2008 ACTIVITY CALENDAR 

Monthly meetings at Dillon’s Search and Rescue Building-7:00 pm

March 4                 April 19                 May 6                     June 3                    July 1

August 5                               September 2         October 7              December 6

Rides and Projects

            The following activities are scheduled.  Plan to make as many of them as you can to assist in chapter success.  Other chapters and potential members are invited to participate.  Call the Trail Boss shown for each event if you have questions or concerns.  We encourage you to have “D or E” (8 or 10 ply tires) on your equipment to avoid lots of flat tires since many of the trips involve driving off of paved roads.

3/22-Trailer safety inspection and maintenance day:

Andy Allard and Dave Mathson is Trail Boss.

Bring your horse trailer to Allard’s to have a safety inspection.  They’ll start at 10 am, but call 925-2818 to set up a specific time.  Electric connections and brakes will be inspected.  Bearings will be lubricated.  You need to furnish seals.

4/7-Rocky Hills Ride:

 Dan Pence is Trail Boss 

The fun ride will start where a 4X4 track leaves the Horse Prairie road on the west side of Clark Canyon Reservoir near Cameahwait Campground.  Parking is on the big flat just west of the road.  The scenic ride will take about 3 hours and is mostly on 4X4 trails.  Travel time from Dillon is about 20 minutes all on pavement.  Shoes on your horse would be nice but not necessary. 

4/19-Frying Pan Hills Ride and April Meeting:

Susan Foss is Trail Boss. 

 We start at the indoor arena just above Pioneer Subdivision.  Additional information will be available at the March meeting.  We’ll roast some wieners and burgers when we get back to the arena.  The scenic ride will take about 3 hours.  Travel time from Dillon is about 10 minutes.  Shoes would be nice but not necessary.  

5/3-Bannack Fun Ride:

Larry Jordan is Trail Boss.

The ride starts from the parking lot on the south end of Bannack.  The 3 hour fun ride follows the old Bannack-Virginia City stage route up Hangman’s Gulch to Road Agent rock and returns cross country along a route the Park has been planning for an improved trail for hikers and horsemen.  We have supported them for funding requests.  Plan on a 30 minutes to drive to Bannack.  Shoes are not needed.

5/17- Kids Day:

Mike Cox, John X. and Dave Mathson are Trail Bosses.

This is a community service day at Beaverhead County Fair Grounds, and is a joint project co-sponsored with the UMW Equestrian Club.  Bring a tame horse you can lead while a child rides.  We furnish hot dogs and drinks, give horse packing and leave no trace demonstrations and everyone has a fun day.

6/7-National Trail Day:

Gordon Ash is Trail Boss.

This is the Chapter’s major work project for 2008.  Gordon Ash from the Forest Service will set up the project.  The most probable ride is up Blue Creek and out at Harrison Park.

6/21-22-East Fork Blacktail Campground:

Dave Mathson is Trail Boss.

This is an optional work project for those interested, but will mostly be a fun ride.  We’ll just clear the trails we ride while having a great ride with an optional overnight camp out.  A certified member needs to bring a chain saw to help maintain the trails we ride.  Plan to camp overnight if you have time and ride again on Sunday.  The drive from Dillon to the campground takes over an hour, all on gravel roads that probably are not in the smoothest condition.  Shoes would be good for the horses. The ride is all on good trails and scenic.  Some major creek crossings are involved.  Bring fly Spray.

7/4-6-Optional 3-day campout 

We have a 3-day weekend.  We can find a trail boss if there is enough interest in a ride/campout.  If so, who wants to be trail boss and where do you want to go?  Bring fly spray and shoes on your horses.  More information will follow.   

7/12-Beaverhead County Weed Day:

Anyone interested?  Contact Kathryn Hatch.  If there is adequate interest, we’ll be assigned an area to treat with hand spray equipment furnished by the county or ride through an area inaccessible to motorized equipment and inventory noxious weed problems.  This can be a fun and meaningful day.  Bring fly spray and shoes for the horses.  Participants return to Barrett’s Park for a hosted barbecue at about 3 pm.

7/19-20-Bannack Days:

Dave Mathson is Trail Boss. 

Members will give packing demonstrations during Bannack Days at Bannack State Park. 

7/26-Kelly Reservoir Area Ride:

Dan Pence and Dave Mathson will be Trail Bosses:

We ride a loop from Kelly Reservoir to Minneopa Lake and return.  Bring fly spray.

8/9-Crystal Lake Ride:

Boyd Taylor is Trail Boss.

We ride up Wisconsin Creek to Crystal Lake and an old ghost town in the Tobacco Roots.

8/23-24-Sand Lake Pack Trip:

Dave Mathson and Bob McNeil are Trail Bosses.

We ride from the Steele Creek Trail Head east of Wisdom to Sand Lake.  We use cooking facilities at McNeill’s Diamond Hitch Outfitters camp and camp in an adjacent meadow. 

The ride to the lake takes about 3 hours on a good trail.  We’ll have the opportunity to ride other area trails if we want and some of them are a bit steep.  Fish the lake if you want.  Pack animals and assistance is available to carry your gear.  This date is flexible.  Diamond Hitch may pick up paying customers which will tie up facilities and pack animals on the date shown, requiring us to reschedule. 

9/6-Harrison Park Ride:

Dan Pence and John X. are Trail Bosses.

Take Highway 278 from Dillon to the paved Polaris/Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway in Grasshopper Valley.  The ride will start at paved Harrison Park Trail Head just past Crystal Park on the Scenic Byway.  Trails are gentle, but some creek crossings and muddy spots may be encountered.  This will be a joint ride with students from the UMW Equestrian Club with a barbecue to follow.

9/27-28-Middle Fork of Little Sheep Creek and National Public Lands Day:

Larry Jordon is Trail Boss.

Camping out is optional.  The ride starts at the trail head on the Middle Fork of Little Sheep and makes a loop through some very beautiful country. 

12/6-Annual Christmas Party:

Kathy Allard will be Trail Boss.

Too many members get tied up in their own “secret” hunting areas to plan events during the hunting season.  The Christmas Party is a Pot Luck evening event with gag gift exchange to finish up the year.

REMEMBER: