The Wildest Place: Fall 2022

THE WILDEST PLACE

NEWSLETTER OF THE SELWAY BITTERROOT FRANK CHURCH FOUNDATION

FALL 2022

STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JIM HEIDELBERGER

Chair - Moscow, ID

DEB GALE

Vice Chair – Corvallis, MT

JONI STRIGHT

Treasurer – Boise, ID

CARLOS DIAZ

Secretary – McCall, ID NANCY FELDMAN

Past Chair – Boise, ID

BOB BECKLEY Missoula, MT

FROM THE

BOARD CHAIR

After nine years of tireless work to further the mission of the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation, our Executive Director Sally Ferguson announced she will be stepping away from her role in early 2023. During her tenure, Sally has been a driving force behind SBFC’s growth and success as a premier wilderness stewardship organization.

Her many accomplishments include the establishment of the Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Endowment, the expansion of the Wilderness Ranger Fellowship program, tripling SBFC’s annual wilderness stewardship volunteer hours and building a sustainable operating budget. Please read more about her accomplishments on page 8.

CLINT KINGERY Nez Perce-Clearwater Lead Wilderness Steward

JAY MAJERSKY Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew Leader

CAMDEN LONG Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew

JACOB MICK Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew

AMTULLAH NORTON

Nez Perce-Clearwater Trail Crew

LAUREN SIMMS

Salmon-Challis Lead Wilderness Steward

MADELINE WILLIAMS

Salmon-Challis Wilderness Steward

NICHOLAS CAPILLE Bitterroot Lead Wilderness Steward

CHARLES MILLER Hamilton, MT

ED KRUMPE Moscow, ID

JERRY RANDOLPH McCall, ID

JOHN LLOYD Ketchum, ID

MANDY GRANT Moscow, ID

MICHAEL WANZENRIED Boise, ID

PAUL PEMBERTON McCall, ID

STEVE KIMBALL Missoula, MT

CONNIE SAYLOR JOHNSON 2006 - 2018

The SBFC Transition Team has been preparing for Sally’s departure and the next Executive Director since March. It is our priority to find a dynamic leader with a true passion for our mission to assist the Forest Service in providing stewardship for the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return Wildernesses through on the ground work, public education, and partnerships. We look forward to announcing her successor by the first of the year.

The committed SBFC board has also been fully engaged in meeting the goals of our 2022 strategic plan. This work will grow the wilderness stewardship impacts of SBFC over the next three years.

Your continued support is going to be essential for securing SBFC’s important work in our 4-million-acre Wilderness treasure. The SBFC board will work closely with the next Executive Director to meet these strategic goals.

Sally’s vision and leadership will be greatly missed by the staff, board, community, and agency partners alike. We wish her the best of everything in her next chapter, including more time for wilderness stewardship projects!

Happy Trails,

FROM

THE

AMBASSADORS EXECUTIVE

BUTCH HARPER CLARE O’CONNELL

BOISE OFFICE

322 E. Front St., Ste. 420F P. O. Box 1886 Boise, ID 83701 208.373.4381

WESTERN MONTANA OFFICE

120 Hickory Ave, Ste. A Missoula, MT 59801 406.880.1927

DIANE PETTIT GINNY ELLIOTT

JANE HOLMAN

KERRY MCCULLEY

LARRY SWAN

MARK WETHERINGTON

PHIL JAHN

SARAH WALKER

TOM KOVALICKY

The Wildest Place is the membership newsletter of the SelwayBitterroot Frank Church Foundation. With the support of members, local businesses, and generous grantors, the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation assists the Forest Service in providing stewardship for the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church-River of No Return Wildernesses and surrounding wildlands through boots on the ground work, public education, and partnerships.

EDITING: Caitlin Straubinger

DESIGN & LAYOUT: Kelsey Selis

CONTRIBUTORS: Sally Ferguson, Jim Heidelberger & Michael Wanzenried

COVER IMAGE: 2022 Wilderness Ranger Fellows, Bre Scott & James Perkins, in the Payette National Forest, Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

The Selway-Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

SELWAYBITTERROOT.ORG

facebook.com/selwaybitterroot selwaybitterroot

DIRECTOR

Each year the SBFC staff and I set performance goals that exceed the prior year’s performance. Always looking to make this year better than the last, I’m proud to announce that in 2022 we exceeded our season goals.

