Stewardship

Ranger Joelle: Checking Back In

Unbeknownst to me, y’all seem to really enjoy Ranger Joelle blog posts, as it was one of the most requested topics in the poll on social media (alongside featured flora… don’t worry we’ll have that too!) So, knocking out a few birds with one stone, and welcoming everyone to the most wonderful 2024, I want to let you in on some of my hopes for 2024 and what I’ll be packing in my backpack — let’s get to it.

As the GBCA office is working hard to pull together plans for the 2024 season of all of our crews, I’ll let you in on some of my plans for this year.

  • I’ll be taking a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) class this spring. Currently I am Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certified, but this class will be the next step in the direction of taking care of folks on the trail. When hearing about these classes, it’s easy to think worst-case scenario, but some things I’m also most interested in are: staying hydrated on the trail, combatting fatigue, dealing with the heat, and food allergies. Of course, we learn how to tend to sucking-chest wounds, severed limbs, and broken bones as well, but we have to remember that staying safe on the trail starts with all of the small things!

  • I’ll be attending the Northern Rockies Wilderness Skills Institute again. This event, happening in May is a very important week-long skill-building course where we don’t only learn about land designations and trail maintenance, but also have the opportunity to connect with others in similar positions throughout the Northern Rockies region. I find this to be the most valuable part of the whole week — learning new recipes for dinners on volunteer trips, understanding different campsite survey protocols, and communicating about how to handle uncomfortable situations in the backcountry with other experienced souls.

  • Collaborating with new groups to gain more stewards of the land and connect people with this special place. I will be taking a trip with the Women Who Explore group again to help me clean and repair campsites at the end of the season. The Clearwater Trekkers will be coming with me for a couple days to learn what I do in the backcountry and to help with campsite surveys and trail inventories. Keep your eyes open on our website and social media for more details on these and others that you may be interested in!

  • Along with Chris, I hope to get involved with more outreach to school-aged kids to teach them more about what we do, what a special place this is, and how to learn to love the land (or even set up a tent)!

  • Many other things are in the works for 2024, so keep your eyes and ears peeled as the season draws ever-nearer.


Some of you are wanting to learn more about what to pack when hitting the trail. Getting ready for all of these exciting adventures, here’s a general list of what I’ll be packing with me on a trip out in the field:
this list is by no means right or wrong, so use it as a base and add or subtract to fit your comfort.

  • rain coat

  • dry bag for my clothes

  • a small towel (cuz I always seem to go swimming, and it’s good for lots of other things too)

  • puffy jacket

  • wool sweater (depending on season)

  • beanie, gloves, and a buff (no matter the season)

  • camp pants (or shorts, depending on season)

  • 2 shirts (one I wear, the other stays dry for camp/sleeping)

  • 2 pairs of socks (one on my feet, the other for sleeping)

  • underwear for each day

  • headlamp

  • book and a journal + 2 pencils

  • lots of paracord

  • pocket knife

  • trash bags (for packing trash, but also staying dry)

  • folding camp saw + lighter

  • compass + map

  • binoculars

  • playing cards!

  • 1-person tent (or a bivvy bag if it’s

  • nice weather.. but no one wants to be wet all the time)

  • 18F sleeping bag

  • thin sleeping bag liner (to keep my stinky self out of my bag!)

  • sleeping pad (R-value 3.8)

  • sometimes I live fancy and bring a hammock (not to lay in, but to wrap around me like a blanket to keep the mosquitoes away… the volunteers have seen this)

  • jet boil, fuel canister, a metal spoon (I don’t like my spoon to break and would rather carry “extra” weight)

  • 2-3L capacity for water

    • hand pump water filter

    • I also always carry iodine tablets in case of emergency

  • first-aid kit

  • toiletries: toothbrush/paste, sunscreen, chapstick, toilet paper and a trowel

  • a Cliff Bar (I don’t eat these, but I would hate to encounter someone on the trail with LBS and not be able to help out)

  • My food includes:

    • Oatmeal for breakfast

    • Crackers, summer sausage, and an apple for lunch

    • carrots for snacks

    • dinner is typically some kind of rice with dried veggies and salmon pack

      • “thanksgiving-in-a-pot” is also one of my faves that my volunteers typically get to experience as well

    • one pudding pack for a “bad” day on the trail

    • *I always bring at least 1/2 day extra food, depending on length of trip

So there ya have it! I feel a little exposed spilling the contents of my bag all over this blog post, but maybe it helps to see a little of the day-in-the-life of a field worker. I may pack too much in this bag for some, and not enough for others. Pack as you wish, and enjoy your journeys in the Great Burn this coming season. Maybe I’ll see you out there.

