New York-based national beats writer David Crary reported exclusively that the Boy Scouts of America was taking a surprising step: It was putting Philmont Scout Ranch – a pristine 150,000 acre camp in New Mexico, considered the crown jewel in the organization’s network of camps – up as collateral as it deals with financial fallout over a wave of sex-abuse lawsuits. It was the latest in a series of scoops by Crary about the Boy Scouts and their financial troubles, including his recent break about the organization increasing membership fees by more than double.
Exclusive: Boy Scouts mortgaging iconic New Mexico scout ranch
A scout crew hikes at Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, New Mexico, in August 2014. In the distance, left of center, is the landmark Tooth of Time rock formation.