Winter Wonderland? by Justin Clark, Western Wildlands

My first thought Thursday morning was eggs—the food I missed most on our first hitch. My second thought was “now what?” I stood outside the Good Foods store, grabbed an Independent and got in my car. My plan was to get some coffee, pay bills online, write a little.

It was wet outside—the sky looked like The Seventh Seal. Coffee is a bad idea when you’re already feeling restless. Trail recommendations in The Independent led me to a Forest Access parking lot. A half hour later I found myself not in a coffee shop, but two miles high, and covered in snow. Wet. No socks. No jacket. No water. With no pack or pulaskis though, I booked it. Hydrating with a snow cone, I marveled at the power of routine.

Our routine on hitch is a tranquil kind of militant. Rise. Hike three miles. Work 9 hours. Hike to camp. Cook. Eat. Sleep. Rise…There are poignant moments—spotting a wolf, hacky sack just before dark, realizing you prefer hail to rain because it’s dry; but the majority of the time is very routine, not monotonous, but lacking that adventurous feeling you get when you go somewhere on a whim.

The results of following a whim are a sense of wonder*. The results of following a routine are tasks accomplished. The task we accomplished is now there are six more miles of well-manicured trail in the Lolo National Forest. I found myself wondering as I swung my pick-mattock: Why even bother doing this? This trail may only be used by 10 people in the next year. It finally occurred to me Thursday morning walking ‘round in the snow—our MCC experience is more than a task we must rise to, it’s a direction we can’t help but go in.

After one hitch I’m already a stronger hiker, more resilient to the elements, less concerned with being provided for—improvements I expected and anticipate more of. What I didn’t expect was how automatic it would be. This poses a question: what’s the good in changing if you can’t feel it? My guess is simply that we may find ourselves in places like this in the middle of June:

Beware the Grouse, by Karen Rice, Western Wildlands

Water dams. Chain saws. A belligerent grouse. These are a few of the highlights from our first hitch that I relate to my friends and family when I exclaim, “I survived the wilderness!”

Even though I can tell folks back home in Illinois that Montana is beautiful, just stopping to look around at the mountains and the tall trees keeps me motivated to continue working hard on the trail. Or I explain how empowering it was to use a chainsaw for the first time. I even tell them about my embarrassing moment of running away from a grouse that flew out of the bushes hissing at us (so much for becoming tougher after a few days in the woods).

However, I cannot quite convey what it feels like to live, work and play in the woods with 6 other people I just met. Not only do the woods sneak into your psyche, where a clearing of fallen lodge pole pines truly does become home and all the bends in the trail start to look familiar and meaningful, but the people you share that home with become your world as well. Whether it was playing a rhyming game while lopping or talking deeply about family and growing up, I realized how different we all are, yet we had become a true team.

Our differences are beautiful, but I am more amazed at the care and pride we all came to have in ourselves as a unit. We worked together to finish our trail work, learn new tasks, and make camping as comfortable as we could for each other. And that is something I cannot quite capture, and I hope it continues to grow beyond my reach as community unfolds in the woods this season. I also hope those grouse keep to themselves.

In the Heart of the Forest, by Michael Magee, Western Wildlands

In the heart of the forest where the wisest trees grow
lives a small band of apes who live on the go.
They carry odd tools and a bright yellow hat
and eat enough food to make them all fat
but they're not, they are fit, they are strong they are fast
but how you might ask does this energy last?
Well it doesn't you see, in the afternoon they are very tired and quite useless.

There is a leader who leads them and teaches them knots
she is the one who chooses the camping spots
They all sing bad songs and laugh all day long
they do right by the forest, they know what is wrong.
The trees are starting to like them more each day
and in 6 months they'll want them to stay.
But if they stayed any longer they wouldn't leave and no one would ever see them again.

They obsess over trails making sure they are clean
they like thier water draining sytem looking prestine.
In the morning they stand in a circle and all of them stretch
they try their hardest to teach the moose the game of fetch.
One of the moose has milky white eyes and is old and blind
They guide him through the forest and try and guess what he's trying to find.
They call him ol marble eyes and they believe he is the wisest creature in all the woods.

Ol marble eyes is one of many friends they have met in the deep
A bear once taught them the best way to let tea steep.
They call him the Tea Bear and he is soft and cuddly
There is also a fat rabbit by the name of Duddly.
They all sit together and sing Disney songs
and sometimes get wild and play purified water pong.
It's a good life for these apes in the woods but it can get a little strange sometimes.

Cant' Stop, Won't Stop - Amanda Strickland, NRock

Before our first hitch we dubbed ourselves “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop.” We had been hoping that a crew name would develop naturally from an inside joke but, at the end of the day, we more or less just picked one. As it turns out, the name fits us extremely well and we’ve taken to shouting it at any seemingly appropriate time.

Whether we’ve jumped into Montana life right after graduating from high school or college or are returning for a second season with MCC like our leader Sarah, we’re all excited to get outside and to do some work in the quote-unquote real world. With one leader and only six people total we’re one of the smaller crews, but that doesn’t stop us from getting a lot done—and we have more space in our rig!

Our first hitch was with the revegetation crew in West Glacier. We spent four days working in the nursery and planting along Going to the Sun Road. At the end of day one Jedd said it was probably the most rewarding day of work he’d ever done. We felt like we were working on the edge of the world. Jedd and Konnar took special pride in placing the restoration signs to keep visitors off of our work.

