Ian Harris | Youth Program Director & Field Coordinator
Salmon River Trail #96
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest | Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness
April 17-24, 2024
Emily, Joe, and Wyatt doing retread on the Salmon River Trail #96
The first hitch of the year kicked off earlier in the season than usual, on a brisk April morning. Four of our Wilderness Trail Crew Leaders, two Forest Service trail specialists, and Josh and I, left Vinegar Creek on a two-hour jet boat ride up the Salmon River to a camp at the Bargamin Creek outlet. It felt full-circle to begin the 2024 season here, as last year's season ended with a hitch only a few miles up Bargamin. The work was very different, however. Rather than clearing what felt like a million trees like we did last September, this crew performed some deferred maintenance on the Salmon River trail. There's nothing like good 'ol rock work and re-tread to condition the body for a season of hard labor!
Salmon River Trail #96- The crew with the finished turnpike!
Against the backdrop of clear skies, seasonally green cliffs, roaring rapids, and the occasional Mountain Bluebird song, we moved heavy logs and boulders to construct a turnpike over a small creek, and repaired much of the nearby trail, which had been damaged by the 2023 Elkhorn Fire.
For most of us, the highlight was the jet boat rides to and from camp! For many of us, it was our first time on a jet boat, and while the experience does not scream "Wilderness", the rides were fun nonetheless. Despite overly sore muscles, the hitch was an auspicious start to the upcoming season!
This project was funded through SBFC members and donors and the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) Funds.
Ian Harris
Youth Program Director & Field Coordinator
Originally from Philadelphia, Ian moved to Montana in 2010 to attend the University of Montana. He has an academic background in nonprofit management and environmental policy, and has worked in conservation since 2017. After leading youth crews in Montana and Idaho for three years, and a stint with the Montana DNRC Fire Bureau, he spent two years traveling for his wife’s professional disc golf career before joining the SBFC team in 2023. When not in the mountains for work or pleasure, Ian can be found at the movies or with a good book in hand.