the shining mountains sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · grizzly...

14
www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana 1 The Shining Mountains Sentinel A newsletter of the Shining Mountains Chapter of the Montana Wilder- ness Asssociation. Spring 2016 Important Dates Coming Up: Friday, July 8; Saturday, August 6, and Sunday, September 18: Baker Lakes Stewardship Project Outings: De- scriptions and contact information can be found on pages 16, 17, and 18 of the 2016 Wilderness Walks book. Friday, June 15th 7PM: Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by author Michael Dax. Fact & Fiction, Mis- soula. Wednesday, June 29th 5 – 8PM: Cel- ebrate MWA at the KettleHouse Commu- nity UNite; 313 N 1st St W, Missoula. AND many wonderful Wilderness Walks. Check them out at wildmontana.org photo by Sally Carlson Volunteering Opportunities with Shining Mountains Chapter: • Be a Wilderness Walks co-leader • Help table at events • Bring goodies to programs • Make phone calls • Write Letters to the Editor • Attend hearings • Maintain trails • Help with special events such as the annual meeting • and much more.... Call Daphne Herling at 406-531-8347 or visit the local MWA Office at 118 W Broadway, Suite 1 (above Bob’s Sew and Vac; use entrance at the back). What’s Inside This Issue: Diseases of Whitebark Pine by Peter Lesica Introducing Hike Wild Montana by Kassia Randzio • Baker Lake Project by Renee Snyder • Upcoming Wilderness Walks by Daphne Herling • Book Club by Julie Ellison Wilderness is Family Fun by Julie Ellison & Elena Ulev Adventures with Flat Bob by Lori Alwari Great Burn Trail-Monitoring Projects by Beverly Dupree • Goat Lake Hike by Bert Lindler Bitterroot Travel Plan Release by Zack Porter

Upload: others

Post on 10-Jun-2020

3 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana1

TheShiningMountainsSentinelA newsletter of the Shining Mountains Chapter of the Montana Wilder-ness Asssociation. Spring 2016

Important Dates Coming Up:

Friday, July 8; Saturday, August 6, and Sunday, September 18: Baker Lakes Stewardship Project Outings: De-scriptions and contact information can be found on pages 16, 17, and 18 of the 2016 Wilderness Walks book.

Friday, June 15th 7PM: Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by author Michael Dax. Fact & Fiction, Mis-soula.

Wednesday, June 29th 5 – 8PM: Cel-ebrate MWA at the KettleHouse Commu-nity UNite; 313 N 1st St W, Missoula.

AND many wonderful Wilderness Walks. Check them out at wildmontana.org

photo by Sally Carlson

Volunteering Opportunities with Shining Mountains Chapter:• Be a Wilderness Walks co-leader• Help table at events• Bring goodies to programs• Make phone calls• Write Letters to the Editor• Attend hearings• Maintain trails• Help with special events such as

the annual meeting• and much more....

Call Daphne Herling at 406-531-8347or visit the local MWA Office at 118 W Broadway, Suite 1 (above Bob’s Sew and Vac; use entrance at the back).

What’s Inside This Issue:• Diseases of Whitebark Pine by Peter Lesica • Introducing Hike Wild Montana by Kassia Randzio• Baker Lake Project by Renee Snyder • Upcoming Wilderness Walks by Daphne

Herling• Book Club by Julie Ellison• Wilderness is Family Fun by Julie Ellison &

Elena Ulev• Adventures with Flat Bob by Lori Alwari• Great Burn Trail-Monitoring Projects by

Beverly Dupree• Goat Lake Hike by Bert Lindler• Bitterroot Travel Plan Release by Zack

Porter

Page 2: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana2

The high country has always been my favorite place in Montana’s wilderness areas, and whitebark pine is the iconic symbol of this land of wind and grand vistas. Spruce and fir, the other common high-elevation trees, have a conical form that sheds snow, but whitebark pine has spreading limbs that dare the elements. (see below photo)

Diseases of Whitebark Pineby Peter Lesica

Besides giving shelter to weary alpine hikers, whitebark provides food for squir-rels, Clark’s nutcrackers and bears. In return the nutcrackers cache seeds in the ground, some of which are forgot-ten and germinate into new trees. Once the whitebark pine trees reach maturity they provide sheltered sites for young fir trees. This relationship can often be seen near the upper limit of trees where con-ditions are the harshest. Cold and snow pose little threat to whitebark pine, and catastrophic wildfire, a pervasive threat at lower elevations, is less common in whitebark’s upper subalpine habitat. Un-fortunately, however, whitebark has not been able to escape the ravages of dis-ease and insect pests.

