Montana Conservation Corps

Sharing your stories as we inspire young people through hands-on conservation service to be leaders, stewards of the land and engaged citizens who improve their communities.

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Reconnecting Tribal Nations to their Ancestral Land – The Yellowstone Summit

January 2020

Over 25 tribal nations call the Greater Yellowstone area part of their ancestral homeland. In an effort to help Native American young adults reconnect with their indigenous roots on the land now called Yellowstone National Park, MCC and Yellowstone National Park hosted the 2019 Yellowstone Summit in September 2019, with representation from multiple tribal nations and communities. 

For thousands of years before Yellowstone became a national park, there was a traditional connection to the land and its resources. The park’s location was essential to the Great Plains, Great Basin, and Plateau Indian cultures. The land was a sacred place for both survival and spirituality. It was a place where people hunted, fished, gathered plants, quarried obsidian, and used the thermal waters for religious and medicinal purposes.

It is the desire of Yellowstone National Park to have Yellowstone Summit participants each year help restore parts of the park to the way the ancestral land was once cared for and encourage more Indigenous people to embrace the historical importance of the land.

As participants came together for a damp and chilly start to the Yellowstone Summit, strangers quickly became family. “There was lots of laughter and sharing of stories and warm meals.” says Tauzha Grantham, one of the coordinators of the event with Montana Conservation Corps.  It was an opportunity for participants from different nations to come together for service projects and camaraderie.

Red Thunder, one of the leaders of the event, spoke on his goals for the Yellowstone Summit "To create a cultural exchange across borders & regions. Allowing us to gather in a meaningful way with the exchange of language and traditional foods, but most importantly to come together to make a difference, to defend against the pressing concerns of today and talk with one another on how we will leave things seven generations from now."

For the first two days of the Yellowstone Summit, participants took on different projects within the park that would help restore and reconnect participants to the land. One project involved tearing down some small cabin structures built for research purposes and returning the land to its former state. All of the demolished materials had to be hauled away. The Yellowstone Park Staff wanted the experience to hail back to how their ancestors might have traveled across the land, so they supplied the participants with sleds to mimic what their ancient people might have used. It was a powerful tool that helped connect participants to the steps their ancestors might have taken.

Shonto Greyeyes, another leader of the event said “The Yellowstone Summit was like the opening of faucets for me. Not only to land management agencies like the national park system, but also to the access of our traditional homelands and our place of kinship.” Shonto is from the Navajo Nation of Northeast Arizona and has had several years’ of experience in land conservation and working with conservation corps. Shonto continues, "It is a blessing to be in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. It has allowed us to work together on our ancestral land, to breakdown borders and boundaries to provide us with connections to who our people were." 

On the last full day of the Yellowstone Summit, the sun appeared just in time for a workshop on Corpsmember Liberation and Leadership Training, arranged by The Corps Network Moving Forward Initiative. A few MCC staff, as well as Park Service staff, joined the group to learn about the importance of recognizing the limiting messages we tell ourselves and how to move forward from them.  The presenters, Mahdi and Juanita, led the group through some challenging questions, such as, "What is the purpose of natural expression?" and "How are you going to empower anyone if you don't know what disempowers them?" The primary take-home message from the workshop was stated perfectly by Shonto, "Workshops like this help empower ourselves to trust in ourselves so we can invest and instill trust in others."

The program was made possible by a National Park Foundation Grant, The Corps Network, and Yellowstone National Park.

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MCC’s Fire Prevention Crew in Missoula County

January 2020

2017 will go down in history as one of the worst wildfire seasons Montana has ever experienced. The Great Falls Tribune reported an estimated 1.4 million acres of both public and privately-owned land burned over the course of the year. 200,000 of those acres were in Missoula County. Subsequent to the fires, where the United Way received $300,000 in donations to aid homes and properties damaged by the fires. A majority of the donations – around $285,000 – went directly into rehabilitating homes and properties.  The remaining funds were used to support a new initiative called Wildfire Adapted Missoula (WAM).

WAM is the result of a partnership between The United Way, the United States Forest Service, Missoula County Office of Emergency Management, and Montana Conservation Corps. The strategic plan of WAM is to mitigate the risks that wildfires pose for Missoula County by educating the public and reducing fire vulnerabilities in the area around a home, or the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ). New MCC crews, called Fire Prevention Crews, will handle all of the heavy work.

“The main focus of the work is to implement the home assessment conducted by the Missoula County Office of Emergency Services,” says MCC Regional Director Bobby Grillo. “This assessment addresses what can be done within 40 feet of the home site to mitigate wildfire threats.  Crew members will engage in limbing trees 15-20 feet off the ground, removing trees in clusters, removing all vegetation that is touching the house or foundation, moving woodpiles away from homes, raking leaf litter and mulch away from structures and replacing it with gravel, and hauling away organic materials to the City’s compost facility.” 

The HIZ program launched in the fall of 2019, and the MCC Fire Prevention Crew members were trained in wildfire mitigation by USFS Fire Scientist Jack Cohen. The eight-person Fire Prevention Crew served 21 homes in the first program year, and was overwhelmingly supported by the homeowners:

“The Fire Prevention Crew from Montana Conservation Corps was amazing,” one homeowner said. “These young people worked hard and were fast and efficient every day for five days. They were polite, informative, trustworthy, personable and fun to be around.”

With such positive responses from the Missoula community, the United Way invited MCC to extend the program in 2020, and it will now run from April to October. Crew members will continue to receive training from Jack Cohen and will also complete chainsaw training, home assessment training and receive a red card in fire training. The Fire Prevention Crew will focus on fire mitigation projects around the Missoula wildland-urban interface in the spring and fall and will participate in field projects during the summer.

“The HIZ program is a proactive approach to wildfire management, and is truly cutting edge in the US,” Bobby said. “It gives AmeriCorps members an opportunity to learn new skills that can help them in discovering future pathway opportunities; they become competent sawyers and receive red cards as part of this experience.  This is an excellent experience in national service and provides members with a unique opportunity to improve the lives of people living in Missoula County.”

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When Our Youth Give Back

November 2019

There are so many impactful stories about people who take on a cause and give back to our community. And each one is so important. It is through this generosity that we build a strong society and world around us. Giving back is the foundation of our communities and the future for our children.

But what happens when our youth give back? It empowers them for a lifetime. It transforms how they view the world around them. And it encircles them with a greater sense of community.

Every summer Montana Conservation Corps gives hundreds of youth from around the state the opportunity to give back to our public lands. Last year more than 400 Montana youth served over 36,800 hours improving our trails, working on fencing, planting trees and removing invasive species. During their time on our public lands, their home was their tent. Parents were excited because no electronic devices are allowed. The kids were excited about the opportunity to be away and camp in the woods for part of the summer. But what neither parents nor their kids expected was the impact on one’s sense of being.

The following is a speech by Rebecca Snow, a teenager from Helena, Montana, who served with the Montana Conservation Corps this past summer:

Hello, my name is Rebecca.

This summer I finished my second hitch with the Montana Conservation Corp.  I was honored when asked to share my experience as a crew member with the MCC.  WOW, how do I put such an amazing experience into words. There were so many little things that transformed how I viewed the world around me.

Two take-aways from my time on the field was a greater sense of community and empowerment.

Core lessons while on the hitch taught us how to challenge ourselves and how to have each other’s back, whether it was working on the trail or helping around camp.  It seemed like overnight the crew went from being strangers, to co-workers to family. The time spent out on the field connecting with my crew and growing, both individually and as a group, has been such a rewarding experience.  Just to see how much we accomplished, that rock wall, the tread we laid and the number of weeds we pulled.  We DID it! Our crew ROCKED it!

