Pete Chappell
Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew Leader
July 7-15
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest
We started off Hitch #2 with a good ol' fashioned 13 hour workday, clearing trees and lugging our feather-light 70-pound packs to a beautiful Cedar Grove where we wearily set our camp up next to a raging East Moose Creek. Eager as we were at that moment to fall into a deep slumber, our immediate concern was to assemble a proper bear hang. However, the forest had other plans, and we spent a far too great and embarrassing sum of time throwing ropes tied to rocks at trees all in the name of keeping our food safe from the hungry bears. At last, we succeeded in our endeavor, finally crawling into our tents and drifting off to the sound of the creek tirelessly flowing by.
In the morning we were graciously awakened by the incredibly pleasant whine of mosquitoes in their ever-present quest to fly directly into our ears and eyes and drink our blood. And as our workday started, we were very quickly reminded that we were indeed back in the wilderness, by the soothing bite of the majestic horsefly on our backs and heads, as if to say, "You smell good and are not in any way covered in sweat and dirt and grime".
Our work propelled us through a dense cedar forest, with trees towering above us and trunks so wide they rivaled the great redwoods. We encountered two massive cedar trees that had fallen directly within the length of our trail. With tree trunks larger than the entire length of our five and a half foot crosscut saw. We saw no way of cutting through it and saving the existing trail. A trail re-route appeared to be in our future, so we dutifully went to work, building a brand new section of trail around the fallen giants.
The next few days we pushed tirelessly forward, the sounds of our axes ringing across the canyon walls and our crosscut continually singing through fallen trees. We were set upon by increasing numbers of downed trees as we worked through hail, rain, blisters, and blazing heat.
In some sections we lost the trail entirely, spending far too many minutes frustratingly poking around in the brush to find it. It was in these sections that we spotted a hungry mountain goat far off in the distance, balancing precariously on small footholds in the cliffside, a towering waterfall dropping off a cliff, spilling its contents into the East fork of Moose Creek, and the biggest bear scat I personally have ever seen. I'm glad the bears are getting their fill of other food apart from ours.
But alas, all good times come to an end and we had to leave our little East Moose Trail project for greener pastures. And by this, I of course mean a grueling 14-mile hike back to the end of our road, Elk Summit, where we had stashed our cars (and a bag of barbecue chips). Our trip had come to an end, but rest assured, the itch of hundreds of mosquito bites we had acquired in our 8 days here were just starting to begin.
But despite the aches and pains. Despite the rain, hail, and heat, the mosquitoes and horseflies, and blisters. The truth is, all of those things pale to the fact that I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to be out here, experiencing these things, taking in the scenery, swimming in the cold glacial water, and maintaining trails so that others may use them and experience these same things. If it means having the privilege to be out here, I would gladly experience all those aches and pains again.
