911, when Cell phones are not an option

On Wednesday August 7, 2019 Lisa was thrown from her horse while on a pack trip with other BCHI members in the Frog Lake area of the Bolder White Cloud Wilderness.  Many of the members on this trip had attended one or more Wilderness First Aid training opportunities and their training kicked it.  It was quickly determined that Lisa had suffered a major trauma with possible injury to her head, neck, back and pelvic regions.  It was obvious that advance medical treatment was called for and air evacuation was her best option.

 Accident > inReach[SOS] > GEOS Response Center > Idaho State Comm’s > Life Flight dispatch  > Advanced medical help arrives

BCHI Education 911- READ MORE

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LINK TO TRAVEL PLAN DOCUMENTS

Recently, I wrote about the dark side of CPR. Despite a common misperception that CPR can rescue almost anyone from the brink of death, most people that receive it don’t survive. Of those that do, many sustain devastating neurological injury and may never wake up. CPR often causes additional injuries that can add pain and indignity to the final moments of life, and can sometimes be traumatizing to the healthcare providers that deliver it.

I heard from many nurses, doctors, EMTs, and paramedics who were grateful that I had brought attention to the difficult reality that CPR may often cause more harm than good.

But I also heard from people who owed their lives to CPR. Nick Sakes, an avid cyclist from Minneapolis, was 58 when he collapsed on a ride at a busy intersection. A nurse in a nearby car saw him go down. He didn’t have a pulse, and she performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Using a defibrillator, they found that he was in an abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, a common cause of cardiac arrest that is often responsive to electric shocks.

For many, a ‘natural death’ may be preferable to enduring CPR

After three shocks, Sakes’ heart reverted to a normal rhythm. He had a pulse again. He regained consciousness the next day, and was startled to find a team of doctors looking down at him. Apart from sore ribs, he suffered no significant injuries from his cardiac arrest, or from his resuscitation. “I haven’t had any problems,” he told me. He still rides his bike just as much as before. “I feel exactly the same,” he said. READ MORE

“Nurse refuses to perform CPR,” read the caption on an ABC newscast in California. “911 dispatcher’s pleas ignored.” Several days earlier, an elderly woman at a senior living facility had gone into cardiac arrest. The dispatcher instructed an employee to perform CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. But the employee refused.

“Is there anybody there that’s willing to help this lady and not let her die?” the dispatcher said. It made the local news, which elicited a national outcry and prompted a police investigation. But the woman was already dead — her heart had stopped. And according to family, the woman had wished to “die naturally and without any kind of life-prolonging intervention.”

So why the controversy? It comes down to a widespread misconception of what CPR can, and can’t, do. CPR can sometimes save lives, but it also has a dark side.   READ MORE

Several TVTMA members worked this project had been certified at the Thinking Sawyer Workshops lead by BCHI. This trail with its many boggy spots has been a notorious horse-swallower I’ve heard, not too good for bikes either. More areas to do since conditions have changed since the 2017 scoping finally implemented, but I think horse use is going to be much less risky now with the replacement and new puncheon at 7 sites.

Notably, the upper 3 miles of the trail above Whitehawk meadow that was impassible, blown-in for several years with endless deadfall, is now open at the hands of a number of your new or recertified students.

Your efforts are now multiplied in a measurable return to the users. Lots of folks are pretty pleased about this outcome and are looking at it is a template for future projects and partnering with FS to improve recreational access.

One of the details, left out for brevity, is that the northern-most portion of Tr019 –about 2.5 miles, had been inaccessible due to extensive deadfall for an unknown number of years. From its intersection with Tr021 at Whitehawk Basin to road 510, that trail is now cleared of deadfall, with new puncheons installed at planned sites, and now usable by all single-track users after years of being effectively “closed-and-stored” by nature.  That’s worth celebrating.

Granted there’s more to do on other parts of the trail not covered by the original project scope, conditions having evolved since the original proposal (2017?) of the project now implemented. So we’ll look forward to working with the Forest and Lowman RD on continuing improvements along this popular trail and its interconnects. My understanding is that Mike Lindenfelser is working on trailhead sign replacements, and that will be an ongoing task to put a bow on this current effort.

JT Wagner and his crew of two seasonal and two interns should also be noted for their significant contribution to the timely and quality completion of the project. Their contribution was a force-multiplier and expediting factor, which we were not originally counting on when anticipating a three-weekend work plan.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision is welcome news for New Mexico anglers and public land users. The Supreme Court declined to hear the arguments brought by two landowners seeking to overturn rulings from the New Mexico Supreme Court that prevented landowners from restricting public access to waterways that run across private land. The petition to the U.S. Supreme Court was brought forward by Chama Troutstalkers LLC and Z&T Cattle Company LLC. The landowners filed suit against three conservation groups: The New Mexico chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, the Adobe Whitewater Club of New Mexico, and the New Mexico Wildlife Federation.