The community we met along the way looked out for us as well. While working on the highline we ran into some severe weather and were offered safe refuge in an old lodge.  Another time a camp host made us dinner and let us watch a movie in an air-conditioned RV – after a day on the trail this was a touch of heaven.  One day I hope to pass it on!  These simple acts of kindness are memories that will always be part of this amazing adventure.

Who knew that being creative is an important skill?  For example, one day–headed to our campsite on a muddy two-track road the rig got stuck.  We were out of cell service, and although coated in mud, we managed to push the rig out with sagebrush and rocks to help with traction.  I think we all felt excited and relieved all in one to get the rig out, but I will always remember how the team worked together and came up with a creative solution to get us out. Oh, and we definitely looked for a more accessible campsite.  

I don’t think I will ever be able to hike a trail without thinking about the hard work that went into making it and the work involved in maintaining it.  I came off both my hitches feeling empowered and wanting to do more. During my first hitch I would get confused about the difference between a pick mattock and a pulaski (which are trail tools) but finally got them straight just before the hitch was over.

My strength grew both physically and mentally. Never have I ever had the muscles I left the hitch with after using those trail tools, but I also came away with the confidence to speak up, and share ideas.  

Getting to know the history of Montana as we worked on the Bison Range, and the Merriweather Trail to name a few, was the great part of packing up camp and moving to the next project – the excitement of the unknown.  Hiking and camping were never my thing – it was always mum and dad’s – until my time on crew with the MCC – my love of spending time outdoors and on the trails grew to be something I owned.

Prickly Pear Land Trust had a weed pull in Helena just after we finished our hitch this summer.  I reached out to my crew.  Wearing our MCC shirts we slayed musk thistles on some of the Mount Ascension trails. Love these supportive friends and the opportunity to give back!  Hanging out afterwards over pizza with the crew – priceless!

People, Power, Place and Pathways, the pillars of MCC's daily curriculum, is such an empowering message that will forever be part of me wherever my path leads in the future.

If you ask my parents, they thought the best part of my hitch was the no device policy but now they know better!

I would like to close by thanking everyone who has made my journey possible. Shout out to my awesome crew leaders and everyone at the MCC home base – you guys are the best!

Rebecca (pictured at far left) and her crew still get together and volunteer on our trails when they can. When Prickly Pear Land Trust had a Weed Pull in Helena this past summer, Rebecca reached out to her crew and they “slayed musk thistles” on the Mount Ascension Trails together. Rebecca and her friends plan on continuing to look for opportunities to give back!

An abbreviated version of this story was published in the Nov/Dec 2019 Edition of Montana Parent Magazine.

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Our Roots Run Deep

November 2019

Montana Conservation Corps is immensely proud of our partnership with AmeriCorps! In celebration of AmeriCorps 25th Anniversary, we hope to illuminate the depth of our service roots with AmeriCorps and MCC’s commitment to National Service.

Some Background

The nonprofit organization, Montana Conservation Corps was formed in 1991 by a few individuals inspired to follow in the footsteps of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and early 1940s. The intent was to revive one of the greatest legacies for Montana’s public lands – the conservation corps and the young people who worked hard to be the change. In the early 1990s, the highest levels of government were joining together to implement the national service initiative called AmeriCorps. During this formalization period of AmeriCorps, MCC was ready to become one of the first national service programs with an environmental focus.

Each year, Montana Conservation Corps must ensure we are being good stewards of the public trust to receive AmeriCorps grant funding. These funding resources allow MCC to meet needs and improve our public lands through hands-on conservation.  Over the last 25 years, we have continued to recruit, train, and supervise AmeriCorps members to strengthen our country and make positive impacts on our public lands.

Today, Montana Conservation Corps is proud to be Montana’s longest-standing leader in the national service movement.

Who Manages AmeriCorps?

AmeriCorps is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency responsible for all national service funding across the United States. Their mission is to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering. The Montana Governor’s Office of Community Service oversees MCC’s AmeriCorps funding and other AmeriCorps programs across the state of Montana.

AmeriCorps Membership

Each individual that joins Montana Conservation Corps’ young adult programs, join as an AmeriCorps Member. This honor bestows the privilege to be part of a small & exceptional percentage of American citizens that are giving back to our country through national service. In turn, AmeriCorps members receive valuable work skills, a living allowance, and an education award to help pay for qualified post-secondary education. Last year, there were 75,000 AmeriCorps members nationwide, nearly 400 of them were AmeriCorps members with MCC.

Montana Conservation Corps Role

As a nonprofit organization, MCC’s mission is to inspire young people through hands-on conservation service to be leaders, stewards of the land, and engaged citizens who improve their communities. We help prepare our members to be the next generation of conservation stewards and realize the greater good is larger than themselves.  We are reminded of this transformative experience as our participants are completing their term of service …

“I'm learning that my recipe for happiness is quite simple: a strong community, nature, challenging and fulfilling work, physical exertion, and good food. Not status, not riches, not things.” 2019 MCC Crew Member

MCC participants consistently say, year after year, how their experience has equipped them for the future. They have served well, worked hard, made bonds for a lifetime, clarified their values, and have looked outside themselves to find their career trajectory. They now have more confidence, competencies, compassion, and resilience to take on whatever their pathway holds for them, and to do so as engaged citizens.

We are proud of the thousands of MCC alumni who have served in AmeriCorps with us over the past 25 years and have taken their service roots with them! On behalf of MCC’s board of directors and staff, we acknowledge and appreciate all of the community support that has helped make it possible to celebrate AmeriCorps’ 25th Anniversary of National Service!

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If you are interested in serving with us and helping our roots run deeper, please visit our website for opportunities to Join or Give! MTCORPS.ORG or just give us a call! [phone]

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GUTS Girls: Glacier and Beyond

November 2019

The small crew of middle school GUTS girls peered over the side of North Fork Road. Though they all lived within close proximity to Glacier National Park, many of them had never been inside the Park before. They were on their way to Logging Lake Trail to conduct Huckleberry Surveys, led by Glacier National Park Service’s Volunteer Program Assistant Carolyn Clark. This would be one of the final projects the girls completed during their week-long MCC Middle School Expedition in Glacier. Carolyn was great about breaking up project work with fun, informational lessons on the geography, vegetation and animal inhabitants that made the park their home.

The North Fork of the Flathead River sliced through the valley below. “That’s the clearest water I’ve ever seen,” one of the girls said.

“Who knows what kind of tree this is?” Carolyn asked, motioning to an enormous, downed tree on the side of the road. “It starts with a ‘p.’”

“Ponderosa Pine!” the GUTS Girls chirped.

“Right! And can you tell me how old it is?”

The girls surrounded the massive tree, counting the rings of the trunk. Over the course of the week, they had learned to identify several types of plants, trees, animal scat, and birds. That morning, their crew leaders, Jordan and Joe, brought them to the West Lakes Office just inside the west entrance of GNP for a short training on conducting huckleberry surveys. They learned to identify the plants based on several factors, including angles of stem growth, berry placement, and leaf shape.

“Remember,” Carolyn said, “you have to identify multiple characteristics. Lots of plants have purple berries, or spikey leaves, or red stems, but only huckleberry plants have all of these features.”    

Last February, MCC Youth Program Manager Carolan Coughlin and her youth development-driven friend, Gen Bennett, introduced the Girls Using Their Strengths (GUTS) after-school program at Columbia Falls Junior High. The YWCA first established GUTS to provide a supportive environment for girls to explore their inner strengths through wilderness adventures and community service. The program was a hit.

