Sky N' Trees

Tom Urmston

Wilderness Ranger Fellow

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

May 27 - June 1, 2024             

The view from above. Enroute to Cougar Airstrip.

I could feel my nervous energy increasing with each mile we drove closer to Challis, Idaho. This small town in Custer County with a population of approximately 958 people would be the beginning of the training hitch journey of the SBFC “Sky N’ Trees” team. On May 27th, our team departed Missoula around 5:30 a.m. and arrived at Challis Airport around 10:00 a.m. Myself and five other fellows (Nate T, Sammy P, Bailey, Rowan, and Emma), as well as our three crew leads (Phoebe, Wyatt, and Robbie), would be taking bush planes to Cougar Airstrip, a remote airstrip located alongside the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area.

I’ll admit that I’m an anxious flier and was a wee bit nervous about flying in a small 4-seater bush plane that would be weaving in and around mountains. However, I knew I had to psych myself up and look ahead to the unforgettable experience I would be partaking in. It didn’t take long once we packed up our tools and gear into the planes before we were inbound for Cougar Airstrip. The flight over was absolutely breathtaking. You look out the window and see a landscape that has probably been relatively unchanged for millions of years. I got to share this incredible experience with Robbie and Emma, alongside our pilot Adam.

Our one and only use of the crosscut saw during the training hitch. Pictured is Emma and Sammy

Once everybody had safely landed and all our gear and tools were accounted for, our team of nine strong hiked roughly 1.5 miles southwest of the airstrip to a nice campground that overlooked the Salmon River. This would be our base camp for the next 5 days. Our goal with this hitch was to clear Little Loon Trail, a trail that hadn’t been cleared since 2003! To our surprise, we only needed to use our crosscut saw(s) once when we had to remove a large log a very short distance from camp. The rest of our time was allocated to brushing and removing any vegetation impeding the use of the trail. Katana boys, big boys, pocket boys, and loppers were the four tools that assisted us with this endeavor. Our “Sky N’ Trees” team covered around 4 miles of brushing over our 5-day stay in the Frank!

Rowan crossing the Little Loon creek on our way to another day of brushing.

The cold creek crossings at 7:30 a.m. or the steep, rocky terrain were no match for the dedication this crew had to accomplishing our goal. On June 1st, around 8 a.m., we departed Cougar Airstrip and made the return trip to Challis. As I looked out the window onto the landscape below, I couldn’t stop thinking about how our teamwork and cooperation with each other during that hitch will go a long way in ensuring a successful and prosperous season here at SBFC. With that being said, I say cheers to the beginning of the 2024 season! 

Cougar Ranch Cabin. A small cabin a short distance from Cougar Airstrip.

Sammy’s boot mishap. The sole came off on day 2 of the hitch.

---

TOM URMSTON

Annandale, NJ

University of New Hampshire- Wildlife & Conservation Biology

Tom has always had an interest in the outdoors, specifically wildlife. During the summer of 2023, Tom was a Trail Ambassador for the Hunterdon County Parks Department, where he worked with fellow Trail Ambassadors to accomplish trail maintenance, outdoor concert preparation, and instructing clients on proper canoe and kayak techniques. Tom is thrilled to spend his summer as a 2024 SBFC Wilderness Ranger Fellow.

Laughing River

Ted McManus | SBFC Board Member

SBFC Volunteer Trail Project on the Salmon River, Idaho

May 1-7, 2024

I woke each morning to the sound of laughter. What a wonderful way to start each day - the sounds of laughter and bird song and a rushing river, the sight of mist rising up the canyon walls to reveal fresh snow 1000 feet above us, and hot coffee, of course. The three late 20’s SBFC staff and one Forest Service trail expert, who were our leaders at Yellow Pine Bar for the week on the Salmon River, woke before we late-middle aged volunteers did. As they prepared coffee and breakfast and laid out lunch food for us to pack, they talked and joked and, especially, laughed.