“The highest court in the land has spoken, and like the New Mexico Supreme Court before it, has summarily dismissed the baseless arguments of a handful of private landowners in New Mexico who would ban anglers, boaters, and others from waters that have been public since time immemorial,” said Joel Gay, former policy coordinator for the New Mexico chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, in a press release. “The justices have sent a simple message to these privileged landowners: that they have to share.”

The Supreme Court’s dismissal follows years of controversy over stream access in New Mexico. In 1911, the state adopted a constitution that stated that every “natural stream, perennial or torrential, within the state of New Mexico” belonged to the public. But at some point, that public right fell to the wayside and private landowners began blocking access to public water on private land.

Then, in 2014, a law student raised the issue and the New Mexico Attorney General made an official statement in support of public access. Private interests responded by pushing a law through the state legislature that allowed landowners to prevent access to certain streams depending on “navigability” in 2015. In March of 2022, the New Mexico Supreme Court struck down the law as unconstitutional. In September 2022, the court doubled down on its opinion, confirming that the public had the right to walk and wade streams that crossed private land, though they are not allowed to walk across private land to reach the streams. This was what the decision that litigators challenged in a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was recently dismissed.

“This decision represents a huge, positive movement for public access broadly, and stream and water access specifically,” says Backcountry Hunters & Anglers Communications Director Katie McKalip. “It sends a message that public access matters—and that private interests can’t expect to be able to push aside long-established access laws to advance their own personal interests.”

Every day, regular people like you lose their hard-earned money to online phishing scams.

Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals make fraudulent emails, phone calls, and texts that appear to come from a legitimate bank. The communication is designed to trick you into entering confidential information (like account numbers, passwords, PINs, or birthdays) into a fake website by clicking on a link, or to tell it to someone imitating your bank on the phone.

Don’t fall for fake. Use these tips from the American Bankers Association to learn how to spot shady texts, emails, and phone calls by knowing the things your bank would never ask.

• Slow down—think before you act. Acting too quickly when you receive phishing email, text messages, or phone calls can result in unintentionally giving scammers access to your bank account — and your money. Scammers want you to feel confused and rushed, which is always a red flag. Banks will never threaten you into responding or use high-pressure tactics.
• Never share personal information. Your bank will never ask for your PIN, password, SSN, or one-time login code in a text, email, or phone call. If you receive a message asking for personal information, it’s a scam.
• Avoid clicking suspicious links. If an email pressures you to click a link — whether it’s to verify your login credentials or make a payment, you can be sure it’s a scam. Banks never ask you to do that.
• Watch for attachments and typos. Your bank will never send attachments like a PDF in an unexpected email or text. Misspellings and poor grammar are also warning signs of a phishing scam.
• Be skeptical. In the same way defensive driving prevents car accidents, always treating incoming email as a potential risk will protect you from scams. Fraudulent emails can appear very convincing, using official language and logos, and even similar URLs.
• Hang up—even if it sounds legit. Whether it’s a scammer impersonating your bank or a real call, stay safe by ending unexpected calls and dialing the number on the back of your bank card instead.

Learn more at BanksNeverAskThat.com, follow #BanksNeverAskThat on social media for quick tips, or check this in-depth guide on how to spot phishing and what to do if you fall prey.

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This morning, as per the Foundation meeting last evening, I created a post on the Treasure Valley Back Country Horsemen of Idaho FaceBook site about the BCHI Foundation and SmileAmazon. At this point, I’ve texted someone at the following chapters asking them to “Share” the TVBCHI Foundation post to their FaceBook sites: (it is the first post TVBCHI FaceBook site): Eagle Rock, Cache Peak, Portneuf River, Squaw Butte, Priest River Valley, Selkirk, and Twin Rivers. I could not find an active site for the other chapters. However, if I’ve missed a chapter, please bring the post up in FaceBook and share to your FB sites.
Thank you,
Alice Millington
Foundation Secretary
208-475-4107

Treasure Valley Chapter – Facebook Page

Information PDF

New Year Greetings to Squaw Butte BCHI Members,

The 2020 BOD Meeting and Convention information and registration form is on the BCHI website on the Activities’ page http://www.bchi.org/activities.htm. Please open it and read through it. There are substantial savings for registering early, rather than later, because we want members who have never attended to join us for the convention: $70 for person and only $120 per couple. Early registrations will be postmarked before March 1st. We are also offering substantial discounts for young attendees, whether members or not, at only $20 per ticket for the dinner/convention. And, we are selling dinner tickets for adults who wish to attend the social hour, dinner, and live auction, only, at $25.

All delegates must pay the full convention registration fee if they are voting delegates, and all BCHI members who attend the convention for the day, regardless if they vote, must pay the full–$70 single, $120 couple (early fees) or $85 per person (after Feb. 29)–registration fee.

