April 2010 Wilderness Meeting

10. April 2010 by Phil & Kay Ryan.

Hi Everyone;
Winter has left the Emmett Valley, but yesterday we had our second meeting with the wilderness group and it snowed all day. We met with the Forest Service, Wilderness Society, the Idaho Trails Association, and Back Country Hunters and Anglers. We are making progress in working together for projects in the Frank Church Wilderness.

We have scheduled two projects for this summer. One north of the Salmon River and one South of it.  This is a great opportunity to work with other user groups and build a foundation of cooperation within the various groups. Remember what we said several years ago, “partnerships are the key to success”. If any of your chapter members can make these work projects please let me know and I will relay the information on to the forest service.

1. The first project is on the Churchill Trail out of Dixie. This project will have Ian Barlow using Traditional equipment to remove large trees and rocks. He uses sky rigging, ropes, slings, and pullies just like they did when the trails and roads were made in the mountains. The dates are June 25-26-27-28. The forest service would like about 8 to 10 people each day so people don’t have to work the full four days. We don’t need horses on this project, but if you bring them maybe you can get in some riding up around Dixie, I don’t know the trails there, sorry!

2. The second project is at Yellowpine on Missouri Creek. This trail has not been cleared in 12 years so expect to clear lots of fallen trees. The dates for this project are July 10-11.  We plan to have campfire gatherings in the evenings and this will be a great way to meet the people who walk those dusty trails and a great way for them to see that horse people are not all crazy. There are trails around the Yellowpine area to ride so bring your animals, good water, I don’t know about the grass in the area so plan on bringing hay.

If any of your chapter members are interested in these projects please let me know. As a side note: the federal mint is going to issue 6 new quarters this year and one of them will be the “Frank Church Wilderness” coin. If this area is going to be the gem of the wilderness areas in the United States, then it is up to us to help in any way we can as BCHI to keep those trails open.

Also, the NYC group will be working on Pistol Creek from June until mid August. They need people to pack in supplies for them, please contact Joe Williams if you can help.
Thanks
Phil

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Potential Idaho trail projects

Hi folks – sorry to be slow getting back to you all on results of the Idaho Trail Association meeting earlier this month. Here is a summary of potential projects for this year, for ITA and in partnership with others.

June 25-27 – Churchill trail, in the FCRNRW, on Nez Perce NF, near Whitewater trailhead on Salmon River, working with the informal wilderness trails partnership. Cutting out 1.5 miles of trail with crosscuts and other tools, which has not been cut in 12 years. Opportunity to work with Ian Barlow using rigging to move large logs.

July 9-11 – Missouri Creek trail, at edge and into FCRNRW, on the Payette NF, east of Yellow Pine, working with the informal wilderness trails partnership. Cutting out 6 miles of trail that has not been opened in three or more years.

Aug. 7-8 – Duck Lake to Hum Lake trail, in Secesh proposed wilderness, on Payette NF, near Lick Creek summit, ITA taking lead, working with Clem Pope at Krassel RD and with Jeff Halligan. Basic trail maintenance.

Aug. 15-21 – Dan Ridge Trail in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, on Powell RD of Clearwater NF. ITA working with Selway-Bitterroot Foundation, which will arrange for packer and crew cook for 6-10 people.

September – Boise Front trail project, working with David Gordon, Ridge to Rivers coordinator, at location and time to be set. ITA taking lead and partnering with Backcounty Horsemen of Idaho if possible.

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Based on the April 8 meeting in McCall, ITA will work with the informal wilderness trails partnership for the Churchill trail and the Missouri Creek trail.

We are working to set up at least a bare bones ITA website, for contact points. We anticipate sending out a public version of the project list for the Duck-Hum lakes trail, Dan Ridge and Boise Front, with contact points for people to get more information and to organize additional participation. Does Holly or anyone else anticipate putting out a public call for volunteers, with contact/information points, and do you want to coordinate efforts? We also have some ideas for trails in the Boise Front and need to narrow a plan.

Hope we can continue to coordinate trail projects…john

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John McCarthy

Idaho Forest Director

The Wilderness Society

950 W Bannock St. Suite 605

Boise, ID 83702

208-343-8153 x4

john_mccarthy@tws.org

www.wilderness.org

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