We arrived at Yellow Pine Bar Campsite on May 1st after a 90-minute jet boat ride up the Salmon River from Riggins, Idaho. The boat crunched into the rocks along the shore of the river as it pulled close enough to the shore for us to disembark. Under the leadership of our SBFC crew, we quickly formed a fire line to unload our prodigious pile of gear onto the beach, scrambling for jackets and shielding our faces from the pelting snow/sleet/hail. Situations like this bring a group of strangers together in a hurry. We had no choice but to work together. Our tarp shelter and tents went up without a hitch. Within a few short hours, we had bonded as a group, aided by the crew’s light-hearted leadership.

Our fearless leaders taking a moment to refuel

Our leaders were the new field staff for SBFC, the confident, experienced trail professionals who will lead the Wilderness Ranger Fellows in the summer of 2024 as they clear and improve hundreds of miles of trail in the two wilderness areas. The five of them - Robbie, Wyatt, Phoebe, Joe, and Emily - come from a variety of backgrounds and areas of the country, but they seem already in sync with one another, as if they had spent years working together - which Phoebe and Emily did in the Bob Marshall. These people work hard and laugh harder, completely comfortable in the wilderness. It’s a beautiful sight to see.

Working on some big rocks!

That type of leadership was so important, because the work we faced was not tossing rocks and sticks off the trail. It was hard work, building rock walls from 50-100 pound rocks to keep the trail from sliding into the Salmon River hundreds of feet below, and widening the tread of the trail by cutting into the hillside with nine-pound hammers/pick axes and smoothing everything out with the McCloud tool. We were clearing and improving the very heart of the Idaho Centennial Trail - the section where hikers drop down from Chamberlain Basin in the Frank Church Wilderness, walk along the fabled Salmon River, and then hike up and out on the Bargamin Creek Trail toward the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. So, as representatives of SBFC, this section of trail is particularly exciting because it’s, in a way, the heart of it all.

The gardens at Yellow Pine Bar (Photo by Stefan Turneaure)

Each day’s hike to our work site took us along Yellow Pine Bar, where an old backcountry ranch is cared for by two of the friendliest people you’ll ever encounter - caretakers Greg and Sue, whose Minnesota-nice personalities in the middle of the Frank Church Wilderness are like a sun-dappled forest after a rainstorm. We were the first people other than the mail plane pilot to stumble into their homestead in many months. We were treated to lemonade and a tour of their blacksmith shop and greenhouse/garden. The pride they have for their work there is palpable. Greg crafts beautiful knives of Damascus steel in the 100+ year old blacksmith shop, and Sue grows 75% of the food they eat each year. They were drying gallons of morel mushrooms to last them until next year’s crop pops up. This is their 17th year at Yellow Pine Bar and their 36th year in the Frank. What a wealth of knowledge!

The thoughts of comfortable beds, running water, and loved ones pushed us to pack up on the morning of May 7th. However, as the jet boat muscled its way back down the river to the Vinegar Creek boat ramp, we looked back at the wilderness with longing and a desire to go explore more and more of those trails in the Frank and the Selway-Bitterroot. Soon enough!

Up the River

Shawn Donley | SBFC Board Member

Salmon River Trail #96

Volunteer Project- May 1-7, 2024

Traveling by jetboat up the Salmon River

The further we traveled up the Salmon River, the more apprehensive I felt. This was my first multi-day trail work project and the reality of it was starting to set in. I’ve never done a full week of manual labor and I wasn’t sure how my body would hold up. Most of my working career had been spent in front of a computer dealing with a daily barrage of emails. This week would be a totally different experience. 

Volunteer Beth: “I like big rocks and I cannot lie!”

By the time we arrived at our destination, Bargamin Creek, we had traveled 40 miles upriver and were nearly 70 miles from the closest town. I felt lucky to be in this beautiful, remote location with such a great group of folks. The three other volunteers in my crew all had a fair amount of experience. Beth is a founding member of the Salamander Trail Crew in Oregon. Her level of commitment to trail work is exemplified by a tattoo of a crosscut saw on her bicep. 

John from Boise is the owner of Trailhead DesignWorks, which makes reproductions of Forest Service and Wilderness Area signs. His signs of the Selway and the Frank are available on the SBFC site. Karen from Garden Valley is a veteran of several volunteer trips, including the annual maintenance of the St. Mary Peak trail in the Bitterroot Valley. 

