THE WILDEST PLACEFALL 2016

Newsletter of the Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation

2

From the ExECuTIvE DIrECTor

Board of DirectorsSally Ferguson ExEcutivE DirEctor

Sue Webster communications/mEmbErship

Courtney Wall program support bittErroot LEaD stEwarD

Stephanie Wright traiL crEw LEaDEr

Jesse Bergeson powELL traiLs Liaison

Eric Schweitzer moosE crEEk traiLs Liaison

Lida Wise payEttE LEaD stEwarD

Elizabeth James traiL crEw mEmbEr

Mallory Scharf traiL crEw mEmbEr

SBFC Staff

Fall 2016

Boise Office322 E. Front St.

Ste. 420FP. O. Box 1886

Boise, ID 83701208.373.4381

Western Montana Office

Missoula208.373.4381

facebook.com/selwaybitteroot

selwaybitterroot

The Wildest Place is the membership newsletter of the Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation. With the support of members, local businesses, and generous

grantors, the SBFC is committed to connecting citizens and communities to assist in the stewardship of the

Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, and surrounding wildlands.

Editing: Sue WebsterdEsign & Layout: Bridgette Rutz

Contributors: Sally Ferguson & Ed KrumpeCovEr Photo: Big Creek Trail Head

Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness

The Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

selwaybitteroot.org

This year we celebrated our 10th season of bringing wilderness stewardship volunteers to the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness areas!

We had another strong season thanks to our dynamic commu-nity of volunteers, Wilderness Ranger Interns, and skilled, committed staff! Our accomplishments included a combined total of 7,576 volunteer and Wilderness Ranger Intern work hours. We fielded 11 group volunteer projects, maintained 584 miles of trail, removed 326 pounds of trash, naturalized campsites, and removed fire rings.

SBFC does much more than keep trails open. First and foremost, we support Forest Service efforts to make sure Wilderness stays wild forever, by preserving Wilderness character. This season, we helped our FS partners implement two of their 10 new Wilderness Stewardship Performance (WSP) objectives in the FCRONR. SBFC volunteers and staff monitored the solitude quality of the wilderness character and also ensured that trails were maintained in a manner consistent with protecting the undeveloped character of wilderness.

In 2017 SBFC will continue to work closely with our FS partners to help them meet their primary responsibility under the Wilderness Act—to preserve wilderness character.

It is because of your kindness, generosity, and commitment to SBFC and wilderness that we continue to grow and accomplish so much on the wilderness lands we care so deeply about!

We are looking forward to more wilderness experiences with you in 2017. I look forward to seeing you on the trails or at our community gatherings!

Sally Ferguson Executive Director

2

Ed Krumpe — Chair

moscow, iDJerry Randolph — viCE Chair

mccaLL, iD Dale Williams — trEasurEr

FLorEncE, mtJane Holman — sECrEtary

moscow, iDMurray Feldman boisE, iDButch Harper kEtchum, iDAri Kotler Driggs, iDTom Kovalicky grangEviLLE, iDCharles Miller hamiLton, mtAimee Moran boisE, iDLisa Ronald missouLa, mtConnie Saylor-Johnson nEzpErcE, iDLarry Swan mccaLL, iDMark Wetherington hamiLton, mt

We’ve completed another cycle of stewardship work in the back country. Thousands of hours of tireless work this summer by our volunteers, staff, and interns have opened trails, cleaned

campsites, and monitored wilderness conditions.

Short winter days and snow moving down from the high country brings a blanket of primeval silence across the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return Wildernesses. Although our access might be limited, there are still lots of ways you can continue to be involved in the citizen stewardship of these great mountains.

Please continue your support by going to our film-festival events in Boise, Missoula, and Moscow; attend and donate or bid on something of value at our winter friend-raising events in Clarkston and Missoula; make a donation through the “Idaho Gives” and “Give Local Missoula” internet campaigns during the first week in May; renew your membership; volunteer to serve on our board of directors; and tell three friends about the great work we do every year.

