Mules, Misery Whips & Mother Nature
By the
Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen
Have you ever wanted to ride a mule across the Devil’s Washbasin in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness through sleet, snow and fog? Or, how about clear the downfall from an avalanche slide with nothing but handsaws and crosscuts? Or, perhaps become humbled by the beauty of Mother Nature from the top of Blodgett Pass and the rockslides of Sawtooth Canyon? The members of the Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen did all of this and more while volunteering their services to the Forest Service this past summer.
The Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen, (SPWBCH), is one of two chapters located in the Bitterroot Valley. The chapter was founded in September of 2006 by nine BCH members who wanted to focus on wilderness trails and trails that, due to lack of Forest Service funding, were being neglected and stood the chance of being removed from the maps. Their goal was to create a traditional Back Country Horsemen chapter that was tailored mainly as a working group first, but also as an outlet for backcountry education such as Leave No Trace and to help protect the heritage of stock use in the backcountry.
The SPWBCH participated in fourteen trail projects last summer. Using the Forest Service’s Challenge Cost Share Agreement, the chapter signed up for two main projects last spring and coordinated their efforts with the Forest Service. The first was to provide Level 1 maintenance on Blodgett Creek Trail #19 and continue with multiple openings. Level 1 maintenance consists of clearing logs, downed and leaning trees, loose rock and woody debris and cleaning existing drainage facilities including ditches, water bars and rolling dips. SPWBCH members encountered two large avalanche slides within the wilderness boundaries and cleared hundreds of trees with handsaws and crosscut saws. A small group of members, along with Forest Service Wilderness Ranger, Bill Goslin, packed into the Blodgett nine-mile meadow on July 15. The group inspected some areas that would require drilling and reconstruction on Blodgett Pass and finished clearing the trail to the lake. Multiple openings were needed over the summer and seven members made a final opening to the pack bridge on November 8th, just in time for a Thanksgiving ride!
The second project of the summer was to tackle the neglected Sawtooth Trail #123 known fondly as the “Canyon of Doom”. Battling bugs, bogs, rock slides and broken bridges, the group brushed out and cleared almost 10 miles. Members spent four days sawing and brushing their way in, at times losing the trail due to extreme overgrowth. It was a difficult trail, but there were only smiles and it’s been said that you can “earn your spurs on Sawtooth”.
Perhaps one of the most interesting projects was a pack trip into the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness to Swet Lake Cabin. Four members…3 ladies and one fella, packed in along with Forest Service Wilderness Ranger, Charlie Mabbot. The objective was to jack up a 40-year-old barn and replace the rotting timbers underneath in an effort to preserve the barn. The group battled snow, sleet and fog to make the 10-mile
journey into the cabin. The second day was cool and sunny and the group nearly completed the task. Finishing on the third day, they still had time to chop firewood for the cabin and take a short and scenic ride. The road to Salmon Mountain trailhead was poorly maintained, steep and narrow requiring speeds of almost 5 miles per hour in sections! But, it was well worth it to see the incredible beauty of the Frank Church.
Along with these projects, the SPWBCH offered their volunteer services on a need to basis to the Forest Service throughout the summer of 2008. Other trails worked on included Mill Creek #364, East Fork #433 and Sleeping Child #105. But, it wasn’t all work for the group. They also planned scouting rides and gathered at general meetings to hone their Dutch Oven skills. Members are always eager to help each other refine their packing skills, learn a new technique, tie a new knot or scout a new trail! The SPWBCH has grown to 40 members. This past summer members volunteered 761 trail clearing hours, 1,252 hours community service, 2,464 vehicle/stock trailer miles and cleared 65 miles of trail.
The Selway-Pintler Wilderness Back Country Horsemen is a great group of friends, horsemen and horsewomen alike, who are very proud to be making a difference on the treasured trails of the Selway- Bitterroot National Forest and Anaconda Pintler National Forest.
Note: For more info on the SPWBCH, they can be reached at 821-0921 (President, Kathy Hundley).