After unloading all our gear from the boat we set up camp along the Wild & Scenic Salmon River in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The goal was to spend the week improving the Salmon River Trail #96, which was severely damaged by the 2023 Elkhorn Fire.

Wyatt and Emily cooking up another delicious breakfast.

Our days started at 7am with a big pot of coffee and a hearty breakfast prepared by Wyatt and Emily, our SBFC Trail Crew leaders. Wyatt used to work as an outfitter in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and served up some tasty breakfast sandwiches, french toast, and chocolate chip pancakes. 

After packing our lunches and washing the dishes, we’d all do a yoga session led by Silas. He’s a Forest Service worker based out of Missoula and joined our crew to learn more about technical trail building. It was nice to start the day with some stretching, getting those tight muscles loosened up before a long day of trail work. The leader of our crew, Noel, works out of a local Forest Service Ranger Station and has overseen these trails for more than 14 years. He is also a rockwork guru. In a previous life I’d swear that he was the project manager for an epic site like Machu Picchu or Angkor Wat.

Wyatt, Noel and Karen at work building a retaining wall.

The whole week was spent working on a one mile section of trail. In a Wilderness area with thousands of miles of trail, I was surprised to learn that we would be focusing on such a small section, but Wilderness rockwork is labor intensive and the structures we were building are meant to last for decades. 

Moving large rocks over uneven terrain is a challenge, so we set up a skyline, which is kind of like a zipline for rocks. Once a good building rock was found, it would be carried in a sling, attached to the skyline, raised by a hand winch and then jettisoned to the building site. It was a super cool process and an efficient way to move a lot of rocks a long distance.

The two crews meetup midway between our camps.

After four days our retaining wall was nearly complete. To get a break from the heavy lifting Beth, Karen, John and I spent the first half of Day 5 brushing and scouting the trail downriver from our camp. We had been working in a relatively small section, so it was nice to finally see more of this incredible area. We hiked past Allison Ranch, much of which had been destroyed in the fire the previous year. The trail continued west, staying high above the Salmon River. We were just about to turn around when we saw the familiar yellow SBFC hard hats in the distance. It was fun to connect with the other crew and compare notes. We were jealous when we heard that they were given lemonade and rhubarb (which they baked into a crumble) from the Yellow Pine Ranch.

The weather the whole week was very agreeable, not too hot or too cold and the rain we did get mostly occurred at night while we were sleeping. Every evening after dinner we would sit around a campfire and share stories. Some of my favorites involved ghosts, aliens and questionable Bigfoot encounters. The last day I spent with Silas and Beth brushing the adjacent Bargamin Creek trail and removing large rocks and downed trees. It was very satisfying to see the fruits of our labor while hiking back to camp on a clear trail at the end of the day.

When the boat came to pick us up on the last day I was both excited and a little sad to leave this beautiful place. Any anxiousness I had felt before the trip had completely dissipated. I realized that no matter how tired I was at the end of the day, a warm hearty meal and a good night’s sleep was all I needed to feel completely rejuvenated. It was very rewarding being part of this team and seeing all that we accomplished over the course of a week. If a multi-day trail work project is something you’ve ever thought of doing or have always wanted to do, I couldn’t recommend this special experience highly enough.

Lots of smiles at the end of a productive week in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

---

Shawn Donley

Board Member

Stevensville, MT

Shawn is originally from Pittsburgh, but has lived in Oregon, Washington and Montana since 1991. He recently retired from the book publishing industry, where he served on the board of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association. He has also been a member of the Mazamas, the Forest Park Conservancy, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the Rocky Mountaineers and Run Wild Missoula. Shawn is an avid trail runner, mountain climber, backpacker, and has lived, worked and traveled in more than 60 countries. After having spent most of his adult life enjoying wilderness areas across the Western United States, he feels lucky to now have the time and energy to help maintain and protect the wild places that have given him so much pleasure. Shawn and his wife Susan live outside of Stevensville with a beautiful view of the Northern Bitterroot Range.

Trail Maintenance and Jet Boat Adventures on the Salmon River

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! 

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

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.

Hitchgiving!

This favorite backcountry hitch meal evolved from an initial inspired “Thanksgiving-in-a-Pot” idea. Hitchgiving is lightweight and low volume, high in calories and sodium, and keeps for up to two weeks in the summer. It ain’t fancy, but it sure is satisfying.

* This version is vegetarian, feel free to sub in your favorite meat and gravy for the omnivores out there. 

** Also note that the water amounts in this recipe are not an exact science. Sometimes it’s ½ cup more, sometimes it’s ½ cup less. Use your best judgment against the whimsy of wilderness cooking.

*** This meal can be made with one stove and one pot, and some creative container maneuvering, but ideally you should have two stoves, a medium fry pan, a 2L pot, and a 3L pot.

Ingredients (Serves 4-5)

6 ½ c. water

2 packets Idahoan Instant Mashed Potatoes (choose your favorite flavor)

2 boxes Stove Top Stuffing (choose your favorite flavor)

2 packets Powdered Gravy (choose your favorite flavor)

4-6 oz Dried Mushrooms

1 pack Field Roast Sausages (Smoked Apple & Sage fits the Thanksgiving palette best)

1 can Corn

1 can Cranberry Sauce

Olive Oil

Spices (choose your favorites)

Method

1. Chop sausage into discs or crumble. 

2. Bring 5 ½ cups of water to a boil in your largest pot.

3. Fry your sausage in fry pan until crisped and brown. 

4. Add stuffing, seasoning, and sausage to smaller pot.

5. Add remaining 1 c. water, gravy powder, and dried mushrooms to fry pan. Bring to a boil and let simmer until mushrooms are tender.

6. When water has come to a boil, add 2 - 2 ½ c. to stuffing pot. Cover and let sit for 2-3 minutes.

7. Add the potatoes and corn to the water remaining in your large pot and mix. Add water if needed for better consistency.

8. Open cranberry sauce, serve, and enjoy!

---

Recipe & notes by: Connor Adams | Lead Wilderness Steward

Moscow Whisky Society Interviews

Every summer, a group of friends from the Single Malt Whisky Society of the Palouse spend an 8-day hitch volunteering with SBFC. Some of their group members offer their perspectives and advice to other volunteers:

Jim Heidelberger | SBFC Board president

What motivates you to spend eight days working on Wilderness trails with SBFC each year? 

Fun!  By fun, I mean I get to spend a week in the beautiful and tranquil Wilderness - with a small group of great people - and we do hard physical work that makes a difference to the Wilderness.

What advice do you give people who have not volunteered for Wilderness trail work before? 

Try it.  When you sign up for your first volunteer trip, there will be many unknowns.  But you will be with a well-trained staff member.  The teamwork has been terrific on every trip I have been on (over 20).  Everyone has your back. If you are too tired, stay in camp for a day, or work a half day.  We all have different levels of work to contribute.  Success comes from everyone doing what they can.

Casey Johnson

What motivates you to spend eight days working on Wilderness trails with SBFC each year? 

I feel really lucky to work hard in a beautiful setting.  The physical labor and the beauty of the place soothe and ground me.  SBFC makes it easy for me to access these.  

What advice do you give people who have not volunteered for Wilderness trail work before? 

I'd advise newbies to go with one friend who makes you laugh.  Even when things go wrong (as something always will in this kind of activity), a friend who helps you laugh and see it as an adventure can make all the difference. 

Karl Englund

What motivates you to spend eight days working on Wilderness trails with SBFC each year? 

I love being in the woods to begin with, but to be there with some great friends is a true bonus.  But what motivates me the most is giving back to something I love by clearing trails and gaining access to some of the most beautiful places in the world.  Having a crappy or hard-to-navigate trail does not make for a good day in the woods, and you are more focused on that aspect than enjoying what is around you.  Oh, the food and whisky aren't too shabby either.

What advice do you give people who have not volunteered for Wilderness trail work before? 

You have to have some passion for making the backcountry more accessible and are not afraid of hard but very rewarding work.  Also, don't be intimidated by a "group" mentality that you may think you are not part of; the fact that you want to be out there makes you part of the group anyway.

Bert Baumgaertner 

What motivates you to spend eight days working on Wilderness trails with SBFC each year? 

For one week, only one thing matters: getting trees off the trail. There are no advertisements, no politics, no social posturing, no other challenges that come with living in a society. That brief period of simplicity, where your primary concerns are about getting enough water, calories (I won’t say from which sources!), staying warm/cool, and getting to know your trail mates, is a welcome temporary escape.