“Columbia Falls doesn’t offer much afterschool programming,” Carolan said. “When we talked to the school counselor, she said she would do anything to make this program happen, so there was some need there.”

For nine weeks, the girls met for two hours every Wednesday to complete community service projects, engage in team building activities and participate in group discussions on bullying, gender norms and healthy relationships. It was revered as a huge success by the participants, their parents, and the school counselor, who reported that, thanks to the program, many of the girls saw themselves as shining stars for the first time in their lives.

“It was important for us to connect the girls with their own personal power,” Carolan said. “At the end of the program, we held an affirmation circle, and it was so cool to watch them say and hear positive things about one another. We knew we wanted to get them back together for a week-long Expedition.”

In mid-August, GUTS participants came back together, as a crew, in Glacier. They re-stained pit toilets, parking barriers, picnic tables and benches at the Logan Pass and Avalanche campgrounds. They pulled weeds at Glacier’s Native Plant Nursery. They engaged in fuels reductions and fire mitigation around park headquarters. At the Logging Lake Trailhead, the GUTS girls took the time to stretch and discuss safety while hiking in the wilderness with their crew leaders. They paused to pull spotted knapweed at the trailhead.

“Are you pulling weeds of your own volition?” crew leader Jordan asked.  “I’m so proud I could cry.”

The crew hiked along Logging Lake Trail, stopping every fifteen minutes to record latitude and longitude coordinates and search for huckleberries. The data they collected would help the Park Service identify the seasonal progression and location of huckleberry plants. While they hiked, they talked about projects, the upcoming school year, and how much fun they were having. It was clear that the girls were forming a sense of place and purpose in the park.

“The work sites mean a lot to me,” one girl shared. “I know that we made a difference. GUTS pushed me to work hard and build up both my mental and physical strength.”

“I learned that it is important to take care of nature,” another girl said. “It means something special to me. I want to do MCC again!”

When Carolan and Gen introduced the program last February, they were concerned about getting enough participants. Now, less than a year later, they are offering the program again at Columbia Falls Junior High School, and it is projected to nearly triple in size. MCC will lead two GUTS crews – one sixth grade crew and one seventh grade crew – and they are expecting 15 sixth graders and 10 seventh graders to participate.

“We would eventually like to run multiple GUTS programs all over the Flathead Valley,” Gen said. “That’s the twinkle in our eye.”

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The GUTS program is one of several school-year programs that MCC offers youth in various Montana communities, in conjunction with schools and local nonprofit partners.  Growth of the GUTS program is dependent upon donor funding.

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Warming Hearts and Homes

November 2019

The last hitch our members have for the season is our initiative called Warm Hearts, Warm Homes. The crews spend the last few weeks of October traveling all across Montana winterizing homes for low-income individuals and families.  

It all began in 2005 when Governor Brian Schweitzer enacted the program. The goal of Warm Hearts, Warm Homes is to winterize homes that qualify for the Low Income Energy Assistance Program. It is MCC’s responsibility to help provide low-cost/no-cost energy conservation measures and knowledge to those in need across Montana.

Our crews do help lower power bills and increase comfort throughout the winter by installing simple energy-saving measures, such as plastic on windows, door sweeps, energy efficient light bulbs, pipe insulation smoke alarm batteries, and adjusting temperature gauges on hot water heaters, refrigerators, and so on. All of these measures contribute to reducing heating costs in the winter.

Just as important as the winterization work, is the outreach and care that our members show for those individuals and families. The visit means so much to them. Our crews often spend more time talking with and listening to those we visit than the time it takes for the actual work to be completed. It is so important for them to know there is someone out there who values their needs and cares enough to assist them.

As one recipient writes in a letter to MCC, “Thank you for including my home in this year’s annual energy conservation program - Warm Hearts, Warm Homes… I applaud Montana Conservation Corps and the young people who came this year. They were very pleasant and efficient. Please give them a special thank you from me.” 2019 WHWH Recipient

These experiences really help tie the ideas of service and community together, something that is sometimes lost when a crew is in the woods and unable to see those who are directly impacted by the work they perform.

The impact of Warm Hearts, Warm Homes on our members is best expressed in their words:

Warm Hearts, Warm Homes was an experience like no other. Winter has come and it has come quick! In response, MCC crews from our four regions are traveling all across Montana in order to spread some love and plastic. We've been busy winterizing people's homes making sure they're plenty warm and cozy.

If there was one hitch throughout the entire season that I wished we could've spent longer working on, it would be this one. We met plenty of happy and grateful faces along the way which I couldn't get enough of.

We kept ourselves busy working an average of four homes per day. At each home, we'd take a quick look around and check if any drafts were coming through windows and door frames. To combat drafts, we would install a sheet of plastic over the windows that were not double-paned. And for doors, we would screw in a couple pieces of weather-stripping and a door sweep if needed. We would educate them on the most efficient thermometer settings and change batteries in smoke alarms, etc. The tasks would always vary from home to home, so we had to make sure we were always prepared for whatever awaited us next.

At the end of the day, our heads were held high knowing we made a big difference in the lives of those we visited and hopefully a significant difference in keeping warm this winter. I sure hope that at some point down the road, I will cross paths with some of the folks we have met during Warm Hearts Warm Homes.  2019 Greater Yellowstone Region Crew Member

Montana Conservation Corps winterized 1,021 Montana homes in October of 2019 through the Warm Hearts Warm Homes initiative.

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The End of an Era

October 2019

From the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness By Michael Busch

Whether it is finishing a season of trail work, graduating from college, or watching all four Rambo movies in one sitting, there is always something bitter sweet about completing a long arduous journey.

One finds themselves somewhat relieved to be finished, but at the same time melancholy because the journey has come to an end. We tend to reminisce on all the good times that have now come to pass and attempt to procure a few stray lasting memories as we reach the finish line.

I believe this process is exactly what occurred with the’ Lil’ Baby Bun-Buns’ crew during their last hitch in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.  

As we carried our overloaded packs up to Parson’s Spring while battling the cold and the rain, we were each filled with a desire to be away from the strain of a long hike. We wished to be out of the Wilderness, comfortably seated in front of a fireplace, surrounded by friends and family, far away from the wonderful sensation of sliding wet feet into frozen boots every morning.

As the hitch progressed a change occurred. The clouds parted and the sun god Ra both dried our tents and warmed our hearts with the memories of our time in the Wilderness.  

We were working our way down the 606 trail, passing tread work completed on our first hitch all the way back in June. We laughed and joked about the quality of our work then, compared to now and we teased each other about our evolution as trail workers.  

We were nearing the end of our hitch, and found ourselves cherishing the opportunity to cut a downed tree in the trail. We attempted to make each pull of the saw perfect for we knew it might be the last time we have in this Wilderness.

When it finally came time to hike out to the trailhead, each person had the opportunity to be alone with their thoughts. We each had a final chance to think on a few of our favorite memories, to cherish the beauty of the country around us, and attempt to find closure to this chapter of our lives soon coming to an end.

The long hike out brought our conflicted feelings full circle. The miles progressed and our packs began to feel heavier and heavier. We all longed to be at the trailhead where the thought of a heated rig and a warm cup of coffee awaited us.  But as we were gathering at the trailhead, a silence fell upon the group as each member seemed to be processing the finality of the situation.  

We quietly loaded the rig, all awash with emotions about returning to civilization, having the chance to talk with family again, and the prospect of the China Buffet that awaited us.  While at the same time, we were all still struggling to come to grips with the fact that we were leaving our home of the past four months.

