The three weeks I spent at Philmont at age 14 were one of the defining events of my life. We were out of touch with anyone (no cell phones in those days) for several days straight, living off of what we carried on our backs. I don't think any of us city kids could ever have a finer adventure, or become a finer young man as a result. It saddens me that someone else could meet death in such a manner in such an otherwise beautiful place, a place that embodies all that is good about the Great West.
