Idaho Public Television’s Outdoor Idaho will end the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act at 7 p.m. Sunday with an hour-long special that appears to be spectacular.
The IPTV team went to every wilderness area in the state to examine the places, the issues, the controversies and the wonder that Idaho has in these special places. Many call us the wilderness state with reasons this television presentation makes obvious Read More
I never imagined myself undertaking a shopping experience of this nature and yet here I am, scrolling through online pages of justwalkers.com, perusing the latest fashion in clip on walker baskets. Here’s a cool one, I wonder if the plastic flower comes in camo?
The events leading to the root cause of this sudden interest in therapeutic medical devices yanks me back to the past approximately twenty years ago. To a time when I was young and likely thought myself invincible. I would learn that invincible meant one thing and breakable something altogether different. Read More
GARY HOLT and TINA MAE WEBER visit with JIM MCGARVEY chairman of BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN of AMERICA. What the recent agreement with BCHA and the National Park Service means to you, the Trail Rider!
Wilson Corral Trail Report – Oct 2014
USFS TR 135 trail discription
Nancy & Shannon’s Adventure
Our adventure started early Saturday morning, we left Shannon’s house by 7:30 am, and thought how great we are actually leaving on time. We were so proud of ourselves. Then we get to the cutoff for Sagehen and had to decide which fork to take. That should have been the first clue that things were not gonna turn out good. From the directions posted it said take the 2nd fork. So we did, and boy howdy we had no idea what we were in for. Not only was the road skinny for a horse trailer and no pullouts,but from the rain the night before the black mud was like grease in spots. Once we almost lost traction on a very curvy hill. So needless to say we have calluses from holding the steering wheel and finger prints in the dash .. When we finally reached the expected meet up place we found lots of hunters and no place to turn around, and no Rob either.. We asked the hunters if they had seen Robs rig and they assured us they had not. So we thought well we may as well get the heck out of there, besides how many more gray hairs could Shannon sprout.. ?? The hunters moved vehicles so we could get turned around and we went back 3rd fork which was like a freeway compared to 2nd fork. We came straight back to the Eagle foot hills and rode there just to unwind a little and say we had rode this day.. So make sure you don’t take 2nd fork with a trailer and especially if it has rained. (The route they took was the middle option, the directions suggest 3rd fork, the blue option)
2014 Developing The Next Generation of Conservationists Project List
2015-NextGen-RFP-Final-10-14-14
Response to the Ryan T Bell piece in Western Horseman on the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act
Ryan Bell Response (BCHA Letter to Editor – Western Horseman)
October 21, 2014 10:28AM
The horses from the Hard Trigger Wild Horse Herd Management Area will be available at the Boise Wild Horse Corrals off Pleasant Valley Road in south Boise.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Twenty-three wild horses gathered in southwest Idaho will available for adoption in Boise on Friday and Saturday.
Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management say the horses from the Hard Trigger Wild Horse Herd Management Area will be available at the Boise Wild Horse Corrals off Pleasant Valley Road in south Boise.
Adoption hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday October 24, 2014 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday October 25, 2014.
The 2014 Extreme Mustang Makeover Champion Matt Zimmerman will conduct training demonstrations both days.
Those wishing to adopt a wild horse must be at least 18 years old, never have been convicted of animal abuse or cruelty, and have proper facilities and transportation. BLM Wild Horse Program
After a life threatening injury from a horse accident in August of 2011, I signed up for the Extreme Mustang Makeover. Not knowing if I was going to be physically able to train, but having the determination and the desire to reach my goals is what gave me the strength. A few quotes wandered my way about the time I was picking up my mustang and they read— “If you can dream it, you can believe it, then you can achieve it!” and “A champion wins first, then walks into the arena, and everyone else walks into the arena and tries to figure out what to do!”
My philosophy is that every horse must have trust before they can go on and accomplish anything. This is done by doing the correct groundwork to achieve respect and control of the horse without instilling fear. If the correct foundation is laid down from the beginning, then you will have a solid horse that will do anything for you and go anywhere you want without protest. I personally like to have all the horses that I start do a wide range of things so that they are diverse, because I feel it keeps the mind fresh and that keeps your horse wanting to be a willing partner. Plus, having a versatile horse gives you more options if some unforeseen thing happens and your horse can no longer compete in his specified field.
