL T OUGHNESS Be Thorough Stick with every task until it’s done Be Confident Practice your backcountry skills until they become second nature Be Assertive Take the lead to get things accomplished Step in when the crew is off the mark

4 M ENTAL T OUGHNESS Learn From Successes and Failures Good hikers don’t make the same mistakes twice in the backcountry If things are going great, figure out why and keep doing it Be Conscientious Practice “Leave No Trace” ethics at both staffed and unstaffed camps

5 M ENTAL T OUGHNESS Evaluating and Reflection

6 EVALUATING Measures performance Balance the needs of the job and of the group Helps the group work together Look for ways to improve performance Don’t Criticize!

7 REFLECTION Learning from experiences by talking about them Helps build trust and confidence Criticism and judgment are not part of the process

8 O N T HE T RAIL Maintain a Positive Attitude Your approach to the trek and attitude on the trail will establish how well the crew performs Set Daily Goals When to get up What trails to be taken How often to stop What order of meals to be eaten What program activities to be undertaken

9 O N T HE T RAIL Delegate Responsibility You can’t do everything Assign an assistant crew leader and quartermaster Monitor Crew Performance Always check to see who is hurting Always check to see how is strong

10 O N T HE T RAIL Live and die by the duty roster: cooks, cleanup and water No tent mates doing the same job together Assign crew gear for the entire hike Gear does not get lost, crew members know how gear fits in their packs

11 O N T HE T RAIL Stop and smell the roses It’s not a race You are only going to get one chance to see Philmont Work with your crew advisors

12 I N C AMP When coming into a new camp, perform crew tasks first Crew leader finds the new site Crew tarp goes up first All crew gear comes out of packs and is placed under tarp Bear bags go up Water gets purified Personal tents go up

13 I N C AMP Get out of camp early Get bear bags down Personal gear and tents packed Crew gear packed away Tarp taken down Hike 1 or 2 miles, then have breakfast at a scenic spot along the trail. Practice getting out of camp early during your shakedowns

14 C REW L EADER O BJECTIVE Keep the Group Together Get the Job Done

15 S IX S IMPLE Q UESTIONS Did the job get done ? Was it done right ? Was it done on time ? Did everybody take part ? Did they enjoy themselves ? Do they want more ?

16 I N T HE E ND Be a leader, not a bystander Be a friend Have fun We are in this together and we are going to finish together Remember the crew always comes first

17 T HANK Y OU T HE A DVENTURE B EGINS !