What advice do you give people who have not volunteered for Wilderness trail work before? 

Don’t overthink it. And also, pooping in the wilderness is amazing, especially when it comes with a view.

---

Do you have a group of friends, business colleagues, club members, etc. who would like to charter your own volunteer trip with SBFC? Reach out to us today and we will collaborate on dates, projects, and opportunities that might be right for your crew!

Be Like a Plant

Karlissa Skinner

Wilderness Project Liaison

Hitch 4 – CatRock Ventures Volunteer Project, July 18-25

Lolo Peak Trail and One Horse Lakes Trail | Bitterroot National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness

It’s hard to believe summer (and the trail work season) is nearly over… I savor these dog days on the trails, when I smell the Ponderosas and huckleberries before I even see them. This being my fifth field season, I have come to recognize, anticipate and truly appreciate the seasonal succession of plant life in the Wilderness areas I get to call my office. Plants have offered me endless inspiration, peace and wisdom over the years, and this season the lesson that pervades is resilience. I have greeted all the familiar wildflowers and even gotten to know a few new ones, but what I’ve noticed with the most poignancy is the plants that seem to defy the odds and grow in unexpected places—specifically right in the middle of a rock.

These tenacious plants stop me in my tracks and pull me out of my head and back to the present moment. I wonder, “how the heck…?” And then I realize: if these plants can grow in/on/through solid stone, then I can handle x, y, z, fill in the blanks with whatever I was worrying about before I stopped to admire such an impressive phenomenon.

And the beauty of my position leading different volunteer projects all summer is getting to witness other people have these realizations as well. I recently had the opportunity to work with volunteers from CatRock Ventures, an inspiring nonprofit based in New York whose mission is to invest in the success of Bronx youth by providing experiences in leadership, outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. Daphne, Jeton and Jordan, accompanied by group heroes (oops, I meant leaders) Abiola and Cam, flew into Missoula the weekend before the project and got to explore Missoula and Glacier National Park before venturing into the Wilderness to put their leadership and stewardship training into practice! However, NYC training couldn’t fully prepare them for some of the challenges (and rewards!) ahead. In those first few days I heard a lot of awe-inspired exclamations: “it’s so quiet,” “the air smells so good,” “there are so many plants.” I watched them experience pure bliss as they got to ride a horse, roast a marshmallow (and then another, and another, and another…), splash in an alpine lake, and dance around a campfire. This perspective is such a joyful reminder to not take for granted how lucky I am to have grown up in Montana.

On the other hand, though, the steep hikes, long days analyzing cut plans and pulling a crosscut, and ruthless mosquitoes are all just another part of the experience for me. But for Daphne, Jeton, and Jordan, these less glamorous aspects of trail work proved to be quite difficult at times. We scrambled a steep grade to Lolo Peak, conquered a technical 8-tree root ball, and learned to “embrace the suck” (a trail work philosophy that encourages us to do our best to enjoy our circumstances despite rain, mosquitoes, etc). In just a week I noticed so much progress in their ability to communicate and clear trail, offer help with camp chores, and endure the relentless mosquitoes to enjoy campfire chats and s’mores. I think it’s safe to say that it was a life-changing week for them. I’m so inspired by their plant-like tenacity and so humbled by Cam and Abiola’s commitment to CatRock’s mission.

Before- 8 tree root ball!

After- 8 tree root ball!

This is my fifth summer having spent more nights in the backcountry than in the city.

I’m frequently struck with an overwhelming sense of wonder and gratitude for all the trail miles, stunning peak views, alpine lake sunrises, river lullabies and plant wisdom. And it’s so special to share these Wilderness appreciation moments with so many eager volunteers throughout the summer. We get to learn together that the greatest challenges yield the greatest rewards, and persistence builds resilience. We’re not only enduring, but thriving in challenging environments, adapting to changing conditions, growing stronger for the obstacles we overcome.

---

KARLISSA SKINNER

Wilderness Project Liaison

Selway-Bitterroot & Frank Church-RONR Wilderness

Karlissa spent her summers hiking and camping around Helena, Montana. Her conservation corps experience doing trail work and living in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness helped her to discover her love for the natural world and wilderness conservation. Karlissa is an avid rock climber, backpacker, and river rafter.