Extreme Mustang Makeover
The purpose of the competition is to showcase the beauty, versatility and trainability of these rugged horses that roam freely on public lands throughout the West, where they are protected by the BLM under federal law. The BLM periodically removes excess animals from the range to ensure herd health and protect rangeland resources. Thousands of the removed animals are then made available each year to the public for adoption. More than 3,300 wild horses have been adopted through Mustang Heritage Foundation events and programs since 2007
On October 12, seven members of Squaw Butte had a great fall ride in the the north eastern corner of the Succor Creek BLM management area. Succor Creek Loop Ride
Idaho decided the best way to move beavers was to airdrop them!
Just the title – “Transplanting Beavers by Airplane and Parachute” – of this 1950 report in the Journal of Wildlife Management raises questions. Like, for goodness sake, why? And how? Did they specially make tiny beaver-sized parachutes and goggles, and push them out of the cargo hold, one by one, like a tiny dam-making army? Once on the ground, did the beavers suffer post-traumatic stress from the sudden drop? Or did they spend the rest of their days mourning in rivers, longing for another taste of the sky? Read More
Beavers, Their Dams Put to Work Restoring Streams Read More
Beavers as neighbors Read more
On September 14 a small but enthusiastic group of 4 riders set out into the Payette National Forest to clear trail and explore the Bucks Basin area. Once at the trail head, the lower trail was well defined and in good shape. There were only two areas that required some minor deadfall cleanup. Further up the trail the path became less defined as it passed through a meadow and cattle loafing area. Due to the lack of a visible trail, the group did a bit of “bush whacking” up a rocky slope in search of the trail. Once above the meadow, a few scattered cairn and trial markers guided us to the summit above Lake Basin. The views were fantastic and we spotted a small group of mule deer near the top. After a relaxing lunch in Lake Basin, the group struck back for camp. The weather was dry and pleasant and all rider and mount performed well.
MATTHEW DOPERALSKI
What begins as a relaxing, back to nature backpacking trip into Oregon’s rugged Eagle Cap wilderness soon evolves into a three month adventure of a lifetime for three people and a big white dog.Physically unprepared and ill equipped, the party sets out on a three day hiking trip only to discover Mother Nature is not always willing to accommodate such novice trespassers in her back yard.Forced to confront the challenges of nature’s wrath head on, each hiker learns true loss is not in the absence of material things, but rather the failure to discover the strength which is inside each of us.Follow the incredible journey as these ragtag wanna-be hikers set out to discover new trails and discover instead that sometimes it’s not always the destination, but the journey that is most remembered See more Eagle Cap Pictures
Enclosed is a report that summarizes the listening sessions held this spring across the Intermountain Region, including the sessions in Boise. The Regional Leadership Team has discussed the report information and there has been clear value to them to read the contents. Thank you for your participation.
David R. Olson
Public Affairs Officer
Boise National Forest
1249 S. Vinnell, Suite 200
Boise, ID 83709
208-373-4105 (w)
208-861-0768 cell
The story of a Chainsaw Chaps Injury (Blog Post)
Watch this Chap demonstration video
Chain Saw Safety – Training Video
Chainsaw Accident Statistic
Chainsaw Chaps Guide
When was the last time you checked your trailers tire pressure? Just a few pounds of pressure low can make a huge difference in handling and load capacity. Just a quick look before loading can prevent a picture like this somewhere along the road. Use a tire pressure gauge on each tire & spare before using your trailer. That few minutes can save you a lot of grief and expense later.
Click on picture
Learn how to read your trailer tires Proper tire Care & Safety
Trailer Safety Check List Trailer Safety Inspections and Maintenance
Cupp Corral Cut-off Report Camping area Latitude: 44.48816 Longitude: -115.71245
Nine members of Squaw Butte spent a great weekend at a new camp site for us, off FR 409 east of Cascade, ID on the head waters of the Middle Fork of the Payette river. The forest service map on Trail 033 indicates this is it northern termination and checking it out and doing some trail maintenance seemed like a good idea. The camp site is one of the best we have every used, the trail was a disappointment. After clearing about 3/4 of a mile the trail could not be found, it is likely it was washed out by high water over the years.
The trail head / camping site was excellent with trailer parking, water for stock and shade for setting up a great group area.
This sign indicated we were in the right place and we found a defined trail bed and logs that had been cut by prior trail maintenance efforts.
A survey on Friday night indicated that the trail had some major downfall and the best plan of action was to start the project on foot, and only get the stock on the trail after we had cleared the first 1/2 mile of trail.
Unfortunately at the 3/4 of a mile mark the trail could no longer be located. It appears that the original trail bed has been washed away by the river and we could go no further. After a good lunch, the group did a nice afternoon ride.
