Philmont Fire Pictures

Date: Mon, 30 Sep 2002 19:12:15 -0500
From: Frank Fernandez frankmia @ bellsouth.net
Subject: Philomont Fire Pictures
We were on expedition 804-I- Fire Modified Twice. Aug 4 - 15 or thereabouts. We were able to hike north from Cimarron River camp across Hwy 64 underpass to Head of Dean and eventually to Baldy Townj/Baldy Camp, and Baldy Summit. We hiked a couple of miles through one of the burned areas.

These pictures were taken with a Canon 35 mm AE-1 with 75 - 300 Canon FD lens or 28 mm Canon FD Lens. Various shutter speeds. Camera chosen aperture. Manual focus. Rotary polarizer. Normal 35 mm commercial processing. Negatives were scanned on high resolution scanner and stored on CD as .jpg files.

On at least three of the shots, you'll be able to see the extensive fire damage toward the Valle Vidal. One in particular stands out - several Scouts including two rangers, standing and pointing - looking toward the mass fire destruction to the north.

YIS,

Frank

Click on one of the pictures below to see the larger version.
One thing is to hear about it; another is to see it for yourself from the Baldy Summit, on a perfectly clear day. We were indeed blessed. Our entire crew made it. They say life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away. Our collective breath was taken away, that moment on Baldy Summit.

Our group was Expedition 804-I (Fire Modified Twice). Our group was composed of members from BSA Troop 43 and Venturing Crew 43, South Florida Council, Tequesta District, Miami, Florida. We are part of a South Florida Council contingent visiting Philmont this year. I had done the North Country in 1996 on a trek with my son, who was 14 at the time, and eventually Eagle. He is a Junior at the University of Central Florida now. I am still active in the Troop (Advancement Coordinator/Asst Scoutmaster) and in the Crew (Advisor)/. I am Woodbadge (I used to be a buffalo.....) SR-354, and just about to do Powder Horn.

Our group is also the keeper of a very interesting tradition in Scouting, thanks to this -our adopted Country's generosity. To learn more about us, go to www.blueseas.net/troop43 and click on the link called "history".

Yours in Scouting,

Frank Fernandez

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The content of this Web page was provided by Frank Fernandez. Please contact him at frankmia@bellsouth.net for more information.

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