Another great opportunity (for Idaho residents) is to support the SBFC by upgrading to an Idaho wilderness license plate. For every plate sold the Foundation receives $22, and for every plate renewed we receive $12. This raises thousands of dollars that go directly to support Wilderness. And the best part is that everywhere you drive you will be helping to promote the work of the Foundation! See plate image on page 3.

Our dedicated volunteers, interns and staff are already preparing for another season of stewardship when springtime returns to the back country. We can’t do it without your support and we appreciate all that you do. Ed KrumpeBoard Chairman

From theBoArD CHAIr

TAKE A HIKESBFC Final Presentationby Claire voris, 2016 Wilderness ranger InternIn 2013, I hiked the Appalachian Trail – 2,000 miles in a season – which gave me a lot of time to think about walking, specifically, the way I walk. It was a selfish time when I could put my head down and go: feet flying, brain empty, body churning and numb; a time when there was no one to perform for, stop for, worry for, or send timesheets to.

When I came to Montana from Illinois last fall for graduate school at the University of Montana, I wasn’t comfortable with the day-hikes I was taking. They made me nervous. I walked too fast, trying to get places quickly, efficiently.

My hikes got shorter, less frequent, and, ultimately, pushed aside for other recreation. I applied for an internship through SBFC because I wanted to have a reason to get back out in the woods, something that would take me places in my new environment and give me a reason to stay put, slow down, enjoy that world again. Because I knew how to walk on a trail, I thought I knew how to maintain one. I didn’t, but I would learn.

I’ve learned to slip the long end of a saw through the right shoulder strap of my backpack, to take the weight of it on my hip belt as I walk – it’s a bitch to carry either way, but that’s the best I’ve come up with so far. I’ve learned that to put my head down and walk the way I walked 2,000 miles out east cannot be done in the wilderness without the help of people who are passionate: people who love the idea of something wild; people who have taken the time to lose themselves, selfishly at times, to that idea, and yet, also understand the importance of coming together.

The SBFC Wilderness Ranger Internship has given me the opportunity to work in parts of the wild that I knew I could love, but had forgotten how to go about loving. As a thru-hiker, a downed tree was a nuisance that required a quick detour, an unwieldy jump, or, more often than not in my case, an unflattering ass-scoot. As a trail worker, a downed tree is also a nuisance, but one that demands attention to detail, a slowing down, an appreciation of binds and bark and sharp saws and the sheer force of winds and rains and sediments and, eventually, of Ramen Noodle fueled bodies pushing, sweating and stinking together. I’m so thankful I’ve had the opportunity to relearn how to walk this summer – thankful to have had strong, intelligent, kind, and

passionate people to walk with. To my crew, I will miss the sound of your footsteps. Thank you for helping to anchor mine. To people like Sally Ferguson, Coby Gierke, Adam Washebek, and Jack Ader: thank you for creating opportunities and making room for people like me to learn. Thank you SBFC supporters who made our trainings and certifications possible. Thank you to the Bitterroot National Forest for sharing your lands, your tools, your knowledge. Through us, you are ensuring a future for these wild places.

Claire Voris is presently a second-year grad student at the University of Montana. Each SBFC intern is required to write and present a final paper during their “wrap up” week when they meet government officials and stake-holders who are involved in protecting and maintaining Wilderness character. This is an excerpt from Claire’s presentation.