While the group didn’t accomplish what they had hoped on trail 033 north, we all had a great time. SEE MORE PICTURES
Mike McGlenn, past chairman of BCHA (2011-2013), Bill Conger and Phil Ryan spent a week in late July riding in Montana’s horseman’s paradise the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
One of the Bob’s great trail heads – a model for how all horse trail heads should be setup!
Bill and Phil in camp
View’s like this make the Bob special and popular with horseman all over the west
Mike, Phil and Bill
Phil spending some quality time with his horse as another pack string passes.
One of the many bridges in the Bob Marshall
Back at the trail head after a great trip. To view more picture, CLICK HERE!
Susan Jenkins – McCall Trail ranger on the weekend – I felt terrible that we didn’t have a project! But it was a good weekend, nonetheless. I only learned late last week that someone else had cleared the trail. I didn’t have a backup trail that would have included a place for folks to camp with stock. You are right, though, about the time spent with Laurie, Lou Ann and Phil. We had a great time with them. Phil was gracious enough to provide the trail folks with a short packing lesson Saturday morning. It certainly raised their interest in using stock for trails work. It was all they talked about this morning at the office. (Which makes me extremely happy, given that the trail crew is comprised of a lot of kids that ride motorcycle dirt bikes on our trails.) See Pictures of the project
LUMMIS, Cynthia M., a Representative from Wyoming; born in Cheyenne, Laramie County, Wyo., September 10, 1954; B.S., University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo., 1976; B.A., University of Wyoming, 1978; J.D., University of Wyoming College of Law, Laramie, Wyo., 1985; rancher; lawyer, private practice; staff, Wyoming governor Jim Geringer, 1994-1996; member of Wyoming state house of representatives, 1979-1983, 1985-1993; member of Wyoming state senate, 1993-1995; Wyoming state treasurer, 1999-2007; Wyoming state lands and investment acting director, 1997-1998; elected as a Republican to the One Hundred Eleventh and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 2009-present).
Fire wise for Horse Properties
Wednesday, August 6, 7 – 8:30 pm
Foothills Learning Center, 3188 Sunset Peak Rd, Boise 83702
Wildfire can quickly become a real threat to rural landowners. When horses or livestock are involved, action needs to be taken quickly to reduce the chance of animals being lost and property being damaged. This presentation will help you identify wildfire risks around your horse property and provide you with the appropriate actions to minimize that risk as well as ways to expedite an evacuation should the danger of wildfire arise. FREE!
Alayne Blickle, a life-long equestrian and educator, is the creator/director of Horses for Clean Water, an award winning, nationally acclaimed environmental education program that “wrote the book” on caring for horses and land. Firewise for Horse Owners is funded by the Southwestern Idaho Resource& Conservation District and the Bureau of Land Management.
About using stock in the Bridger teton’s Video
Back Country Horsemen of America Helps Girl Scouts Earn Merit Badges Press Release
Five members of Squaw Butte spend seven day exploring the Sawtooth wilderness. Pictures of the trip are available on the website.
Rob’s account of the trip The Chicks Pack Trip Account
Link to Laurie Bryan’s blog
I feel it safe to say that most of the really cool discoveries happen quite by accident. One such discovery presented itself during a four day pack trip into the Eagle Caps.
One of the items I like to carry in my saddlebags is a packet of baby wipes. They come in handy for washing up before lunch on the trail or as a bedtime sponge bath when you can’t quite make yourself jump in that cold mountain stream for a much needed bath.
The problem I’ve found with baby wipes is they dry out between trips. You might use a dozen or so out of a pack and the rest dry up like a popcorn fart, wasting product and money. Not anymore… Read More!
Press Release – Trail Maintenance HB 4886
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2014
Contacts:
Paul Spitler, The Wilderness Society (202) 360-1912
Jim McGarvey, Chairman of Back Country Horsemen of America (706) 669-1015
Ben Pendergrass, American Horse Council (202) 296-4031
Groups rally behind National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act
New legislation calls for improved investments in National Forest Trail System
WASHINGTON DC (June 18, 2014) – The Backcountry Horsemen of America, The Wilderness Society, the American Horse Council, along with motorized recreation groups, outfitters and guides, and others today applauded new legislation to improve access and public safety on national forests and better address a persistent trail maintenance backlog.
The National Forest Trails System Stewardship Act of 2014, introduced by Representatives Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Tim Walz (D-MN) would keep more trails across the nation open and accessible by expanding the use of volunteer and partner organizations and providing increased focus on a handful of priority areas around the country.