We were lucky enough to have our second hitch in Glacier as well, this time on the East side. We worked at a variety of sites building and repairing fences. Most memorably, we spent three days in Many Glacier hiking (or perhaps more accurately climbing, sliding, and occasionally falling) alongside the barbed wire fence. As a reward for the sometimes exhausting trek the hills treated us to spectacular views and peaceful meadows where we took our breaks. When we weren’t working with barbed wire, we tore down the then rebuilt a jackleg fence by St. Mary with one of the youth crews.

This week we head out to the Kootenai to do some brushing and I think we’re all looking forward to working on trails for a change. Perhaps we will catch sight of more wildlife as well to add to our growing list which already includes several black bears, some eerily tame deer, mountain goats, horses, a grouse, and a moose!

Stinky:Pinky - Genavieve MacDonald, NRock

“Obese: feline”, “slum: shoe”. Anyone who has encountered our crew these last couple of weeks most likely has heard a conversation carrying on like this. This is when we have to explain the never ending game of “stinky pinky” that we play to keep ourselves entertained throughout the work day. The game is pretty simple, pick two words that rhyme and then think of synonyms for them and then the rest of the crew has to guess what the words or the stinky pinky are. Probably reminds you of some game you played in middle school but this game has already entertained us for hours while we’ve been clearing trails and planting shrubs. When it’s been cold and rainy and everyone still has to work for a couple more hours, stinky pinky has been to the rescue, bringing our crew some much needed humor. The game can be catchy too; we’ve sucked in other participants into it, ranging from members of the youth crew to members of the forest service.
If you’d asked me a month or two ago if I would have seen my future self perched on a mountain side trying to figure out the answer to someone’s stinky pinky, my answer would have undoubtedly been no. But this last month for everyone in the MCC has been one of new experiences. There’s been the new job, new cities, new friends, new co-workers, new skills; the list of “news” could be endless. But I think that is a huge part of why we have all come to be working for the MCC; to be able to have this opportunity for all these new experiences

Recipe for a Successful Montana Conservation Corps Hitch - Molly Katolas, NRock

(not limited to this list)
7 willing and eager individuals
7 tents with working rainflys (crucial)
7 sleeping bags and sleeping pads
7 toothbrushes with toothpaste
Carhartt(s) and MCC labeled shirt(s)
Ability to sleep through minor earthquake
7 daypacks with pulaski-attaching straps
Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) including hardhat, eyewear, and work gloves
57 pairs of wool socks (approximately)
Enough carbs to feed a small country, mainly bagels and sliced bread
A fully functioning rig
Functioning rain gear

1. Meet all willing and eager individuals at the crack of dawn with backpacks and personal items including, but not limited to, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, daypack, and toiletries. In the case of the toothbrush, it may be necessary to keep it on your person at all times. This will avoid the extremely rare case of it being taken back into town with one of your crewmembers midway through the hitch. Yes, it has happened. 5 days without a toothbrush can be equated to 5 grumpy mornings.

2. Drive for anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours to the work destination. The ability to sleep through a minor earthquake will come in handy here, as it is not unlikely to be driving down dirt roads with many potholes.

3. Wear all Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and carry pulaskis, pick mattocks, loppers, bowsaw, pole saw, rock bar, and chainsaw to the worksite and begin work. A knowledge of many word games will come in handy at this point, especially if lopping for extended amounts of time. It may also be appreciated to know sing-along songs. However, it is not recommended to sing catchy pop songs out loud, as getting an annoying song stuck in the heads of your crewmembers is not appreciated.

4. During work, it may be necessary to wear your functioning rain gear. The key word here is functioning. No one wants to work in wet Carhartts. Don't bother trying not to get dirty. It will happen. Embrace it. Also, buy a lot of socks and change them daily to refrain from obtaining blisters.

5. Upon returning to the campsite, set up camp and prepare a dinner better than any you would make on a given night back home. These dinners tend to be stir-fry, trail pizza, or chili (to name a few), utilizing fresh vegetables and fruit. Ramen noodles are unacceptable. If possible, add cheese to anything being made. This practice may lead to 10 pounds of cheese being eaten by a crew in 10 days. Also, attempt to make a dent in the exorbitant amount of carbs bought for the trip.

6. Retire to your tent for bed at approximately 8:00 pm. Read a book, listen to music, and fall asleep in order to repeat the process again.

Optional additions:
Deodorant- Old Spice Swagger is recommended, but not necessary
10 pounds of a variety of cheeses
Flannel and beard, if possible (this will create a true mountain-esque appearance)
Bandana to absorb the mass amounts of sweat that will be released during work
Note: It is essential to have a fully functioning rig on front-country hitches to avoid the predicament of a 200-300 pound bear hang with rummaged materials. It is also highly recommended to stash a bear hang kit in the rig in case of an emergency such as this. In addition, be aware that it is entirely too possible that it will snow in Montana in June. Keep this in mind when packing and setting up your tent. And, above all else, enjoy yourself!

First Hitch

Our first 8 day hitch. We set up camp at Dry Creek campground about 45 minutes outside of the town of Thompson Falls.

Most of the time was spent rerouting a trail built by the CCC in the 30's. The trail follows a draw and parts are very steep, our job involved building new trail and adding switchbacks to avoid the steep sections. We ended up brushing, clearing and digging 1700 feet of new trail this hitch.

