The official Church policy states:  “Keeping the Sabbath Day holy is a commandment of the Lord and the practice of the Church.  The Church does not approve of hiking and camping trips on Sunday. Scouts and other youth groups should not travel to or from camps or youth conferences on Sunday. Plans for outings should ensure that Aaronic Priesthood brethren and other members can attend to their regular church assignment.”  Scouting Handbook, pg. 5

The Church wants our young men to have spiritual experiences in the outdoors. That is one reason why the LDS church adopted Scouting in 1913 as the activity arm of the Aaronic Priesthood, to provide a “laboratory” for what young men learn on Sunday. Any young man can find a wooded grove to pray and strengthen his relationship to God.  It doesn’t have to be on a Sunday.

LDS units conduct weekend campouts and come home Saturday evening.  It’s not the camping on Sunday that concerns the Church, it’s the traveling to and from on Sunday (buying gas and food). Outside of Utah and Idaho (where summer camps begin on Monday), LDS units arrive at summer camp early Monday morning, do the swim check and sign up for merit badges.  They are behind the other troops for awhile, but by Tuesday morning they are completely assimilated into the camp culture.

The LDS Church sponsors two weeks at Philmont.  Priesthood leaders and their families arrive at Philmont on Saturday and go home on Friday. On Sunday they conduct Sacrament meeting, Sunday School, Primary, Young Men/Young Women and Priesthood/Relief Society services in camp, eat in the dining hall and conduct an opening campfire Sunday evening. During the LDS weeks, youth ages 14-18 go on a trek in the backcountry. Each group conducts Sacrament services on the trail.  The Church calls a man to be the LDS Chaplain for the summer at Philmont. Each night during the summer a Sacrament service is conducted to accommodate LDS groups going or coming off the trail.

The big issue is traveling to and from, not the outdoor experience.