More than fifty diverse recreation and conservation groups requested the legislation after a study last year found the Forest Service trail system is being squeezed between the demands of growing public use and shrinking budgets. According to that report, the maintenance backlog for forest trails exceeds $314 million dollars and threatens to limit public access, harm natural resources, and increase future maintenance costs.
“Improving access and safety in our national forests is a solid return on investment for America,” said Paul Spitler, Director of Wilderness Campaigns at The Wilderness Society. “Trails fuel a powerful outdoor economy and keep our public lands accessible for all Americans. They are simply too important to lose. We applaud Representatives Lummis and Walz for their leadership on preserving and maintaining America’s trails.”
The United States National Forest System contains the largest network of trails in the world and receives roughly 165 million visitors a year. While more people than ever are heading into national forests in pursuit of exercise, relaxation, and adventure, only one quarter of all trails are maintained to standard. The trails backlog prevents public access, poses dangers to public safety, and degrades clean water.
The Back Country Horsemen of America says the effort to create a more robust and coordinated trails-focused volunteer program is essential to preserving American’s access to the great outdoors
“Congress recognizes that our national forest trail system is deteriorating,” said Jim McGarvey, Chairman of Back Country Horsemen of America. “This bill emphasizes greater collaboration with volunteers and partner organizations and seeks to leverage additional resources to augment the important role played by Forest Service trail crews.”
“The recreational horse industry contributes $20 billion a year to the economy and supports nearly 307,000 jobs nationwide,” said American Horse Council Vice President of Government Relations Ben Pendergrass. “However, it is dependent on access to public lands and well maintained trails. The current Forest Service trail maintenance backlog is a serious threat to its continued growth and health. This bill will help address the problem and ensure equestrians and all trail users continue to have access to, and are able to enjoy, trails on our national forests.”
The legislation was also heralded by motorized recreation groups who rely on national forest trails. “The American Motorcyclist Association thanks Representatives Lummis and Walz for introducing legislation to increase off-highway-vehicle access on our national forests,” said Wayne Allard, Vice President of Government Relations of the American Motorcyclist Association. “During a time of shrinking budgets when the maintenance backlog on national forest lands exceeds $500 million, this bill would increase the use of volunteers to keep trails open and maintained for a fraction of the cost. We look forward to working with Representatives Lummis and Walz to increase the use of volunteers on public lands so all Americans can enjoy them.”
In addition to expanding the use of volunteers the legislation also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to identify nine to fifteen priority areas throughout the country for increased trail maintenance.
Hiking groups also hailed the legislation. “We appreciate what the bill sets out to accomplish,” said Peter Olsen, Vice President at American Hiking Society. “The bill would significantly increase the role of partners and volunteers in maintaining trails throughout the national forests. During times of limited agency budgets, the role of volunteers is critical to ensuring Americans can continue to explore the great outdoors.”
Introduction to the horse.
I am Mike McGlenn Chairman of BCHA and my horse “Jake”, 16-1 Quarter Horse gelding, 1200 pounds, 15 years old. Haney Meadows Washington.
A. Discuss the Horse and Rider relationship.
B. Discuss the Aging demographic of the horse rider. We are not all 18- 25 years old anymore. We are able to ride, we are able to pack in the camps for the trail workers. It is the way we can continue to enjoy the Wilderness.
C. The Horse as companion and team member.
D. Emotional bond of rider and horse.
E. The Horse is not a piece of sports equipment you pickup at the store. The horse can have a bad day just as we can.
F. Mutual trust between horse and rider.
G. Discuss the horse’s vision (what he sees and how he sees it), eyes wide set, nearly 360 degree visibility, eyes work independent of each other, the eyes of a prey animal. How the ears work and relate the horses attitude. Don’t approach if the ears are pinned back. Don’t walk up quietly behind the horse, no surprises. Talk to the horse, make some non threatening noise. The back legs can kick back up to 6 feet so stay close to the horse when going around behind them. Approach is best from a front quarter or side. We are predators, use your own body as an example, eyes close together, ears pinned back, hands carried like claws. All the things that 60 Million years of breeding have trained the horse to avoid.
Issues Stock users face
Hiker on a log across the Pacific Crest Trail, Glacier Peak Wilderness, Washington State. We have planned for weeks, driven 2-300 miles, loaded up the pack string and 5 miles in we come to this across the trail. This tree completely blocks the trail with no way to go around or over it. This is an inconvenience to the hiker. It is a total trip stopper for the pack string and rider.
Fire and blow down damage in the Teton Wilderness, Wyoming. The pack string is stopped while two riders dismount to clear the trail. The string gets restless and gets tangled up. There are no good places to tie up any of the stock. A potentially dangerous situation for both stock and riders.