Page 3: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana3

The best-known and most obvious pest of Montana’s whitebark pine forests is the mountain pine beetle. These beetles are capable of attacking all five of our na-tive pines. The largest areas of destruc-tion are usually in stands of lodgepole pine, but whitebark pine has received a lot of attention because of its importance to high-elevation ecosystems. Reddish-brown stands of dead whitebark have been obvious in recent years, especially when looking across the landscape from an alpine ridge.

Outbreaks of mountain pine beetle occurred sporadically in the past; populations would ex-plode when conditions were right and then decline to low levels after a few years. I remember the Anacon-da-Pintler map that I obtained in the 1970’s had a paragraph explaining the large whitebark skeletons as rem-nants of a past beetle outbreak. There are large whitebark snags on the trail to St. Mary’s Peak in the Bitterroot Range that have been standing for more than 40 years.

Climate plays an important role, with outbreaks being favored by periods of warmer-than-usual weather. Warm win-ters have allowed the beetles to move up near timberline and attack whitebark pine. Beetles drill into the trunk, and both larvae and adults consume conduc-

tive tissue under the bark. Healthy trees can thwart the invading beetles by cover-ing them in resin and expelling them out the hole they came in (see above photo). Telltale signs of mountain pine beetle infestation are pitch tubes where trees have forced the beetles out with resin. However, this doesn’t always work, be-cause the beetles have enlisted a friend: the blue stain fungus. Beetles have a special “pocket” on their heads that holds spores of the fungus. When the fungus is carried under the bark it infests the sapwood and prevents the tree from pro-

ducing resin, making it easier for more beetles to enter and consume the conductive tissue. Mountain pine beetle outbreaks peter out when cold winter tem-peratures kill the larvae, when most all the trees have been killed, or when pests and diseases of the mountain pine beetle get the upper hand.

As if mountain pine beetle weren’t bad enough, there’s also white pine blister rust. This introduced fungus

infests five-needle pines (western white pine, whitebark pine, limber pine). My observations tell me that blister rust is even worse for whitebark pine than the beetles, but this may not be true every-where.

Blister rust causes orangeish cankers

Page 4: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana4

and girdles branches and eventually the whole trunk, causing death. The fungus requires a second host of gooseberry or currant bushes to complete its life cycle. Leaves of these infected shrubs become covered with small orange blisters, but are otherwise barely affected. Recent research suggests that the well-known wildflower Indian paintbrush may also act as a second host.

The U.S. ForestService has been select-ing strains of whitebark pine for resis-tance to blister rust. The dual threats of blister rust and mountain pine beetle in a time of climate change have prompted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to con-sider listing whitebark pine under the Federal Endangered Species Act. Regard-less of whether beetle outbreaks increase in frequency or whether rust-resistant trees are successful, there will be one or more generation of wilderness hikers who will be more familiar with whitebark pine skeletons than with the stately live trees.

For more information on Montana’s trees and their diseases see Trees and Shrubs of Gla-cier National Park by Kimball and Lesica.

Peter Lesicia is a well-known botanist, educator, and expert on Montana plants and wildflowers. He has lived in Montana for 35 years.

Introducing MWA’s NewHiking Website:

Hike Wild Montana!

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of hikewildmontana.org, your online guide to the best trails under the Big Sky.

