Why Don’t You Cry Yourself A River Then Build Yourself A Bridge So You Can Get Over It?

Why Don’t You Cry Yourself A River Then Build Yourself A Bridge So You Can Get Over It?
By Mark Dostal

…which is exactly what we did. Except that it was the heavens that were crying. The rainfall of which was engorging a spring flow creating a lengthy mud pit right across the trail of the beautiful Welcome Creek Wilderness. So it wasn’t exactly a river, but It was certainly a threat to the clean, nice boots of many a would be gatherer of Welcome Creek’s upper huckleberry fields. But building a bridge in the mud is no easy matter (unless you just throw a plank down and call it good, but that wouldn’t allow for the finesse and skill that team Raw Dogs has spent the summer cultivating through chainsawing and rockwork). So before we could begin constructing the bridge we needed to dredge a passable waterway through the mud. Six inches down and many buckets of mud later, gravel was found causing much rejoicing among the muckraker (me). For now the substantial trickle of water could flow steadily downward instead of seeping across the trail. Meanwhile, up on the slippery hills above, the crew was adjusting to the slower but more zen method of felling trees with crosscuts and axes. Not quite as fast as the chainsaw, but all the more satisfaction when the tree comes toppling down.
Now it doesn’t seem like there’s much of a logistical problem moving tree segments downhill. After all, they’re big, heavy, and slippery and gravity is working in your favor. But gravity, it seems, is still the greatest enemy of man. In moving the logs down hill there are some very important considerations one must…consider. If the log gets moving too fast, it’s liable to get away from you and go rocketing past the bridge foundation landing far below its intended destination. This would be followed by much muttering of discontent among the crew as they would now have to haul it back up a hill that is equivalent to a Slip ‘n Slide hung at a 45 degree angle. Not fun. Not easy. Not worth it. There also exists the possibility of the perfect log ending up smashing itself into worthlessness or plummeting off those random little cliffs that seem to come out of nowhere when very important objects (like Kenny’s shoe or Max’s glove) decide to be dropped. So the slow descent is the best option. It sounds easy enough. Three or four people take some rope and a solid stick and rig up a decent harness for the long. Then just nudge it along a little bit at a time and reign it back when it starts to move to quickly. But in reality it plays out like walking a bear. It dictates where it will go and you thank god when it’s over.
After the tree segments are down, it’s time to take the draw knives to them. Then comes flattening of the tops and the cutting out of notches of the trees. But not before measuring. And re-measuring. Then telling your crew you messed up both sets of measurements, but it’s ok because we’re going to re-measure, and this time damnit, it’s going to work. But let’s measure that again just to be sure. Then, somehow, as it all starts fitting into place, it actually all fits into place. Not just loosely, but tightly. So tight in fact that the ten inch nails you were given become an afterthought. A satisfying topping on this bridge sundae.

Marc Dostal
Christian's crew
Western Wildlands

Giving Back - Kelly Manos, CDCM

In the summer of 2003 I had my first experience with the Montana Conservation

Corps(MCC) as a Helena youth crew member in the Youth Engaged in Service (YES)

program. The 5 weeks of service would forever change my life and view of my natural

surroundings. I have since become a regular MCC crew member and have the

opportunity to work not only with crew members who have never had the MCC

experience but youth crew members from around Montana as well.

Working with the youth crews as a regular crew member is like looking in a

mirror 6 years ago. I see the excitement, thrill and eagerness to learn that must have been

in my eyes as a youth crew member. I love the feeling of being able to give back while

encouraging youth to stay with the MCC and AmeriCorps programs. I was taught outdoor

and life skills in the youth program. I now get to apply and improve those skills as a

regular crew member in the wilderness, with community involvement and life

expenences.