3

DECEMBER 1, 2016 Grand raffle Begins

JANUARY 2017 volunteer Projects Posted

JANUARY 17 – TUESDAY outdoor Conversations-Guest Speaker TBD rediscovered Book Shop – Boise

FEBRUARY 4 - SATURDAY North Idaho Gathering & Fundraiser Clarkston Quality Inn – Clarkston

FEBRUARY 21 - TUESDAY outdoor Conversations-Guest Speaker TBD rediscovered Book Shop – Boise

MARCH 6 - MONDAY Telluride Mountainfilm Kenworthy Theater – Moscow

MARCH 10 - FRIDAY Telluride Mountainfilm roxy Theater – Missoula

MARCH 21 - TUESDAY outdoor Conversations-Guest Speaker TBA rediscovered Book Shop – Boise

APRIL 18 - TUESDAY outdoor Conversations-Guest Speaker TBA rediscovered Book Shop – Boise

Upgrade to a Wilderness License Plate

FOUNDATIONas a DONATION

Original design by Idaho artist Ward Hooper. Plate is $35 the first year/

$25 for renewals. SBFC receives $22 first year/

$12 renewals.

Order today at any DMV or on line at: https://www.accessidaho.org/secure/itd/

personalized/plates.html. If your plates are not yet up for renewal, you may still

order the Wilderness plates. Balance due is automatically computed based on your renewal date.

$22 goes to the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church

You can upgrade ANY time!

2016-2017EVENT CALENDAR

2016 Projects Summary

2016 ACCOMPLISHMENT TOTALS

7,576hourslogged byvolunteers

6,909 TREEScut from

trails

584miles oftrail maintained

WILDERNESS SIGNS Installed6

386 POUNDSof Trash Removed

or Cached

32 CAMPFIRE RINGS Removed

CAMPSITESInventoried67

4

Nez Perce/Clearwater National Forest

May-September: Historic Lochsa Ranger Station HostingApril-November: Cabin HostingApril 4-15: Fenn Front Country Work, Fenn Ranger Station, IDApril 19-27: Selway #4 Trail Clearing and Maintenance, Selway River, IDMay 3-10: SBFC Staff Training, Lochsa Historic Ranger Station, IDMay 17-15: Warm Springs Trail Clearing, Powell, IDMay 20-23: Boulder Creek Trail Clearing, Wilderness Gateway, IDJune 2-10: Wilderness Ranger Intern Technical Skills Training, Lochsa Historic Ranger Station, IDJune 14-22: Boulder Creek Drainage Trail Maintenance, Wilderness Gateway, IDJune 14-22: Cove Lakes Area Trail Clearing, Fog Mountain Saddle, IDJune 28-July 6: Storm Creek Trail Clearing, Elk Summit, IDJune 28-July 6: Trails #626, #621, and #602 Clearing and Maintenance, Indian Hill, IDJune 28-July 6: Meadow Creek Trail Maintenance, Meadow Creek, IDJuly 12-20: Trails #939, #618, #619 Clearing and Maintenance, Elk Summit, IDJuly 12-21: Warm Springs Creek Drainage Trail Clearing, Powell, ID

July 26-30: Wind Lakes Trail Clearing and Maintenance, Grave Peak, ID (Dallas County Iowa Conservation Group)July 27-Aug 1: Swamp Creek Trail Clearing, Elk Summit, IDJuly 26-Aug 3: Mink Peak and Buck Lake Area Trail Clearing, Magruder Corridor, IDJuly 25-Aug 2: Meadow Creek Trail Maintenance, Meadow Creek, IDAugust 8-13: Walton Lakes Trail Clearing and Maintenance, Tom Beal Park, IDAugust 9-29: Fish Lake Trail Clearing and Maintenance, Fish Lake, IDAugust 23-Sept 1: Bridge Creek Trail Clearing, Elk Summit, IDSeptember 6-13: Big Fog Mountain Area Trail Maintenance, Fog Mountain, IDSeptember 7-13: Boyd Creek, Warm Springs, Wind Lakes, and McCon-nell Mountain Trail Maintenance, Various Locations, IDSeptember 20-26: Stanley Hot Springs Area Trail Clearing and Mainte-nance, Wilderness Gateway, IDSeptember 20-28: Hidden Peak Area Trail Clearing, Elk Summit, IDSeptember 20-28: Diablo Mountain Loop Trail Clearing, Elk Summit, IDOctober 3-12: East Fork Moose Creek Trail Clearing, Elk Summit, IDOctober 14-16: Stanley Hot Springs Trail Clearing, Wilderness Gate-way, ID (Washington State University Outdoor Program)

