That’s (almost) a wrap
This year our first project was March 19th, with a group of BSU students working the Bernard Creek trail in Hells Canyon as part of their Alternative Spring Break Program. Our last project will be October 7th, maintaining the Dry Creek Trail in the Boise Foothills. That’s nearly seven months of trail work! The upshot of seven months was logging over 13,000 hours of volunteer time clearing almost 300 miles of trail and scouting over 100 for future projects- more than ever before! Rain, wind, heat, bugs…nothing (except the errant wildfire) kept us from pulling saws and working loppers, from scraping tread and cleaning drains. ITA volunteers are tough. And resilient. And fun!
So thank you. It’s you all— the volunteers, the individual and corporate donors, the grantors, the non-profit partners, the land manager partners— who’ve allowed us to expand our season. Having the funds and volunteer power to work low-elevation trails in the cooler seasons and focus on high-elevation trails with a shorter snow-free season in the heart of summer results in more trails cleared in more places, providing access to Idaho’s deepest river canyons and highest alpine lakes.
As ITA staff and board watch the sun set earlier each day and weather besides clear skies and sun take over the forecast, we look back on 2023 with gratitude and forward with optimism on 2024 and beyond. Spring Equinox here we come, Pulaski’s raised (but not over our heads, because that’s dangerous).
Melanie Vining
Executive Director