Ode To The Water Bar
Whether water or rock you're a pain in my tail But you get the job done and maintain the trail Rain rides the trail like a huge water slide Or one of the those log amusement park rides Diverting destruction the bar does her duty Saving the soil that grabs the trail loosely Secured with blood, mud and pick mattock Water bar, water bar, water bar......
When you find a spot on the trail thats eroded Go right above it and search for components If you see some good rock you can use that If there's some straight trees, crosscut attack A good tree should get you three maybe four Double bit face cuts will even the score A draw knife to skin the bark off this babe Water bar, water bar water bar......
Dig out a ditch for the log or the rock
So the downhill slope is even with the top Forty five degrees to the trail so it guides All the rainwater runoff right off the side Bury the bar so it wont ever budge 'Cause Wes will tear it up if he sees that it does Once is enough I don't need to do it twice Water bar, water bar, water bar......
Finally the drain, the most important part About ten feet from the bar you should start Dig out the apron so it slopes down the hill Build up a mound so the the runoff won't spill Over the top and then back on down the trail If it does you've done nothing, water bar failed I wish this bar would serve me a drink Water bar, water bar, water bar......

Kevin Bissett
Wes and Keri's Crew
Western Wildlands

Stand by Me

H-well now,

This is a post-spike entry, as our crew journal was in the hands of one of the defectors mentioned in the above haiku. [Andy quit/ Brittany quit/ Mike R quit] It was a pretty eventful spike. Let’s see if I can sum it up…

It started up with an exciting reuinion like cru-sion. (fused crew- fusion) between the wind and water crews. The honeymoon was over after Mike notified us he was leaving shortly after arriving. That marshed everyone’s mallows and put a heavy mood on the rest of the spike.

However, our little H20 crew remained strong, stepped up our game, and with the support of wind crew, hauled some ass on some mountain bike trails.

Notes of accomplishments include: Kat & Kim, stump demo experts. Chance, the stake master, and Ryan, wildlife wrangler and couger-tamer.

Wind & h20 crews were also fortunate in that we got to meet a group of AmeriCorps members from St. Louis, MO. These folks felled a lot of trees for our trail, had some decent moves on saws, and showed us ways to improve upon our AmeriCorps wardrobes by doing things like strapping giant knives to your leg.

Our sponsor invited the 25 or so St. Louis kids and both MCC crews to her house for an amazing BBQ. She fed us an elk she shot, which was delicious, and everything else on the spread was fantastic. Plus it was sweet to hang out with a big batch of strangers to make uncomfortable, but they were actually very cool and fun to meet. Ryan had an opportunity to model Jocelyn’s “shaps” from her elk kill and impressed everyone.

The First Lady of Montana, Nancy Schweitzer, paid us a visit and swung a Pulaski with us. Jono came up also, and talked with us and showed Mrs. Schweitzer around. Some of us got on the news, I looked pretty hot. But no really, my heart swelled with pride to see Ryan and Chance representing the MCC with their hard work and skill. [see the video: http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10993110 ]

Also, in an all too Stand by Me moment we had a search party sent out to find one of our sponsors’ part-time employees. We had to spread out and search the disc golf course, walk along the railroad tracks looking for a (potentially) dead body, and prepare ourselves for the pie-eating contest at the post-search-party-party.

