Cool Adventures Towering Above Hot Moab

Join Wilderness Volunteers on our second annual project in the La Sal Mountains of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, July 27 - August 2, 2014. The La Sal Mountains are the second highest range in Utah and offer miles of trails, great wildlife viewing, abundant fields of wildflowers, comfortable temperatures and astounding views of the slick-rock deserts below.

Photo from the La Sal Mountains out to the Red Rock Desert, Taken July 2013 by P. Goldberg

Our service project for 2014 is conducting maintenance of heavily used trails in the Geyser Pass area of the central La Sal range. The Manti-La Sal National Forest struggles to keep a myriad of user types all satisfied and trails delineated for specific purposes. We'll improve drainage and increase the stability of the trail tread.  We'll set up a car camp around 10,000' elevation for the week, and day hike to the work sites with tools.  Nearby peaks top out in the range of 12,000', so come prepared for some free day hiking with unbelievable views...and don't forget your camera!

La Sal Mountains loom behind Fisher Towers - July 2013, photo by P. Goldberg

Read more about the area in our interview with Brian Murdock - Recreation, Wilderness & Trails Manager for the Monticello/Moab ranger district of the Manti-La Sal National Forest. 

Interview with Brian Murdock of the Manti-La Sal National Forest

We recently caught up with Brian Murdock, the Recreation, Wilderness & Trails Manager for the Monticello/Moab ranger district of the Manti-La Sal National Forest to talk about our work in the Dark Canyon Wilderness; our next project there is May 11 - 14, 2014.

"The area that I am fortunate to manage is the Dark Canyon Wilderness. I have heard it referred to as the wild heart of the Colorado Plateau and I like that description. I believe one of its most unique qualities is the solitude it offers. As more and more of our wildlands are seeing increasing use, the logistics of getting into the area and the sheer remoteness of the canyon makes use relatively low in the Dark Canyon area. If you want a real wilderness experiences with a good chance of being completely alone and you are prepared, this is the place.

We are always in need of trail work. The wilderness is a dynamic system and keeping trails open and passable is a Herculean task that never ends. Wilderness Volunteers has put a lot of time into helping the US Forest Service remove tamarisk which we finished up in 2013.

Currently the recreation and wilderness staff on our district consists of two full time employees and 5-7 seasonal employees. The reality of our work is that we cannot meet all of the demands we have in managing developed and dispersed recreation, trails (non-motorized and motorized), outfitter and guides, and our winter recreation program on two different mountain ranges (the LA Sals and the Abajo/Elk Ridge) with the staff we have. Volunteers are a necessity if we want to fulfill our management responsibilities and Wilderness Volunteers has been one of our best partners in achieving our wilderness management goals. 

Our most recent projects with Wilderness Volunteers has included two annual trips each year for the past 8 years. In the spring we have conducted tamarisk inventories and removal and in the fall we do cultural inventories of the area. In 2013 we cleared the final tamarisk from the wilderness (that we know about). It was very satisfying to be able to clear all of the springs and wetlands of the invasive trees. I am sure there are still some lurking out there but  Wilderness Volunteers made the Dark Canyon Wilderness a much more natural and wild place with the work they did removing tamarisk. We also conducted a trail project this year in the La Sal mountains with Wilderness Volunteers that was very successful. The enthusiasm of the volunteers is always infectious. I love introducing people to new areas and watching them fall in love with Dark Canyon and the other areas we manage.

You can continue to give back when not on a WV project by educating everyone around you about the importance of public lands and in particular about wilderness. I think a lot of the American public have major misconceptions about wilderness. Having Wilderness Volunteers telling others about their volunteer trips and their accomplishments can go a long way in educating the public about wilderness and its management."

Join us on this spring's service project in Dark Canyon Wilderness May 11 - 17, 2013. 

Project Spotlight: La Sal Mountains Roadless Area

WV's 2013 project will camp nearby the stunningly beautiful Warner Lake, photo by Jeff Maurone

A view of Mt. Peale, photo by GSEC

The Wilderness Volunteers Project Spotlight next lands on the outdoor recreation haven of southeastern Utah, in the Manti-La Sal National Forest.  Towering above the town of Moab to the east lies the impressive La Sal Mountains, the second highest range in Utah. The La Sals span about 18 miles and contain 3 clusters of peaks.  The highest peak, Mt. Peale tops out at 12,721 feet above sea level. The name of the range dates to the Old Spanish Trail when the range was referred to as the Sierra La Sal or "Salt Mountains". The range remains a prominent landmark for travelers to the region, presenting a breathtaking background to the world famous slickrock Parks of Arches and Canyonlands.

The La Sal Mountains as seen from a viewing point in Arches National Park, photo by Focused Exposure

We've planned this project in coordination with Brian Murdock, the Recreation, Wilderness and Trails Manager for the National Forest in the Moab/Monticello region. In regard to this project he writes:

Not a bad place to give something back

"The trail system in the La Sal mountains provide for a wide range of trail activities and is heavily used. As a result many of the trails are in need of maintenance to reduce impacts to forest resources. Also a new trail plan will be implemented this summer to deal with an increasing amount of use and the WV project will focus on constructing some of these new trails.  

We are planning on base camping at a high elevation camp in the La Sals (either Geyser Pass at 10,500 ft or Warner Lake at 9,300 ft). The views into the surrounding desert country are phenomenal. The project will occur in areas ranging from alpine meadows, aspen and fir stands to areas above timberline and it is usually 30 degrees cooler than the surrounding desert. Participants will be hiking out each morning to the project sites from 1-2 miles and constructing/maintaining trails with provided handtools. It is likely that we will see a large variety of wildlife (deer, elk, coyotes, bears). Many peaks over 11,000  feet are accessible to climb during free time and Warner Lake also presents good fishing."

Also a great place to go for a hike!  Join us this summer in the La Sal Mountains.

Learn more and join us on the Wilderness Volunteers Project in the La Sal Mountains Roadless Area