I believe our time in the Wilderness will forever be a part of each us. We all left some part of our being among the trails of the Selway and we all took a piece of the Selway out with us, becoming better men in the process.

I’ve heard it said that the end of one chapter is just the start of another, and I am excited to see what the future holds for each member of the ‘Lil’ Baby Bun-Buns’ crew. As we all take our separate paths in life, we will forever be bonded by our experiences together in the Wilderness and perhaps one day each of us will answer the call to return to primitive forest that has shaped us in ways we will never fully understand.  

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Another Day in Paradise

October 2019

From the Many Glacier Swiftcurrent ADA Trail By Collin Denbow

After the second day of steady rain, it became less a struggle to try and stay dry during the workday and more a fight to try and dry one's clothes before the next morning. After the third day, even this was a lost cause. The low to mid-40s and rain certainly did its part to drain spirits at times and many of our breaks ended up being in the rig, but long days of work continued.

The day would start with the chill of trying to make lunches on rain-soaked surfaces before the sun was up and frequently we returned to camp in the evening to yet again rain-soaked surfaces.

On one cloudy morning, we took the time to just look up from our wheelbarrows and shovels and observed our surroundings. Yes, we had been working at the same project site for two hitches (and sadly no new mountains had migrated into the Many Glacier Valley).  But by taking the time to just look at the mountains, enveloped with morning fog, and wrapping around Swiftcurrent Lake, we remembered how fortunate we were to be doing this work. 

Sure it was cold and raining, but… • How many people get the opportunity to have a commute such as the Going to the Sun Road? • How many people get a morning break in which they get to watch moose feeding as close as 40 yards? • How many individuals get to perform long-lasting, meaningful work such as the wheelchair-accessible trail that we were working on during these storms?

So yes, it rained quite a bit and yes we were all a bit chilly, but there truly is not a single place I would rather be each day, than getting the opportunity to make a difference out in the great outdoors.

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Some of the Best Days of Our Lives

October 2019

From the Big Horn Mountains, Ten Sleep, Wyoming By Patty Derner

From traveling to Alaska, to lighting fires, to seeing moose for the first time, our crew keeps saying one thing that has really stood out to me "This is the best day of my life!"

It's easy to find yourself or even your crew in a lull, especially this late in the season or after doing something particularly exciting. Lately, our crew has been embracing the simple things, like showing up to a gas station and eating a donut or having a hot cup of coffee after being in the field for a while. However, for the first time since being in Alaska, I've started to hear my favorite sentence being said again… "This is the best day of my life!"

It was said multiple times this past week. The first time was when we found out our crew could take part in a prescribed burn near Ten Sleep, Wyoming. We drove into town from our project site on Rattlesnake Mountain and excitedly got pizza before heading to Worland to once again get fitted with yellows and greens (Nomex). We weren't sure what to expect as there were only 5 of us that were able to make it out to the prescribed burn.  

It was exciting going out to the prescribed burn site, getting a briefing and seeing some familiar faces from various times of our season.  This prescribed burn was made possible by a variety of crews including engines from the BLM in Buffalo and Worland, the Black Tooth Fire Module members and others.  During our briefing, we found out that the MCC women would be on ignition, in combination with some overhead from BLM or the Forest Service! We were not only excited, but some of us thought once again… "This is the best day of my life!"

Running around a field of sage with a drip torch, working with people who once trained us, eating smoke, holding the line, and watching for spot fires aren't the only things that can make us say… “This is the best day of my life!”

The day after the prescribed burn, we were going out into the Big Horns to our burn site, where we were to clean up all the hoses and any other equipment that may have been left behind. It started snowing! Not only was it snowing, but as we started driving higher into the mountains, we turned a corner to see two moose! A male and a female moose! I was in disbelief; I'd never once seen a moose!

As we continued on our way, the snow was really dumping and completely blanketing the ground and trees. So we stopped to radio our supervisor about the snow and our supervisor dismissed us from continuing up the mountain to the burn site because the weather had become an issue. After that radio conversation, we decided to get out of the trucks to stretch our legs before the trip back down the mountain, but as soon as we got out of the truck and got our bearings, a huge moose crossed the road, just in front of our truck. The moose was so large and so close to us in the snow! This moment was undeniably my turn to say… "This is the best day of my life!"

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Making Sure Communities are Heard

September 2019

Meet Michelle Lockhart, one of this year’s seventy-six MCC Conservation Interns. Michelle is finishing up her term as a MCC AmeriCorps member serving with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Rangeland Resources Program in Helena, Montana.

Michelle graduated from Purdue University in Landscape Architecture this past spring. A prerequisite for her program was fulfilling one year of internship. To complete this requirement, Michelle worked for a landscape architecture firm in Vermont, where she was indoors the majority of the time, in front of a computer. She realized that the traditional professional pathway for a Landscape Architect was to work at a firm, which was not a good fit for her. So she did some soul searching and reminded herself why she chose to pursue a degree in Landscape Architecture; it was her love for nature and community. Michelle did not waste any time, she googled ‘Natural Resource Internship,’ and the Montana Conservation Corps’ Individual Placement Program popped up. Fast forward and here she is, working in the rangelands of Montana and bringing communities together in conversation on rangeland topics that affect them. Now, as her five month AmeriCorps term comes to an end, she is calmer and more confident about her future.

This is the first year MCC has partnered with the Rangeland Resources Program, and Stacey Barta, the program’s coordinator could not be happier with Michelle’s contribution to the program… ”Michelle was a perfect fit!” Stacey was looking for an intern who had no frame of reference in the rangeland resources field and would thus be able to bring a fresh perspective to the program. The Rangeland Resources Program’s focus is on the collaboration: building positive relationships with diverse groups, so they can be a resource to foster different perspectives and ideas that will assure a sustainable and healthy rangeland for present and future generations.

View of the Musselshell River from the Ahlgren Ranch in Mosby, MT

In Michelle’s first month as an intern, Stacey took her all over Montana for rangeland and beef industry visits. Michelle said she just soaked everything up and asked a lot of question. “Within the natural resource community, I loved talking and learning different perspectives from those most directly impacted.” As her internship progressed, she continued to ask questions of community members while coordinating and conducting educational outreach events and tours on rangeland conservation efforts.

Michelle came to work with an open mind. While in school she had cut beef from her diet to support an environmentally friendly lifestyle, but now she was listening to the ranching communities and the grazing side of the beef industry. She asked questions and learned from the people living it. Michelle believes that so many voices are not heard, “If you are listening, they feel heard and are willing to share their knowledge with you.” She continues, “Exposing yourself to other perspectives is so important as is inviting everyone to the table.”

She wants to make sure communities are heard.

Michelle’s MCC AmeriCorps term as a Conservation Intern with DNRC’s Rangeland Resource Program concludes October 4th. She is looking forward to going home to Fishers, Indiana to appreciate the big deciduous trees of the Midwest, an appreciation that can be taken for granted except when deciduous trees are few and far between on the rangelands of Montana.

Michelle is thankful for her experience and hopes to return to Montana early next year if she is accepted into MCC’s other Individual Placement Program, the Big Sky Watershed Corps, for a 10 month AmeriCorps term. She now knows she wants to continue learning and working in a field that reflects her love for nature and community and the arena of community and natural resource planning.

Bum Calves on the Ahlgren Ranch in Mosby, MT

Michelle has written a three-part blog series about the ranching side of the beef industry that she has experienced as a Conservation Intern this summer. She hopes her blog will spark a more holistic conversation about beef and its potential pros and cons.

READ MICHELLE’S BLOG HERE

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A Sense of Place for Grand Teton Tribal Youth Crews

September 2019

Jackie Cragen was in the midst of her third term as a Youth Crew Leader for MCC when she led her first of two Grand Teton Tribal Youth Crews in Grand Teton National Park. The crews consisted of youth from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, who would spend 30 days camping in the park, engaging in conservation projects, leadership development and team building activities, as well as lessons taught by the Park’s educational department.  

“I’m not sure I could’ve been stationed so far away from the regional office in Bozeman my first year as a YCL,” Jackie said. “But because of my experience with the Leadership Development Program and all the youth crews I’d led before, I was up for the challenge.”

Brandishing a positive attitude and an adaptive leadership style proved to be a winning combination for Jackie. Most of the members of the Grand Teton Tribal Youth crew had never spent any time away from home or been around non-native people. Crew members were deeply connected to their families. Overcoming homesickness and adjusting to crew life was an ongoing process. Jackie and her co-leader quickly learned that lectured lessons and demanding the completion of tasks simply would not work.

“If we wanted to get something accomplished, we learned to be conversational about it,” Jackie said. “The same went for our project partners. We wouldn’t say, ‘You need to do this.’ Instead, we would say, ‘I’m asking you to do this because I need your help, because I value and appreciate your contribution.”

Subtle adjustments in their leadership style brought major developments within the Park and the crew members themselves. Daily project work included building an eight-foot long log bridge near Moose Ponds, brushing trails, digging a new trail at Grand View Point, and constructing a steep 19-check-step staircase at Schwabacher Landing. The crew relished in walking up and down their newly created staircase or hiking freshly dug trail. They were excited that Park visitors would enjoy their hard work. MCC’s Grand Teton project partners were thrilled with the crews’ accomplishments.

“One project partner told us we completed more than she expected; more than the crews had completed in the past.”

As they grew more comfortable, the crew members opened up to their leaders. They began to feel a sense of place within the park and expressed a desire to implement Leave No Trace policies based on the MCC CORE lessons led by Jackie and her co-leader. Grand Teton’s educational department made sure to introduce the crew to every indigenous person working in the Park. Interpretive rangers taught the crews about geology, macro-invertebrates, and water quality, and the native youth found themselves genuinely interested in careers in conservation and land management.

Perhaps the height of the experience was the opportunity for each member to spend an entire day career-shadowing. Crew members were allowed to pick from any job in the park; one member cruised around in an ambulance, one followed a water quality specialist, and a few spent the day hanging out in the National Park Foundation office.

When the 30 days came to an end, Jackie recognized growth in each individual member. On their exit surveys, the youth wrote that they felt more open minded and curious about other cultures and backgrounds. And as for the homesickness? “Every single one of them wants to come back," Jackie said. "They kept asking, 'Is there a limit to the number of times I can do this?' One girl eventually wants to lead the Teton Crew.”

“I loved leading them, but that’s what I hope for, that someday MCC’s Native Programs will be led by Native Leaders. I hope it’s some of the youth from my crews.”

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Working Hard and Being their Best Selves - All Nations Outdoor Service Program in Great Falls, Montana

August 2019

The aroma of buffalo burgers being grilled just outside the door filled the large room where the graduation ceremony for the All Nations Crew was about to take place in Great Falls’ Paris Gibson Education Center.

The eight crew members had spent the morning preparing their presentations for the ceremony. They were ready to share their knowledge and achievements from the past two weeks of their MCC All Nations Outdoor Service Expedition.

It was apparent as the crew began walking into the room that their bond was strong and their appreciation for the opportunity was genuine. Within the circle of arriving students were the two MCC Crew Leaders, Beatrice & Sheldon, who had supported the crew with exceptional leadership and had quickly gained the trust of the members.  In addition to the crew leaders, Jason Karls from the school district entered as part of the crew’s leadership team. Jason had formed strong connections with the students during the prior school year, to help prepare them for their All Nations experience.  He would ultimately provide them with high school credit for the work they accomplished.

MCC’s All Nations Outdoor Service Expedition was developed to help American Indian youth re-establish a connection with their culture while helping the teens develop competencies that lead to success.  Native youth spend two weeks engaged in outdoor conservation service activities, connecting with ancestral lands and the agencies that oversee these lands. They learn from public land agency professionals and tribal members about habitat restoration, wildlife management, and archaeology while exploring local lands with cultural significance and completing service projects to improve the lands.

The work is intense and the crew is tasked with completing their project before the days’ end. The rigor of the work provides the perfect combination of difficulty and physical endurance, leaving the crew feeling a high level of confidence and accomplishment, ready to move on to the next project with excitement. For this crew, their two weeks culminated with their last service projects taking place during a three day, two night trip to Glacier National Park.

An All Nations crew frequently includes young participants from different tribal nations.  As Beatrice and Sheldon explain, they strived to create an environment and a framework that allowed the crew to share their cultural knowledge with each other. This included integrating their cultural traditions into their daily routines, incorporating such practices as smudge circles into their morning stretch and safety circle, entertaining each other with riddles and word games during the work day, and trading tales of shape-shifters, ghosts, and hauntings around the fire ring at night.

They were given the space to be their best selves.

“Each member shared a talent over the course of the trip, covering everything from braiding hair to flicking cards. As they taught these skills to the rest of the crew, they also shared the origins of their talents—how they had learned them, and what meanings they held,” said Beatrice Garrard, Crew Leader

At the graduation ceremony, as two students at a time walked to the front of the room to make their closing presentations, one could see that the crew members were addressing the audience as members of a team. They had taken ownership of the experience, with confidence.  

The crew members described their service work, including their first project of digging trenches and laying gravel at First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park. The trenches were for the placement of logs to build a puncheon, or a bridge, over a boggy area of the trail. The youth explained how the puncheons will help prevent flooding and erosion of the trail.

‘’I didn’t know I could do that!’’ said one Crew Member

Their next project took place on the Belt Creek Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.  The crew removed barbed wire fencing and repaired rutted areas caused by vehicles driving through muddy areas near Belt Creek. The youth spoke about how much they learned from each other on how to work together successfully in completing these projects.

On the North Trail Loop near Silver Springs, they spoke with rangers about the native heritage of the area, learned about keeping a safe area - a blood circle - when swinging a Pickaxe or Pulaski, and removed Yucca where rattlesnakes hide along the trail.

‘It doesn’t even feel like work!’ said one All Nations Crew Member

Crew members then spoke about their three day, two night trip to Glacier National Park. Crew members beamed as they told the audience their stories of pulling Knapweed from beside the trails and working along the Eastern border of the Park replacing the top, barbed wire of fencing with a smooth wire. They spoke about how their work will help keep animals safe, explaining “So when a moose and their calf jump their smooth wire fence, they will not get injured as they would have with the barbed wire.”

The youth also described how their individual strengths and work traits resulted in their giving each other powerful nicknames to  characterize these traits, names such as "The Demolitionist," “General Gina,” “The Building Inspector,” and "The Technician.” This sparked a lot of laughter and comradery. It was obvious during the presentation that they were comfortable not only being goofy but were comfortable being themselves. One could tell that humor and fun had played a big part in their experience.

‘It made us better with our work ethic,’ said one All Nations Crew Member

The Crew Leaders described the crew:  “From the very start of the program, there was a very positive dynamic with the crew. They started the day with good attitudes, showed up on time, were prepared to get work done, and above all else, were ready to support each other.  As the program continued and they completed several projects, their confidence in their work grew exponentially. They all were hard workers even when the work was not very fun. They liked playing games on the drives and having a lot of really good conversations. They were willing to take suggestions, listen to directions, and reflect on the positive and negatives that each day brought. They were very flexible to circumstances that came about and changed plans.  They grew as a whole, changing perceptions and building confidence.”

The crew concluded their last day with a discussion on how to make public lands more accessible to the native populations.  Their suggestions were thought provoking,  such as having more diversity in the staff of public lands, allowing for more accessible transportation into these lands, creating a different system of entry fees, and incorporating native languages and/or cultural knowledge about the land and its ecology.

Jason Karls summarized the all Nations Crew experience best, “They all left with a sense of confidence, pride in their work, pride in themselves, and a belief that working hard will eventually get them to a good place in life.  This experience will help them solidify their growth and commitment to completing high school and being successful and happy with their future pursuits.”

The All Nations graduation ceremony concluded with the bond of friendship to last a lifetime.

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Luke Fisher, Radically Transparent – Making it Ok to be Who you Want To Be

August 2019

When meeting Luke Fisher, one cannot help but be put at ease and to feel welcomed. Luke’s smile illuminates a room.  As one of MCC’s Senior Youth Crew Leaders out of the Central Divide Region in Helena, Luke helps youth to be themselves.  

Luke grew up on a small farm in central Indiana, producing organic corn and soybeans in a family very much involved in their community. Inspired by an upbringing where giving back to the community was important, Luke pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Philosophy and a Masters Degree in Environmental Justice, from Indiana University.

Luke’s mentor in a Philosophy Logic Course encouraged Luke to teach. At age 19, Luke began training colleagues to be academic mentors. For Luke, it did not matter if one did not know the subject, whether it was biology or business. Luke believed that the key to being able to talk to anyone was to know how to lead. One does not need to know everything there is to know about a complex subject, rather one needs to know where to refer others to find the resources for the information needed. This is where Luke learned that being a leader entails being ‘radically transparent,’ meaning being honest, genuine, and intentional. This is Luke’s mantra and Luke has made it an instrument for growth in all that surrounds.

Luke first joined MCC in 2018, as a Youth Crew Leader out of MCC’s Western Wildlands Region in Missoula. It was there that the MCC Leadership Development Program provided the opportunity for Luke to combine two passions - teaching about leadership and about the outdoors.  Luke has been instrumental in this second season with MCC, as a Senior Youth Crew Leader, in training incoming Youth Crew Leaders in the Central Divide Region and in ensuring that Youth Crew Leaders and Youth Crews are well supported.

As a member of the LGBTQ community, Luke’s ‘radically transparent’ mantra has been an important tool in helping create a space for youth crew members to break down barriers that prevent them from being themselves. Luke explains “Youth can be very guarded because of the swift judgments rendered by their peers. When I come into the picture, I am ‘radically transparent’ and proud of who I am without making others feel uncomfortable or isolated.”  Luke jokingly describes creating a threshold for youth to say, “I am ok being me as long as I am not as gay as him!” which creates an environment that lowers shields and welcomes all to be themselves. As one youth crew member said, “Just seeing you be yourself helped me feel fine being myself.” Luke has helped create transformative experiences for participants in MCC’s youth expeditions by encouraging an environment that supports understanding, communication, and respect for all people.

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The Moosebird Crew on Hitch in the Payette National Forest

By Jackson Crawford

July 2019

The Moosebirds spent eighteen June days bucking trees and brushing the trails along the Rapid River and two of its tributaries - Copper and Paradise Creeks. 

The Rapid is a protected Wild and Scenic River with exceptional water quality situated in a deep valley between Hell’s Canyon (the Snake River) and the Salmon River. 

The headwaters for Copper and Paradise Creeks begin at the foot of the Seven Devils Mountain Range beneath Monument and Black Imp Peaks, flowing down to meet the Rapid and eventually join the Salmon twenty five miles north.

Historically, the area was roamed and tended by bands of the Nez Perce tribe, but is now rarely visited by anyone outside of a few outfitters that bring elk hunters through the canyon.

Stock animals packed in the gear and food, and the group was able to completely clear the three trails of 91 fallen logs. 

Crew members spent their down time picking morel mushrooms, trading stories, and playing Dungeons and Dragons around the fire. 

On their final day, the Moosebirds were able to hike out fast enough to hit the road and spend the night camped at Weir Creek Hot Springs in the Clearwater National Forest.

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Girls with GUTS

July 2019

Last February, MCC Youth Program Manager Carolan Coughlin and her youth development-driven friend, Gen Bennett, introduced the Girls Using Their Strengths (GUTS) program at Columbia Falls Junior High geared toward sixth graders. They were hoping to recruit six girls for GUTS, so when 30 sixth graders signed up, Carolan and Gen knew they were on to something good. With only 10 available spots, they asked the girls to complete a simple application.

“Why do you want to be in GUTS?” the application asked. Answers included “I want to feel better about myself and my body.”, “I want more skills in case I ever get stranded in the woods.”, “I want to know all the abilities I am capable of.”, and “I’m getting teased at school and I want to learn to be strong.”

Carolyn and Gen were deeply moved by the girls’ responses. “We had one girl telling us that the main male role model in her life didn’t think girls were strong, so we thought, ok, these girls can really benefit from this program.” 

The YWCA established GUTS to provide a supportive environment for girls to explore their inner strengths through wilderness adventures and community service. When Carolan was asked to develop consistent afterschool programming for MCC, she reached out to Gen who had volunteered with Missoula’s YWCA GUTS program. The YWCA agreed to partner with MCC on the conditions that GUTS be rooted in a local Montana community and that the program remained true to its curriculum with an MCC-enhanced spin. After adding more outdoor and service elements, Carolan and Gen decided to introduce GUTS to Columbia Falls Junior High.

“Columbia Falls doesn’t have that many afterschool programming opportunities for sixth graders,” Carolan said. “When we talked to the school counselor, she said she would do anything to make this program happen for their sixth graders, so there was some need there.” 

 GUTS met for two hours every Wednesday after school for nine weeks. Carolan and Gen crammed as many activities as they could into those two short hours. The girls built and painted signs for their school garden and hiked around the public parks. During spring break, they went on a longer field trip to Glacier National Park where they learned how to snowshoe, identify animal tracks and light a Whisperlite stove. Group discussions revolved around problem solving skills, healthy relationships, bullying, and gender norms. The girls began opening up to one another.

“We overheard some parents making plans for their daughters to hang out outside of GUTS, so we knew we were developing a supportive little community.”

During a weekly check-in, Carolan and Gen learned that one participant was being bullied at school. “Another GUTS girl saw it happening and approached the bully and said, ‘She is my friend and you can’t talk to her like that!’ It was amazing to hear that the other girls were taking her under their wing.”

Every lesson was building up to the final GUTS meeting, where Carolan and Gen took the girls on an overnight camping trip. They set up camp south of Swan Lake and were asked to remove a massive tree that had fallen across a trail. The girls, who were trained to use handsaws and axes, set to work, hacking away at the tree. “These little sixth grade girls were wielding axes; It was super awesome! One girl said, ‘I didn’t think that we were ever going to finish, and I was really low, but then, we did it!’”

After triumphantly removing the tree – which the girls affectionately referred to as “Grandpa”- they built a campfire and cooked dinner. The next morning, they went for a hike and reflected on the previous nine weeks before returning to Columbia Falls. The GUTS program may have come to a close, but the girls had developed confidence that would stick. “I’m very shy,” one girl said, “but I have a strong me inside.”

The participants’ parents were astounded at the change they saw in their daughters. Some parents mentioned how their daughter’s personality was flourishing, and how much more confident they were, and were making new friends.