I’m out like the gout-

Bre

Getting There - Matt Plumb, NRock CM

For the typical 9 to 5’er, mention of (or ruminations upon) early morning wake-ups likely conjures images of slammed snooze buttons, traffic jams, cubicles, invigorating café imparted creativity crests and the corresponding doom of the 10 o’clock caffeine depletion nosedive. In a desperate attempt to avoid these pitfalls upon graduating college in the spring, I applied and was accepted to MCC. Since then, I have yet to be disappointed by anything close to a sense of impending workplace monotony upon waking. Sure, days working trail crew are often (always?) irregular and tough, leaving the crew satisfied but depleted by bedtime and simultaneously relishing in but also dreading the process of re-depletion upon arising each morning. For those unfamiliar with weeks filled up with pulaski swinging and hiking up, down and all over with 45 lb. packs, rockbars, chainsaws, pots, pans, filters, wool sweaters and melons (I don’t get it either, my crewmates are odd ducks) while subsiding on kilos of PB&J, powdered milk and Clif Bars, there is very much a bittersweet, love-hate, “why the heck am I here?” conflict going through one’s head upon hearing the wake up call at 6 a.m. on the fifth 10-hour manual labor day of eight. Decidedly, there is rarely dullness of internal dialogue upon waking but there is always realization of the challenges and excitement that each day is sure to bring.
Lying in my tent, I’m somewhere between dreaming and the real world. Someone is trying to stir me but I’m not sure from which. It takes of few seconds to transition out of the haze of sleep. Some one is trying to wake me up. “Crap…..it’s early.” I say in my head, my back in knots from the day before and not quite yet realizing where I am. “Man, this is terrible.” I say to myself, still lost and certainly put off but the notion of getting out of bed to take on the day. At first, with my eyes still closed I’m deeply dejected and then, an epiphany, a beacon of light. “This waking up thing isn’t so bad. I’m going to microwave oatmeal!!!” Glorious. I can handle it. Today is going to be a great day. And then I open my eyes and “DOH!”, it all hits me. I’m in a tent and not a bed. It’s very cold and there is a rock projecting into my back from under my Thermarest. This means dirt, sweat, gradients and Carhartts, not Saturday morning cartoons, a bike ride and 60 second Quaker Instant Oats. This is where the challenge begins and continues, thematically throughout the day. Peeved for a moment, I pull my sleeping bag over my head and curse. But this doesn’t last. “Wait a minute,” I tell myself, “I’m getting paid to save the planet, play outside and doing crazy, absurd things ALL DAY.” Smiling widely to myself, I roll over. Happier than a pig in mud, I grab my work pants in the dark. They’re near frozen solid. After a brief struggle there, I get out of my tent and hear a very loud crash across camp and that carries into a soon-to-be sun filled valley to my left. Still more asleep than awake and not quite getting what just occurred, I look up and see Matt Ball a few yards across camp standing by his tent. Not quite as drowsy and dazed as I am, he got it. He shrugs, “bear,” smiles, and our day goes from there.
It is ceaseless experiences like this that make the question of “why the heck am I here?” irrelevant in my mind and, I think, in those of many others. To those who would ask – you don’t get to shower for how long?, isn’t it hard?, what are you going to do with that?, why don’t you use your education to get a ‘real’ job?, or you make what to do that!?!?? – we should remember that this experiences is, in part, about mindfully taking up and enduring instead of avoiding hardships in our quests to become stronger individuals. It is also about service - caring for the people places and things around us. It’s about sacrifice - striving for more in some areas of life but settling for less in others, accepting being poor in some ways but rich in others. It’s about learning about ourselves and our environment, building philosophies to live by, making friends, getting things done and leaving the things around us better than when we got there. From knowing many of my fellow co-workers and the perspective of my tent at 6 a.m. on day five of eight, I think we’re all getting there. Best wishes MCC. Keep it up.

Yeeeehaw!

An Introduction - Jessie Flowers, Green Team

I just moved to Montana a couple weeks ago from Washington DC. Montana is very different from back home in Washington DC...the climate, weather, scenery, even peoples attitudes toward life, but I have enjoyed every day so far.. Three weeks ago, I got a job through the HRDC working for the Montana Conservation Corps. It's quite different from any other job that I have done before. I’m outside most of the time building trails, making fences, making tree rings, even walking dogs! Today we completed tree ring projects in three parks. Bending over with a pick in the hot sun is worth it when you're making your environment a better place.

The MCC has a lot of different kinds of people, and with that comes a lot of different personalities. There are kids with situations similar to my own, kids that use this job as a requirement of their probation, some that are in college, and the list goes on. It's different interacting with people that come from a different place. Their accent, their attitude, the way they handle life, it's all different. I look at this as a way to broaden my horizons as a person, and to adsorb this experience as much as I can. To really understand that things are different everywhere you go.

BAMF - Laurent Deviche, EWCM

Team BAMF of the Eastern Wildands region has had a very exciting summer so far full of many challenges, amazing viewpoints, fantastic memories, and diverse weather conditions. From cold hail storms while building trail in the Beartooth Range, invasive weed spraying in scolding heat in North Daktota's Teddy Roosevelt National Park, and restoring trails through the vast remote wilderness of the Wyoming's Shoshone National Forest, the crew has experienced a bit of everything with many great adventures yet to come.

