Mount Phillips (New Mexico)


Mount Phillips, formerly called Clear Creek Mountain was renamed in 1960 in honor of the then living Waite Phillips, who donated the area to the Boy Scouts of America. It is located in Colfax County about south of Baldy Mountain in the Cimarron Range, a subrange of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico.

Philmont Scout Ranch

Mount Phillips is the second highest peak in Boy Scouts of America's Philmont Scout Ranch in the central country on the western perimeter. It is an easy hike from Comanche Peak, but it is a much steeper ascent from Clear Creek to its summit. There are four close trail camps in the area of the summit, but none have water. These are Mount Phillips, Comanche Peak, Thunder Ridge and Red Hills Camps, which, except for Red Hills Camp, are all dry. The staff camp of Clear Creek is the closest camp with water.

Geology

The mountain consists primarily of the metamorphic rock, pink gneiss, which is quite evident as small boulders on the trail. The true summit is marked with a flagpole toward the north side. A few crosses have sprung up in this area, having great meaning to the groups that have erected them. It is scarce of trees and gives great views to the north, east and west. This is not true for the south, due to the gentle incline of the terrain in this direction. From the southern false summit, a good view of Angel Fire Ski Area is possible