Fire and blow down, Wind River Mountains Wyoming. There are miles of this kind of damage. How do you clear this extent of debris off a trail efficiently? Discuss minimum tool analysis.
Wind River Mountains, Wyoming. Fire damaged trees on a major trail. A trip stopper for a string. No room to turn around. 13 animals in this group. The Cross Cut Saw is on the Pack animal, number 13 of course, at the back of the string.
Wind River Mountains, Wyoming. Wilderness Society on the right, USFS Wilderness Ranger on the left cutting out the log. During the time it took, the wind came up and blew down a tree behind us. Fortunately no one was injured and the tree fell beside the trail not in it. With great difficulty, we were able to turn the string around and ride out of this pile of pickup sticks.
Wind River Mountains, Wyoming. A good example of lack of maintenance. The tree across the trail in the top background closed the trail. So someone made a go around out into the woods. This then lengthened the trail forming a new trail where one should not be. Trees grow about 3” of growth a year in this area. So you lose 6” of trail width a year if not cut back. In 4 years the trail corridor is 2’ narrower than it was.
Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, Baker Lake Trail, Washington. A 160 mile round trip drive for a day ride. The trail was reported clear and open for stock. An hour from the trail head and this is across the trail. In this case the trees had come down in the week since checking with the USFS. A gamble we take. This is a 14 mile trail and we were in about 3 miles. No way around these.
Two people working with saddle saws to clear enough to continue the ride. The trail must be cleared adequately wide enough for a loaded pack horse to clear on both sides. BCH can’t support the work crews if the tail isn’t cleared for pack stock with loads.
Two people, two saws nearly an hour to clear the trail.
Goat Rocks Wilderness, Pacific Crest Trail Washington State. The drive down, two rigs, 500 mile round trip for a week of riding. 3 hours up a trail that was reported clear for stock. A trip stopper. We need better information on the trails when we call the agency desk. The front desk folks need to understand the importance of good information and what it costs us if the information is bad. This trail is very narrow, very steep up and down on the sides. We had to dismount on the uphill side as there was nowhere to stand on the normal (left/downhill) side. Slide under the front legs of the horses and then get the saddle saws to cut the root off. No turn around room. Not a problem for a hiker. A dangerous trip stopper for a horse, rider and pack string.
Same root as the one in the slide above. This is about 6000’ elevation so two more mature folks took turns cutting this out, still took about half an hour.
Goat Rocks Wilderness, Walupt Lake Trail. A good example of a trip stopper log on this PCT access trail. It had taken 3 Cross Cut saw cuts thru this to get the hole thru the tree.
Pacific Crest Trail just north of Snoqualmie Pass in the Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. This section of trail, note the hiker mid way up the slope, is called the Kendal Cat Walk. We are often asked to share the trail with other users. This is not an issue with the hikers. But this example clearly shows the potential safety issues when hikers and horses are asked to share with something coming down at 15 or 20 miles per hour when we do 3 or 4 miles per hour. There are some trails that clearly do not lend themselves to sharing for all users.
Some of the financial aspects of owning and operating horses. Sometimes it IS about the money.
Jake and the Trailer.
A. Horse, $3000 to $5000 dollars to buy a decent trail horse.
B. Yearly expense of owning one horse if all goes fairly well $4000 to 5000 dollars for feed, shoes (every 8 weeks), Vet bills and general maintenance.
C. Saddle, $500 to $3000 dollars, other tack and gear $500.
D. Trailer, $5000 to $20,000 or more.
E. Travel. We commonly drive up to 125 miles one way for a long day ride. Then get just up the trail and find a trip stopper in the trail. Turn around and go home. 250 miles of driving, an entire days time and money wasted because of either bad information or poor trail maintenance.
Goat Rocks Wilderness, Walupt Lake Horse Camp. A nice camp, able to get two rigs in one site. This trip was in planning for a couple of months for 5 days of riding. The agency office was contacted twice and the trails were all given a green light.
A. 2 diesel one ton pickups @ $ 50,000 to 60,000 dollars each.
B. 2 Campers @ $20,000 each.
C. 2 Three Horse Slant load trailers @ $20,000 each.
D. 500 miles round trip for two rigs.
E. Food, expensive weed free hay, 500 miles of diesel for each truck, camp ground fees, time off work for two people.
F. The riding and trip had to be cut 2 days short. The reported open trails were not open. A bridge was out on one of the trails. It had been out for quite some time. We were not informed of this even though I had called the agency twice checking stock trail conditions.