The crew has just returned from Shoshone National Forest and will soon be heading out back to the Beartooth Mountains to work on the Timberline trail which has been affected by the Cascade Fire of 2008. More to come!

Hugs = babies

The past two weeks the Earth Crew has been performing ditch maintenance on the ditch that feeds Park Lake. This ditch was built in the early 1800's by miners and is Park Lake's only water source. The Forest Service was very excited to have us working on this stretch of land. We shoveled grass out of the water way, moved enormous rocks to allow water to flow better, and built better tread on the existing trail. But our main purpose was to heighten the existing berm so that water wouldn't overflow in the spring when the ditch is full. It wasn't the most exciting work but the crew bonded very well, despite the transition to no trail mix for the week. And moving the size of rocks we did felt like quite an accomplishment by the time we were through. We also learned that Marq's parents taught him that "Hugs lead to babies" and thus he now dislikes hugs from anyone.

Emily
CD CM

How not to hurt yourself: It happened to me…

By Kevin Kacker Central Divide- Butte YCM

August 5th 6pm Wednesday 2009

…because if you stab yourself you have to go to the hospital with your crew. The cool part is that it doesn’t hurt and your finger might turn white. And then the doctor might ask you do you want to kill anybody or yourself.

More fun than weeds

We're headed back to town from our hitch in White Sulphur Springs. We did trail work for five days with a youth crew and it was also our first time working with chainsaws as a crew. It was a lot more fun than our last spike! Saw a beautifully magnificent sunset with loads of purple, pink, red, and orange all blended together to form this super color of sorts. It wasn't too cold or hot. We drove in 4WD every day to get to our worksite. At first it freaked Fallon out, but I think she got used to it. We get to do it again in a couple days; the only difference will be a different youth crew.
-Clayton Meyers, Wind Crew, Central Divide

Hitch Journal - Lindsay Tidwell, WWCM

My crew, the Recession Specials, have been enjoing our hitches in the Selway Bitteroots of Idaho. We have had a variety of trailwork and a lot of hiking that has proven to be loads of fun, with our only discontent being the evening battles with mosquitos.

After morning stretch circles and breakfast we begin our hike to work. We clear fallen trees, clean the brush along the trail, build waterbars and dig new tread throughout games of twenty questions and discussions of every movie ever made and before things get too quiet the whistle of "Sanford and Son" can be heard.

Our time off is spent together tossing a frisbee or kicking around the soccer ball. Some evenings, we hiked a few miles down to the hot springs or a few miles up to the lakes. After dinner card games and hanging out around the fire are always a staple in the list of free time activities. The work is great and the crew is dope; overall is an amazing time in an amazing place.

The White Bark Experience - Twyla Morris NRCM

Our crew has had a truly gratifying experience working with the Forest Service to help save the White Bark Pine population in Montana. Three of our hitches have involved this endangered tree. The White Bark Pine is a food source for many animal species in Montana including grizzly bears but unfortunately is heavily affected from blister rust so there has been talk about putting this tree on the endangered species list, which would make it the first tree on the list. Therefore, Montana’s Forest Service is trying cutting edge projects to keep these trees around, and who better to do the job than the Conservation Corps.

Luckily, our crew was the only one working white bark specific projects so we were able to see just how special and in need these trees are. Our first hitch working with them was with the Flathead National Forst by the Blacktail Ski area. We planted 117 white barks in that area over four days.

Our second and third hitch, we worked with the Hungry Horse Ranger District daylighting these trees at Hornet Lookout and Morrison Creek. At Hornet Lookout we had a 17 acre area to cover in 9 days. Our job was to lop a 15 ft radius around any white barks planted there. We knew then these trees were significant when our sponsor Karl told us the forest service had spent much money saving this part of the forest from a fire that happened in 2003. So, we lopped away, counted around 300 white barks, and covered the 17 acres in less than 9 days. Now able to move on to our third white bark adventure early, still under the sponsorship of Karl with the HHRD, we went to Morrison Creek.