5

Chris AdkinsSydney AlgreenAndy AlgreenVal ArmichardyDave AstinAlex BasemanLarry BeckerBill BellClem BinningerFlora BinningerHannah BinningerJon BinningerPamela BondDave BorgerDaniel BornRussell BridgesElise BuggeKelly BussardEdward CallaghanMark CallaghanNicolas CallaghanJacob CanduebJack CarpenterHannah Cassidy

Chance ChaconErick ColemanChris ChouinardLarry CooperLinda CooperClaire DarchicourtLogan DawsonMuriel DelaleBrad DonaldsonCindy DonaldsonJames DorseyBryan DufosseElla Mae ElliotJen ElliotSam ElliotKarl EnglundLovina EnglundEd EnnekingDave EnsnerRebecca EvansChris EyersDan FarmerJoanie FauciDoris Ferguson

Dwight FergusonDanilo FigueroaCary FosterMel FowlkesBarbara GallagherJames GallagherJack GeneserKelley GreenJoey HarkinsFred HebertJim HeidelbergerCorey HoffmanMateen HessamiWill HoltBrian HoodDiana HowsareDavid HuardBrennan HydenClay JacobsonKelsey JohansonDanielle JonesSusan JonesHelen KettleTom Klein

Tawn KreiderJoe KroeberNicole LoneroMason MadrenDouglas McConnellBill McGlynnMarissa MeadowcroftMaryanna MendenhallRonnie MetcalfeGrace MontgomeryKennedy MorrisFrank NicholsonMatthew OberreuterClare O’ConnellPat O’HearnHart PaulatDennis PearsonJonas PerileuxDiane PettitAndrew PogueKeith PoppertKris PuryLeroy PuryTony Rasch

Ronald RavaniMax RebholzGail RenshawJim RenshawCalle RiesEmma RikerKevin RobertsonConnie Saylor-JohnsonGordon SchofieldBob SchumakerDave ShindelJuraj SovcikJustin SpyksmaJB StoneCarol StrongTom StrongTroy TaylorLarry UkestadMark VandlikClaire VorisBob WhaleyLarry WhiteJoe Williams

Payette National Forest

June 14-24: Chamberlin Trail #110 from Big Creek Trailhead to Hand Meadows Trail Clearing and MaintenanceJune 26-July 6: Lick Creek to Cougar Basin to W. Fork Monumental Trail Clearing and MaintenanceJuly 13-19: Marble Creek #222 Trail Opening and MaintenanceJuly 26-Aug 3: Lookout Mountain #061 Trail Clearing and Mainte-nanceAugust 9-18: Mosquito Ridge to South Fork and Big Creek to Monu-mental Bar Trail Clearing and MaintenanceAugust 28-Sept 3: Marble Creek #222, Project #2 Trail Opening and MaintenanceSeptember 6-14: Chamberlin Basin-Chamberlin Creek Trail #0033 Trail Clearing and MaintenanceSeptember 20-28: Chamberlin Basin- Trails #002, #035, #039, #040, #041, #044, #168, #238

Bitterroot National Forest

JULY-SEPTEMBER: St. Mary Peak Volunteer Fire Lookout Program June 14-22: Bear, Canyon, and Sheafman Creek Trails Clearing

June 28-July 5: Sweeney Creek Trail Maintenance and St. Mary Peak Trail Clearing and MaintenanceJuly 10-17: Blodgett Canyon Trail Clearing July 18-23: St. Mary Lookout and surrounding area Maintenance WorkJuly 31-Aug 8: Blodgett Canyon, Chaffin, and Trapper Creek Trail Clearing and MaintenanceAugust 9-18: Boulder Creek and Blodgett Canyon Bridge WorkAugust 24-29: Fred Burr Trail ClearingSeptember 6-14: Northern Frank Church/Eakin Ridge, Fawn Ridge, and Big River Trail Clearing