The ultimate goal is to have the trail be able to be used by both hikers and stock, mostly for elk hunting. We will be working on this trail for the next two hitches, finishing up the switchback section we started then moving on to two shorter sections. Part of the work will be building large cribbing retaining walls to anchor the switchbacks to the side slope and provide a good platform for stock to turn around.


The crew: Jim, Tom, Travis, Me, Vicky, Katie, Ashley.


Travis felling a tree to make way for the trail.


The crew rolling a huge rocky mountain maple root ball off the trail, It took half a day to cut out, there was much rejoicing.


Brand new trail.


Cutting out a stump. It's a lot of work and takes a while. Each one gets it's very own name.

-Kevin Carns, CD CM

The Bear Scare - Devin Kavanagh

The furry ferocious 500 lb. beast of nature that we commonly associate with terror and helplessness cannot be the bear anymore. Apparently, they keep to themselves when we are around, and just extricate everywhere. Seriously. As a newcomer to the Rocky Mountains, the thought of bears attacking, viscously without remorse of course, quite honestly crossed my mind several times a day while on spike. These thoughtful assumptions came from years of believing that Grizzly bears will floss their teeth with human bones and Black Bears are just plain evolved mutated dinosaurs. Already, only three weeks into the MCC Crew Member season, what I just now named “the bear scare” has become more of a myth to me than blister free work boots!

I wish I could say that I could prove this theory through an awesome story about tag, hide and go seek, and checkers with a Grizz, but my only proof of their endangered existence are the tree trunk scratches and the feces littered camp sights. However, bear stories aren't usually kept untold between crewdren for too long and every story of surviving a bear encounter contradicts the bear scare.

Personally, and undoubtedly for our entire crew as well, our first four day hitch (in the Hungry Horse Ranger District) felt like a burst of excitement, natural wonders and an overwhelming release of anticipation. Speaking for myself on this one, I hadn't realized how anxious the bear scare would make me until my first wilderness journey. As I walked alongside our wise sponsors, I quickly had yanked all of the info they had about bears as soon as possible. Interestingly enough, this specific question that I had brought up out of pure terror is what almost simultaneously led me to my newfound semi-fearlessness of bears. After thinking of an engaging way of bringing it up, I blurted out to our rad sponsor Erich from the Forest Service, “what is the most common misconception of bears out here?” He replied saying, “people see bears as monsters, but this couldn't be farther from the truth. More people die from sheep every year!” The first thing I thought was great, he's joking about it, I am a dead man. But with his personally famous tale of an encounter with a bear, I was soon to be enlightened. It goes roughly as follows. One day, Erich was 20 or so feet from a massive Grizzly. Wisely choosing not to tango with Erich and his weapon of non choice, the hoe dad, the Grizzly crossed paths with Erich, not so much as batting an eye. The war for dominance and ultimate survival was over, or so he had thought. Minutes later, Erich was harassed by a medium sized Grouse. Erich honestly admits his fear of Grouse is close to ten fold of the bear scare,

Spending these last few weeks with amazing people have actually relaxed me about everything including bear attacks, and I am pumped knowing that I can call Kalispell my home and the people I now camp with my crew. I hope being somewhat fearless when it comes to bears will serve me better than the previous contrary, in case my karma from writing this blog catches up to me. Maybe when I actually see a bear, he will look like Smoky or the Sugar Crisp Mascot. There I go again, I better watch my dime for bear. Peace

Aliens: Part One

ALIENS
Part One, Duh, Duh, Duh!

In many ways the Montana Conservation Corps’ Crews share many similarities with our friends (Hopefully) in the sky. We have came to Idaho a land which we are aliens: We dressed all in green [For the most part anyways], wear clear eye pro which make our eyes seem buggy, our vehicle shoots headlight beams that can make our SUV appear like a flying saucer when it is foggy, we can spread poisonous gas (Meaning: Our farts] that kills acres and acres of crops and we have come in peace.
We are the Green Team or if one will have it; The Green Machine! We have ascended to the Blue Ridge Mountain Trail of Idaho and soon to be entering the Gospel for the entire summer. In our first hitch out of nine we took on adversity with rainy and cold conditions however punctured with a warm welcome. Rainy and cold conditions in the weather including a strike of hail that seized us one afternoon the moment we sat down our tools for the day. Warm however in the welcome that was given to us by the Forest Service Crew of Idaho.
On Tuesday June 8th, 2010 (Two days after the anniversary of D-Day) The Green Machine met in the morning with Forest Service Crew’s boss of bosses; Josh in a stretch circle. Josh is what every man wants to be and what every woman looks for in a man. Josh’s appearance is that of Brad Pitt from Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards but bulkier. Josh has smooth blue eyes, a wisdom and sureness to his voice that internalize anyone around him where they can feel safe and are assured that they are in for a good day’s labor. As a part of Josh’s safety monologue he incorporated, “If you get to cold and too wet, let me know and I’ll get a fire started for you; keep you warm.”
The evening before Wednesday Josh welcomed us with the best gift you can ever give an MCC crew; a flat bed of refined wood logs to carry a half mile up a mountain. “I thought about getting some horses together to haul up these logs but then I thought manual labor builds good character, now get to work.”
The following day in our first real day of work the Green Machine set out to plant water bars. We dug up a quarter foot of dirt to rest in the logs so they could still remain firm in the trail and dug drains around the water bars (At a 90 degree angle) so water would have a place to run off.
Everyday was a challenge. Most of our crew caught terrible colds making the psychical work tougher.
For the bulk of the work, the crew constructed a rock wall. The crew dug heavy rocks out of the ground and sometimes hauled the works across great distances to meet up with Paul (MCC Crew Leader), Noel (Forest Service Technical Advisor) and Peter (Forest Service Crew Leader) so they could construct they’re rock wall. The crew’s other half (Jen and Ashton) constructed a crib wall which is similar to a rock wall only made from wood.
At night time the crew shared hearty warm meals and good company amongst one another, never a dispute however never a dull moment. Ever now and then a few or more crew member would walk a few feet away form our camp site to the forest service crew’s camp to join and enjoy the fire that they would welcome us to.
The crew also accomplished building new trail and rehabbing old trail. We left the Blue Ridge Mountain trail just as the weather had turned to heavy snow fall.
For this hitch the crew learned they’re own personal endurances and they’re own limits. We hope to push our standards next time to not only make us better crew members but as better people in general.
-Trevor Lyons Dietz
June 17th, 2010.

