Unplug, Unwind, and Dig In: Trail Work in the Idaho Panhandle

If you’re 18 to 35, you may be able to go on this trip for $300 off the listed price, thanks to the Sharon Churchwell Fund. To sign up and get your discount, please call 415-977-5522. No application is necessary. For a full list of Sharon Churchwell trips and other opportunities for young travelers, visit our trips for young participants page.

The Trip

This service trip to the Kaniksu National Forest, which is part of the larger Idaho Panhandle National Forests, will be a rewarding experience in a breathtaking part of northern Idaho. Unplugging will be simple as we'll be in a very remote area with no cell phone or radio coverage. So you can expect to make new friends as we work in this special area together. The Bonners Ferry Ranger District is a wonderful place for mountain lovers, as it is bordered to the east by the Montana State Line, as well as the Cabinet and Purcell Mountain Ranges, on the west by the rugged Selkirk Range, and 30 miles to the north by the Canadian border.

These three mountain ranges are divided by two major rivers, the Kootenai and the Moyie. Both the Selkirk and Cabinet trails are non-motorized and traverse roadless and recommended Wilderness lands. The peaks within the Bonners Ferry Ranger District are not too high (elevation is 7,200 feet), but they are heavily glaciated and spectacularly rugged. Our work project will focus on the Canyon Creek Trail (also known as the Long Creek Trail) in the rugged Selkirk mountain range.

We will be traveling and working on the ancestral lands of the Kootenai people. This area is home to a number of rare and endangered species -- migrating caribou, northern goshawks, lynx, sturgeon, wolves, and grizzly bear, to name a few. Deer and black bear are common in the higher areas; moose and elk may be seen in the lower meadows. Birds abound in the region, from the kingfisher to soaring hawks and melodious songbirds. Expect to find wildflowers such as mountain asters and Indian paintbrush. 

This trip has always benefited from the unwavering support of the U.S. Forest Service, which has allowed the cost of this trip to be kept low for each participant. 

The Project

The Sierra Club and the Bonners Ferry Ranger District have worked together to maintain quality trails in the area for over 40 years. We will once again work alongside the Forest Service trail crew with whatever trail maintenance projects are necessary for this year. Specific work projects may include building erosion structures, cutting and grubbing new re-routed trail sections, or closing and rehabilitating old trail sections. We will employ various tools, including Pulaskis, rock bars, shovels, and carpentry tools. The Forest Service will provide all tools and train us in their safe use.

We can expect to backpack about 8 miles (with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet and loss of 2,300 feet) to our backcountry base camp home for the week. A section of our backpack will be on the popular and beautiful Pacific Northwest Scenic Trail. The walk to the job sites will not be too difficult, but the trail repair projects themselves will be fairly strenuous. Our service work will be very productive and rewarding in a truly beautiful setting.

Pre-Trip: (Saturday) For those arriving by air, the Forest Service will provide shuttle service from the Spokane, WA Airport to the Bonners Ferry Ranger Station in Idaho. The shuttle will depart the airport by 1 p.m. and the drive will be about two hours. At 4 p.m., we'll all get together for a pre-trip orientation meeting at the Bonners Ferry Ranger Station (6286 Main Street Bonners Ferry, Idaho), where a Forest Service supervisor will greet us, discuss the upcoming work, and answer any questions. Participants can camp on the Forest Service lawn, however there are no showers and an active train track is nearby.

Day 1: This morning, we'll get an early breakfast on our own in town. The Forest Service will provide transportation from the Ranger Station to the trailhead, where the trip will officially begin. We’ll get an early start on our backpack to base camp with lunch and trail snacks provided. We should arrive by mid-afternoon, with time to set up camp and relax a bit before dinner.

Day 2: On our first trail reconstruction work day, we'll learn the basics. Expect to head out to the work site by 7 a.m. each morning, returning around 4 p.m. There will also be plenty of opportunities to take breaks during the work day. Before dinner you will have the option to unwind with yoga. Our certified instructor will offer a class every afternoon for all levels of experience.

Day 3: On our second day of trail repair, we'll work on improving our skills.

Day 4: Today will be our free day to hike, fish, jump in Long Mountain Lake, sit in Canyon Creek, sightsee, or just kick back and relax with a good book.

Day 5: On our third work day, we'll master the finer points of trail reconstruction technique.

Day 6: On our fourth work day, we'll likely be feeling like experienced pros, but it'll be time to wrap up our project.

Day 7: We'll break camp in the morning and backpack back to civilization. We should arrive at the trailhead in the early afternoon where the Forest Service will provide transportation back to Bonners Ferry. The trip officially ends when we get back to the ranger station, but in the evening, we'll celebrate our accomplishments with a no-host farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Convenient camping will again be available on the Ranger Station lawn; however, no showers are available.

Post-trip: (Sunday) We’ll get our own breakfast in town before the Forest Service shuttles us back to the Spokane Airport. The shuttle will arrive at the airport no earlier than 11 a.m., so schedule travel accordingly. 