Carolan and Gen held a debriefing session with the school counselor. The counselor reported that GUTS had positively affected all of the participants’ lives, but one girl particularly stood out. “The counselor told us that GUTS built a community around this girl. For the first time, she saw herself as a star, as the best version of herself.”

Carolan set aside a week of MCC’s Middle School summer programming to bring the original GUTS girls back together. They will spend the week camping and completing trail projects in Glacier National Park. After experiencing the success of the MCC YWCA partnership, she hopes to expand to two crews at Columbia Falls Junior High this fall.  Ideally, Carolan would like to see GUTS implemented in communities all over the Flathead Valley.  

“GUTS provided a place where these sixth grade girls could be who they are. They’re at this in-between place where they’re still kids, but they are quickly becoming adults, and that’s a hard place to navigate. It’s neat to see how smart and kind they can be. I can’t wait to bring the girls back together!”

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Governor Bullock Visits with MCC Middle School Crew

July 2019

On June 13th, Montana Governor Steve Bullock joined students serving with MCC’s Middle School Youth Program in Helena to celebrate the completion of projects to reroute area trails and build accessible picnic table pads at Prickly Pear Land Trust’s Tenmile Creek Park.

MCC’s week-long Middle School Expedition engages youth from across the state in building knowledge and skills in leadership, communication, teamwork, citizenship, stewardship, and hard work as crews engage in service projects, including trail maintenance or habitat enhancement. Students address real-life challenges and complete projects that make a difference in their community.

Governor Bullock thanked the crew for their hard work over the previous week and spoke to them about the importance of public access to and conservation of public lands. The crew gave Governor Bullock a tour of the work they completed and recruited him to help stain the accessible picnic tables to wrap up their week-long program.

“Introducing students to conservation early, especially in a hands-on way, can instill a lifelong dedication to protecting Montana’s clean air, clean water and our public lands,” Governor Bullock said. “I’m positive our future leaders have the passion and leadership to make decisions that will protect this great state and honor generations to come.”

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The Western Wildland’s Rite of Passage

By Bobby Grillo, Regional Director of Western Wildlands

Each spring the Western Wildlands (WW) region of Montana Conservation Corps sends our new Field Crew Leaders on a backcountry hitch into the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness, to clear the Selway River Trail (#4) for the Nez Perce Clearwater National Forest (NPCNF). We choose to send our people to this incredible place in the Northern Rockies at this time of year for several reasons.  First, this country is low elevation (2000 feet) and is accessible at a time when most places in the region are under snow.  Secondly, this is an opportunity for new leaders to experience an authentic backcountry trails hitch while learning from WW staff who are present and support the experience for the full eight to ten days.  Finally, this hitch has gained somewhat legendary status in the region as a rite of passage for any WW Crew Leader who goes through our Leadership Development Program.  Completing this hitch ensures that a crew leader in this region has gained valuable trail maintenance skills, has had the opportunity to interact with project partners as they will during the field season, and has become immersed in fairly complicated hitch planning details.  Most importantly completion of the Selway hitch ensures that Crew Leaders have endured the discomfort and hardship that the clearing of the #4 trail imparts at this time of year.   By pushing through adversity and overcoming the challenges of being on an early season backcountry hitch, leaders come out the other side with confidence, increased competence, and an understanding of exactly what it takes to be a Crew Leader for the MCC.

April 2019 marked six seasons since I had left the comfort of my office, abandoned my obligations to my family on the home front, and embarked on any portion of this trip.  It has always been easy for me to make excuses why I could not go, with workload and atrocious weather being my top two!  The goal of the trip is to maintain the trail to the Moose Creek Ranger Station, which sits roughly 26 miles from any access point into the Wilderness.  With some good planning, MCC crews can also clear the trail upriver 15 miles from the guard station to the boundary between the NPCNF and the Bitterroot National Forest.  However, if a person does not commit to the entire hitch experience, it becomes difficult to join the crew at any point along the way.  And since I generally don’t have a spare nine days to spend with the crew, I usually just re-live the experience through pictures and stories back in the Missoula office.  

However, there is an ace in the hole when it comes to accessing the guard station:  a backcountry airstrip and an outfit in Hamilton Montana with the expertise to fly people and gear into the Wilderness.  This year I intended to take advantage of this opportunity.  The USFS has generally asked us to limit the amount of flights we take to support this trip, but this year gave us the green light to fly the entire group into Moose Creek.  The thought behind this decision was to limit the number of miles the crew would travel with full packs, to allow them to feel stronger and be more productive on the trail since they would walk less under heavy loads.  In years past we would provide one resupply flight of food for this trip, right in the middle of the hitch, after leaders had hiked and worked the 26 miles to the ranger station.  Spring weather is fickle and flying a three seat airplane over the Bitterroot Mountains requires a window of decent weather.  Flying 15 plus people, nine days’ worth of food, and the gear and tools required to do the work, was going to take eight flights and a really big window of good flying weather.  

My plan was to wait and see when the crew would be able to fly in and then switch places with MCC’s WW Program Manager, Dylan Barbash, about halfway through the hitch. Dylan flies out and I fly in, then hike out 26 miles to the Race Creek trailhead where our vehicles had been previously stashed.  In doing so, I would be able to connect with this group of crew leaders and some new staff in a way that I hadn’t been able to do for many seasons.  The window for mobilizing the crew finally came on a Friday, and my opportunity to travel was looking to be on the next Tuesday.

Flying in to Moose Creek is an incredible treat; the trip over the glaciated valleys and craggy peaks of the Bitterroots is nothing short of spectacular.  The quick flight ends rather abruptly, though, with a hard left banked turn and a smooth landing onto the grassy, backcountry runway.  As the plane rolled to a stop, I peered toward the idyllic wilderness campus to see the smiling faces of the MCC crew.  They were five days into the hitch, and, after a few minutes of checking in with folks, it was clear that the journey had been going really well so far.  I had brought in gallons of ice cream, and we sat around the station rejoicing over the delights of sugar, the setting, and the marvel of flying into such a remote location.  The report I received from staff upon arrival matched my perception of what was happening:  people were stoked to be out working in the wilderness.  Typically, when the resupply flight comes in, an injured crew leader flies out. Indeed this year, some folks had taken a few lumps.  Megan had some serious blisters and Spencer’s Achilles tendons were barking, but neither seemed to doubt that they could finish what they started.  Dylan was the only person to leave the wilderness that day on the flight back to Hamilton.  That evening we settled into a great curry and some delightful veggie pasta, played games, and talked about the game plan for the coming days.  I was pretty excited about the adventure that was to come.

We would spend the next three days and two nights split into two groups, hiking and working as we made our way towards the trailhead.  WW Field Coordinator (FC) Tori Arnsparger would take a small crew of five and hike twelve miles on that first day, passing by some project work to position themselves to tackle what was going to be the heaviest section of trail to work on.  The larger group, supported by FC Will Merritt, was to split the work, and the walk, into three eight-mile days of cutting trees, clearing drains, and performing re-tread on the trail as needed.  Within each of those groups, pairs of Crew Leaders served as the “crew leaders of the hitch,” lining out the rest of the teams, conducting safety talks and stretch circles, interacting with the project partner, handling radio duties – essentially practicing what they would be doing in two months when they received crews of their own.  All along the way, staff provided guidance, support, and training on how the work should be completed and how to safely travel and live in the backcountry.  It’s a great model.  It empowers people to take on an authentic leadership experience, including the opportunity to receive real-time feedback from the experienced staff that was present on the trip.  (We were also fortunate enough to have MCC Staff Crew Leader Clint Kingery along as well as USFS Wilderness Ranger Anna Bengston, both veterans of working in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and Moose Creek.)  Whether folks were learning the nuances of putting up a bear hang, dealing with the gravity water filter, or problem solving tricky binds of some downed, dead trees, the opportunity to learn and practice new skills were endless on the #4.  This is the case each year on this hitch, there is always plenty of work to do, and that is partly why we go.

