A group of local Boy Scouts, along with their leaders, recently headed out on a summer trip on a trek through Sangre de Cristo mountains at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico.

Boy Scouts from Bradford, Kane, Mount Jewett, Port Allegany and Olean, N.Y., will be led by Scoutmaster Tom Geer.

This is Geer’s 13th trip to New Mexico with Boy Scouts since 1982.

Geer was the leader of seven trips with his troop in Louisiana during the 1980s, and this year ise his 6th trip with the Mount Jewett troop.

Adult advisors accompanying are from Troop 410 in Mount Jewett.

There are seven Eagle Scouts as well as a Kane Elementary School teacher participating in this trek. The group will hike 100 miles in 12 days.

Philmont Scout Ranch is the Boy Scouts of America’s high adventure camp, as well as the largest youth camp in the world.

More than 1 million scouts, leaders and adventurers have been a part of the adventure at Philmont since its first camping season offered in 1939.

The ranch offers various camp, training and work programs.

Although most of the programs are summer-based, autumn and winter adventure programs are also available.

On Sunday, the group made it to the top of the Baldy mountain. The Baldy mountain climbs to 12,441 feet in elevation.

Along their journey, they will also experience rifle and muzzleloader shooting, mine tours, blacksmithing, gold prospecting, obstacle courses and a conservation project where they will learn the upkeep of Philmont’s ecosystem.

On Monday, they began their day at 3:30 a.m., and climbed nearly 3,000 feet from the trail camp.

So far, according to Ryan Gee, scoutmaster, there has been a severe thunderstorm along the trek, as well as individuals experiencing altitude sickness, spar pole climbing, as well as leading uncooperative burros across length of rocky terrain.

The scouts have seven days left of their trek, with 5 peaks remaining to conquer.

The group will be returning July 3.

More information about Philmont can be found at www.philmontscoutranch.org.