Unbelievable! No back up tools? What about Be Prepared?... As for the rained out crews, if they get the slots for the next morning, how do they then "catch up" with the rest of their program? Are they not late for the next place on their agenda?...guess I can't figure out how that ia able to occur? My thought is you got rained out, onward to the next program for the next day...not that you hang around the same area to complete that activity and then head out to the next place...or am I thinking completely wrong.

Sorry to hear that you had difficulty on what should have been a completely free hassle trip... Maybe they need to send people to Disney/Stew Leonards's for lessons in customer service...

I can't say if tarp tents or floorless shelters would be authorized as we did not "press to test" this issue. I suspect that it will likely be up to your specific Ranger. My impression is that the Rangers are more likely to hold fast for scouts and avoid confrontation with the adults. Sorry that I can't provide a more definitive answer but suspect some of the folks monitoring this thread may be able to chime in...

Philmont staff are very nervous of hantavirus and will tell you to only use enclosed tents. No sleeping in the dirt. Mind you, we didn't try because I advised one of my scouts to add a floor with screen to his homemade tarp tent before we left for the Ranch. He did, and the ranger loved it. And it still weighed less than a pound.

Also no bivy sacks or bear burritos. And no hammocks to protect the trees.