Wallowa-Whitman National Forest - Summer 2010

August 5-August 11 2010
East Fork Lostine & Maxwell Lake Trails

Dun dun dun duuun, dun dun dun duuuun, dun nanananananananana, dun nanananananananana! Yes, our final hitch was about as epic as Beethoven's fifth symphony, but with just a bit more percussion.
The hitch was a double header, first tackling the previously conquered East Fork Lostine (mostly to remind it that the SCA crew shows no mercy) then straight up (quite literally) the Maxwell Lake trail to experience its stunning beauty and righteous peaks.
On the East Fork, we spent some time redesigning our previously built rock culvert, and a French (or 'Free' depending on whom you ask) drain was installed in place of the culvert. The remainder was spent restoring our vanquished allies, the Drainages, to their previous position of power and glory, much to the distress of the trail goddess (who is called Matilda by the way).
After conquering the East Fork Lostine, the crew headed up the Maxwell Lake Trail. They were deceived by the first 3 miles of ambling switchbacks which made the steady elevation gain seem tiny. However, the Maxwell Trail was merely creating a sense of false security, and soon revealed its true nature: a never-ending slope with the trail running right up the steep, slippery center. Our mission, which we chose to accept, was to make this last mile of trail a bit more friendly to the every day user (4 year old girls with pigtails...and the occasional stiletto). We placed over 20 beautifully ornamented checksteps to prevent potential slippage on the trail, leading to a tumble miles down the mountainside. We also rerouted several pieces of trail, converting downright rock scrambling into a few lovely curvaceous switchbacks. When all was said and done, the crew felt comfortable bringing their stilettos and mumus on the trail at the end of hitch (photographic proof to come later, along with stable internet access).
After conquering the Maxwell Lake Trail, the crew bid farewell to their picturesque final campsite (and its mosquitoes), packed their bags, and headed on their merry way. At the bottom of the mountain awaited their glorious shack, and two days of cleaning (we did get the radioactive mushroom scent out of the bear bins, by the way) before their final voyage in their glorious steed (Dodge 2500) Isabel to the fabled land of Idaho and the legendary city of Boise whence they were to part ways, one FINAL time.

Love,
Laura & Sam

July 11-July 17
Ice Lake Trail

Our fourth hitch began on Monday the 11 of July at the usual 7 am in the morning. This hitch was to be different from the rest because of our stellar location along trail 1808 or simply the Ice Lake Trail. Located three miles in from the West Fork Wallowa River Trail stands a junction where our journey would begin. After crossing a decaying stock bridge, we hiked two miles up the trail to reach our beautiful meadow campsite at 7,000 feet. From here work would begin, and work we did. We split up into two crews on Monday afternoon and worked on two different projects: a log-out with our cross-cut, and a stone retaining wall. In a total of three hours four logs were completely removed from the trail to open up this trail to stock-users and hikers alike. Work on the stone retaining wall was frustrating, but one important lesson was learned: rock work takes patience and problem solving. That night after a filling dinner of raman bombs, a visitor arrived that cheered up the entire crew—Natashia, of Sam and Danny’s 2009 Yosemite Crew. A new friend was made when she worked the following morning with us up near Ice Lake. After a brutal cut with the pruning saw, we took a walk up to Ice Lake to chill out for awhile. The lake sits at 7,800 ft. and is by far the most beautiful lake in the Eagle Cap Wilderness. The lake put some things into perspective for all present—that we are in some beautiful country. After the break, we brushed down trail and enjoyed some lovely conversation with Natashia. Tuesday was also a special day for Danny because it marked his 100th day working on trails wearing the trademark SCA helmet. It meant a lot for him to accomplish this feat. In the process one rock wall was completed and one rock water bar was installed. After a lovely day of work, the crew retired to their tents early to take on another day on Trail 1808. The following morning we split into groups with half of us brushing and the other half working on rock walls. Four walls were installed and a half mile of trail was brushed out. For the first time working on trail 1808, the crew thought we would be able to get all of the work done in record time. The fourth day was comprised mainly of brushing and one mile of the trail was brushed out. For a seasoned trail crew, this feat rarely happens and to accomplish it was amazing. Also on the fourth day, the crew relocated camps down to the decaying stock bridge with the hope of working on another trail. We bumped back up to the middle of trail 1808 on the fifth day and continued to brush down trail. This day marked a turning event for the crew, all of us were willing to say that our bodies we done. We stopped work early to have a break down by the West Fork Wallowa River. Spirits were rejuvenated and we were ready to finish hitch. Trail 1808 was finished on the sixth day after a surprising encounter with a group of fellow travelers. After lunch, we realized we had left a hazel-hoe up at the meadow camp. The rest of us bumped up to the west fork to tackle some drainage and brushing. Eight drainages were installed and trail was brushed. A new saying was created which will forever be a “crew thing.” The seventh day dawned and the crew was excited because six days off were in the horizon. However, a drainage needed to be cleaned and cleaned it was. This hitch was amazing and special thanks goes out to Natashia for helping on the magical second day.
Report Summary:
Three mile of trail brushed out, five rock walls installed, over 50 drainages worked on and one rock water bar.