We have placed the option of paying only $25 for dinner as a courtesy in the case someone’s travel partner or friend wants to attend dinner. A $25 dinner ticket holder will be allowed in the building at 5:00pm.
We have different fees to allow for flexibility, in the hope that more members will attend. We want all to take advantage of the savings without taking advantage of us and the costs of putting on the convention. (And, though not explained in the website info, part of the fees go to pay for Friday’s meetings.

We have placed a little information about motels and eateries on the site as well. Please note that to get a room at the Best Western Plus Peppertree across the parking lot from the Nampa Civic Center, the venue for the convention, you must click into the Best Western Motel Reservation URL, Best Western Motel Reservation URL ; scroll down to see Backcountry Horsemen discount prices. I believe that the Best Western would only reserve 20 rooms for this function, so log in early. For those who cannot use a computer, we are reserved under Backcountry Horsemen under Group ID #Z81XT6F7.

Please take the time to read through the information on the BCHI website, which may change, slightly, as we near the events. We have three great presentations on Saturday from Madison Seamons (stock care–very entertaining), Cheryl Bice (emergency care), and Alayne Blickel (managing your horse pasture/corral areas)…so get on board and get your registrations in early.

Alice Millington
Treasure Valley BCHI President
McCall, ID
millington0606@gmail.com
208-475-4107

Heather Donesky
Sunday, November 10, 2019

Rob, thanks so much for being the fearless leader on our ride in the Wilson Creek area of the Owyhee’s and for bringing a horse for Elena. She had a great time and she looked pretty comfortable most of the time. Her experience out on trails is very limited. I’ve really lucked out with Natasja. She is bold, curious and unafraid of work, so she pitches in and helps me, making these adventures easier. Plus she rides very well.
Again, thanks.
Heather

Natasja (Denmark) and Elena (Spain) are high school exchange students spending a year in the Emmett area. Both are amazing young woman.

I was at D&B the other day and a U of fence panels with a arched roof caught my eye. The roof was called a corral shelter and covered a 12 x 12 space, they were storing pellet stove fuel in it.  The price seemed reasonable and I had seven unused regular panels and a gate panel and got the idea to build a 24 x 24 feeding and shelter area.  I purchased two corral shelters and an extra panel to divided the area into two 12 x 12 feeding areas.
I assembled the first shelter frame in place on top of the supporting panels spending a lot of time standing on a ladder,  it took me about three hours and was sort of a pain. To build the second one, I contacted Terry MacDonald who came over and we had the second one build and placed on top of the fence in a bit over an hour. As only one frame could sit on top of the center fence panel, the other one had to be bolted to the first with some spacers, this approach seems to be working quite well.  I needed enough space between the two shelters for the covers.
Side panels are available, but sort of $$ so for this winter I used 12 x 10 plastic tarps.I have about 8 hours total in putting it together, and hope my stock will enjoy using it when it is raining or snowing this fall/winter. // Rob Adams

The Git-It-Done team of Lisa Griffith, Janine Townsend, Janelle Weeks, Shelly Duff and Kelly Ragland present a six hour clinic at the Emmett public arena on a perfect spring day. Twenty six members and guest attended. Including members from a local Boys Scout troop who will be working with Squaw Butte on our National Trails Day project. The woman have been planing this clinic for months and put together a great program of both hands on and demonstrations and lectures of what stock packing is and how you can use your stock to explore the back country.Lisa Griffith started the clinic explaining the goals and how the day would progress, Janine Townsend talked about basic equipment and stock care, Shelly Duff discussed different packing saddles and there use and correct fit on your pack stock. Janelle Weeks did a spellbinding presentation on how to “back pack” on your riding horse. Just like magic, she pulled a complete outfit out of her saddle bags, that included tent, sleeping bag, pad, spare cloths, first aid and personal items, cooking equipment and food. Total weight 23 pounds.Kelly Ragland talked about first aid and kits for both humans and stock and that completed the morning session. Phil Ryan had grilled hot dogs, chips and drinks ready and the group enjoyed a great lunch. The team than brought the star of the show, Bubba the mule on stage and fitted a pack saddle on him, loaded boxes and an H-Pack and with the help of a couple of scouts pack him. We then broke up into groups and working with the “Blue” mules practiced a number of the items that had been discussed and answered a lot of great questions.

A combination of planning, collaboration, hard work, and luck produced a wonderful Fine Art Photography exhibit called The Wild Horses of Idaho – Mustangs of the East Fork and Challis Basin which premiered at the MESH Gallery at Heritage Hall in Ketchum, Idaho on Saturday night (May 26th, 2018).
After eight months of planning and reconnaissance by MESH Art, Claire Porter and Jeff Lubeck conducted a multi-day photo-shoot in the Mountains of Idaho. In less than a one-weeks time the photographic artworks were created, printed, framed, and placed in the gallery for display. The exhibit includes a back-story narrative, maps, and behind the scenes photos. The exhibit will be on display through June 17th, 2018.
The Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the American West. It is a decedent of horses brought to America by the Spanish. Technically the Mustang is considered a feral horse given its domesticated linage.