We contributed over 16,000 wilderness stewardship volunteer hours in the Selway and the Frank thanks to nearly 200 spunky volunteers. We couldn’t do this work without you!

In addition to our “traditional” projects, we fielded our first women’s wilderness project, hosted another CatRock Youth group from the Bronx, plus hosted the IDAWA Iowa teen group too. We have seen exciting results from the first round of Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness education grants. The Grangeville Elementary School students learned about wilderness at the Fish Creek Campground just this past month and more wilderness education programs are scheduled to be launched this academic year. It is our vision that all of these SBFC neophytes grow into Wilderness advocates for life.

In October we went LIVE once again with the Boise Mountainfilm on Tour Fundraiser. It was such a treat to have our supporters gathered together under one roof again! We’ve scheduled Mountainfilm for two nights in McCall, on March 5 & 6, 2023. As always, we’re looking forward to spending a fun couple of evenings with the Valley County crowd.

We couldn’t have accomplished so much without our fabulous and skilled SBFC staff. On that note, I’m very happy to announce that Josh Page, who has worked for SBFC in the recent past, is returning as Program Director.

As always, special thanks to our FS wilderness managers for the wilderness leadership that inspires SBFC staff and volunteers. We are grateful for their commitment.

Next spring, my tenure as SBFC Executive Director will come to an end. As I approach this transition, I’m filled with deep gratitude for you, our committed members, supporters, and partners. Because of you we have achieved so much in the last nearly-ten years!

As we prepare to welcome the next Executive Director, please continue to support SBFC’s wilderness stewardship mission. The season of giving approaches and I encourage you to give as generously as always. And keep in touch. We love hearing from you; your notes and emails are shared and enjoyed!

I will look for you on a wilderness trail in the Selway or Frank in the seasons ahead!

SALLY FERGUSON Executive Director

JIM HEIDELBERGER Board Chair

SALLY FERGUSON Executive Director

KRISSY FERRITER Volunteer Coordinator

JOSH PAGE Program Director

KARLISSA SKINNER Wilderness Project Liaison

WELCOME TO OUR NEW SBFC STAFF

WELCOME JOSH PAGE!

Josh grew up enjoying the scenic hardwoods and Great Lakes of Michigan. In 2015, he headed west and spent a season immersed in the backcountry with the California Conservation Corps. Here he discovered his passion for Wilderness and traditional tool use. The following year, Josh bought a oneway bus ticket to Missoula and worked as a Crew Leader in the West Side Canyons of the Bitterroot National Forest. He never looked back. Josh spent three seasons working for SBFC and then worked a season on the SalmonChallis National Forest. Josh plans to continue exploring the untrammeled lands of the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness areas for years to come. When Josh isn't working or playing outside, he can usually be found playing with his two cats, Mozzarella and Tannin and getting overly competitive in board games with his wife Erika.

WELCOME TO SBFC’S FALL COLLEGE OF IDAHO INTERN:

PROGRAM DIRECTOR PRISCA HERMENE

Prisca Hermene is the SBFC Wilderness Education Intern. Majoring in History and International Political Economy at the College of Idaho, Prisca strives to engage in cross-cultural community learning and collaborative efforts to bring about social change. As an intern, Prisca has found the opportunity to create a more captivating, inclusive, and rigorous history of federally designated wilderness land. With a passion for equitable education, Prisca is excited to contribute to the expansion of public knowledge regarding wilderness history, current land management philosophies, and existing laws and regulations. Prisca’s diverse educational background in history and public policy gives her an ability to present the various intersections involving public land management.