Getting There

As noted, the Forest Service will provide transportation from the Spokane, Washington Airport to Bonners Ferry, Idaho (population 2,500) on Saturday. Participants arriving by air will need to be ready to meet the shuttle by 1 p.m. for the two hour drive to Bonners Ferry. The day after the trip ends, the Forest Service shuttle will aim to arrive back at the airport by 11 a.m.; be sure to allow adequate time for check-in and security lines when making return flight plans. For those driving, the Forest Service complex is located on the south end of Bonners Ferry just off Highway 95. A large Smokey the Bear sign marks the entrance. Please do not make travel arrangements until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member.

Accommodations and Food

We'll be able to camp conveniently on the Ranger Station lawn the night before the trip starts and the night after the trip ends; however, no showers will be available there. Participants may choose to stay at local motels as there are no other campgrounds in the immediate area.

Strenuous exercise and hard work burn a lot of calories, and the Forest Service trails cook will provide us with ranch-hand-style meals. She is famous for her abilities; this will not be your typical backpacking food. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated -- please indicate your food preferences in your application. Before applying for the trip, folks with special food needs, food allergies, and/or strong food preferences should contact the leader to see if they can be accommodated. We will have a group commissary with everyone taking turns helping in meal preparation and clean-up.

Participants are responsible for providing their own dinner the night before the trip starts, as well as breakfast on Day 1. The first meal that the Sierra Club provides will be lunch and trail snacks on Day 1, the day we hike in. Thereafter, the Forest Service will provide all meals starting with dinner on Day 1 through lunch on Day 7. We'll plan for a no-host farewell dinner at a local restaurant on the day we hike out. There are restaurants within walking distance of the Ranger Station and there is a small refrigerator at the station for pre-trip meal storage.

Trip Difficulty

This trip will be strenuous. Although we will have pack animals to carry our food and kitchen gear, the backpack to our basecamp will be steep in some areas and the daily service work will be tough; some heavy lifting and bending may be involved. However, no one will be asked to work beyond his or her comfort level, and we encourage all participants to take regular water and rest breaks to enjoy the surrounding scenery. No previous experience is necessary, but be prepared for a rewarding and demanding experience. If you have any concerns about your ability to participate, please contact the leader with your questions prior to applying for the trip.

In order to fully enjoy the volunteer service experience, participants should focus on arriving for the trip in good physical condition. Conditioning requires three to four months of aerobic exercise, such as bicycling, hiking, running, or swimming. The better shape you are in the more you will be able to enjoy the trip!

Equipment and Clothing

Food and everything needed for its preparation will be provided by the Forest Service. You will need to bring a backpack, small tent, camping gear, and hiking boots, a day pack, water bottles, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Important: Volunteers will be required to wear long pants, boots, and gloves while working. We will supply a group first-aid kit, but you should bring essentials such as Moleskin, Band-Aids, etc., and a sufficient supply of any medications you take regularly. A full equipment checklist will be sent to trip participants well in advance of the trip. The Forest Service will provide and transport materials and equipment to the worksite. We will be responsible for packing in all our personal gear and a tool.

Weather in the Bonners Ferry Ranger District is unpredictable and changeable. August weather is typically warm and sunny during the day, but quite cool at night. Rain is likely sometime during a trip of this duration, so good quality rain gear is necessary. Plan to use the layering technique with your clothing so that you can easily adjust to changing temperatures throughout the day.

References

Maps:

• The USGS topographic maps covering the area are Pyramid Peak, ID and Smith Peak, ID and are available at https://store.usgs.gov/.

Books:

• A "Panhandle National Forest" manual is available from the Bonners Ferry Ranger Station, at 6286 Main Street, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805-9764; (208) 267-5561.

Websites:

• http://www.fs.usda.gov/ipnf/
• If you plan on hooking a trout, you'll need a license, available at https://idfg.idaho.gov/licenses

Conservation

Since its founding in 1892, The Sierra Club has worked to preserve and restore the natural environment we all share on this planet. Thousands of grassroots-level volunteers spearhead our efforts to conserve and sustain resources, both in our own backyards and on a global scale. Through direct experience in the outdoors, Sierra Club outings enable participants to better understand, advocate, and participate in the environmental conservation goals of the Club.

Service outings, in particular, stand out as one of the Sierra Club’s most important “boots on the ground” conservation efforts. The work done by service trip participants in our nation’s public lands is a way of practicing conservation in the most direct way possible, whether it’s improving access while preserving wilderness values, restoring wildlife habitat, or repairing human-caused damage to a natural area. Service trips are a great way to pitch in and do something tangible to make the world a better place; they’re a way to go beyond just talking about conservation; a way to get out there and experience conservation with your whole being.

Idaho's roadless areas have been the focus of the wilderness vs. development controversy for many years. We can discuss the importance of roadless areas for clean water and wildlife habitat, in addition to the economic future of the area. We'll see up close how these issues play out in the area we're visiting, and learn about current efforts to preserve these wild areas.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.