See my Post Wild Horse Reconnaissance for more background on the Challis Herd and logistics of the photo-shoot.

Jeffrey H. Lübeck
MESH Art LLC.
420 4th Street East
Ketchum, Idaho 83333
(208) 720-9114
jeffreylubeck@mac.com

http://www.bbsp.org/              https://www.facebook.com/bogusbasinskipatrol/

Service and Safety
Written by Carol Peterson

Service and Safety……………….Since the inception of the National Ski Patrol by Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole in 1938, “Service and Safety” has been the NSP motto. Keeping people safe on the mountain and during other outdoor activities is the mission of every patroller wearing the red jacket with the white cross on back.

Could you be a patroller? Would you like to become a member of an organizations whose core values are Excellence, Service, Camaraderie, Leadership, Integrity and Responsiveness? Life happens and the patrol is continually looking for snow sport enthusiasts willing to give their time and skills to help recreationalists be safer during their outdoor pursuits.

The Bogus Basin Ski Patrol is a mostly volunteer organization that primarily provides support for the Bogus Basin Mountain Resort non profit organization that is entrusted with the stewardship of the ski area by the U.S. Forest Service. The support we provide is emergency first aid services. We respond, assess, treat, package, and transport to higher medical authority. Now that we have the technical accurate description out of the way, we can talk about what is ‘under the hood’. Basically, we are a large family. After the shared adversity of enduring the 15 months that it takes to become a patroller, you really get to know your fellow candidates, the patrollers that train you, and the whole patrol family.

Do I need prior medical or emergency medical care experience?

No. The patrol training program begins with the Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) training course. This is a comprehensive class and practical training program that has been developed and refined over the years by the National Ski Patrol. It is intense and requires good personal study habits. You must, ultimately, successfully demonstrate that you have learned the knowledge and are able to perform the treatment skills that this course covers in a series of written and practical tests. So while prior experience is a benefit the curriculum requires only that you make a strong commitment to learn – and succeed in doing so.

On April 6, 2019 eleven Squaw Butte members joined five Bogus Basin Ski Patrol members lead by Karen King to take a one day version of their “OEC” Outdoor Emergency Care training course. This very hands on course is tailored by Karen and her team to target the types of medical emergencies that Back Country Horsemen might encounter on the trail, and what steps to take and what not to do, until the injured party is delivered to higher medical assistance.
The BBSP team would demonstrate and then we would break up into small groups and practice the procedure, during which questions were ask, suggestions made and techniques learned. 2019 Outdoor First Aid Class SummaryCoffee and snacks were available to fuel attendees and during the short lunch break we grabbed by the slice pizza from a shop near by. During the whole day, Bogus Basin staff selling season passes and taking in rental ski packages could hear the laughter through the walls of the training room. If you have not attended one of these classes, it is highly recommended you do in the future, you will greatly increase your knowledge and have a great time doing it.

Montour, Gem County, Idaho, USA sits at the base of Regan Butte on the Payette River. At an elevation of about 3300 feet, the peak of Regan Butte rises 800 feet above the small farming community below. Off not far in the distance a little east of north one can see the small town of Sweet, Idaho and off in the distance in the same direction just out of sight is Ola, Idaho. Looking just a little south of west one can see a portion of Emmett, Idaho. The Payette River wraps almost entirely around the butte, bordering about 3/4th of its base. 360 degree ViewIn the early 1860’s the first ranch was established at what is now Montour and it was used as a stage/mail stop along the road to the Boise Basin. Montour was officially platted after the railroad came through in 1911. Montour once vied for the Boise County seat but in 1915 it was incorporated into Gem County, Emmett being the County seat. In 1941 a new highway bypassed Montour which greatly slowed growth and shortly thereafter the school closed.

Montour
In the early 1860’s the Marsh-Ireton Ranch was established as a stage and mail stop along the freight road to the Boise Basin. After the railroad came through the Valley in 1911, the Montour business district and town were platted. They vied for the Boise County seat, but in 1915, the town was incorporated into Gem County with Emmett as the County seat. Dreams of prosperity faded, when in 1941, the new highway bypassed Montour, and shortly thereafter the school closed due to school reorganization.

The last store closed in 1968. In the 1970’s, ice jams along the backwaters of the dam flooded the Valley. The Bureau of Reclamation bought out the landowners and has since turned the area into a wildlife refuge and camping area. A natural landmark is the small butte, generally known as Regan Butte, named after the homesteader who ran cattle there in the late 1800’s.

Riders: Terry MacDonald, Mike & Karen Heilman, Carmen Tyack, Janelle Weeks

Sweet
During the gold rush to the Thunder Mountain Mines, Sweet served as an important freighter’s supply station. At the turn of the century, Sweet boasted of three hotels, three saloons, a bank, a newspaper, two lodge halls, and other business. It was named for the first postmaster Ezekiel Sweet. After the gold rush subsided and a series of fires in the business district, the town began to deteriorate, and was not rebuilt.