A Subtle Reminder

Enzo Santarone

Wilderness Ranger Fellow

Payette National Forest | Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness

Editor’s Note: Enzo was immersed at the Chamberlain Guard Station all summer (June-August). He handwrote / mailed his blog post to the SBFC offices.

A Subtle Reminder:

To the wolf on the far ridge 

I’m glad to have heard your call 

I was lost in the trance a campfire puts you in

When you stare too long 

Waiting for the rain to cease

And too busy thinking about when I would be able to dry my socks 

Tending to the blisters left by my ax’s handle 

Your call was a reminder of where I truly was

Author’s Note:

Because I simply do not say it enough, thank you to all of those who have contributed to or aided me in my journey leading me to where I am as I write this letter. To my parents, thank you for instilling in me a curiosity to seek out the adventures in life. To my loving and supportive partner, thank you for the letters, dehydrated camp meals, and snacks. My life would be a dull and hunger-filled one without you. To all SBFC staff and Wilderness Rangers Fellows, thank you for sharing your perspectives, stories, and camp food recipes; the memories made in Missoula will be cherished. To USFS Rangers Ben Cartwright and Kaylee Fritchen, I can’t thank you enough for your service and support to the vast wilderness surrounding us. 

A photo/video review of Enzo’s summer:

---

ENZO SANTARONE

Payette National Forest | Frank Church-RONR Wilderness

Boise State University

Major: Environmental Studies

Enzo was born in Boise, Idaho, and was raised immersed in the outdoors with experiences like sailing, hunting, and fishing with friends and family. Through his experiences in the outdoors, Enzo has fostered a connection with and love for nature. He hopes to contribute to the work that allows others to find this same connection.

Interview: Marble Creek

Marble Creek trail sign

Tom Klein has been an SBFC volunteer for many years. He’s an avid hiker and trail runner and professor at Idaho State University in Pocatello. He has seen the trail in Marble Creek come back to life since 2016 when he first visited. We asked him to share some of his experiences and his advice for people who are curious about exploring this very wild part of the Frank.

SBFC: How many trips have you taken on the Marble Creek Trail?

Tom K: I have been back to Marble Creek 5 times now, which is hard to believe, given how remote it is.

SBFC: What year did you first visit Marble Creek? 

Tom K: I first visited it in 2016, when I was working hard to complete the Idaho Centennial Trail--or at least do a big chunk of it. That year, I hiked up Marble Creek and met an SBFC crew which was working its way down. I've since joined a number of SBFC projects working up from the bottom and top.

SBFC: What is so special about this trail and this part of the Frank to you? 

Tom K:  The trail is well known as being challenging, and that appealed to me. It really is deep in the Frank Church, so if you want to have a true backcountry experience, that is the place to go. In addition, it has an interesting history, with the Mitchell Ranch at the bottom and the Belco Mine near the top. There are some interesting cliffs about 10-15 miles up that have the original old fence Billy Mitchell put in to close the top end of his ranch. In addition, near the upper end, there are many old remnants of the old mine.

SBFC: Should people consider a hike on Marble Creek, and if so why?

Tom K: I would encourage experienced hikers to give the trail a try. It's remote and dramatic and also is a good test for advanced hikers. In addition, you get to see the Middle Fork of the Salmon as well as the interesting and rugged area east of Yellow Pine.

SBFC: What advice do you have for people who would like to experience Marble Creek? 

Tom K: Because of the many, many river crossings, I would advise people to be prepared for wet feet. I would also suggest waiting until later in the season when the stream flows are lower. One hiker got injured right at the bottom due to high flows in June. I would recommend poles for the crossing, as well as a steady head for one or two high slopes that can be subject to slides. Be prepared for delays and keep a calm head. Also, note that some of the stream crossings can be diagonal upstream. For people on horseback, I would suggest using calm, highly experienced animals that can deal with the terrain.

SBFC: Talk a little bit about the changes you've seen on this trail from your first trip here until today. 