There were some definite differences between these locations. At Hornet Lookout, the trees we lopped were very small and the white barks had been planted there. This was not the story for Morrison Creek. There, the white barks had grown naturally from the cone seeds being spread by a bird called the Clark's Nutcracker and were about 30 years old. The surrounding trees were much bigger, therefore it meant our tools needed to be bigger also. Much more chainsawing and cross cutting.

It feels great knowing that we may have made a difference in the white bark population in Northwest Montana and now, with all the experience, we can spot a white bark a mile away!

Letters to Home

Dear Grammy,

Having a great time out here in the wilderness of wild Idaho (Idaho? Who knew?). The Frank Church is rough terrain, a craggy high-desert, but it has a beauty unlike anything I've seen. Many times I marvel at the fact that this is my office, this is where I work. And the work!
Let me tell you, I knew it was gonna be tough. But I didn't fully grasp what the experience of that labor would do. We were building a new patch of tread over a failing cribbing wall - bursting at the seams from the weight of the rocks. It took all of us together as a team to dig out the lumber, remove the previous tread, and reset it with three huge gabions (wire fence rock boxes) underneath - filled with the rocks we would haul from around 100yds away. All of this on a steep incline over the Camus Creek (a little danger is half the fun though, right?). We would come home slightly haggard from some of the days out there, but we came back from the last day of the project with our haggered heads held high.
That was what I didn't expect from the work: that new sense of accomplishment, a new confidence from overcoming that challenge with my new running crew - knowing that I could overcome if I kept at it, whatever the task. We all felt it, and we would all lose it on other projects when the going was slow and the tools were trudged to work in the morning. But we knew it would come back; just a matter of time. And when the going gets tough, look up! Look around, look where we are! Idaho. Who knew?

Love,
Andrew


Dear Mom,

This last hitch was amazing. We finally got out of that beautiful desert and into some real woods. We are working a trail in the Selway-Bitteroot Wilderness called Bear Creak (don't panic, we haven't seen any). It is my kind of place. The hillsides are almost magical - green and lush, white boulders, stoic firs, and the elvish globes of white flowers that grow out of bear grass; which are almost everywhere like lanterns because it is a banner year for them. Only every seven years do so many bloom together like this. Needless to say, it is enchanting land. And in this ethereal landscape, we work in the mud.
You would find it so funny, I start out hating the mud but after an hour or two of digging I feel like a kid in a rainsoaked playground. We even played a game of mudsling and spent our break dodging sloopy globs of wet dirt. It has been so fun getting to know all the members of my crew, we have become fast friends. We are individuals though, so we all have our moments of quibbling, but I have come to find with spending so much time together that we are quick to forgive - quick to realize that the differences we may have with each other are petty differences and easy to let go.
The environment out here in the woods gives me a new sense of tranquility, a welcome escape from the cyclone of civilized to-do lists that never end and can drive you batty. We wake, work, eat, clean up camp, and sleep. The time in between is ours, and I have never before felt so content to sit, or walk, or hike and just be. There isn't any need to rush around, or to make sure that what you are doing is the coolest thing you could be doing. Just being out here, taking in the landscape and breathing the crisp mountain air - it's all I need to be happy. It's a feeling I am trying to assimilate into my life in the front country, one that I feel to be extremely worthwhile to develop. I know that with my new family of friends, both from my crew and others that I have met here in Missoula, we can bring the relaxation and contentedness of the woods out with us.