introductions

Nine days, eighty one hours, four soggy socks later, and I want to be back in the woods already. the bumbling mess big society is makes helps me appreciate how my crew members interact. not only do we help each other get through potentially rough projects but the atmosphere we create, provides for a great work environment. we each have many things to learn from one another and 6 months doesn't even seem like enough time for it all. The framework that the MCC provides is teaching me in ways i've always needed to improve. This hitch overall was an interesting introduction to the area we'll be working and living in. I'm glad we got to meet the forest, park, firefighting and volunteer service people, I look forward to getting to know them and what their jobs entail. A firefighter named Alec, gave me a pretty good idea of what a lifestyle of forest work looked like. Each day I see a new aspect of how things work, and it helps me help others help me, if you know what I mean. Five days off almost seems like too much.
-Ryan Gage, CD CM

Virgina City

Virginia City

May 7, 2010
we took a step back into history on this day
way back to the 1800s
the setting, Virginia City
upon arrival we set ourselves up in the ghostly motel
Bonanza Inn
anticipating anything in the dark, wee hours of the night
we roamed the streets learning of the families who once thrived in this
bustling town
we heard story upon story of encounters with these spirits who still hold on to their
earthly homes
we explored buildings and homes all the while an eerie feeling lurking as though
we were being watched from eyes unseen
we worked our hands in between learning and exploring
clearing trail, clearing branches pulling weeds
all the while learning the value of working outdoors
and for the good of all
we learned of hangings that took the lives of 24 town folks
we learned of the deaths of young and old from
mining accidents, murder, and epidemics of the time
we roamed the sweet peaceful cemetery that
lay atop a hillside overlooking the city
we learned more about the mining boom that made the city
and how it slowly faded away leaving this small town
to fade away into history, leaving behind
old creaking buildings full of history, ghosts and exploration waiting to be had

“You know what’s in there? Shhh….. Can you hear it? That’s history!” Harry stone, Val Hingson, Martha Knox 2010

Herron Park - Paul Wachur

The Experience - Dylan Barbash

This is blog is about my first experience yielding a chainsaw and using it to fall a tree. One of the most terrifying, exciting, and adrenaline rushing experiences of my life. I was inspired to write this narrative on the ride to the first day of trails training.


You approach the being hesitant but excited. It has power that must be recognized. Its going to do what it wants to do so its better to work with it than fight it. It is stubborn even in death, it will hold on to the last remains of life until it is consumed by fire, pushed by the wind, or ignited by lightning. Such a stubborn beast is hard to manipulate. You size up the scene to see if there are hidden dangers or booby traps. Evaluate the being and see which way it wants to go, feel it to tell how much life is left. All the while the beast looks down at you with speculative eyes, asking what you are doing, why are you bothering me? You approach with your machine, a device that is dangerous in and of itself. It needs to be yielded carefully and precisely. You tear away at the stubborn life force that is within. Cutting away at both sides, needing to be precise because even in death this beast can play tricks on you, maybe taking its revenge with a malicious twist. You continue on hoping that you have been precise enough and evaluated the being correctly. You hear cracking and walk away to see this life force drain from the being in its elegant but forceful fall through the foliage. You have done it, fallen the beast and come out the victor. But there is always next time and the next being may be more resistant to your demands and could fall you instead.

Selway, What is your Bearing? - Valerie Hingston

On April 13th, 2010 the Western Wildlands region of Missoula headed out on route 12 west towards the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho. All field crew and youth crew leaders made it out on this particular trip. After one night of car camping close to the Fenn Ranger Station we packed up camp and the Youth Crew Leaders lead a discussion about bear identification and safety. Although we didn’t see a bear on this particular trip, it was important for all leaders to become informed and aware about the possibilities of encountering bears in the backcountry. As the clouds cleared away with the rigs all packed up we drove down the road while dodging deer and looking for the Race Creek Trailhead. The theme of this trip was called, “Backcountry Training,” and into the backcountry we went.

