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Lolo Work Trail Volunteers Needed
Charles Raddon
The Lolo Trail, that historic travel and trade route over the Bitterroot Mountains between Missoula Montana and Lewiston, Idaho carries two Nationals Historic Trails. Spend a full week helping maintain a small bit of the trail, viewing the scenery and learning a bit of history.
We camp near the center of the trail along the primitive road called the Lolo Motorway and maintain about 30 miles of the ridge-line trail. It was established by Native Americans and followed by western explorers including Lewis and Clark, trappers, traders, missionaries, and the US Army. Our job is to keep it open for modern explorers. Brush grows into the trail and is best removed with long armed clippers. Water-bars need to be cleaned and fallen trees cut. Most of our volunteers are empty-nesters or retirees in reasonably good health and couples are welcome. Our camp is near 6,000 feet elevation and you will be walking several miles of rugged trail most days, but you get to return to a base camp at night.
You will gain the satisfaction of doing work that needs to be done, visits to many historic sites, some “ Oh-Wows” at the views of the endless mountains surrounding you, an idea of how the Nez Perce used these mountains, an understanding of the challenge of modern management of a historic resource, a whole lot of local history, lots of Lewis and Clark history, new friends, some sore muscles and perhaps a few blisters.
We camp for the week at NoSeeEm Meadows, which is on the ridgeline above and north of the Lochsa Historic Station on US 12. Our crew of 20 or fewer workers camps in a Saddle at the edge of meadows on both sides of the ridge. It’s not unusual to have a moose wander through camp after we’ve gone to bed. We have a 12x20 kitchen tent that produces great food, and no one ever goes hungry. The evening campfire starts with a review of the day, followed by a typical campfire experience, music (bring your instruments) and tall tales. Breakfast at 0630, morning briefing at 0715, out of camp by 0730. The primitive road crosses the trail at intervals, so we break into 4 to 6 person teams to hike the many pieces of trail. We cut the brush that slaps you in the face, cut small logs (but no chainsaws), clean water-bars and note the location of major problems.
Your week will cost your travel expenses and personal gear. Our week is organized by the Idaho Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, so insurance requires that you must be a member ($25 + some options). Funding for food and group expenses is from grants. We have a lead cook, but there aren’t any camp lizards, so everyone is expected to help with camp chores.
You will need a good tent, mattress pad and sleeping bag for the often-cool nights and hard ground. We suggest you drive SUVs or empty pickups with heavy duty tires as we need help hauling in and out the kitchen gear and food. No RVs because the final 5 miles of road takes an hour to drive and it would “eat” them. Mountain weather is variable and a bright sunny morning with “T” shirt temperatures often leads to an afternoon thunderstorm with rain and hail.
The 2022 Lolo Work Week crew will move into our campsite on Sunday, July 24th. We work daily for the following week and come out of the mountains Saturday, July 30th. If you wish to join us, send an email to loloworkweek@gmail.com. We’ll send you a detailed information packet and an application.
The Lolo Trail, that historic travel and trade route over the Bitterroot Mountains between Missoula Montana and Lewiston, Idaho carries two Nationals Historic Trails. Spend a full week helping maintain a small bit of the trail, viewing the scenery and learning a bit of history.
We camp near the center of the trail along the primitive road called the Lolo Motorway and maintain about 30 miles of the ridge-line trail. It was established by Native Americans and followed by western explorers including Lewis and Clark, trappers, traders, missionaries, and the US Army. Our job is to keep it open for modern explorers. Brush grows into the trail and is best removed with long armed clippers. Water-bars need to be cleaned and fallen trees cut. Most of our volunteers are empty-nesters or retirees in reasonably good health and couples are welcome. Our camp is near 6,000 feet elevation and you will be walking several miles of rugged trail most days, but you get to return to a base camp at night.
You will gain the satisfaction of doing work that needs to be done, visits to many historic sites, some “ Oh-Wows” at the views of the endless mountains surrounding you, an idea of how the Nez Perce used these mountains, an understanding of the challenge of modern management of a historic resource, a whole lot of local history, lots of Lewis and Clark history, new friends, some sore muscles and perhaps a few blisters.
We camp for the week at NoSeeEm Meadows, which is on the ridgeline above and north of the Lochsa Historic Station on US 12. Our crew of 20 or fewer workers camps in a Saddle at the edge of meadows on both sides of the ridge. It’s not unusual to have a moose wander through camp after we’ve gone to bed. We have a 12x20 kitchen tent that produces great food, and no one ever goes hungry. The evening campfire starts with a review of the day, followed by a typical campfire experience, music (bring your instruments) and tall tales. Breakfast at 0630, morning briefing at 0715, out of camp by 0730. The primitive road crosses the trail at intervals, so we break into 4 to 6 person teams to hike the many pieces of trail. We cut the brush that slaps you in the face, cut small logs (but no chainsaws), clean water-bars and note the location of major problems.
Your week will cost your travel expenses and personal gear. Our week is organized by the Idaho Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, so insurance requires that you must be a member ($25 + some options). Funding for food and group expenses is from grants. We have a lead cook, but there aren’t any camp lizards, so everyone is expected to help with camp chores.
You will need a good tent, mattress pad and sleeping bag for the often-cool nights and hard ground. We suggest you drive SUVs or empty pickups with heavy duty tires as we need help hauling in and out the kitchen gear and food. No RVs because the final 5 miles of road takes an hour to drive and it would “eat” them. Mountain weather is variable and a bright sunny morning with “T” shirt temperatures often leads to an afternoon thunderstorm with rain and hail.
The 2022 Lolo Work Week crew will move into our campsite on Sunday, July 24th. We work daily for the following week and come out of the mountains Saturday, July 30th. If you wish to join us, send an email to loloworkweek@gmail.com. We’ll send you a detailed information packet and an application.