Building on Montana Wilderness Associa-tion’s 55 years of experience with Wilderness Walks, hikewildmontana.org connects people with the wild places we’re working to protect. The site aims to inspire lifelong Montanans, new arrivals, and visitors alike to discover new trails and engage in the future of these places as stewards and advocates. Each trail description includes information about work we’re doing nearby and opportunities to give back through trail project and advocacy that helps to keep Montana wild.

At a deeper level, the site seeks to strength-en connections between our protected pub-lic lands and local economies. Each trail description includes recommendations for nearby businesses where visitors can find great burgers, beer, breakfasts, or B&Bs. By encouraging people to stop, enjoy, and spend dollars in gateway communities, the site helps showcase the value that quiet outdoor recreation offers rural economies.

Page 5: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana5

The Shining Mountains Chapter Baker Lake Project

Lead by Renee Snyder

Photo by Marilyn Wolff

For a second year the Montana Wilderness Association will sponsor a series of steward-ship hikes in the Baker Lakes Basin in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness on the Bitter-root National Forest. The hikes were begun last year as a way to introduce Montana Wilderness Association members and others to the potential for an active stewardship role in the management of Wilderness.

This summer’s series of projects is even more timely. The Bitterroot National For-est will be initiating a campfire closure order this year for Gem and Middle Lakes, the two smaller upper lakes in the Baker Lakes Ba-

sin within the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The closure will apply within ¼ mile of either lake. The stewardship hike volunteers will help the Forest Service inform visitors in the Baker Lakes Basin of the closure order, and will let the Forest Service know of non-com-pliance issues. We’ll also be placing signs for the closure, picking up trash, disassembling fire rings, continuing with last season’s moni-toring and generally observing activity for the Forest. It sounds like a dirty job, but it’s a beautiful place well worth the investment of our time and effort. Renee Snyder is a member of the Shining Moun-tains Stewardship Committee.

We need your help!

1. Use the site: plan your adventure at hikewildmontana.org.

2. Help keep information about trail conditions up-to-date: click “Add a Trip Report” to share your experi-ence.

3. Help add more trails: click “Add a Trail” to contribute your favorite hikes.

See you on the trail,

Kassia Kassia RandzioCommunity Engagement Manager

Hikers on the State-

line Trail in the Great Burn Proposed

Wilderness: Zack Porter

Page 6: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana6

Upcoming JuneWilderness Walks

Photo by Daphne HerlingPhoto by Daphne Herling

South Fork Lolo CreekSaturday June 4Location: LoloDistance: 6.5 miles, ModerateLeaders: Steve Seninger & Daphne HerlingHike Description: This walk goes into the proposed South Fork Lolo Creek Wilder-ness addition to the northern end of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.

Rye Creek Road RestorationSaturday, June 11Location: DarbyDistance: 4 miles, ModerateLeaders: Tim Peterson and Kirk ThompsonHike Description: Join a road res-toration contrac-tor and a retired road engineer to look at recent road storage and decommissioning work on the Darby Lumber Lands in Rye Creek.

Family Wildflower WalkSunday, June 12Location: MissoulaDistance: 2.5 to 5 miles, Moderate Leaders: Elena Ulev and Seth BarnesChildren and adults are invited on this fun, educational hike to the saddle of Mt. Jum-bo, home of the rare cushion plant com-munity.

Sunday MountainWednesday, June 15

Location: Seeley LakeDistance: 6 miles, StrenuousLeaders: Lee Boman and Gene SchadeViews of the Mission and Swan Mountains begin at the trailhead and intensify as the hike progresses. Once we reach the crest of the Swan Range, the views of the Bob Marshall Wilderness will erase any bad memories of the strenuous climb.

MaClay Flats ExplorationSaturday, June 18Location: MissoulaDistance: 1.5 miles, Easy

Leaders: Lori Alrawi and Mary Langen-derferWe will explore the surround-ings on a scavenger hunt and document

our findings in a nature journal. Be pre-pared to make a little owl out of clay. This will be a fun adventure for younger kids 4 to 10 years old.

Turquoise LakeFriday, June 24Location: CondonDistance: 12 miles, StrenuousLeader: Luke LamarHike with a former Mission Mountains Wilderness Ranger to Turquoise Lake, the most beautiful hike in the Missions avail-able on a maintained trail.

