Do Philmont participants need to know how to use map and compass?
They do! While you can certainly participate in a Philmont trek without these skills, they are basic knowledge for navigating on other backpacking trips and are extremely useful throughout life. As Scoutmaster, I not only had my Scouts complete all the map and compass requirements for rank requirements but also strongly encouraged them to earn the Orienteering Merit Badge. If a Philmont crew has participants without competence in use of map and compass, this can be the focus of one of the “shakedown” activities. These can be done in a classroom environment (I used topographic maps of west Austin with my Troop so they could locate familiar places to be able to visualize what the map was showing them), at State Parks, at orienteering events, and other places. Simple compass games and other teaching aids are useful.