Cheers and Happy Trails,


A Day in the Field: Roving Restoration Crew

Flexibility is key when it comes to working in the field! This year, we had a fantastic debut with our roving restoration crew, and these guys were the epitome of flexibility. Weeds don’t always just grow right along the trail, and the weather isn’t always sunny… but nevertheless, the backcountry never fails to amaze us. A few reports of flex come in these quotes:

 

The trail listed had not been in use or maintained so we followed game trails and the creek bed through thick patches of Alder and spruce until we finally made it.

We were dismayed to find the trail no longer present and resorted to bushwhacking and sliding our way down the steep terrain and slippery heather to the lake. 

 We finally made it back to the trailhead at 17:45, 3 hours later than we had planned. 

 

The boys were good at thinking on the fly and deciding on the best plan of action:

 

Unfortunately when we reached the road we found it unused and completely overgrown with alder.. After assessing our options we decided to attempt to work down the drainage but we were forced back up to the road after an hour of negligible progress over dangerous terrain. We slowly pushed our way along the road and through the alder until about two miles later it began to clear up.

 

Not only was our crew never discouraged by the turn in plans, they were able to find the light in little things and always brought humor to the table:

 

I also startled a bull moose grazing almost on the trail in front of me as I came around a corner. He took one look at me and ran the other way; I don’t think I smelled great after 5 days in the backcountry.

 

But all of these hard days made them so grateful for the days that went as planned: 

 

As we accessed our route for the day, we were grateful for the lack of off-trail travel required.

 

Needless to say, a huge shoutout to our awesome crew for being so adaptive, enjoying the little part of what makes this area so special, and never failing to shine in your positions.

Teachings of the (Wet) Backcountry

15 Steps to Sanity in the Wet Backcountry

1) Don’t set your tent on a wood pad, raindrops will bounce and get your tent wet from the inside. Always opt for the unlevel ground under that dry tree.

2) Just put on the wet socks. They’ll be wet anyways after you put on those wet boots.

3) If the rain lets up, don’t expect it to stay that way. Do what you need to do while you can still stay relatively dry (tear down tent, pee, etc.).

4) Fires warm your soul and put you in a better mood.

5) Smile at the sun as it may not last long.

6) Wet nights are some of the coldest, but cloudy nights are some of the warmest…

7) Even Ziploc bags aren’t waterproof forever.

8) There will be a day that your stuff dries out again. I know it doesn’t seem true, but trust me.

9) Shorts are warmer when everything is soaked because there’s less material touching your skin.

10) The driest part of the backpack seems to be right under the lid. Do with this as you will.

11) Pack extra garbage bags, you dummie.

12) These ridiculous cold, wet tent nights and hiking days won’t last forever, so soak (haha) them up while you can.

13) Keep your dang sleeping bag dry and you’ll survive just fine.

14) Put all things on top of your sleeping pad during the day in case the tent leaks through the floor.

15) Take a second and breathe, all will be okay, and you’ll look back and think “it wasn’t really so bad afterall.”

Yours Truly, Ranger Joelle

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2023 Stewardship Trip recap

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Kid Lake Meadow Restoration
Restoration Director (Chris) and Volunteer Coordinator (Kalyn) were joined by volunteers to aid in restoration efforts in Kid Lake Meadows. The group pulled over 50lbs of the noxious weed, St. John’s Wort, established 2 new Standard Impact Monitoring Protocol (SIMP) plots, and surveyed the newly established SIMP plots.

These SIMP plots will be surveyed every year to monitor for:

  1. Noxious weed populations (and the effectiveness of treatment)

  2. Biocontrol populations that keep those weeds in check

Monitoring biological control agents is an essential component of a successful biological control program. Capturing this data helps us accurately document the impact of this weed management practice. SIMP is a nationally recognized platform that has been adopted to capture data and perform analysis on biocontrol release sites. The data captured is used to document vegetation cover, weed density, and biological control agent abundance. This type of monitoring allows us to track trends in both of these populations, which will help us to determine how effective different treatments are over time.

Heart Lake Trail Improvement

Stewardship Coordinator, Joelle, was joined by volunteers to assist the USFS trail crew with trail improvements on the well used trail 171! A bulk of the work was centered around re-directing a portion of the trail in order to mitigate tree root damage. Volunteers worked hard to clear the new section of trail.

Field Crew Update

It has been a busy start to the field season in the Great Burn! Let's check in with a few of our crews and see what they have been up to. 

Trail Crew 

What would we do without trail crews? Trails would become choked with downed trees and water crossings would become MUCH more difficult. Our 2 person trail crew of Ella and Kaleb, with help from GBCA liaison Tim Lewis,  work alongside the USFS to ensure that trails in the Great Burn and surrounding roadless areas get the TLC they need. 