Love,
Andrew John


Dear Dad,

Everything has been going great here on the western front of the Montana wildlands. I have been really enjoying myself, getting to know so many new friends, and really busting my butt out on the trails. Making the decision (a bit of a leap for me, you know) to come out here and commit to this term of service has been one of the most rewarding choices I have made.
I have gotten to love the feeling of living and sleeping outdoors. Our camp is comprised of a communal kitchen area where we congregate to eat the much needed meals, an area for the individual tents, the latrine (not nearly as bad as I originally thought), and the food storage. Every night we hang our food and scented products up in the bear hang. We keep them all hung in bags about six feet from the trees and ten feet off the ground. As much as a bear would devestate our reserves if it got its paws on it, the hangs are also very much for the little rodents who would love to peruse our stocks.
We start work at seven in the AM, a difficult task for me, but I get it done. We usually have a little bit of a hike to the locations where we work, but travel is included in the workday (and it can take some work getting there). We have been spending most of our time digging and setting rock structures. We build water bars to funnel water off of the trail and check steps to maintain a sufficient amount of sediment on the trail in the steep sections. It is a formidable task, as the best rocks for the structures are those that you can just barely lift or, better yet, have to roll down to your workspace. We have also been working with the cross cut saw, and I know you are so jealous to hear that! Since we work in the wilderness areas we are not allowed to operate any gas-powered machinery, so we have to go back to the good old school. That saw sure can carve up a tree, and the teamwork aspect makes it very fun to use. Since each person can only pull on the saw we have to find a smooth rhythm and choreograph the movements to make a clean cut. The smell of the coniferous trees pours out of the cut, and we get to be the first people to walk on the newly cleared trail. No more stepping over or under those huge logs blocking the way!
As arduous as the days can be, I am finally learning the value of getting your mitts on a shovel and getting some work done. The physical labor can wear me out quick, and even give me a few dings and scrapes, but it does wonders for my attitude and my sense of self. It just plain makes you stronger, body mind and soul. I hope I can find that in every venture my life takes.
Love,
Andrew

Really Great Weekend - Jen Rusnak, State Office

When Doug and I decided to start up an MCC softball team earlier this year, I wasn't sure what to expect. It had been over a decade since I played in high school (yikes!) and I wasn't sure that my muscles would remember what they were supposed to do. But I'm a competitive gal and I love sports, so I was committed at the word go.

At first, we struggled to get a full roster together. We were contacted from alumni throughout the state, but either they couldn't commit to the schedule, or they couldn't commit to the six hour commute. And who could blame them, really? But before we knew it, we had a set roster of 20 and I was excited that so many people were excited about playing! Now we just needed a name. Tree Huggers? No, too soft. The MCC Menace? No, too mean. The Pulaskis? Yeah! The Pulaskis! (Actually, deciding on a name was quite a process, and we threw around more names than I care to remember).

In the beginning, we struggled. Come to think of it, we struggled all year. Sometimes it was a painful struggle. Like when we handed games over when we all but had them locked down. Ouch. And we did this more than once. But it's all about learning and working as a team, right? And even though we ended the season 6-6, I guarantee we had the most supportive and encouraging team in the league. High-fiving each other for our efforts. I swear at one point I heard someone sing Kumbaya...

When we entered the tournament, I told myself that I would be happy if we just won one game. After all, it was our first season. Our first game was against our rivals, The High Country Easy Riders, against who in the regular season we almost blew our 11-0, only to hold on to win 15-14. Well our tournament meeting would be no less exciting. It was a defensive battle the entire game that came down to them robbing us of what was sure to be a line drive double that would have scored two runs that would have put us in extra innings, but instead left us defeated 6-4. Guess we're in the Losers' Bracket, but hey, taking the most difficult route possible seemed like our MO all season, so why not?

What happened after the game, I just can't tell you about. You wouldn't understand. You shouldn't understand. Let's just say, some of us harnessed our inner Braveheart in preparation for Saturday's games.

Personally, I think it worked. Out of what should have been certain defeat, we poured our hearts and souls in to what would become three straight victories, two of which ended in extra innings, and against one team that was 10-1 in the regular season. It felt good to knock them out of the tournament. We each had personal victories that morning. Our pitcher was unshakable, unlikely batters stepped up to the plate, and 2nd stringers stepped up to fill big shoes.

But ultimately, it wasn't meant to be. When the fourth game of the day came around, we couldn't keep up our defenses against the blazing sun, and we nearly collapsed from exhaustion. But our opponents were pure class. Real sportsmen. When it became our turn to be spectators, I cheered them on openly and honestly.