Let’s Go Hiking!Montana Wilderness Walks Program has the best leaders, the best selection of walks and the most fun to be had this

summer!Register for these and other hikes at

wildmontana.org

Page 7: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana7

photos by Glenn Seninger

Wilderness is about Family Fun

Photo by Daphne Herling

By Elena Ulev and Julie EllisonChildren love to explore. Getting them to love hiking and backpacking and de-veloping appropriate wildlands ethics can start any time you want! Here are a few pointers to keep it all about fun!

• Start with shorter distances. You can hike to many beauti-ful places that are only a mile or two down the trail. The same advice goes for backpacking; drag-ging protesting chil-dren miles and miles into the wilderness may make them nev-er want to go again.

• Set up a base camp and then do day hikes out of the base camp. Children love to saun-ter down the trail, play with sticks, splash in the water, look at insects, and listen to birds. Take time to enjoy all the nature around you. (Don’t be so anxious to reach a goal or some view point you are familiar with. Give your kids some “play time.”)

• Have games to play in the tent in case it is rainy or the mosquitoes are especially bad in the evening. Kids love playing card games; try Spoons, Snap or Go Fish.

• Teach your children “Leave No Trace” ethics. Help them understand why they shouldn’t pick all the wildflow-ers or hike off the trail when there are switchbacks.

Here’s a list of places close to Missoula where you can take your kids:

*Morrell Falls in Seeley Lake;*Waterworks Hill in Missoula for wildflowers in late spring;*Maclay Flat Nature Loop in Missoula;*Bass Creek or Kootenai Creek

in the Bitterroot;

*Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge in the Bitterroot;*Glade Creek Loop at Lolo Pass for cross- country skiing (3 mile loop).

Page 8: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana8

Wait, what? Who is this

Flat Bob? Well, first you

need to learn about Flat

Stanley, who inspired

MWA’s newest project

that connects people to

the wilderness.

Flat Stanley is an educational project de-signed for students to learn about differ-ent people and places. It is based on the children’s book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown. The main character, Stanley Lambchop, is accidentally flattened by a bulletin board. The flattened Stanley has the ability to slide under doors or be a kite for his brother. In addition, his family can send him on travels through the mail. Don’t worry, Stanley gets tired of being flat and his brother Arthur returns him to his nor-mal shape with a bicycle pump at the end of the story. Over the years students have mailed paper cut-outs of Flat Stanley to friends and relatives asking them to docu-ment the activities and places Stanley visits.

From Flat Stanley and the creative minds at the Missoula MWA office arose the idea of Flat Bob. Flat Bob is based on the wilderness activist Bob Marshall, the prin-cipal founder of the Wilderness Society, which helped secure the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964. Bob died at the early age of 38, and after his death the Bob Marshall Wilderness was designated in his honor. Though Bob Marshall is no longer with us, his legacy lives on. We

had a large two-dimensional Bob made for one of MWA’s Wild Fest events, and with Flat Stanley in mind we decided to create a small version who could travel with us on our adventures.

Now you want your own Flat Bob, don’t you?

Well, you’re in luck. We will be supplying people with a waterproof Flat Bob. Pick one up at an MWA table event or send your name and address to [email protected] and we will send you one via snail mail.

With this Flat Bob project you can take Bob Marshall along on your adventures in spirit. Flat Bob is small enough to take along in a car, canoe, or backpack. He is waterproof (but not guaranteed to swim).

Once you have your own Flat Bob:

1. Go adventure in Wild Montana! Take a hike, go fishing, run, ride horse-back. Do what you love. See some-place new.

2. Take a photo with Flat Bob.3. Share your photo on Facebook or Ins-

tagram with #FlatBob.

Adventures with Flat Bob!

Page 9: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana9

What’s the next best way to enjoy wild lands if you aren’t hiking in them? Reading about them!

Join the Shining Mountains Chapter Book Club......The Shining Mountains Chapter book club has been meeting since June 2014. We take a break in the summer, but here are some of the books we will be reading next, starting on September 14, 2016.