Potluck – Was held after the ride at the hobby ranch of Linda & Rob Adams located south east of Sweet. It was well attended by members and guest who enjoyed great food and interesting conversations.  Stories were swapped of our summer adventures and plans started to form for 2019.  No one went home hungry!

Stacy Creek, is in the Payette National Forest, about 20 miles north west of Weiser, off upper Mann Creek Road. On Saturday September 23, 2017 Seven members of Squaw Butte and a ranger named Matt from the Weiser ranger district met at the parking area at the intersection of Mann Creek and Adams Creek roads.

The first order of business was to work on the trail bed of the Mann creek & Stacy creek crossing. This crossing had some large rocks and a drop off that were not horse friendly.  After spending some time considering options, the team determined that the best approach was to move two large rocks and a number of smaller ones, creating a trail up the slope that a horse could easily handle.  With rock bars we were able to move the circled rocks to new locations.  As hunting season was in full swing, traffic on Mann Creek Road was busy, so we moved our rigs to the southern end of the trail to ride, see Map.

The original plan was to park at the gravel pit, but when we got there it looked like an RV park so we continued to the trail head. Parking there was limited due to someone putting their hunting camp in the middle of the parking area, but as we had Ranger Matt with us, we parked our rigs all around his camp. P1 first parking location, P2 second!

The trail starts from this location and follows what appears to be a logging road for a bit over 3.5 miles. This section of trail is very pretty and shaded and made perfect fall riding. Once you are down to creek level, the trail turns single track and follows Stacy Creek north to Mann Creek road. This section of the trail is around 3 miles long.  If you combine the roads a loop could be made, but do it when traffic is light.

Shannon and Nancy put on their Sawyer protective gear and removed some blow down that was blocking the trail, and Rob and Matt cleared about 200 feet of Hawthorn bush.  The thorn of this stuff goes right through leather gloves so handling takes care and cutting it is not high on fun thing to do lists.

We returned to our trailers a bit before 16:00, and were on the road for home by 16:45. Members attending were: Nancy Smith, Shannon Schantz, Janelle Weeks, Lisa Griffith, Lynn & Peggy Garner and Rob Adams

About Wilderness Volunteers:  https://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/about-wv.html

The Project:

Central Idaho’s Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Sawtooth Wilderness are known for the rugged grandeur of their soaring 10,000 foot peaks, flowery mountain meadows, crystal clear lakes, towering alpine forests, and abundant wildlife, including elk, mountain goats, black bear, wolves, wolverines and pikas! Backpacking and hiking are spectacular in this country, and trout fishing is exceptional in backcountry lakes and streams. Our journey will begin at the beautiful Stanley Lake – just a few miles outside of the alluring mountain community of Stanley, Idaho. The area has several accessible hot springs, historic sites and other great places to play in and explore.

Our service project will be heavy trail maintenance in the remarkable Sawtooth Wilderness. We’ll set up a base camp at McGown Lakes at 8505’elevation after a backpack of 6.5 miles with pack support for tools, food and commissary supplies. Crew will camp at McGown Lakes and hike about a mile to project location on other side of 8,800’ pass. Most of the work will be focused on heavy trail maintenance and tread repair (Iron Creek – Stanley Lake Trail 640) above Sawtooth Lake, where the trail has sloughed in and become narrow and hazardous. Tread will need to be regraded to standard width with hand tools, rocks removed with hand tools and some rock wall constructed. If time permits Observation Peak Trail 614 which has not been maintained in several years will need heavy maintenance using a crosscut saw to clear downed trees, digging new trail tread, moving rocks, dirt and vegetation. Free time can be spent exploring the ever beautiful Sawtooth Wilderness – relaxing, fishing in alpine lakes, taking pictures, or setting off on a more strenuous hike to the secluded Trail Creek Lakes.

Additional Information: Crew will hike in about 6.5 miles from Stanley Lake Trailhead, or about the same distance from Iron Creek Trailhead. Pack stock will transport gear from Stanley Lake (6,500’) to the campsite at McGown Lakes (8,505’). This area was burned in 2003 by the Trailhead Fire. Iron Creek Trailhead (6.700’) and trail to Sawtooth Lake are the most heavily used access in the Sawtooth Wilderness, and for good reason – the spectacular alpine scenery is unparalleled! Expect hot temperatures and strenuous work on exposed mountain side with world class views. Water for the full day will need to be packed from camp.

This project is rated as a challenging project.

Challenging+
– Strenuous with longer backpacks, off-trail backpacks, sometimes with significant elevation changes. Also trips with camping and work at elevation, or canoeing with portages. These trips are very challenging and require excellent aerobic conditioning, past experience in outdoor settings and familiarity with backcountry camping. Challenging projects are not for beginners.