The night before had been cold and wet, but the following day brought about a plentiful amount of sunshine and warmth. Before hitting the trail, a MCC alumni named Julie whom so graciously accompanied us into the backcountry, led a discussion on hiking in groups and the importance of compass and map use. All leaders became acquainted with the use of maps and then around 11 am we began our hike. Our region was split up into two groups, which each had separate campsites to minimize the impact on the land. Both crews hiked along the same trail, which was parallel to the Selway River. The trail was in great condition and it harvested the first few signs of flower blossoms and re-vegetation. One of our leaders; Mack was returning to his home in the woods, where last year he had spent five months during the immersion crew. He was able to provide insight and history on the area in order to better inform the other leaders about the wilderness in which we were traveling. Crew A hiked in four miles to the Renshaw Creek campsite and Crew B hiked in two additional miles to the Cupboard Creek campsite. Due to the split in the two groups, it is hard to say exactly what Crew B did once they arrived at Cupboard, but it is probable that the logistical experiences were mirror images of one another.

The sunshine sustained itself throughout the late afternoon and into the evening, making camp set up an enjoyable lesson. Julie and Mike facilitated a discussion in proper camp set up and how to execute the process. Leaders split into pairs of two and three in order to scout the camp and determine where to place a latrine, bear hang, sump, kitchen, sleeping area, and a fire. Afterwards, each group was responsible for educating the other leaders about the logic behind their station set up. Bruce followed up our station set up with a lesson on stove maintenance. The most important lesson learned here was, “When in doubt, hit your stove on a rock and always check your stove before heading out on hitch.” As the sun crept away, we enjoyed ourselves down by the river’s edge, and the day was topped off with a delicious meal of quinoa and vegetables.

Wednesday brought about a new burst of energy. We were leaving our camp site and heading upstream to Cupboard Creek campsite to reunite with Crew B. With day packs on and a lunch packed we prepared ourselves for a day hike and educational segments. Upon arrival to the other crew’s camp, we were greeted with smiles and excitement. After a brief break, Drew entertained us by discussing wolves and wilderness management in the shape of a court room debate. All members seemed more informed about the issue and interested. Jena followed up Drew’s presentation with a lesson on Tree Identification. Having studied Resource Conservation at the University of Montana, Jena did an incredible job at teaching all leaders how to identify and categorize different types of trees. With the completion of our educational segments and now having only a half day to hike, work with maps and return back to camp; all leaders ate lunch on the beach and then set out into two hiking groups. The heat continued to rise as leaders set out on a steep short hike in search of an open spot, with plenty of views of surrounding peaks. Once this quintessential location was discovered, Julie led a compass and map lesson on location identification, bearings, and triangulation. The hope at this point was that all leaders would feel rather confident in their abilities to re-orient themselves when misplaced in the backcountry. It’s safe to say that this goal was attained. Upon completion of our lesson, we slide down the pine needle filled trail to Cupboard Creek, where we “picked up” our leader Lina who unfortunately had been sick that afternoon. The sun continued to scorch our faces and newly exposed skin as we meandered back towards Renshaw Creek campsite. Our return was going smoothly when one of our fellow leaders went missing. No one believed that Mack could have gone missing seeing that he was back in his second home in the Selway, but adventuring out into the brush in order to take care of an emergency bathroom situation turned into a dire scenario (although previously planned). Luckily Mack had left his MCC manual behind, which allowed our Crew to successfully plan and implement a search party. Moral of the story: Always bring your MCC manual; even on day hikes. Also, even the most educated leaders can fall victim to the woods. When the lost leader was relocated and safe, we continued our hike back down to our campsite. While pressed for time, one leader made a delicious pasta meal while two YCLs (Val and Harry) gave a lesson on Scats and Tracks. Education and food combined into one always makes for a good time.

That night leaders congregated around the campfire to enjoy story telling and stargazing. After only a few days, the prospect of returning to Missoula was both exciting and disappointing. Working outside of town was both exhilarating and refreshing. It’s just a glimpse at what crew leaders and members have to look forward to this summer and fall. Mr. Sandman graced the leaders with his presence that night by providing sleep, stars, a river led orchestra, and warm spring air to sleep in. Morning came quick and camp clean up did as well. We were well rested, packed and ready to return to the rigs. A four mile hike out and we reunited once again with other Crew B. Short debriefs followed while sitting on the grassy fields at the Fenn Forest Service Station. All leaders were content with their backcountry experience; especially for the one leader who had never backpacked before (Lina). The return to Missoula was filled with warm air blowing through the car windows, an eclectic array of music, and a snowball fight on the border of Idaho and Montana. There are more adventures to come, but we’ll just have to wait.

I’m a first time blog user: Over and Out.

Immersion - Eric Milliken

When I was seventeen I participated in my organizations first Alaskan backpacking expedition, forty two days in the furthest north mountain range in the world. It was forty two days of only seeing my group, a float plane pilot, and two days in a Nunavut community. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, the isolation, the sheer length of our endeavor, the mosquitoes, coming face to face with a well fed Grizzly… When I look back on it, almost nine years later, I don’t remember the stress, or the homesickness, I remember the most rugged, beautiful, amazing experience of my life.

Immediately after returning home, I began making plans for thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. I have wanted to do it since I was five, and my first wilderness experience in the Boundary Waters. However, as my ideals confronted reality, my AT plans became week long backpacking trips around my new home in Bozeman. I came to accept that my “Great Alaskan Adventure” will probably be the most remote, intense wilderness experience of my life.

Then came the summer of 2009; I was working in an unrewarding, high paying job. I took a couple weeks off in the end of May and drove to the southwest. After spending too much time in Las Vegas, I decided to get in my car and I drove to Yosemite for the first time.