Ella, Kaleb, and Tim have helped clear over 300 downed trees from trails so far!

Roving Restoration Crew

The Roving Restoration Crew, Leo and Emmet, have covered over 100 miles in the Great Burn so far this summer! They have a few different objectives as they make their way:

  1. Inventory established Standard Impact Monitoring Protocol (SIMP) plots in order to track vegetation cover over time in treatment areas.

  2. Establish new SIMP plots in conjunction with biocontrol releases to monitor effectiveness.

  3. Record any invasive weed populations along the way so that those areas can be treated next season.

Kelly Creek Restoration Crew

The Kelly Creek Restoration Crew is based out of Hanson Meadows. They will continue treatment of invasive weeds throughout the summer and monitor past treatment areas.


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David Meurer Memorial Fund Update

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GBCA had the opportunity to collaborate with TRIO-Upward Bound this summer to coordinate a day hike for their students in the Great Burn.  

TRIO-Upward Bound hosts an annual six-week residential program at the University of Montana for participating high school students. Enrollment in the program is based on financial need, with preference given to students who would be the first generation to attend college. During this program students live on campus, take courses to prepare them for the upcoming school year, and participate in a variety of fun activities. 

Through this collaboration, we were able to take forty-five high school students into the Great Burn on a hike to Heart Lake. This was a great opportunity to expose these students to the outdoors and connect them to public lands. Our main goal for the hike was to show students that places like this exist and that it is a public resource. 

Co-Executive Director Hayley and Volunteer Coordinator Kalyn were able to accompany the group and represent GBCA. Kalyn gave a trail head safety talk and covered some important Leave No Trace principles so that we could have a safe day at Heart Lake. Once the students got the go ahead to begin hiking, it was hard to keep up! 

Each group had some ambitious trail blazers that had trip leaders wondering how they were going to keep up! With the help of some walkie talkies and the amazing RAs at Upward bound, everyone was able to hike at a pace that was comfortable for them and make it to the lake in their own time. 

Most students agreed that the view at the lake made the three mile hike worth it! There were also quite a few who opted to take a brisk swim (can you tell they are from Montana?). It was great to see that the students were having a good time out in nature, even if that meant being disconnected from technology. Entertainment came in the form of filtering their own water and trying to discern if the white patches on the ridge were mountain goats or snow. 

We hope that we are able to make this an annual collaboration and possibly expand the educational component.Donations from the David Meurer Memorial Fund allowed GBCA to rent the vehicles that were used to transport the students from the University to the trail head. Students also received a hat and some other GBCA swag. WIthout the generosity of those who donated to the fund, GBCA would not have been able to make this trip possible. 

To learn more about the David Meurer Memorial Fund, or to make a donation, visit https://www.greatburn.org/meurer-fund.

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Flora in the Field: Weitas Creek #20

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Weitas Creek #20 is a main trail in the North Fork District of the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. The north end of the trail is found where Weitas Creek dumps into the North Fork of the Clearwater on the FS250 road. The trailhead is in Weitas Campground. The south end of the trail begins at 12 Mile Saddle on the Lolo Motorway. Being just under 30 miles, this trail hosts many adventures and many flowers.

What to Do With this Dog Doo

You’re on a hike with your dog, and he does his duty. You pick it up, tie the bag, then set it on the side of the trail to “pick it up when you come back.” That night you’re driving home and realize you forgot the doo bag on the trail. Not again!

Let’s be honest, is there anything more frustrating or more avoidable than dog doo bags on the trail? Here’s some ideas to help you out:

There’s lots of awesome ways to improve the hike for both you and your dog (and everyone else)! There’s no need to go out and spend a bunch of money — make a DIY holder on the leash with an old peanut butter jar.

Pack out your doggie doo and be a doo do-gooder on the trail.

Happy Trails, Enjoy!

A Day In The Life: Trail Crew

beep beep beep — It’s 0445 and time to start the day. I wake up, slide out of my sleeping bag into the chilly morning air of my tent. Shoving everything to the foot of the tent, I grab my work pants and wiggle into them trying to keep the dirt from the day before out of my sleeping area. I throw on a jacket and beanie and force myself out into the fresh morning air.

Walking over to the kitchen area, I’m delighted to see that our crew lead already has a fire started - what would we do without him? Oatmeal for breakfast and a safety meeting as the crew finally gathers together on our log seats. Today, we’ll be building a retaining wall around a culvert. Safety meeting subject: Moving rocks.

