Charles Warren
Wilderness Ranger Fellow (2022 Warren Miller Fellow)
Hitch #3: July 5-13 (Trails 219 + 220 to Seven Lakes area)
Nez-Perce Clearwater National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
The start of our third hitch felt vaguely familiar, as we entered the wilderness from the same trail our crew had worked on our first hitch, trail # 211. We returned to our very first campsite only to find how much the vegetation had grown in the month since we had been there. The next day we followed the trail running alongside boulder creek up to Horse camp, our original basecamp for hitch 1. We branched off onto trail # 219 and began clearing up the trail, following Surprise Creek all the way up to the Seven Lakes region. We bushwhacked our way to an outfitter camp, and used that space as a basecamp for the next few days. Day 3 of our hitch was quite unique, as this was the day that Idaho Public Television had sent a camera crew to meet up and film what it is we do as a trail maintenance crew. It was pretty exciting being able to show off our skills with a crosscut saw, as well as share the beauty and majesty of this wilderness with a wider audience!
Picture of me with the brook trout we caught and ate
I had additionally packed my fly-fishing rod on this hitch, and caught my very first brook trout on film! After catching a few more trout, we ended the night by cooking them up and enjoying a fresh fish snack!
Picture of two of the many lakes in the Seven Lakes area
The next few days of our hitch were fairly similar: We cleared large logs off of the trail and brushed back all of the bushes obstructing the trail. After a few days of clearing the trail from our outfitter camp, we packed up our gear and bumped up the trail, making camp in both the most beautiful and mosquito infested meadow we have yet to see this summer! We made use of my fly rod and had another brook trout catch & cook to supplement our ramen and rice-pasta dinners, before calling it an early night. The following day we made our final push, clearing trail # 219 up to our final destination: The Seven Lakes area. Even though there are more than seven lakes in the area, it has still proven to be my favorite area of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness!
Soon enough it was time to head down the mountain and return to civilization. We packed up our gear and headed back down the trail, making one final stop at our very first campsite. As a final special activity, we crossed Boulder Creek, and hiked a short distance to Stanley Hot Springs where we got to enjoy hot water for the first time in over a week! Our final day came all too soon, and before we knew it, we were back at Wilderness Gateway signifying the end of our hitch!
Picture from our campsite at the Seven Lakes area, overlooking a small alpine lake
Charles Warren
(2022 Warren Miller Fellow)
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Sewanee: The University of the South
Major: Environment & Sustainability; Minor: Economics
Charles was born in Atlanta, Georgia and has always had a passion for the outdoors and the environment. Growing up, his family would regularly go on camping and hiking trips in the mountains of North Georgia. Charles has visited several national parks and wilderness areas, which inspired him to strive to protect these vital areas for future generations. He is a rising college senior and after graduation, Charles plans to enter the conservation field and work to protect our world's ecosystems. He enjoys a range of outdoor pursuits, from backpacking and camping, to climbing and caving, however he absolutely loves fly fishing. Charles is excited to learn more about trail maintenance!