July

July 1-August 1:

2022 HITCH AND PROJECT SUMMARIES

June

June

July 5-14:

July19-28:

August

PAYETTE NATIONAL FOREST

July 14-September 8:

June

June

#211 Wilderness Ranger Fellows Project; Deferred Maintenance

June 7-15: Lochsa Ridge Trail #220 Trail Crew Project; Deferred Maintenance

June 21-25: Southern Nez Perce Trail ≈#468 Smokejumper’s Volunteer Project; Deferred Maintenance

June 22-30: Goat Ridge Trail #526 Idaho Trails Association Volunteer Project; Deferred Maintenance

June 21-29: Lochsa Ridge Trail #220 Trail Crew Project; Deferred Maintenance

July 5-13: Surprise Creek Trail #219 Wilderness Ranger Fellows Project; Deferred Maintenance and Campsite Monitoring

July 5-13: East Moose Creek Trail #421 Trail Crew Project; Deferred Maintenance

July 8-10: Elk Summit Campground SBFC Board of Director’s Volunteer Project; Deferred Maintenance

July 9-14: Friday Pass Trail #45 IDAWA Johnson County Volunteer Project; Annual & Deferred Maintenance

July 16-23: Big Sand Lake Trail #4 Sierra Club and Inspiring Connections Outdoors Volunteer Project; Annual & Deferred Maintenance

July 23-29: Tom Beal Trail #7 and Wind Lakes Trail #24 IDAWA Dallas County Volunteer Project; Annual & Deferred Maintenance

July 19-27: Storm Creek Trail #77 Wilderness Ranger Fellows Project; Deferred Maintenance

July 19-27: East Moose Creek Trail #421 Trail Crew Project; Deferred Maintenance

August 2-10: Seven Lakes Wilderness Ranger Fellows Project; Campsite Monitoring

August 2-10: East Moose Creek Trail #421 Trail Crew Project; Deferred Maintenance

August 16-24: Lochsa Ridge Trail #220 Trail Crew Project; Deferred Maintenance

August 27: Warm Springs Trail #49/Jerry Johnson Hot Springs Volunteer Project; Annual Maintenance

August 30-September 7: Lochsa Ridge Trail #220 Trail Crew Project; Deferred Maintenance

September 13-21: East Moose Creek Trail #421 Trail Crew Project;

April

Mosquito Ridge Trail #003, South Fork Chamberlain Creek Trail #019; Deferred Maintenance, Campsite Monitoring & Station Work

Chamberlain Trail #001; Three Blaze Trail #017, Lemhi Ridge Trail #23; Deferred Maintenance & Station Work

2-11: Queen Creek Trail #026, Arctic Point Trail #025; Deferred Maintenance

9-August 27: St. Mary Volunteer Trailhead Ambassadors: Volunteer Ambassadors returned to the St. Mary Trail parking area for Season Two of this new outreach program. On weekends in July and August, volunteer ambassadors interacted with trail users before and after their hikes, handed out trash and dog waste bags as well as water, and provided information to visitors. The Trailhead Ambassador program addresses resource concerns while helping to ensure user safety and enjoyment of the St. Mary Trail.

Lost Horse Guard Station Artist-in-Residence and Cabin Host: In year four of SBFC’s partnership with the OpenAIR program, the Artist-in-Residence position was awarded to artist and writer Angela Cieslewitz-Pierson. Angela was stationed at Lost Horse in July to assist with maintenance of the cabin and public restrooms, and to interact with the public. The remote experience allowed her the time and space to focus deeply on the writing and illustrating of her personal memoir.

St. Mary Peak Volunteer Fire Lookout Program: Seven volunteers were packed in by seven Bitterroot Backcountry Horsemen volunteers to complete 7-14 day hitches hosting the lookout. Volunteer hosts greeted visitors and shared the history and significance of the site, maintained the lookout structure, cleaned the general area, and kept an eye out for local wildfires.

Katya Lopez Mara Luther Jay Maas Eva Maggi Luca Maggi Maya Marquardt Moesha Marshelle Masters Jaden McCabe Patrick McCarron Paul McDade Bill McGlynn Clara McRae

Southern Nez Perce Trail Project Update

BY: DENNIS BAIRD-RETIRED UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO PROFESSOR

For over 10,000 years, with horses only after about 1680, the Nez Perce people have crossed through what is now known as the Magruder Corridor, travelling from the Clearwater River’s South Fork to the Bitterroot and Big Hole Valleys, among other destinations, on a still visible route that they called “Wise’isskit,” meaning “The Camping Trail.” Before the Forest Service came to use the route, it was maintained using fire, and after about 1935, no longer maintained at all.