Saving Wild by Lori Robinson, Full of inspiration and hope, this book is an antidote for anyone who suffers from ecological despair over the current state of our planets wildlife and wild places.

The Wilderness World of John Muir by John Muir, Edwin Way Teale, Editor. As a conservationist, John Muir traveled through most of the American wilderness alone and on foot, without a gun or a sleeping bag.

Wild by Nature by Sarah MarqisNational Geographic Explorer Sarah Marquis takes you on the trail of her ten-thousand-mile solo hike across the remote Gobi desert from Siberia to Thailand, at which point she was transported by boat to complete the hike at her favorite tree in Australia.

Emerald Mile by Kevin FedarkoThe thrilling true tale of the fastest boat ride ever, down the entire length of the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon, during the legendary flood of 1983.

If you are interested in more information about the book club or would like to join us, email Julie Ellison ([email protected]).

Join the Great Burn Study Group for a backcountry stewardship weekend!

Backcountry experience is helpful but not necessary. There will be a brief, mandatory meeting before each trip. For more information, please contact Oliver Wood at 206-351-5320. Learn more about the Great Burn Study Group here.

These trips are supported by the Great Burn Study Group, National Forest Foundation, Cinnabar Foun-dation, LEAW Family Foundation, Montana Wilderness Association and other partners.

Hike the northern Rockies and help protect public wildlands! Join experienced lead-ers for a weekend trip into the proposed Great Burn Wilderness. Help monitor wildlife, trails, weeds and other conditions critical to wildland management.

June 24 - 26 Hike the North Fork of Fish Creek and explore remote French Lake. Difficulty: Moderate/strenuous. Total mile-age: 22.

July 8 - 10 Explore the heart of the Great Burn Wilderness via Cache Creek. Difficulty: moderate. Total mileage: 14.

July 14 - 17 Explore the upper reaches of Kelly Creek, a blue ribbon wild trout stream. Difficulty: strenuous. Total mileage: 20.

July 29 - 31 Soak up lakes, meadows, and old ce-dar groves on this tour of the Great Burn ending at Goose Lake. Difficulty: moderate/strenuous. Total mileage: 12.

August 12 -14 Spend the weekend following Straight Creek to a beautiful water-fall. Difficulty: moderate.

Total mileage: 10.

August 26 - 28 Enjoy a stunning view of both Idaho and Montana from the Stateline Trail above Heart Lake. Difficulty: moderate. Total mileage: 20.

Page 10: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana10

Your hike begins on the top of Black-lead Mountain at the Blacklead Trailhead (Trail 513, 7,285 feet). You’re mainly dropping or contouring on the way to the lake. Turn right onto Trail 508 at the junction a quarter mile downhill from the trailhead. In another 1.5 miles, stay to the left (continuing on Trail 508) at the junction with the Silver Creek Trail (248).

We didn’t see goats at the lake, but you might. You’ll need an Idaho fishing license if you wish to catch small cut-throat trout (the largest I caught was 10 inches). If you’re able to spend several days, you can take day hikes from Goat Lake or just take off to explore the high peaks of the Great Burn that surround you here. Note that the maps in MWA’s online hiking guide refer to Goat Lake as Silver Lake.

If you have a high-clearance vehicle, you might want to circumnavigate the Great Burn Recommended Wilderness on the way home, taking Road 581 to the Old Kelly Work Center, Road 255 to Road

Letting you in on a secret. Short hike. Mostly downhill. Campsite beside a beautiful pocket-sized lake. Big peaks nearby. Pikas. Maybe a moun-tain goat.

That’s Goat Lake in the Great Burn Recom-mended Wilderness, just across the border in Idaho’s Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest.