-Peace and love trail world, Danny

June 19-27
Indian Crossing Trail

The team ventured out to Indian Crossing for a 9 day hitch intending to log out the entire first six miles up to the junction with the North Fork Imnaha Trail. 103 trees later, the trail was passable!
The Indian Crossing trail is located within the East-Central portion of the Eagle Cap Wilderness, skirting the border of Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area and paralleling the main branch of the Imnaha River.
A hefty portion of the trail is in early successional stages, following a large fire that swept the area in 1989. In other words: lots of brushy ceonothus undergrowth and wind fallen snags!
However, the crew prevailed through lightning storms and ticks, clearing and brushing the entire six miles within the timeframe; even throwing in a portion of tread and drainage.
In total, the crew removed 103 obstructing trees, reworked one drainage, built a 5 foot retaining wall and reconstructed the tread to go with it, and brushed approximately 5.5 miles of trail.
Getting good and familiar with the crosscut saw, the hitch was an extreme success!

-Heidi

May 22-June 3
Member orientation in Carnation Washington.

Amidst near constant rain and even a minor earthquake, members spent this period learning the ins and outs of the Student Conservation Association and gaining the necessary trail skills to begin the season strong.
13 crews came together at this location, developing a strong sense of environmental community before departing to their respective project sites, ranging the West Coast from Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico to Olympic National Forest, Washington.
The Wallowa Whitman crew, after a brief stay over in the majestic Columbia River Gorge near Rufus, Oregon, arrived in Wallowa Lake on June 4 to gather sorts and make preparations before heading out for the first service project.

Hi. I am Samuel Wright. Currently I am a 19 year old attending the small, private, and hippie school of Colorado College. One of the main reasons I chose to go there was my love of nature and just getting out there. I have been involved with SCA since the summer before my Junior year in high school and to be honest I have no idea what I would do with my summers if it wasn’t trail work! I have worked three incredible summers with three awesome crews, starting in Virginia then to Alaska and finally my past summer spent in the backcountry of Yosemite.
When I am not doing trail work, or out in the Rocky Mountains, I live here at home in Charlotte, North Carolina. I really am a bit of a Southern boy at heart and though I do not have much of an accent, or hold stereotypically Southern beliefs or practices, the South has had a huge influence on how I lead my life.
Right now I am getting ready for Oregon and really looking forward to another summer away from it all, can’t wait to get out there.

My name is Daniel Shosky. I am currently eighteen years soon to be nineteen. I grew up in Denver, Colorado, however, I moved to Poultney, Vermont in August of 2009. My upbringing was based around a lot of outdoor activities such as: hiking, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and numerous excursions to the backcountry. I climbed my first fourteen-thousand foot mountain at age eight. From my time living in Colorado, I was able to hike 20 peaks above 13,000 feet. It was from all this exposure that I learned what I wanted to do which is to work in the outdoors. During the summer of 2007, I started working with the Student Conservation Association when I served on my first National Conservation Crew which was located on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The following two summers I would later go on to serve on two more crews in their respective locations: Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness within the Payette National Forest, and Yosemite National Park. Along the way, I slowly started to realize that my life revolved around the environment humans inhabit.
As my career with SCA progressed, I realized my dream was to someday study the natural environment and society. I am currently a student at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont where I am double majoring: Environmental Studies (environmental education and interpretation) and Sociology/Anthropology. My life’s dream is to become an environmental educator to share the story of environmental destruction, and how humans could stop this. In accordance to the educational mission of Green Mountain which states “ Through a wide range of liberal arts and career-focused majors, the college fosters the ideals of environmental responsibility, public service, global understanding, and lifelong intellectual, physical, and spiritual development” (greenmtn.edu). I decided to return one final time to the Student Conservation Association to live my dream. I am looking forward to serving on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Crew this summer to begin my journey of becoming an environmental educator, and living in the great outdoors for a summer.