Steven Adamson
Wilderness Ranger Fellow
Bitterroot National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Before moving to Montana this summer and working for SBFC, the dream of living out West was always just going to be someday in the future. I had no clue when that would be or what I would be doing, but I knew that someday I would move out here and would love exploring the mountains.
As the fall semester ended, I had to find a summer internship that could fulfill my college credit, and the Wilderness Ranger Fellow position at SBFC looked amazing. An entire 3 months working on trails in Montana! How awesome would it be if someday I was doing that.
Eventually, I got the call saying that I got this amazing internship, and I would be out here working trails and in Montana where I have dreamed of living for years. Getting here was like a dream come true, and at the time, I had no idea what my future would hold or how amazing the trails we worked would be. Now that I am reflecting on the season, I am glad that it is finally someday. I have met so many amazing people, and I have seen such amazing scenery and learned about the western plants and wildlife.
Lappi Lake in the Bitterroot National Forest
It all started when I arrived at the KOA in Missoula and met all of the other Fellows. We spent the next few weeks there training and getting to know one another. It would finally be time to leave the KOA though and all start working on our respective Forests. My crew moved to Darby and the Westfork Ranger Station and worked in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. We worked on 4 trails, Selway River Trail #4, Boulder Creek Trail #617, Lappi Lake Trail #324, and Hauf Lake Trail #309. All had amazing views; I felt very lucky to be working in such a beautiful Wilderness.
Living in the Bitterroot Valley on my off hitches was also special, and I fell in love with the area. However, it provided me with my next someday adventure. Almost everywhere you go in the areas surrounding Darby you can see Trapper Peak, the tallest peak in the Bitterroot. I just kept thinking, “Someday I will go up there,” and on every off hitch, I got too busy and never made time for it. Finally, on this last off hitch Hannah, Veronica, and I made the trip up to the peak. It was the perfect cap to an amazing season. Once I was up on the top of the peak, I realized that someday can always be today, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for me someday down the road!
Steven on the Trapper Peak summit.
Bitterroot National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Major: Natural Resources and Environmental Science
Steven is a junior attending the University of Illinois, studying Natural Resources and Environmental Science with a concentration in Fish and Wildlife Conservation. He grew up in Sumner, Illinois, a small town in the southeastern part of the state. Being from a rural area, Steven has always had a passion for the outdoors because he grew up hunting and fishing, and it is through these activities that he came to appreciate and respect the environment.