Why do we do it?
Mount Baker and Baker Lake, Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington State.
A. The scenery.
B. Serenity.
C. Beauty.
D. Peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the modern world.
E. To spend quality time with our partner and companion the horse.
The horse is not a piece of sports equipment. It is a 365 days a year, 24/7 life style. You can’t take the horse off the back of the car and lean it on the garage wall when you are done for the day.
The horse and rider spend years creating a bond between two living thinking creatures who quite literally trust their lives to the partnership that has been created between them.
The gang picking up trash
National Trails Day 2014
What: Trash pickup
Where: Steck Park to Crazy Lady Gate
When: June 7th – National Trails Day 10:30 AM – completion
Potluck at my place after the project
Latex gloves = highly recommended
BYOB (bring your own bags)
This was our second year spending National Trails day picking up trash along the Snake River from Steck Park to the red gate – or as I now call it: “Crazy Lady Gate.” It would be hard to top last year’s adventure and frankly, that would be perfectly fine with me. If you would like to know why – follow this link to last years story of “The Crazy Lady of Steck Park”
Janine, Lou Ann and Nancy trailer-pooled to my house Saturday morning. I had spotted Rob’s trailer heading for the park at 8:00 AM while on the ditch setting my irrigation water. He was either real excited to start this project or he miscalculated the traveling time. Either way, he took advantage of his early arrival by napping.
The girls and I were a little late in leaving my place. A cool breeze billowed through the open windows – the fridge jammed full of delectable food temped all to skip the project and head straight into the pot-luck. Surely we could come up with some excuse as to why we didn’t show up on the river. Conscious got the better of us, however, and the girls followed me to the park on a road made of washboards and dust.
There was a slight failure in communication at the trail-head. Rob and Bob parked at the old Dutchmen’s corrals on the hill before the boat-dock. I figured since we weren’t camping- I‘d park at the boat-dock to avoid the cattle guard. Janine parked somewhere in the middle for the sake of democracy. I think she might be running for office in the near future.
It’s about 5 miles from the boat-dock to Crazy Lady Gate. The sun was high over-head and hot. Hotter than last year at this time for sure or maybe it was the long sleeve shirt I wore. I still had a few spots of poison ivy on my forearms that flare up when exposed to the sun. Whichever it was – I was crankier than Lou Ann’s palomino mare, Brandi.
Bob, Rob and Nancy walked most of the five miles to Crazy Lady Gate. Lou, Janine and I rode into coves before dismounting to pick up trash. This year’s winning trash items were plastic water bottles, bait containers and used toilet paper (hence the highly recommended latex glove).
Stinking catfish carcasses – cans of stale Keystone doubling as spittoons and the ever popular streams of toilet paper were about all this germ-a-phobe could handle for one hot, poison ivy covered day. “This is just stupid. Whose idea was this anyway? This is a dumb project. Littering should be a hanging offence right up there with horse thieving.” If the others had known what a bad mood I was in, they would have pinned a red ribbon to the back of my pants as a warning like they do horses that kick. I felt like kicking something!
It’s hard to stay in a bad mood for long with Janine and Lou for company. “Hey Laurie, your hat matches Lou Ann’s shirt,” Said Janine. “It does, and my hat matches Janine’s shirt!” Said Lou Ann. “Hey… and my hat matches your shirt, Laurie.” Janine says. “I know, let’s all trade hat’s and swap horses and see how long it takes the rest of them to notice!” Seriously…next ride – we are doing it.
We stopped to chase a herd of cattle before turning into the next cove. Correction, we would never chase those cows (in case there are any ranchers reading this). We merely moved them to the opposite side of the road from the cove so they didn’t come after me and kill me as soon as I dismounted. I’m telling you – it can happen. Actually, Janine and Kiger moved the cows. Lou and I hung back and watched from afar. Both of our horses understand the imminent danger lurking within a bovine herd.
Janine moving cows
We somehow picked up Bob in the second to last cove. Nancy and Rob had gone on ahead to the last cove at Crazy Lady Gate. Lou and I rode on to meet Rob and Nancy while Bob and Janine turned back to spare Kigers’ hooves. The road is five miles of sharp rock that can cause even a shod horse to gimp a little.
Rob and Nancy had taken care of Crazy Lady Cove by the time Lou and I got there. We rode back toward the park, picking up Janine and Bob on the way. Rob said he would let the park host know where we had left the garbage bags. Last year, the camp hosts were grateful that we had spent the day picking up trash and happily went back after the bags. This year’s camp host was not at all impressed. He let Rob know that it was not part of his host duties and under no circumstances was he taking his four-wheeler out of official park boundaries. Funny, he looked like he could use the exercise. I’d go after the garbage later that evening.