2023 Marble Creek Volunteers

Tom K: The trail has gotten a lot of love lately. I would be surprised if people lost the trail now, which happened to me. The heavy growth, especially by stream banks, has been cut back, and many fallen trees have been removed (though more can always fall). The trail tread is much better established.

When I first went through, there were heavy thickets that ended up in deep pools. I was wet and had torn clothes when I finished, but it's much more passable now. It's still pretty lightly used, and the majority of the people that go up there are the crews themselves. Hopefully, that will begin to change, though this area will always be remote. You either have to get in from the Middle Fork, which can take a couple of days unless you fly into the Thomas Creek airstrip, or from Yellow Pine, which is a good two-hour drive past the fairly active Stibnite mine site.

Thank you, Tom, for taking the time to share with our SBFC readers!

"With one terminus at the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, the other at a mountain top, and dozens of creek crossings in between, the Marble Creek trail is an excellent example of the ruggedness, storied history, and wild beauty that the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness holds. The trail will never be a "walk in the park,” nor would I ever want it to be, but thanks to the great efforts of volunteers like Tom, adventurous souls can experience this vein of the Frank Church in an appropriately wild, but manageable manner."

-Josh Page, SBFC Program Director

SBFC worked two hitches on Marble Creek in 2023. This work was funded by private donations and through grants from Idaho Parks and Rec and the Southwest Idaho Resource Advisory Committee.

Going the Distance

Ryan Murphy

Wilderness Ranger Fellow

Hitch 5: Elk Summit | August 3-8, 2023

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests

The burn area within the old growth cedar forest. The photo does not do the size of these trees justice. Photo by: Ryan Murphy

Many miles and many cuts later the season has come to a close. It feels like just yesterday that I put my pack on and picked up some tools for the first time. My name is Ryan Murphy and I am from New Jersey, which is quite the opposite of a wilderness area in Montana/Idaho. I graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism in May and drove straight to Missoula only days later. Four hitches later and I am standing at the trailhead ready to embark on “the hitch” of all hitches, as my crew leader Connor had referred to it all season. In fact, I think it was one of the first things he said to us when we met him: “I have laid out the hitches so that we are in good enough shape to be able to attempt the last one.” 

The author approaching Maple Lake to make camp on our fourth day. Photo by: Connor Adams

Because of the nature of the forest I worked in, we did lots of campsite monitoring all summer. Campsite monitoring refers to filling out forms to accurately track the degradation or naturalization of an area where people camp. This is an appreciated break from the monotony of trail work, however, this does mean that my crew had to cover lots of miles on trails that we did not have the time to clear. 

For example, on day two of hitch five, we hiked 24 miles with our day packs to monitor two campsites. Believe it or not, this was one of the less taxing days of hitch five. Besides the expected chafing everything else went very smoothly. It didn’t rain on us, the trail was relatively clear, and the trail followed a creek that runs through an old-growth cedar forest, so it was absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately part of it had burned in 2018, but it is still my favorite place in the forest so far. 

Some old trail dogs showing us how it is done. Connor Adams and a celebrity appearance from our very own Josh Page (SBFC Program Director). Photo by Ryan Murphy

The hardest day of hitch five was on day five. My crew member Olivia and I hiked 16 miles on a so-called “trail” to monitor some campsites. This trail must've been cleared 10 years ago and not since. We climbed over, under, and around 2,014 trees. Thirteen hours and 16 miles later we returned to camp to see Connor kicked back in a chair reading a book. Turns out he knew how rough that day was going to be and sent us not because he was being lazy but because he wanted to show us what we were capable of. All season he would say that you are 10 times more capable than you think you are and this was his final way of showing it. 

Overall this season has taught me to be confident in myself and to lean into the hard work rather than shying away from it because nothing will force you to look inward more than climbing over downed trees all day in the rain.

---

RYAN MURPHY

Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness

University of Utah

Major: Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

Ryan grew up in Fairfield, New Jersey far from the outdoors. He had little work experience before joining SBFC but has always been passionate about the environment. Growing up he would take annual ski trips to Colorado and summer trips to Wyoming. This sparked his interest in all things outdoors and eventually landed him at the University of Utah. With his Parks, Recreation, and Tourism major he hopes to continue exploring the country and serving the environment in every way he can.