Salmon-Challis National Forest

June 6-15: Trails #158 and #161 Clearing and MaintenanceJune 29-July 6: Trails #019, #013, #014 Josephus Lake to Soldier Lakes Basin Clearing and MaintenanceJuly 13-20: Trails #165, #018, #166 Horse Creek Drainage Trail ClearingJuly 27-Aug 3: #121 and #125 Camas Creek Trail ClearingAug 10-17: Lower Marble Creek Trail Clearing

We’ve posted on our website a detailed narrative account of each project. If you’d like to know exact locations, what

work was accomplished, etc. please visit www.selwaybitterroot.org and click on the BLOG tab at the top of the page.

our voLuNTEErS ArE our roCKThank you to this season’s 119 back country volunteers who helped SBFC preserve Wilderness character and continued access to those places we all hold so dear. From brushing trail, to providing pack and chef support, to hosting historic structures, our volunteers are the backbone and rock of this organization.

Thank you for all that you do.

THE ICT rEQuIrES SoME TLCThe Idaho Centennial Trail spans some 900 miles from the southern Idaho border to the Canadian border. Approximately 350 of those miles cover designated Wilderness land cared for by the SBFC. This season the SBFC spent two hitches in the Marble Creek area working on the ICT. The August hitch was accomplished in partnership with the Idaho Trails Association. The crews tackled several tree-tangled and slide areas. The Marble Creek section of the ICT is passible once again.

A HEArTY BuNCH AT BLoDGETTSBFC’s Bitterroot National Forest staff and Wilderness Ranger Interns were joined by nine volunteers on a high priority project of clearing the Blodgett Canyon Trail. The blowdown, caused by a microburst, was extensive and required precise and careful work. Over a week’s time, the crew managed to cut about 1.25 miles of trail beyond the campsite at 7-mile Meadow.

“PuT THEM IN A PLACE To HELP THEM rEMEMBEr THE ESSENCE oF WHY THEY ArE HErE oN EArTH”The Dallas County Iowa Conservation Group, comprised of 12 high school students and co-leader Sydney Algreen, ookis led by retired Iowa teacher, Chris Adkins. This past summer was the 21st season that Chris has brought students to the Wilderness. This summer’s project was based in the Wind Lakes area. The crew cleared logs from the trail, cut back brush, cleaned drains, and spent a wonderful day visiting the summit of Graves Peak.

MuLE TrAIN DELIvErSTHE GooDSPacker Chris Eyers, and his mule train, supply the St. Mary lookout with the essentials during the summer months. Chris makes the journey every other week hauling water, firewood, food, tools, paints and each lookout host’s gear to the lookout.

“IT’S oLD TECHNoLoGY, BuT AMAZINGLY PrECISE!”Volunteer Gordon Schofield is explaining to some visitors how to plot a fire location using cross-azimuth shots from two lookouts. To begin, each lookout would first "shoot" an azimuth (bearing) to the smoke using the Osborne Firefinder. Then, the lookout would stretch the two strings from the centers of azimuth circle protractors mounted over each lookout on the map. The strings would be stretched over the observed azimuth from each lookout, and the point of intersection of the strings would represent the approximate location of the fire.

6

I recently joined the Foundation last spring. My kids and I just completed a multi-sport trip from Hailey, Idaho to Victor, Montana. In the second-to-last segment of the trip, we backpacked from Corn Creek on the Salmon, through the Selway and Moose Creek, then out via Blodgett Creek. Blodgett was a nightmare of downed spruce trees for miles. It might be the worst single-season blowdown I've ever seen (and I worked trails for 10 years in the Scapegoat). You can imagine our relief when we finally reached the first freshly cut log on the trail. My daughter hugged it! Soon after that we ran into one of your crews coming in to continue cutting the trail out.