We made it back to my place just in time to watch California Chrome almost become the first horse in 36 years to win the Triple Crown…almost. I sympathized with owner Steve Coburn’s emotional outburst. A Triple Crown winner would have been a huge shot in the arm for a sport that has lost popularity over the last 40 years.
After everyone left, I hooked my small utility trailer to my four-wheeler and Shade and I drove the 25 miles to Crazy Lazy gate. The trailer bounced and rattled over every wash-board and pot-hole on the planet. Fishermen and campers stopped to stare: “Nothing to see here folks – move along…move along.”
Several times the jarring bounced the back rail off the trailer and I had to go back for it. One such time I looked back and a group of cows had gathered around it as it lay in the dirt. I suppose they were curious. A big momma cow pawed and gave it a rough nudge. “Hey – I need that ….SHOOO!” Not one of them cows “SHOOO’d” an inch. Now what? I had to have that back rail or all the garbage would bounce out before I got home. “Shade – get them cows out of here!” Shade lunged for the cows. Most of them moved. The big momma cow ducked her head and chased Shade back toward the four-wheeler. Here she comes, shaking her head with fire and smoke billowing out of her nostrils. You are on your own dog – I jumped on the Honda and sped up the hill as Shade clamored onto the seat behind me. Momma cow gave up the chase and meandered back to her mob. Shade and I warily coasted back down the hill to retrieve the rail.
Shade on her Four-Wheeler
The trailer wasn’t as bouncy or noisy with the weight of the trash bags in it but that didn’t stop the fishermen and campers from staring as we rambled by the various campgrounds. I secretly hoped I’d meet the camp host when I drove through the park. I had concocted a story to tell him about how, while picking up the bags, I found a duffle bag full of drug money. I sure was glad he wasn’t allowed to take his four-wheeler out of the camp or he would have found it instead!
Shade and I made it home before dark – a good thing since the trailer doesn’t have lights. I parked the stinking pile of trash far from my front door where it would sit until the dump opened on Tuesday. I counted the number of bags we’d picked up; 13 bags – less than half of what we picked up last year. Maybe that was a good thing – maybe we made a dent in it last year or people were littering less.
A contest was in order. There would be a major REWARD for the first person to guess the correct number of large black plastic trash bags I’d put in my trailer. Luckily for me – nobody won the contest…I had no idea what the major REWARD would have been. However, if it wouldn’t have been major – it most certainly would have been unique. I’m thinking a box of latex gloves and a quart of hand sanitizer.
The July play day has been moved to Sunday July 27, 2014
Play Days PDF
Heading down a dusty road
If one does not count getting lost, a flat tire, broken shocks, two tipped over horses, several impalements and a flyaway awning…one might consider the SBBCHI scouting trip into the Owyhee’s a success.
The objective: Meet with BLM staff at Current Creek to scout area for fence removal project in June. The project will involve the removal 6 miles of barbed-wire in the new wilderness area included in the Owyhee Initiative.
At least we had an objective. An accurate map would have been nice to go along with that objective. Janine and I met at I.O.N between Homedale and Marsing. Our plan was to haul in via the Jordan Valley route. We figured if anyone was going to get lost, it was best to get lost together. I had the GPS coordinates to the project site; however, past experience with “Dave” the GPS has left me with emotional scars likely to never heal. We were also unsure if the coordinates were to the camp spot or the actual fence. Our plan was to wing it.