0600 and we gather our gear to hike out. I sling my pack over my shoulder which is dirty with bar oil from the previous days, but holds my most valuable items: PBJ and an apple. We begin our hike down the road to the trail while my boot is already rubbing on my blister. I look over into the meadow and am greeted by the familiar sight of Mr. Moose browsing in the meadow. Sometimes being out here feels like a dream.

0730 we make it to our project site. I throw my pack on the ground, walk over to the place I was yesterday, and begin my time of crushing rock to make fill for the wall. wack wack wack — the monotonous sounds drown out my thoughts. Crew mates are moving rocks and carefully placing them like puzzle pieces in the hole we’ve made. Rocks need to be about 100 lbs to be a good candidate, so this can get clunky.

0900 I whip out my apple for a snack. It’s already starting to warm up and I’ve shed my extra layers. It’ll be another smoky, hot summer day. 0915 back to work. We switch it up and I begin hauling in dirt to top off the finished side of the wall.

1200 I almost dropped a rock on my toe earlier, but I moved out of the way just in time… thinking back on it, I almost wish it dropped on my boot… maybe it wouldn’t have broken in half if I cushioned its fall. Eh, well, that just means I have to go find another rock to drag and shimmy back to our work space.

1430 I’m thinking back to those days at the beginning of the season, wishing it would stop raining or snowing for just 30 minutes. Now I’m looking up at the sky during my afternoon break pleading to find just a single cloud offering a little bit of shade. No such luck today. And my sunscreen spilled all over inside my backpack. At least my PBJ survived the mess. I don’t know if my arms can even pick up one more rock.

1500 The culvert is finished! The feeling of pounding that last bit of dirt on top of the culvert is indescribable. This was such a big project, and there were so many times when I was losing hope or just wanted to sit and rest for a while. But look at it! Isn’t it amazing?

1630 We made it back to camp. My turn to cook tonight, but at least that means I don’t have to do dishes! I wash my hands with the bucket water and begin preparing the meal. We’re having burritos tonight. With cheese - lots of cheese. Each night during dinner, we have a question of the day. Today’s question was a mindbender - “Which ice cream flavor do you think should NOT exist?”

 

1830 We sit in a circle around our empty fire ring. We’re at Stage II fire restrictions this week. Journal time, reading time, or joking time. Each night it varies.

2100 I always stay up the latest. Tonight, it’s just me and the stars. I look up for a bit, but the smoke and clouds cover most of the view. Getting up, I grab my journal and make my way back to my tent. Outside the tent, I shed the work pants and climb in. I wrap myself up in the sleeping bag and reach over to set my little alarm “0445.” I can’t wait for another day in the field. What a life this is.

Update From the Field: Ranger Joelle

Hey all! I just got back from a great trip out for the past several days. I covered a few different areas, encountered a lot of snow, but also found a lot of wildflowers. If you’re getting out recreating, remember to be prepared for those unpredictable conditions, take lots of pictures, and take a second to smell the flowers.

Burdette Creek #2

I hiked into Burdette Creek which is about a 9.5 mile out and back. There was no snow, but the creek was running high! There were plenty of Glacier lilies along the path and I found a lot of moose scat.

Cache Creek #317

Cache hasn’t been accessed much yet this season as there are many downed trees across the trail. I made it about 5 miles up before there was too much snow to continue on.

Schley Mountain

The road to the Schley mountain trailhead is snowed in about 5.5 miles up.

Clearwater crossing

Clearwater crossing is clear of snow and ready for campers! The campground is in good condition, so remember to practice Leave No Trace principles when you visit.

North Fork Fish Creek #103

This trail is open to Greenwood Cabins, and after that there is too much snow to continue. Hunters have been frequenting the area, so be mindful while recreating!

West Fork Fish Creek #101

I only went about a mile back on the trail, but that part was open with beautiful views of the 2015 burn and the raging West Fork of Fish Creek.

Straight Creek #99

I did not hike on this trail as the Fish Creek crossing at the beginning is rolling pretty fast at this time of year.

Petty Mountain

Petty Mountain #8

This trail is open for the first mile and a half and then you are tasked with increasing patches of snow all the way up to the peak. The views are incredible and the wildflowers are just starting to peek out, so keep your eyes peeled.

Petty Pasture #733

The gorgeous fields (or pastures!) of Arrowleaf balsamroot just cannot be topped at this time of year. This trail is clear of snow all the way up to the junction of Petty Mtn #8. Do note, however, that there is a slide about two miles up the trail that is passable by foot, but would be difficult on stock.

The spring is an awesome time to get out in the Great Burn area, even if there are still snow patches. Just remember when hiking in these areas to travel on the trail (durable surfaces) and don’t try to walk around snow or wet patches. This leads to unwanted erosion and vegetation damage.

Cheers and Happy Trails!