But first you have to get to the trailhead, which is 84 miles and four hours of cau-tious driving from Missoula. Take Highway 12 west from Lolo, over Lolo Pass to the Parachute Hill Road (569) junction near the Powell Ranger Station. Take Road 109 west from Grizzly Bear Saddle to Cay-use Junction where you will travel north on Road 581C. The Parachute Hill Road is suitable for most vehicles, but the roads get narrower, steeper, and rockier as you go. Subarus driven cautiously should have no trouble getting to the junction of 581C and 581. The extension of Road 581 (581 D) heading east here is steep, narrow, rocky, and deeply rutted. If you don’t have a pickup or SUV, I would recommend park-ing in the pull-off on your left shortly after you turn onto 581D. You’ll have an extra 0.9 mile of hiking (uphill), but better that than disabling a vehicle far from help. No cell coverage here, by the way.

Exploring the Great Burn—Goat Lake

By Bert LindlerThere’s a lifetime of wild country to explore in this view from the Blacklead Trailhead atop Blacklead Mountain in the Great Burn Recommended Wilder-ness. Photo: Bert Lindler

Page 11: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana11

250 to Hoodoo Pass, and eventually to Superior, an hour from Missoula. This trip will take you a full day, but you will find lots of new places to explore.

Enjoy!

The cliffs surrounding Goat Lake, reflected in its still waters. Photo: Bert Lindler

Jay Gore and Jazz on the trail returning from

Goat Lake. Photo: Bert Lindler

This point, carefully flaked a millennia or two ago and lost by a hunter who knew what we now call wilderness only as home, awaits your discovery. Photo: Bert Lindler

Page 12: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana12

Bitterroot National Forest Releases Travel Plan

by Zack Porter, MWA Western Montana Field Director

photo by Steve Seninger

Clean water, secure habitat, and outdoor recreation on public land are essential to our way of life. The Bitterroot National Forest travel management decision balances a wide range of outdoor recreation experiences with critical habitat and headwater protection for future generations.

The Bitterroot Quiet Use Coalition thanks For-est Supervisor Julie King for signing a Record of Decision that protects key Montana values including clean water, fish and wildlife habi-tat, and quiet backcountry experiences.

“For the first time, the Bitterroot National Forest Travel Plan is in legal compliance with the 1986 Forest Plan,” says Kirk Thompson, Stevensville resident and volunteer with the Montana Wilderness Association. “What’s more, it lives up to the conservation vision of Stevensville native, Senator Lee Metcalf, who safeguarded portions of the Bitterroot National Forest with passage of the Montana Wilderness Study Act of 1977.”

“The Travel Plan is a victory for Montana sportsmen and women,” says Nick Gevock, Conservation Director for the Montana Wild-life Federation. “The science is clear that security habitat is vital for elk, deer and other game species. We all understand that good hunting opportunity is dependent on a good travel plan.”

“This Travel Plan does an excellent job bal-

ancing recreational opportunities for all while ensuring solitude and safety on tra-ditional foot and horse trails,” adds Kathy Hundley, Darby resident and member of Selway-Pintler Back Country Horsemen.

“Cold, clear water is essential for a healthy trout fishery, and all of our water comes from the Bitterroot National Forest,” says Marshall Bloom of Hamilton and Bitterroot Trout Unlimited. “This Travel Plan makes sure Bitterrooters will enjoy great fishing for generations to come.”

“We applaud Forest Supervisor King for coming up with a plan that minimizes con-flict between winter user groups and, thus, improves the recreation experience for ev-eryone involved,” says Hilary Eisen, Recre-ation Planning and Policy Manager at Winter Wildlands Alliance. “This plan is a great step toward balance in the backcountry.”

Bitterroot Quiet Use Coalition members include: Bitterroot Trout Unlimited, Selway-Pintler Back Country Horsemen, Montana Wildlife Federation, Winter Wildlands Al-liance, Montana Wilderness Association, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Missoula Back Country Horsemen, and Defenders of Wildlife.

Bitterroot Quiet Use Coalition applauds Bitterroot National Forest on Travel Plan

Zack Porter is MWA’s Western Montana Field Director. contact him at [email protected]

Page 13: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana13

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL 2015 SEASON SUMMARY

packer value

$63,840

camp meals

2,625

volunteers

159

miles hiked

348

overall value

$322,485

trees cleared

1,953

24 Veterans 6 Moose Sightings50/50 mix 27 youth (18-24) 732 Starry Nights

New CDT Montana schedule to be posted in March 2016. Check wildmontana.org/cdt for details.