Click here for the full story:Dusty Roads and Dandelions
Revised 5/9/2014
1973 Flathead Valley, Montana
1977 Backcountry Horsemen of Washington
1979 Salmon, Idaho + Montana = BCHA
1981 California High Sierra Stock Users
1986 Constitution adopted by: California, Idaho, Montana, Washington
1996 Grown to 13 states (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, N. Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming)
2004 Grown to 19 states (Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, S. Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia)
2005 20 states (Michigan)
2006 Added Georgia (21 states)
2007 Added Alaska and Florida (23 states)
2008 Added Alabama, Kentucky and Wisconsin (26 states)
2009 Virginia (state) + Iron Mtn VA, Ft Harrod KY, Red River KY, Big South Fork TN, Pigeon River & Beyond MI; lost S. Carolina
2010 Added West Virginia (state); Lost Wisconsin (25 states)
2011 Black Hills South Dakota (state) (26) East Coast Florida BCH (affiliate)
2012 None
2013 None
2014 Arkansas (state), Florida (state), Kansas (State) 27 states
Personal Protective Equipment (Required to work in the National Forests)
(Health and Safety Code Handbook chapter 70, section 72)
Items that must be included in the JHA:
(Chain Saw Operations) (Crosscut Saw Operations)
• Forest Service-approved hardhat • Forest Service-approved hardhat
• Eye protection • Eye protection
• Appropriate gloves • Appropriate gloves
• Heavy-duty, cut-resistant Boots • Heavy-duty, cut-resistant Boots
• Hearing protection • (Not required)
• Long-sleeved shirt • (Optional)
• Chain saw chaps • (Optional)
Chain Saw & Crosscut Training Student’s Guidebook (PDF)
Chain Saw use and Maintenance (PDF)
Chain Saw Tasks and Techniques (PDF)
Cross Cut
Crosscut Saw Tasks and Techniques (PDF)
Squaw Butte teamed up with Boise and Gem County 4-H groups to kick off the weekend for their annual Backcountry Skills clinic. Normally open to the public, the chapter decided on something different this year by focusing on the younger generation of future backcountry horsemen and women.
Saturday was filled with an informative presentation by the always popular Dr. Hardy, DVM and packing demonstrations by our local chapter experts, Rob Adams and Phil Ryan.
Pre-ride safety meeting
Threatening weather conditions did little to dampen participation for Sunday’s trail ride at the Emmett Horse Park. Rob Adams started the morning with a pre-safety meeting complete with helmet checks. Anyone going on the ride was required to wear a helmet. Some of us are still getting over the visual of Chick wearing something besides his trade-mark cowboy hat. However, rules are there for safety and safety trumps style. Fashion sense aside, Chick was a trooper sporting his plastic bubble head…two sizes too small.
The large group split up into 3 smaller groups for safety and minimal impact on the environment. Rob, Phil Ryan and Linda Erickson each led a group on a moderate, 3 hour ride over Emmett’s rolling hills.
“Captain” Phil leading the pack
Back at base-camp, lunch was served: Sloppy Joes, chips, potato salad and brownies to die for. All in all, a pretty decent day in the saddle. Good food, fair weather and a fun group of kids to share it with.
Didn’t take long for everyone to trade in their helmets for a dinner plate.
Back at home, I downloaded the few pictures I took. I noticed right off that I didn’t take as many as I normally do. I think I know why. There are some things that just ain’t right… and Chick in that plastic bubble head…well, that’ just ain’t right.
It’s a beautiful morning, and you’re eager to get out on the trails. The weather forecast calls for a chance of moderate afternoon winds and a slight chance of rain. But you’re not worried. When you set out, the skies are clear, and you plan to be home by lunchtime. Besides, a little rain never kept you home – and you’ve packed a jacket, just in case. By midmorning, however, the weather suddenly deteriorates. You’re miles from home, and the wind is gusting up to 60 miles per hour. Dark thunderclouds boil up. Heavy rain pounds down. Then the hard rain becomes punishing hail. Your horse tries to swing his rump to the storm. As you try to keep him on track, he stumbles and falls to his knees. Visibility is almost nil. Now, you’re truly scared. What should you do? Dismount and seek shelter, or quickly head for home – if you can find your way? How could you have better prepared for such a storm? Here, we’ll tell you how you can prepare for six types of extreme weather conditions that might hit singly or together – high wind, drenching rain/thunderstorms, lightning, hail, snowstorms/blizzard, and extreme cold. Then we’ll tell you the course of action you should take in each case to help keep you and your horse safe, tell you what not to do, and provide expert tips. We’ll also give you six additional survival tactics and a list of resources for extreme-weather gear. Read More!
Part 1 // Part 2 // Cabin P1 // Cabin P2
“Alone in the Wilderness” is the story of Dick Proenneke living in the Alaska wilderness. Dick filmed his adventures so he could show his relatives in the lower 48 states what life was like in Alaska, building his cabin, hunting for food and exploring the area. Bob Swerer has taken the best footage from Dick’s films and he has created 3 videos about Dick, “Alone in the Wilderness”, “Alaska, Silence and Solitude” and “The Frozen North”. You can purchase all of them in DVD or VHS format from the www.DickProenneke.com website.
Time is of the essence here… the sale is next weekend!
Victoria CB Trees, Vice President
Chair: Membership, Mule Sale,
Pack Clinic Volunteer Schedule
High Desert Trail Riders Back Country Horsemen
Klamath Falls, Oregon