For the past decade or so, a small group of volunteers have been working to relocate and cut open the portion of the trail west of Wilderness, and mark the trail. A couple of years ago, after joining their work, the Foundation’s Sally Ferguson decided to help track down some retired and hardworking Forest Service folks to give a badly needed boost to the trail clearing. The Red River Ranger District generously lent our crew their fire barracks, and a remarkable team of eight showed up this June to work on a tough piece of the trail just two miles east, bringing along some great food that Sally assembled. Over several days, amazingly bug and rain free, over a mile of trail was cleared from under deadfall often eight to

ten feet deep. In the fifty or so trail miles west of Bargamin Creek, now just a few miles of trail remain unlocated and in need of clearing. The work in June opened a rugged and quiet, beautiful stretch of this ancient route—one of Idaho’s greatest cultural and archaeological treasures.

It’s certainly understandable that most of the Foundation’s work lies inside Wilderness, but the presence of what is now known as the Southern Nez Perce Trail is a good reminder of the great treasures that rest close by. And east of Bargamin, the route is inside Wilderness all the way to Nez Perce Pass, with an associated route leading down to Lantz Bar on the Salmon.

Despite nearly a decade of trail work and some amazing recent work at trail clearing by the Foundation/fire fighter crew, two bad patches of trail—probably just a couple of miles—remain to be located and cut open. These sections will be challenging, with many downed trees and overgrowth. But the June crew enjoyed the work and became fond of the historic value of this ancient route, and we have high hopes that they will return next summer to continue the job!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRANSITION

The Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation’s fearless leader, Sally Ferguson, is stepping away from her role as Executive Director in early 2023. Over the course of her nine years leading SBFC, Sally has spearheaded SBFC’s growth and success as a premier wilderness stewardship organization.

Through Sally's work and dedication, she has touched the lives of many and inspired them by her example to be Wilderness stewards and advocates for life. Sally’s accomplishments for SBFC are too numerous to count, but the board and staff have chosen to highlight a few program areas where Sally’s leadership was especially impactful:

WILDERNESS RANGER FELLOWS OTHER PROGRAMS

ON THE TRAIL

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

A NOTE FROM SALLY

As I reflect on my nine years leading SBFC, it's been my very great pleasure to be in this role and engage with all of you in our wonderful, far-flung communities.

I've been so fortunate to have made lasting connections with fellow nonprofit people, funders, partners, and stakeholders. I'm incredibly grateful and I hope our paths cross again soon!

WILDERNESS RANGER FELLOWS

BY: NANCY FELDMAN

“Our Wilderness Ranger Fellowship program is like nothing else in the country because we focus specifically on wilderness skills training. It includes 5 days of crosscut training that results in a certification. We teach them everything from how to put handles on Pulaskis to sharpening tools. Then of course there is living in the wilderness up to 10 days at a time.” Sally told the SBFC Fellowship story for

“Even after the satisfaction wears off of bucking a large tree, the long-lasting gratification I get is knowing others are persistent in preserving natural resources for generations to come.”

- MICHAEL

R., WRF 2019

Under Sally’s leadership, training has expanded for this elite program from one to three weeks prior to the Fellows heading into the wilderness for 11 weeks of field work. Training includes Wilderness First Responder, horse packing, traditional tool training, The Wilderness Act education, and more. Annually Fellows are recruited from colleges and universities coast to coast, and once from Austria! This year we had 12 Fellows in the field, bringing our total to 118 since the program’s inception in 2009.

These next generations of wilderness supporters walk off the trail with an appreciation of capital-W wilderness and its value to the individual and the whole. The Fellows say it best themselves:

“Even when it seems futile, when it is only two of us facing a seemingly endless parade of downed logs, I know that this work, each tree cut, fits into a greater scheme of conservation.”

- LAUREN

SIMMS, WRF 2019; SBFC STAFF 2021-2022

the 2015 Idaho Public Television series on the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness.

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

Whether working with traditional tools to keep trails open, maintaining historic backcountry cabins, or spotting fires from the St. Mary Lookout, SBFC volunteers complete quality work while caring for our Wilderness and wildlands. Sally’s vision and leadership has allowed for expanded volunteer programs with new and innovative partners.