I was out of my car in Yosemite for about one hour.

When telling this trip’s story to friends I either omit that part, or justify it by saying I needed to be in San Francisco the next day. The truth is I had totally lost connection with what I used to love. I was also too out of shape to enjoy hiking in the mountains. I went to San Francisco, caught a giants game, then started driving home up to Sacramento. I caught the sunset at Lake Tahoe. I was overwhelmed. I was saddened, that I had never been to such a beautiful place so close to Bozeman, and that I no longer did what I used to find so important and fulfilling.

When we were in Alaska we flew up from Minneapolis with a female group from a competing program. They where going to the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve we were going to Gates of the Arctic. They executed the long practiced tradition of “stealthing”, that is hiding stuff in our food or group gear that we won’t find until we are in the wilderness and cannot get rid of it. They hid about 8 different colors of nail polish. We had a quote that kept getting repeated throughout our trip, “Through challenge I find growth, Through growth I find myself” . We ended up using that nail polish to paint our bear proof canisters. That quote ended up on one of them, along with our addendum Through Uno we waste time.

I was sitting on the shore of Lake Tahoe, remembering that quote, and realized that I needed to effect positive change in my life. I drove the last eight hours or so to Bozeman while making grandiose AT and PCT plans, that had no root in reality. I finally told myself that at least when I got home I would look in to outdoor jobs and apply to at least one. So in that sleep deprived morning around 6 am I found MCC on the internet and filled out an application. When I woke up that afternoon I had an email from Jen asking for an interview time, and a day or two later I was hired.

I spent last summer working and living in the mountains. I was working an eight on six off Yellowstone schedule. Every free day I had, I spent on backpacking trips in the Beartooths, Wind Rivers, and Tetons. The first month or so was hard for me, my body was not in shape for the demands I was placing on it. But I was still mentally tough and I got through it. I went from getting heat cramps every day, to actually enjoying the ten hour work day and spent the rest of the season in a very pure form of happiness.

I have come a long way since that late night in Tahoe. I again get to participate in a first for a program. I am going to be co-leading Greater Yellowstone’s first wilderness immersion crew. We are going into the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho, which is the biggest wilderness unit in the lower 48. We will be out for 70 days, off for a week and then back in for 56 more. After this summer, the longest trip of my life will barely make the podium.

After finding a comfort again with the wilderness, MCC has given me a way to connect again with the outdoors. My emotions have ranged from excited, to terrified, and everything in between. The list of things to do is piling up and the amount of time to accomplish it is now under a month. But I have a solid foundation and an amazing co-leader.

I don’t expect our season to be smooth or easy. In fact I expect conflict, hot weather, and long days. But the amazing thing is when you go into something knowing it will be hard, and you do it anyways, the rewards will be immense.

It is one of my goals to document our season through a crew blog with as many voices as want to participate. Although it will be hand written, and the mailed entries won’t make it on the internet for months, I think it will be valuable both as a reflection tool for us, and as a way to find the good in every situation.

With more to follow soon(ish)

Disturb the land the way it would disturb itself - Alisa Hoven

Over the last month and a half, a handful of MCC leaders from Eastern Wildlands have set out to get their hands dirty and their minds full of new ideas. Yes, this is in addition to the daily dedication we have made to MCC. Our strong work ethic and good attitude have been given freely to Danly Farms, the only organic farm in Yellowstone County. The farmers, Mary and Barbara, have opened up their land for us to continue our commitment to service and community outside of the MCC world, even if it’s just in Laurel…..a close 20 mile drive from downtown Billings. With just under five acres, the well designed farm produces vegetables, grapes, hops and even enough space for an old boxcar full of chickens.

In the last weeks, we have helped in various projects; laying out the lining for the onion beds, building a compost pile, digging a trench for an irrigation system, anchoring down 25 ash trees, preparing mini metal greenhouses for the fields and weeding the many nooks and crannies where weeds are most resilient. The MCC crew leaders have gained a lot more than a signed volunteer form; we have gained a valuable relationship with two wise women who have shared so freely their philosophy and love for the land.

As they neared retirement age, Mary and Barbara decided to live their passions fully and learn to grow their own food in a natural way. They expressed that the organic food movement may be the most important issue surrounding the sustainability of both the earth and our bodies. When I asked these farmers what their philosophy of the land was, they replied with “Disturb the land the way it would disturb itself.” That means working with the land, taking care of it so that it can decide its own natural development. So, these farmers spend a lot of time weeding and growing their patience as they do to their vegetable beds.

Through their philosophy, I am reminded of our own commitment to the land so that it continues to grow stronger. We have been given so many opportunities this season to look at the landscape before us and determine our impact on it. We might build a trail so others can enjoy it without getting lost, or we might sand down a boardwalk so people can go see a famous signature on an old rock (without getting a splinter in their finger). Or we might cut down burned up trees from a backyard so the fire, when it comes again, doesn’t do as much damage as it has in the past. We might dig a latrine so that our “mark” on the land is a little less visible and available to plant and wildlife. We might inspire youth to pick up trash or rather pick up a backpack and enter the woods.