We highly recommend that those coming from low elevation (anything below about 5,000 feet) plan an extra couple days in the area before the trip to acclimate to the elevation for your own safety. Altitude sickness is a concern when traveling from low elevation to high elevation and getting acclimatized before the trip is one of the easiest ways to prevent it. If you need ideas on things to do/see before the trip contact your leaders.

Who can Volunteer? https://www.wildernessvolunteers.org/who-can-volunteer.html

WV Leaders for this Project

Aidalicia Swertfeger
is vying for that “life less ordinary” as she attempts to merge her zest for the outdoors with her technical education in communication design. Growing up in the foothills of the Sierras, Aidalicia lived for winters snowboarding in Tahoe, something she misses greatly. Having moved to Austin, Texas to complete her degree, she has realized she needs texture and pitch in her horizon. Planning on a Pacific Northwest relocation, she’ll continue on as a runner, an IPA girl, an avid solo traveler, a thru-hiker and a practitioner of minimalism.

The project trail is indicated by the area circled in red.
The Trail to the camping and work area was from the Iron Creek Trail-head, to Sawtooth’s lakes southern end. This is the second most popular trail in the Sawtooth area and is utilized by hikers, back packers and their pets!

Back Country Horsemen of Idaho – Squaw Butte Chapter volunteered to provide packing support for this project working with the Wilderness Volunteer leaders and the Sawtooth Ranger District.

From: Dorr, Jay -FS
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2017 09:06
To: Zoe Putter ; Rob Adams
Cc: Caitlin Frawley -FS; Dean, Liese -FS
Subject: RE: McGown Peak – Pack Support Project – August 26 – September 2

Stanley Lake drainage is still closed for fire and crew did not finish cutting out trail to McGown from that side.

Plan to go in from Iron Creek and camp at Sawtooth Lake.

I would rather not send pack string up that trail with all of the foot traffic it gets or have crew camp at Sawtooth Lake with all of the other use it gets. There is usually lots of traffic on Labor day weekend.

That is our best alternative with the fire in Stanley Lake drainage. Crew can work on original project. If they finish and have time, they can work around Sawtooth Lake and down North Fork Baron a ways. They can make some repairs in narrow spots along Sawtooth Lake. There are a lot of rock to remove from trail going that way.

If there are not campsites at Iron Creek Campground, there are undeveloped sites back down road.

Horse trailer parking may be difficult when Rob comes back to pack out camp. He may have to park a ways back down road.

I have been away working on other parts of forest and have not had email access until this morning. Caitlin is working on fire for a few days.

Please get word out to crew on change of meeting location and access. Sorry for short notice but fires are never convenient.

Have a great trip,

Jay

BCHI
On Saturday August 26, members Terry & Gail MacDonald, Jon & Dianne Seel, Laurie Bryan, Janelle Weeks, Lisa Griffith, Shelly Duff, Janine Townsend and Rob Adams meet at Stanley lake camp ground to work with the rangers and WV volunteers getting their 130 pounds of tools and their food and kitchen up to the work site at Sawtooth Lake.  Caitlin Frawley was the ranger who would be working along side the WV volunteers and was our contact for this effort.  On Sunday morning Caitlin delivered the tools, food, kitchen and other equipment to our camp site.  We had scouted the Iron Creek trail head and determined we didn’t have suitable parking for all the trailers so choose to take the Alpine Way trail from Stanley lake over to Iron Creek, making the ride to the camp site and back 22 miles.  After getting packed up we started out from Stanley lake and made pretty good time up the steep and little traveled trail.  At mile 6.5 we started encountering downfall and at mile 7 two dangerous creek crossings.  At this point it was getting late and we turned around to give it a try the next day from the Iron Creek Trail-head.

Laurie Bryan August 28

Packing supplies in to a wilderness trail crew at Sawtooth Lake. The first day got a little rough and two of the guys had to bailed on us. Regrouped the next day minus the two. The next day and a different route, five women, 11 horses, 1 mule and Rob made it to the lake without incident. The “G” in Girl Power now stands for “Get ‘er done.”  Laurie took most of the pictures on this project

Janelle, Decaf and Tucker

Laurie Bryan August 28 ·

Shelly rounding “Oh Shit Drop.” I have no idea what’s it’s called – but that’s what I’m calling it. Pictures do not do this section justice – besides – I’m trying to shoot pictures and trust that Jack isn’t going to plumet to our death off these sheer faces. The most wicked trails I’ve been on I think. Absolutely beautiful. I would love to take some of the folks who scoff at “trail horses” for a little hike on these trails. I think their opinion of “just a trail horse” might change.

Janine talking to some of the many trail users we met while packing for this project, with very few exceptions each encounter went well, with the other users very interested in what we were doing and the stock. Lots of pictures of us were taken.

On September 2nd,  Janelle Weeks, Lisa Griffith, Shelly Duff and Rob Adams returned to Sawtooth lake with five pack stock and packed out the crew.

See More Pictures

Movie made by Janelle

New Mexico land transfer experiment ended badly for state control advocates

BY TOM RIBE

It is no secret that some state legislators in the West want to boot federal land management agencies from their states. They argue that the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service cost too much and are too detached from local values, and that states could make money by running our vast open spaces like a privately owned business.