First of all, a huge thank you to the Foundation and to the volunteers and staff on that crew. One realizes the importance of volunteer trail work in these times of diminishing USFS trails budgets. And the trails we took on the whole trip, especially in the high country on both sides of Blodgett Pass, illustrate magnificent trail construction and rock work (some of it probably dating back to the early part of the 20th century). All that work could be lost if the trails are neglected for too long.

Plus, as a former trails foreman and trail contract inspector, it was obvious your crew knew what they were doing! Someone in that crew is a wizard with an axe. The axe cuts were so beautiful I almost cried, and my kids got tired of my stopping to admire so many cuts. I guessed there must be someone on that crew who competes in competitive axe work. If not, that person or persons must do a lot of axe work. You rarely see such fine cuts anymore.

So I wanted to pass on our gratitude and appreciation!

Dan Browder - Parent, Backpacker, and Wilderness Enthusiast

Gratitude and Appreciation for your Wilderness Work

Dan with his kids Kevin and LindsayLindsay the Tree Hugger!

Kudos to Lida Wise

I am sure you know what a gem Lida is but I just wanted to express a little homage to our fearless leader on the Marble Creek project last week. Maybe I am a little biased, because this was my first week-long trail maintenance project, but I don't know if we could have had a better leader. Lida is awesome! It was easy to tell that she is a true trail professional. I would always be catching her writing or reviewing something in her little notebook. She was really good about keeping it fun yet safe, always made sure we were well taken care of, made some very yummy dinners, answered all of my questions with her obvious breadth of knowledge about trail maintenance and stewardship, and is a very hard worker. It seemed like she was always the last one in camp...usually stopping along the way to work on something she thought could be better. So kudos to Lida!!!

It was an amazing trip all around. I definitely plan on signing up for another trip in the future.

SIncerely,Pam Bond - Boise, ID2016 Marble Creek Volunteer

Lida Wise - 2016 Payette NF Lead Steward

GrAND rAFFLE WINNErS ENJoY "THE roW”Row Adventures hosted our 2016 Grand Raffle Winner Robert Saldin and his father Tom on a 5-day trip down the Lower Salmon River. Robert is a past SBFC St. Mary Lookout volunteer. Thanks again to Row Adventures for their generous donation. Watch the SBFC Facebook page for information and start date for the 2017 Grand Raffle.

7

P.O. Box 1886Boise, ID 83701

FIELD WORK Each summer we organize, transport, educate, feed, and manage crews and citizen volunteers for trail maintenance, wilderness monitoring, weed mitigation, cabin stewardship, and lookout hosting.

Name:________________________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________________

City:__________________________ State:__________ Zip:___________

Email:________________________________________________________

Gift Amount:__________________________________________________

PROtECt AND PRESERvE thE LEgACy OF WILDERNESS

Send gift with this form to: SBFC Foundation – PO BOX 1886 Boise, ID 83701

Monthly and one-time payment options are available on our website: selwaybitteroot.org/take-action/

From $30 to a legacy gift, all contributions make a tangible difference towards the work we do.

DEvELOP FUtURE LEADERSOur internship program is a training ground for college students who will pursue careers that have a positive and lasting impact on wilderness and land conservation.

WILDERNESS AND PUBLIC LAND EDUCAtIONEach year, with the Bitterroot National Forest, we host a Wilderness Skills Training Program for elementary school students. These students learn age-appropriate wilderness skills, such as “Leave No Trace”, and receive information that can translate to a lifelong appreciation of wilderness.

PLEASE INDICAtE yOUR mEmBERShIP LEvEL

q Please charge my credit card one-time.

Card Number ________________________________________________

Expiration Date _____ /_____ Three digit code ______________

Signature_____________________________________________________

thANK yOU FOR yOUR gIFt

2016-2017 Annual Sponsors

SBFC Legacy – Financial bequests and personal property.Please Contact: Sally Ferguson, Executive Director sferguson@selwaybitterroot.orgq $30 q $60 q $120 q $240 q $600 q $________