WHAT OUR TRAIL NEIGHBORS SAY...OTHER TRAIL WORK:

CDT Montana has set the standard for trail stewardship programs. Great job! -- Greg, Volunteer Packer, Bob Trip

The MWA trail program is very organized: submitting complete volunteer forms, providing project tracking information, pre-planning in the shoulder seasons, and providing project oversight. -- Doug, Agency Partner

I can't thank you enough for this experience. -- Sue, Ladies Project in Scapegoat Wilderness

We all love the trails and the access they give us to Nature, and loving them means taking care of them! Thanks for helping us do this! -- Tim, Glacier Nat’l Park

Stretching from Canada to Mexico along the spine of the RockyMountains, the Continental Divide Trail is 3,100 miles long.

MWA’s trail program, CDT Montana, takes care of the northern 980 miles with the help of

dedicated volunteers and partners.

40 miles worked • 25 miles brushed288 drains cleaned • 2.5 miles rerouted5 miles of retread • 3 retaining walls330 feet of turnpike • 2 dogs rescued6 trailhead info boards installed

Montana Wilderness Association’s CDT Montana program is the lead steward of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail’s northernmost 980 miles. This section from Yellowstone to Glacier boasts some of the most scenic hiking and the best-preserved ecosystems along the CDNST. However, only 60% of this section is complete and many of the existing trails need repairs.

In 2015, the Montana Wilderness Association celebrated it’s best year to-date on the Continental Divide Trail - including rescueing two dogs that were lost in the heart of the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Check out the full story at this link.

We hope you’ll consider joining us this summer - we need a few more willing workers to help us round out our crews. If you can join us for one of the projects below then get online and register today! Space is limited. More logistics and project details are online at wildmontana.org/cdt.

EXPLORE THE WILD DIVIDE THIS SUMMER!

CDT #4 - New Project PendingJuly 19-24, 2016 • Moderate Car-Camping • See website Elevation: 5,000 - 7,000 feet

CDT #4 - New Project PendingJuly 26-July 1, 2016 • Moderate Car-Camping • See website Elevation: 5,000 - 7,000 feet

CDT #6 Page Lake July 8-16, 2016 • Strenuous Backcountry • AP WildernessElevation: 8,500 - 9,000 feet

CDT #8 Lion Lake July 15-23, 2016 • Strenuous Backcountry • AP WildernessElevation: 7,000 - 7,500 feet

CDT #9 Flower Lake July 29-Aug 6, 2016 • Strenuous Backcountry • AP WildernessElevation: 8,500 - 9,000 feet

CDT #12 Big Hole Aug 13-20, 2016 • Strenuous Backcountry • Anaconda RangeElevation: 6,500 - 7,500 feet

Page 14: The Shining Mountains Sentinelwildmontana.org/downloads/smcspring2016newsletter.pdf · Grizzly West: A Failed Attempt to Reintroduce Grizzly Bears in the Mountain West. Reading by

www.wildmontana.org Become a fan at www.facebook.com/wildmontana14

MWA Missoula-based staff

Gabriel Furshong: MWA Deputy Director, [email protected]

Zack Porter: Western Montana Field Director, [email protected]

Kassia Randzio: Community Engagement Manager, [email protected]

Kayje Booker: Public Lands Program Manager, [email protected]

This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of

Bob Hopkins1949-2016

Bob, may you hike forever in your beloved Montana!

Shining Mountain Chapter

Chapter Board members:

Daphne Herling, President Bert Lindler, Past PresidentMartha Thayer, Vice PresidentSteve Seninger, TreasurerJulie Ellison, Chapter RepresentativeLee BomanChris RyanLori AlrawiEllie DavisRobyn JurinskiBecca BosloughMary Langenderfer

Feedback or ideas for future newletters? Please send them to [email protected].

Photos and stories to share? Go to wildmontana.org/share