The Cato Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based libertarian think tank, is of that opinion and has developed models to replace federal agencies with private interests. What many people don’t know is that Congress implemented one of the Cato Institute’s ideas in 2000, on the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico. For some critics of the federal government, this was the experiment in land management that would signal the end of the BLM and Forest Service in the West.

Give states chance to manage small portion of U.S. forests

BY JIM GERBER

At a Feb. 24 House Appropriations Committee meeting on the Forest Service budget, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., suggested there might be some merit to selling off federal public lands. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, pointed out that the people of Idaho love their public lands because they use them for a wide variety of uses. They would not like to see them auctioned off.

There is a better solution than to sell off federal lands. Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, has a bill that would create experimental areas of 200,000 or more acres in several states to see whether state management of federal lands is feasible.

Idaho’s misguided attempt to legalize a Bundyesque occupation

BY KAHLE BECKER

Senate Bill 1338, brought to us by Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll R-Cottonwood, purports to allow counties to declare Federal land a “Catastrophic Public Nuisance.” The proposed legislation which then claims to allow a county or its sheriff to take steps to abate the nuisance. Presumably this means the county can order trees be logged, roads be constructed, or prescriptive fires be lit on Federal land.

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Originally reported missing on September 24th, the search for Dr. Jodean “Jo” Elliot-Blakeslee will continue this weekend, with approximately 20 searchers led by National Park Service and Butte County Sheriff’s Office personnel. See more Pictures  //  Location of Search The effort to find Dr. Jo and her hiking companion has been heroic, but if they had been carrying a device the size of a cell phone, and been able to press the 911 button on that device, this story likely would have had a different outcome.  Help would have been dispatched sooner, and the help would have known were to look.  If  you ride, hike, hunt or bike in the back country, you should have a SPOT in your pocket.   Idaho Statesman report 10/23/2013

There’s more to backcountry horseman than a bunch of old people running around in the woods clearing trail. We are also concerned with fostering relationships with the future of our organization – the youngsters.

The average age for a SBBCHI member is somewhere around 62 years of age. Most of us are pretty tough and I suspect most will be running around in the woods sawing trees well into our 90’s – however, nature being what it is, we won’t live forever. It is a solemn fact that if we do not recruit the younger generation – the Backcountry Horsemen of America will eventually die off…or if you’d rather; ride the final trail into the great backcountry wilderness in the sky.

Sage Writer Blog       Read rest of this story        More Pictures

A suburban family’s thrilling, chilling, life-changing trip through the beyonds of the Sierra Nevada

It wasn’t until we reached the summit of Mono Pass, a spectacular trail carved 12,150 feet up in California’s Sierra Nevada, that my maternal alarm bells went off.

Ahead of me, my husband and three children were about to descend a series of steep, narrow switchback trails littered with loose granite rocks—on horseback.

Suddenly, hazards seemed to be everywhere. The altitude was winding the horses. Bears lurked in the vast forest below. Mountain lions obviously lay in wait. The words of Craig London, the owner of Rock Creek Pack Station who’d sent us on our six-day trip that morning, echoed in my head. “You’re completely dependent on your stock,” he said, looking us in the eye. “If a horse trips and falls, you die.”

Terror was not what I had envisioned when my husband, an intrepid traveler, proposed taking our suburban New Jersey children on an outdoor adventure. Ages 12, 9 and 9, the kids were growing up much more “indoors-y” than out—to them, “the wilderness” might as well have been a sequel to “Angry Birds.” George wanted to give them a memorable experience and teach them some basic survival skills before they became completely alienated from the natural world. He assured me that they would be more than fine without the antibacterial wipes, helmets and location-tracking iPhone apps that we had come to rely on at home. The physical discomforts, he argued, would be worth it

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Handling, riding, and driving horses have a number of risks.

Riding has some inherent risks, as when mounted, the rider’s head may be up to 4 m (13 ft) from the ground, and the horse may travel at a speed of up to 65 km/h (40 mph).

 The injuries observed range from very minor injuries to fatalities. A recent study in Germany reported that the relative risk of injury from riding a horse, compared to riding a bicycle, was 9 times higher for adolescents and 5.6 times higher for younger children, but that riding a horse was less risky than riding a moped.

In Victoria, Australia, a search of state records found that equestrian sports had the third highest incidence of serious injury, after motor sports and power boating. In Greece, an analysis of a national registry estimated the incidence of equestrian injury to be 21 per 100,000 person-years for farming and equestrian sports combined. Other findings were that use of spurs may contribute to ankle fractures and dislocations, and helmets likely prevent traumatic brain injuries.

In the United States each year an estimated 30 million people ride horses, resulting in 50,000 emergency room visits (1 visit per 600 riders per year). A survey of 679 equestrians in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho estimated that at some time in their equestrian career one in five will be seriously injured, resulting in hospitalization, surgery, or long-term disability.

