There have been heart attack fatalities at Philmont in each of the past 4 years. There were 4 heart attack fatalities at the three BSA High Adventure bases in 1998.
The BSA's insurance carrier has proposed that stress tests be required of all adults that come to the bases.
The weight requirements are designed to help eliminate those that are likely to have physical problems at Philmont and to save the staff from having to carry heavy bodies (alive or otherwise) off the mountains.