Regardless, through our work with MCC, we are always asked to explore our impact, physically and emotionally on the landscape of this great state of Montana. Examining our impact on this earth is not just something MCC asks of us, it is what we should be asking of ourselves on a daily basis through our personal relationships. Spending time with these two inspirational women has given me a better understanding how the organic movement can be a part of that process. I understand what it takes to stand firmly behind this movement, even if you are actually on your knees weeding out the asparagus patch all afternoon.

Reunion - Adam Tew

After a week of unendurable separation the field crew leaders of Northern Rockies returned to Kalispell for a reunion and a week of trails training in nearby Herron State Park. Adding to the significance of the occasion was the presence of Clifford Kipp, head honcho of the Northern Rockies region, who stepped away from the office for a brief moment to demonstrate, despite all other indication and popular belief, that he is able to swing a tool (and well?). Following a quick recovery from collective shock and succinct instruction by regional staff the field crew leaders quickly set to cutting new trail designed to replace an unsustainable user-created trail that had quadrupled in width in less than five years. Four day later after scarifying the soil and piling slash on the corridor the decommissioning of the old trail was finished and the overall reroute project met its final completion.
Our second week brought another round of separation as the other field crew leaders (Laurent, Sarah(s), Paul, Elaine, Casey) traveled to Glacier National Park for work in a greenhouse. While they were sheltered from the elements we returned to Herron Park for more trail construction under the leadership of Daniel “The Law” Ward and Hanna Hopkins, our co-leading pair of the week. Weather was inclement following a cloudy Monday, not truly breaking until Friday offered a reprieve from the precipitation and gusting wind. But accompanying us for the (not so) pleasant weather earlier in the week were the field crew leader from Central Divide, a quality group of guys and gals that helped us knock out the almost half-mile of newly constructed trail. The crew progressed well in terms of our trail building abilities despite the challenges presented by the muddy, sloppy conditions. Additionally, any slip in morale or crew productivity was quickly dashed against the rock that is Daniel “The Law” Ward. Frequently during our stint in Herron Park, users on the trails expressed an appreciation for our work that seemed almost disproportionate to the labor we provided, a poignant reminder of how contributory our work for the community can really be.

GNP Centennial - Zoe Zulakis

Glacier National Park was not born in 1910. Some billion to million years ago it was covered by inland seas, and romped by dinosaurs. It was thrust upward by what we theorize today to be a collision with a micro continent that no longer exists and then carved away by the meticulous fingers of icy glaciers. Glacier National park was not born in 1910. It was the spiritual home of the many people who came before the US government drew its lines; the Blackfeet, the Salish, the Kootenai, the Pend Oreille. Glacier National Park was not born in 1910. 1910 is merely a year that happened 100 years ago. This incredible parcel of land will itself rise and fall with the tide of the tectonic plates. In the great epics and eras that this world has yet to see, our title to 100 years of ownership, will not be long remembered.
So at the centennial celebration of plotted lines, we must clear our mind of entitlement. We are stewards of this beautiful place, the crown of this great continent where we live, but which is not ours. So we must take stock of our role as caretakers of the land. When the conservationists, Gifford Pinchot, and Teddy Roosevelt, secured 180 million acres of land in the famous “midnight reserves,” of 1906, their impetus was not to secure timber harvests from our national forests. When William Howard Taft signed legislation, on May 11, 1910, protecting Glacier National Park, it was not to carve dizzying roads, through the hearts of our National Parks. It was to “ensure that the people in 2010 would have a country of clean water, healthy forests, and open land…” (The Big Burn, Eagan, p. 138). It was for the future, so that tomorrow could appreciate a brief glimpse of what yesterday had, untouched and undamaged.
In the 100 years since, our woods have been eaten away by acid rain; our water systems damaged by toxic wastes of abandoned mines; our bodies corrupted by exposure to chemical and nuclear wastes; our glaciers (125 of them in Glacier National Park alone) disappearing. On the day in the very near future, when Glacier National Park runs out of Glaciers, the world will know. And assuming that the oil spill will no longer be at the forefront of the nation’s attention, this new (or not so new) crisis will hold us captive. So, are we doing our job? Are we being good stewards of the land? Are we proud?
One hundred years ago, Glacier National Park was not born. It was, however, put aside as one of the last remaining gems of this country. We will never own Glacier National Park, we will never own any parcel of land. It will never be ours to keep. It belongs to the past, and it belongs to the future. We have a responsibility to both. We owe it to our predecessors to keep fighting, as Pinchot would have described it, “the alliance between business and politics…the snake that we must kill.” We owe it to our future- the land, the animals, the water, the trees, the people- to make it seem as though we have never been here; to disappear quietly, just as the majestic mountains sink into the humble valleys.

