José (Antonio) Angel

Wilderness Ranger Fellow

August 4-11, 2021

Hitch #5 | Sulphur Creek

Salmon-Challis National Forest | Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness

Initially our trail crew was intended to go into the North Zone of the Salmon-Challis National Forest into the Big Horn Crags region to clear trails, but due to the Mud Lick Fire we were reassigned to clear trail #4046 from Whiskey Creek Trailhead, down Sulphur Creek, and ultimately finishing approximately 13 miles down trail near Boundary Creek. Although, compared to our previous hitches, we assumed 13 miles of trail being cleared would be an attainable goal, that was not the case for this hitch.

Upon arrival to the Whiskey Creek Trail Head, we could not find the trail and spent a few hours retreading for future recreators to be able to follow the trail through the initial meadow. As we proceeded down trail #4046, we quickly realized that this hitch was going to be incredibly low in mileage.

*…and After look at one section of trail. Yes much of the trail was this bad!*

Ultimately, by the final day of the hitch, we had camped at the rig every night and only cleared approximately 2.5 miles of trail. In those 2.5 miles we did, however, clear 856 trees from the trail over six ten-hour workdays, cutting nearly 150 trees each day and only working down trail about .4 miles per day.

*Thomas (left) and Antonio (right) using Jolene (center), the beautiful 6 ft Simonds crosscut saw, to saw through a 25” tree.*

This work was incredibly exhausting. Luckily, we were able to keep morale high despite the long and hot days. Thomas, the other Salmon-Challis NF Wilderness Ranger Fellow, and I had the realization that this was our final hitch which added a hint of melancholy for how much we were going to miss the stunningly beauteous Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. We became incredibly humbled when on our last day of work we began to see smoke billowing from down the drainage. We turned on the radio to ensure that we were in a safe location and learned the fire was only about 4 miles away. Although we were safe, I felt humbled as we cooked dinner and watch Smoke Jumpers fly overhead preparing to fight the fire.

*The view from a scramble up to the ridge looking down the trail #4046 (Sulphur Creek Trail) just before a below-freezing night.*

The danger of fire was a contradicting feeling in comparison to our first night of hitch when we watched a sheet of clouds move over us. Just after falling asleep a flashing of light and strong gust of wind awoke me. I ventured outside of my tent to observe a storm rolling in over the western ridge. The strong westerly winds and dark sky with flashes of lightning reminded me of the storms I grew up watching on the plains of Iowa with one main difference: on the Great Plains we do not have the howl of wind blowing through burned trees called the Death Whistle. The Death Whistle keeps me awake calling my mind to contemplate our training and the safety our meadow holds us in, out of harm's way from all widow-makers. The howl drives me to be thankful for our immediate safety but consider the possibility of, one day, a widow-maker turning me into a widowless widower.

My mind then leaped to the paradox of clouds. They appear, from a distance, to be beautiful and calm, but when inside or underneath a cumulonimbus cloud, one begins to understand the powerful force they have and the cloud signifies destruction. Although I am sorrowful to be leaving Idaho for the summer, I know I am ready and will return.

ANTONIO ANGEL

Salmon-Challis National Forest | Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness

Creighton University

Major: Environmental Science concentrating in Organismal/Population Ecology and Environmental Policy & Society | Minor: Spanish

Antonio grew up on a small farm in Van Meter, Iowa surrounded by nature. In 2018 he traveled out west on an SBFC IDAWA trek to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area. Although he has always loved the outdoors, his IDAWA trip inspired him to become an avid supporter of public lands and wilderness. Wilderness is important to Jose because it is where he feels most complete, and he hopes others can find who they are through the outdoors as well.