As we cleared our well-worn gear from the dugout and headed our separate ways from an emotional, and bitter sweet season, we were in for the biggest shock of all. Would you believe the league Commissioner presented us with a trophy for 4th place?! It was a completely unexpected and exhilarating moment. We had no idea we'd done so well! 1st season and 4th place!

I left my heart on the field that day, I'm sure all of us did. In return, we walked away with new friends, and great memories, some even legendary!

Oh yeah, turns out my muscles did remember what they were supposed to do, well sort of.

The Shoshone - Shiloh Silverman, Eastern Wildlands CM

It's been another excellent hitch for Team Bananas in the beautiful Shoshone wilderness. The fruity bunch saddled their horses and road 13 miles up the Ishawooa trail to their first campsite-Spruce Meadows. Nestled up in the nook of towering mountains, a rolling creek, and a fresh spring source, the crew set up tents and camped in heaven on earth.

That evening, Team Bananas got together and surprised crew member Shiloh Silverman with Dirt & Worms dessert for his 22nd birthday. Everyone went to bed high in moral and excited for the 8 days to come.

The next day Team Bananas sawed, chopped, kicked, and limbed their way up the trail to Ishawooa Pass.  At the end of the trail, looking over the Teton National Forest & the magnificent Thoroughfare, Banana member Kana Harden exclaimed, “That is the most beautiful view ever!I feel like I’m Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music.”  (Fact: The Thoroughfare is the most remote area in the lower 48 states).

Shiloh Silverman & Leianna Raadt reported seeing a mother grizzly bear and her cub only 25 yards from the trail.  With excitement in his voice Shiloh said, “She took a threatening lunge at me, but Champ [his horse] must have intimidated her because she took off up the hill.” Shiloh was able to snap a photo of the momentous occasion.  When the crew got back to camp Phil Quick, the USFS horse packer, spotted seven ewes on the mountain next to Team Banana’s campsite.  The crew members watched as two of the baby ewes played on top of a snow bank.

The final day of work on Ishawooa trail was short and rainy.  The team hammered out a new reroute, cleared trails, put in two water bars, and lopped the overgrowth.  That evening pizza was on the menu and everyone ate their fill after a hard days work.

The next morning everyone got up, packed camp, caught, & saddled horses, then hoofed the 13 miles back out of the Ishawooa trail.  That night the crew shacked up at the South Fork Work Center and enjoyed the luxury of soft comfortable beds.

Team Bananas’ next adventure lead them on horseback up and over Boulder Ridge to another campsite in paradise.  Nine thousand feet above sea level, the crew set up camp and did an hour of trail work before dinner.  Crew Member Justin Leon made his famous Just Rice.  In a muddy French accent he joked, “I am Justin Leon, French Chef from Paris, and this is my special recipe for you all to enjoy.”  Judging by the empty pot and full stomachs it was evident that Team Bananas enjoyed every bite.

The next three days the crew pushed seven miles by foot up the trail along Castle Creek to the 10,640 foot Boulder Basin Pass looking over the neighboring ranger district, including the Jack Creek and Anderson Creek drainages.  Much of the trail is surrounded by burn area.  Ben Gibson commented on the spectacle, “All the trees look like big tooth picks.  If I were a giant I would not walk through this forest.”

It rained every day and hailed a couple of times during work.  The cold weather was the hardest to deal with.  Crew leader Mike Hassett cried one morning, “It is July 30th. It should not be 34 degrees!”
There was one afternoon when the fog was so thick you could not see further than ten feet in front of you.  Tim McCurtury-Hauptman commented, “It looked like a scene straight out of sleepy hallow.”  A spooky sight that translated into another beautiful memory of the area Team Bananas cleared for hikers and horses.

On this second half of the hitch every member brought something back with them home to Billings; memories, an elk antler, and a ram skull worth over 2,000 dollars-(that is before Ben Gibson and Shiloh Silverman sawed off the horns, rendering it practically worthless…) To top the trip off just right, Mom and Dad (Crew leaders Mike Hassett and Erica Schmoeger) bought everyone pizza in Cody, Wyoming.

What an awesome, successful hitch Team Bananas!  WHOOP-WHOOP!