However, what is different about one year to the next is the cast of characters that are along for the ride.  Despite the fact that I’m rarely in attendance on the annual Selway trip, I have learned over the years what constitutes a good trip from a bad one through debriefs with staff and CLs.  How much it rains - and it always rains in April on the Selway - factors into the trip synopsis for sure.  But the real indicator of success is how well the groups responds to adverse conditions, to the difficulties of that first backcountry hitch of the season - before legs and backs are fully ready for the work.  It is the collective attitude of the group that ultimately dictates how well the hitch goes.  It is how well they endure that bit of hardship that is truly telling.

Backpacking is inherently hard.  Backpacking with trail working tools is harder yet.  Working trails, while you are backpacking, is an entirely different level of difficult.  I tried to do this on my first day out with the crew.  I loaded up, carried tools, put down my pack when there was work to do, and put it back on when it was time to keep rolling.  My back was a hot mess by the time I got to camp that evening.  But I had a big smile on my face.  I was smiling because I had spent the day watching people working at something they felt passion for, offering assistance to one another, laughing, singing, grunting, and thoroughly enjoying an experience that most people would rather learn about from reality television than endure themselves.  This particular group of people embodied the spirit of PMA - Positive Mental Attitude - which could arguably be the most critical attribute of being a trail crew leader.  We talk about PMA often at MCC.  Those who can conjure it generally thrive. For those who can’t, they struggle.  This was what impressed me most about this group, unshakable PMA and, on top of that, a sense of comradery that had been established through the actual experience and the intention the group had to its purpose – to do the job really well and learn the craft of crew leading in the process.  

I slept well that night in my tent and awoke to what is a rarity on the Selway – an April bluebird day.  The choice for me this second day of hiking was clear, bust out some big miles to catch the other crew and be able to camp and spend time with them.  This option afforded me some morning solitude, walking with my thoughts about the rawness of this place and how lucky I felt to be there.  I also felt inspired by the company I was in.   I had spent the day with such a great group of people and was about to spend time with the second half of this incredible bunch.  I was excited.  I was also grateful to not have to take my heavy pack on and off all day, avoiding the one thing that aggravates my back more than anything else – trail work.  For that I was thankful as well.

It was late morning when I caught up to Tori and company.  They were taking their morning break on a beautiful, white-sand beach, hanging out with Wilderness Ranger Anna.  We took some extra time to marvel over the fantastic weather and share stories from the previous day’s adventures.  Anna has been providing mentorship and guidance for our immersion crews that spend their season at the Moose Creek Guard season for as long as I can remember.  She is the epitome of what a quality partner is for the MCC – she cares deeply about our mission and values the opportunity for young people to experience such personal growth over the course of a field season, all while working hard in the country that she has grown to love.  Anna was to be hiking all the way out to Race Creek on this day, and I took the opportunity to walk and talk with her, intending to meet the crew a few hours down the trail at our next camp.  This was a treat.  My typical interactions with project partners in my workplace have become transactional:  how many weeks, start dates, end dates, financial plans, modifications, invoices, blah, blah, blah.  Today we talked about great crews from years past, weird moments that occurred in the field, and her travels to warm places during her seasonal lay-offs.  We even ran into a former MCC immersion crew member who had been backpacking up the Selway.  He had a fly rod in his hand and a big, tangled mess of curly hair that appeared to be headed toward dreadlocks.  When I first laid eyes on him, he appeared more wood elf than wilderness traveler.  We caught up on the river and talked about the deadly effects that persistent warmer-than-normal temperatures were having on the Western Red Cedars in the area.  It was fun, and he seemed really happy.  I couldn’t help thinking that if not for his experience with the MCC, he certainly would not have been frolicking, on time away from work, in a place he too came to love.

Time, distance, and camp locations on the #4 are usually referenced by the space in between the small, tributary creeks that run perpendicular to the main course of the river - Pinchot, TeePee, Ballinger, Tango, and Three-Lynks to name a few.  These waterways are incremental milestones signifying how close one is to camp, or, better yet, to Race Creek and the end of the trail.  Anna relates the distances in between these creeks as roughly how long it takes to get from one to the next, rather than miles.  If you ask her for an approximate mileage to where it is you need to go, she’ll stop walking, go through some wilderness calculation in her brain, and give you a solid ballpark answer as to how far in linear, trail miles it is to your destination.  I only asked how many creeks we needed to cross to get to my destination, Renshaw Creek and the glorious white-sand beach that was awaiting me and the crew.  My answer was, “two creeks, close to an hour”.

The crew and I rendezvoused on Renshaw beach around 4:00 p.m. By this time the temperature had climbed to over 70 degrees.  The water of the Selway was ripping with the melting snow of the high country, and nothing felt better for this crew than taking the next half-hour to rejoice on the shore of the river.  What ensued was a vigorous wading session for the ages. Mindful of my presence and the MCC swimming policy, these hot, dirty trail workers cooled their bodies and celebrated the day, in care-free, playful fashion.  We all then spilled naturally into camp chores, setting up the kitchen, digging a latrine, maintaining tools, and finally establishing personal tent locations.  It is hard to beat the incredibly fine sands of the Selway as a base layer to set your sleeping kit upon, and all were extremely content with where they would rest their bones on this final night of the trip.

What ensued over the course of the next four hours, well past the normal bedtime of a trail worker, was really special.  We ate a classic MCC backcountry meal of what I call the wet burrito.  The cook prepares a tasty mixture of dehydrated beans, rice, spices, and gobs of cheese, all with a high water content.  Brave folks will try to wrap this delicious mess in a tortilla and hope it doesn’t all pour out the bottom.  Those a bit more civilized will rip pieces of tortilla and plop them into the mixture, using a utensil to deliver the meal to their mouth.  Either way, trail food tastes really good.  We shared the rest of whatever chocolate treats we all had left, took care of dishes, and retired to the beach for the grand finale of the hitch – the campfire.  It was glorious:  incredible stars, fun stories, podcast recommendations, and a sheer and utter feeling of genuine content.  It was another glorious evening, with a fine group of people, oozing with PMA!

The crews were reunited with one another late morning on that last day on the trail.  The crew that was camped at Renshaw Creek and I had been working on clearing a large slide, whose debris had wreaked havoc on a tiny creek, causing its flow to pour water in a variety of directions over the trail.   It was an exercise in primitive engineering that consisted of moving big rocks, sticks, and mud to actually expose the trail tread and then direct water to flow off the trail.  We had just about finished this endeavor when the other posse rolled down the trail.  It was an awesome reunion of smiles, high fives, and great energy.  It was apparent that the well-earned end of this trip was near.

We all shared one last meal together at lunchtime, after the final creek crossing of the trip.  It was a chance to assess how well people did with their personal food planning, sharing the last bits of salty snack mix with a friend.  It also gave us the opportunity to see how the blisters on soggy feet were looking.  Usually when the end of a trip is so near (we were about an hour from the rigs) people start to get irritated and want to boogie - rarely do you see people content to continue to linger in the woods.  For me it was a telling moment, perhaps the defining moment of the trip.  These people really like the company of one another, they love being in the field together doing this work, and they were not quite sure that they wanted the hitch to be over.