Among survey respondents, novice equestrians had an incidence of any injury that was threefold over intermediates, fivefold over advanced equestrians, and nearly eightfold over professionals. Approximately 100 hours of experience are required to achieve a substantial decline in the risk of injury.

Mechanisms of injury

 The most common mechanism of injury is falling from the horse, followed by being kicked, trampled, and bitten. About 3 out of 4 injuries are due to falling, broadly defined. A broad definition of falling often includes being crushed and being thrown from the horse, but when reported separately each of these mechanisms may be more common than being kicked.

 Types and severity of injury

 In Canada, a 10-year study of trauma center patients injured while riding reported that although 48% had suffered head injuries, only 9% of these riders had been wearing helmets at the time of their accident. Other injuries involved the chest (54%), abdomen (22%), and extremities (17%).

 A German study reported that injuries in horse riding are rare compared to other sports, but when they occur they are severe. Specifically, they found that 40% of horses riding injuries were fractures, and only 15% were sprains.

Furthermore the study noted that in Germany, one quarter of all sport related fatalities are caused by horse riding. Most horse related injuries are a result of falling from a horse, which is the cause of 60–80% of all such reported injuries.

Another common cause of injury is being kicked by a horse, which may cause skull fractures or severe trauma to the internal organs.

 Some possible injuries resulting from horse riding, with the percent indicating the amounts in relation to all injuries as reported by a New Zealand study, include:

 Arm fracture or dislocation (31%)

Head injury (21%)

Leg fracture or dislocation (15%)

Chest injury (8%)

 Riding in the Back Country

With the possibility of being injured very real, and the likely hood of being able to call 911 and have an EMT team arrive quickly very low, it is important that back country riders have training in First aid. 

The typical first aid course available is for urban environments.  All action plans start with “Is the accident scene safe?”, “Call 911”, “check for breathing”, etc. 

When riding in the back country, a different type of training is necessary.  It starts with the premises that help is 6 to 12 hours away and calling 911 is not the first step.

 Squaw Butte is fortunate to have as a member Dan Murphy, who has been a professional EMT and emergency responder and teacher.  Dan became certified to teach Wilderness First Aid for the “American Safety & Health Institute” in 2011 and in December lead a course for twelve of our members. 

 This sixteen hour course covered:

·                    Initial Assessment

·                    Physical Exam

·                    Vital Signs

·                    Shock Management

·                    Control of Bleeding

·                    Burn Care

·                    Assessing and Splinting Fractures

·                    Assessing and Treating Head & Spinal Injuries

·                    Environmental Hazards

·                    Biological hazards

·                    Wilderness first aid kits

 The course combined class room lectures and hands on training, with a heavy emphasis on what to do in typical situations that back country riders are likely to encounter in Idaho. 

While we strive to make our rides and events as safe as possible, it is nice to know that a number of our members have taken the time to be trained so if an injury does occur they know what to do, to help have a positive outcome.

Backcountry Skills Clinic-Saturday, March 21, 2009 -Circle G Ranch
07:30 – 08:30    Registration & Coffee / Tea / Hot Chocolate

PRESENTATIONS: Main Barn – Indoor Arena (unheated)

Start   Time    Presentation
08:30    5 Min   Welcome & BCHI Information
08:35   55      Packing Equipment (what we take and why)
09:30   30      Idaho Brand Inspector (what you need to know)
10:00   45      Wilderness First Responders (911 is not an option)
10:45   60      From you’re horse point of view (David Hayes)
13:00   60      Building a Safe Trail Horse  (Shannon Allison)
14:00    30      Trailer Safety    (Hauling your friend safely)

Visit our Library of backcountry information at https://www.sbbch.org

(Workshops) HANDS ON AREA: 10:00 to 16:00
Useful Knots and Hitches
Securing your stock in the backcountry
Minimum Impact camping Techniques
Evaluating your horses hooves (Ms Smith & Ms Hart)

Stock Packing & Load Building    (Packing Team)
Pack Saddles (Types & Fitting)
Packing Boxes and Bags (Keeping Packing Simple)
Packing manties & advanced loads (Packing Techniques)

Lunch is being catered by the Members of the local 4H, as a fund raiser.

Donations will be happily accepted.

Featured Presenters:

Dr. David Hayes: Idaho State Veterinarian.  David’s special professional interests are equine reproduction, lameness, and dentistry. His personal interests are horse training, rodeo, and mountain experiences. Dr. Hayes has presented at a number of our skills clinic and we are looking forward to having him present again this year.

Larry Hayhurst:  Idaho State Brand Inspector has presented at a number of our skills clinics and his presentations always generate a lot of questions and interest.

Shannon Allison has been training horses for the past 20 years.  He has been working for the Simplot Livestock Company in Grand View Idaho for the last 10 years, getting “Real World” horses like yours ready for “Real World” situations.