Sleep

I am not a morning person. Through my high school and college days, I would wake up about fifteen minutes before class started, roll out of bed, keep the same clothes on that I fell asleep in the night before, and show up. I was pretty consistent when it came to grumbling about hunger, rearing a smile in hopes that my cheeks would wrinkle away an encrypted bed face, and zoning out for the first five minutes of class on the prison paste blue walls. I never really savored the superimposed ideal of rising with bitter coffee, a freshly prepared breakfast, or dedicating patience for yoga. My last roommate did all that jazz, but after living with me for less than a month, that changed. He too became at ease with a stop motion morning. It just seemed logical to suck the very last minute of a night’s rest for all it was worth, even if it was to hit the snooze and watch the red lines adjust five more digits.
My life as an Undergrad ended about four weeks ago, with a piece of paper that promised my degree would be in the mail, and since then my life has been a smudge of birth, states, and sunsets. I returned home to welcome my twenty-second year, drove across the country with my dad to settle on a place to live, and started work with the MCC. I was overwhelmed. So much had changed in my life that my mind simply could not process or reflect upon all of the movements. I felt the world passing as if riding in a car with the windows down. The wind flickers over eyelids, barely open, just enough to take everything in, but still the images come in waves. There’s so much to look forward to, but so much to absorb at the same time.
The first day of work with the MCC was May 24th and that is when my polished concept of a morning started to mold into something new. I could not fall asleep for two hours after laying down and I woke up a half hour before my alarm, on top of the four or five times I woke up during the in between. At first, I figured I was just jittery about being on time and making a good first impression, so for the first day, this behavior was understandable. However, it has been like that everyday since, even on the weekends. The only plausible reason I can trace this to would be just pure excitement about work and what’s to come. I have definitely had my fair share of jobs and most of them have been awesome experiences, but this is radically different from anything I have ever been a part of.
My first event of real camping was this past week when the whole Central Divide Region went up to Sluice Boxes State Park for our first overnight. I’ve been camping before, but most of which on a hotspot rock overlook in eastern Kentucky. We would climb up at sunset, stare for hours as the stars formed the Milky Way, and fall asleep amongst the silhouettes of Appalachia. After the first night of sleeping out by myself in a tent at Sluice Boxes, I lay awake and wondered if the reason we went up to the overlook was for the view or the state of mind. There’s something about being outdoors that provides a sense of relief, a cleansing that cannot be replicated. Again, I found myself jolting awake several times in fear of being late for our first breakfast as a crew. When I crawled out of my tent I had plenty of time to spare. I stood up for my vertical stretch of the morning, only to collapse in the rising sun. The gold slipped through the breeze, the parting of trees, and rigid crevasses only to become part of the waking world. As the cliffs’ shadows chased away, the birds’ commentary revealed that this is morning. Perhaps this is what my body has been longing for, the dawn to a fresh state of mind and the opportunity to greet each morning in awe. Maybe we’re all here for the same morning wake up with this new life as part of the Montana Conservation Corps. We’re all stretching, welcoming the break of day with each other. I may not be a morning person now, but I can already feel that starting to change inside of me.


Casey Simpson – Central Divide

1st two weeks

Before I came out to Montana, I told myself over and over that I was not joining the MCC to make friends. I was here to work hard in a field I hoped to make my career, and to develop personally as well as professionally. I intended to focus the whole of my energy on the work at hand while doing something I loved- living in backcountry while swinging a pulaski. Working closely with crewmembers was a consequence of this work, and becoming close to them was necessary to effectively complete the projects before me. It didn't take two people to hold an ax.
When I finally met my fellow crewmembers, I was intimidated- I knew that they had come out here for the same reasons; to develop commitment, personal and professional discipline, to grow as individuals. They didn't need me, I- like the pulaski- was a tool for building trails, for development and preservation. I was intimidated simply by the fact that they were here to work- because I had never worked as hard as I expected my crewmembers would be working, and I would have to match my strength to theirs. I was scared that I would be unable to do this, and that I would be alone in the woods, trying to figure out how to be as strong as these people.
However, my outlook changed once I learned the story of the pulaski tool. Pulaski was a wilderness firefighter whose crew had been caught in such an intense fire that they had to retreat to a cave, with no reliable exit through the burning woods. He had to not only held his crew at gunpoint in the cave to keep them safe, but he had to invent a tool in order to make a safe passage for himself and his crew. It was in the very fire that held them captive in which he forged the tool to take them to safety.
I heard this and immediately I saw that the people surrounding me, though I did not yet know them, were the closest friends I had. I knew that beyond being tools to my development, they were the support system and instruments of learning that I would use to not only build trails, but connections with my community. In fact, they were my community. They had, indeed, joined the MCC for the same reasons I had- to do a service, to relinquish ego and selfish pride and to work. No, they did not need me to do the work, but without me, the work would be nearly impossible, impassable. I did not need them- but if I wanted to become a good worker, an effective citizen and community member, I needed a community and fellow citizens. We all came here to do work- and we all came here to work together.
I knew that we were here now to build the paths that would lead us to each other. We would be developing trails to our futures, and pathways into each others lives, as both comrades in arms for preservation, but also the very teachers who would help me learn who I was, by being the mirror, the example, the citizens whose common goals would bring us together tighter than friends. The fires of apathy and fear had sequestered us together, and we were now forced to forge the tools to help each other find the path. Without this fear, without this necessity, we would have never found each other, we would never learn, never grow as individuals, and escape the darkness of uncertainty. We were all here to do the same work, and without one another, this work can not get done. Without the bond of crewmembers, we cannot grow as individuals. It is in the challenge and support of these individuals that I would find the strength to do this work. Without their example, without their knowledge, I would not be able to find my path, because it is the same path we are all on. One of us has the flashlight, one has the batteries, one has the pulaski, another, the mcloud. It is in darkness and fire that we found each other, and it is as a result of this darkness and fire we are forced to come together to build the path. And it is this common path, this common journey that will build a more valuable connection than the connection to ourselves- it is in the compassion to ourselves that we decide to let go of fear and come together and find compassion for others.
-H Israel Ziskind, MCC Corpsmember 2010