SBFC volunteers come from our region and across the country. They represent a wide variety of backgrounds: inner-city youth, Iowa teachers and teens, Idaho whiskey societies, environmental clubs and SBFC board members are some of the many groups who contribute to wilderness stewardship. This season, SBFC developed three new partnerships with regional non-profits and fielded 20 trail projects. Forty-one volunteers contributed over 3,500 hours hosting at three remote cabins and a fire lookout in the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness, and as St. Mary Lookout Trailhead Ambassadors.

SALLY ON THE TRAIL

BY: JIM HEIDELBERGER

For Sally, going to the office means contacting supporters, communicating with the Forest Service and other partners, collaborating with staff, writing grants, and reviewing budgets. But other times, going to the office means throwing her backpack in the back of the pickup and heading to a trailhead to meet up with SBFC volunteers for a work project. I have personally been on five volunteer trips with Sally; two long weekend trips and three weeklong backpacking trips in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. These are just a handful of the many trips Sally has joined throughout her tenure as Executive Director. Sure, Sally can work with spreadsheets, data bases, Zoom calls, and emails; but Sally can also work with an ax, loppers, a hand saw and a crosscut saw. Plus, she’s even stepped in as the camp cook when the need arises!

It is easy for someone in Sally’s position to get trapped in the bureaucracy. There is always another meeting to attend, grant to investigate, or letter to write. But Sally has been able to find the balance. When it comes to our Wilderness, Sally is a participant and not just an observer. Volunteers I have worked with find it quite

BY: KRISSY FERRITER

In addition to contributing to wilderness stewardship, these projects build the SBFC community.

At the heart of that community is Sally. Not only does Sally leverage strong federal, state, and local partnerships for wilderness work, she also spends significant time stewarding those very same trails herself. Each season, Sally joins volunteer projects in the Selway-Bitterroot and Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Areas. Her on-the-ground leadership and contagious passion invariably inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation of wild places in SBFC volunteers.

Thank you, Sally, for being an outdoor champion and for steering SBFC toward building a future of opportunities for all people to experience a safe, welcoming, and accessible outdoors.

refreshing to have their morning coffee around the campfire with SBFC’s Executive Director right there with them.

Although Sally is stepping down as Executive Director, I know she’ll be out on the trail for years to come!

SBFC PROGRAMS

BY: DEB GALE

Thanks to the leadership and vision of Sally, creative and innovative programs have been implemented since she began in January of 2014. These programs have grown SBFC’s capacity for a strong field presence in trail maintenance, wilderness monitoring, and volunteer programs, while at the same time expanding the Foundation’s wilderness stewardship role. These new and expanded programs include:

IDAHO WILDERNESS LICENSE PLATE PROGRAM

Established in 2012 to support wilderness stewardship in the Frank Church and Selway Bitterroot Wilderness areas. There are now over 3,000 Idaho Wilderness license plates on the road. The license plate revenue has allowed SBFC to increase wilderness stewardship and wilderness access. In 2020, the Idaho Wilderness License Plate met requirements for permanent continuation.

Established in 2018 to honor Connie Saylor Johnson, a teacher, wilderness educator, wilderness ranger and SBFC board member. These grants support wilderness education for future generations by providing teachers and educational organizations with funds to incorporate the stewardship of wilderness into classroom and outdoor curriculum. In 2021, The Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Endowment was established. In 2022, five Wilderness Education Fund Grants were funded within Idaho and Montana.

Established in 2021, volunteers have so far donated 125 hours of their time. The program engages and educates trail users on safe, enjoyable and responsible use of National Forest lands and wilderness trails. SBFC’s goal with this program is to build a sense of community around wilderness trails while ensuring natural resource protection and sustainable use of our public lands.

Established in 2009, 35 volunteers have donated 758 days and over 6,000 hours. SBFC volunteers staff the St. Mary’s Lookout between July-September. The volunteers greet hikers and report fire activity. Packing assistance has been provided from USFS, SBFC volunteers, and BCH.

Since the start of the SBFC partnership with Open AIR in 2019, 5 artists have contributed 680 volunteer hours at 3 Selway Bitterroot Wilderness or wilderness corridor sites.

CONNIE SAYLOR JOHNSON