2 Weeks and Counting

"Extreme Hikers on the AT" - Mt. Rogers NRA, VA (2009)

There's just under two weeks left in the 2nd annual Wilderness Volunteers photo contest and we've received some great submissions (see them here). There's still time left to rummage through your photos and send us your best shots of folks working, hiking, hanging out, inventing "trail zambonis" - you name it.

Submit up to four photos from any WV trips you've participated in, and include the name and date of the project, as well as a brief caption describing the photo (humor appreciated :). Email your entries to Mike Leonard.

"The Showdown" - Gila National Forest, NM (2000)

Prizes will be awarded for the top three submissions (maximum of one prize per entrant). First place wins a newly-issued WV hooded sweatshirt, second place a WV Klean Kanteen, and third place a WV baseball cap. The contest runs until May 30th.

Kitchen Corner

Many of us who lead backcountry service trips like to serve as many meals with fresh ingredients as possible, but preserving fresh ingredients poses challenges. Those challenges can vary depending on the area where the group is working, the agency the group is working with, and whether or not the agency offers pack support. Even if the agency does offer pack support, what the packers are willing to carry in and what type of panniers they use can be factors in fresh food storage. I’ve worked with horse and mule packers in several areas (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Texas, and Colorado). Some packers work directly for the agency, others are volunteers, and some are independent packers who have contracts with the agency. The pack equipment the different packers have varies widely, so if I am working with an agency for the first time I always ask what type of panniers the packers use. If I can speak directly to the packer, that is even better for me. Once I have determined what type of packing equipment the packers have, I can plan accordingly.

The best backcountry cold storage system I have used is provided on the Sawtooth Wilderness trip in central Idaho. Working with this agency is the ideal situation because the packer, Deb Peters, is a Forest Service employee and she also remains with the group and works on our projects with us. For cold storage, Deb provides two large canvas and metal panniers that have removable form insulation on the inside. Two or three blocks of ice fit easily on the bottom of each pannier, and we put cardboard on top of the ice. We then place food on top of the ice/cardboard base. As the ice melts, the water drains out the bottom of the pannier. Ice generally lasts for five to six days, so I feel pretty safe in taking a variety of fresh ingredients with the above system. If an agency does not provide something such as I have described above, I always ask if the packer would be willing to haul in a small ice chest. No packer has ever refused this request. I use the same packing system as described above (block ice on bottom, cardboard, then food), and I make sure to drain the water from the ice chest at least twice a day.

Here’s a recipe using lots of fresh ingredients. I also pre-clean and chop all the veggies in order to save myself time in camp, and I pack fragile veggies such as spinach in hard plastic containers.


Vegetable and Soba Noodle Bowl for Twelve

20 oz soba noodles
4 tablespoons sesame oil
3 red peppers, sliced
1 pkg dried mushrooms, reconstituted
½ cup fresh ginger, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 yellow squash, sliced
2 pkgs. snow pea pods
6 tablespoons soy sauce
3 cups vegetable broth (use 2 veggie cubes)
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
4 green onions, sliced
1 bunch cilantro

Cook noodles al dente. Heat sesame oil with other oil and sauté bell peppers, mushrooms, ginger, and garlic for about 4 minutes. Add squash, soy sauce, broth, and vinegar, and cook another 4 minutes. Stir in snow peas, cilantro, and green onions and cook until bright green. Mix with drained noodles.

Mama Knows Best

I was traveling through New Mexico this week and caught this on the evening news. Needless to say, I feel compelled to share.

Think she's got impressive moves? Check out her competition, featured on this blog last spring.

Backpacking in the Siskiyou: Filtered Water and Root Beer Floats

2009 marked the first time since 2001 that Wilderness Volunteers had a project in the Siskiyou Wilderness. The 2009 trip was led by Gayle and Bunny Marechal, and here is their report:

"The Siskiyou Wilderness is located in the Klamath National Forest, just south of the Oregon border in California, making this a convenient trip for the three Californians and the four Portland Oregonians who made up the WV group. From the trailhead, we enjoyed a short four-and-a-half mile hike (mostly downhill) to our campsite, which the Forest Service had already prepared for the group.

And what a campsite it was! We had filtered water on demand, supplied by hoses running from a creek to a filtering system, a kitchen area with counters, log seats and a freshly dug latrine with a seat! This was luxury backpacking at its finest! (Did I mention that our worksite was only a ten-minute walk from camp?)


Our primary work project was to build a raised causeway in a muddy area where water seeps across the trail. This project required that the area first be prepared, so some group members began digging out the causeway while others began crushing rocks for the base layer of the causeway and looking for logs to line the sides. The rest of the group went to work on a secondary project brushing the Young’s Valley Trail near our campsite.

We worked with several Forest Service trail crew members, and they supplied us with expert guidance in using a vintage 1930’s crosscut saw, as well as technical assistance in constructing the causeway. We expected to spend three days building the causeway, leaving us one day to do some brushing and tread work on the trail. But the causeway came together surprisingly quickly, and we finished in only a day-and-a-half, allowing us to do some extra work for the Forest Service.

The brushing continued, but others in the group began cleaning out a clogged drainage along a section of the trail, which was causing the trail to erode. We fixed this in no time at all.

That said, the trip wasn’t "all work, no play." On our day off, we had ample opportunity to explore the wilderness. Some hiked to the top of El Capitan and enjoyed views of the Pacific Ocean. Others hiked directly to Raspberry Lake and enjoyed a swim in its clear, refreshing waters.













Before we knew it, the week was over and we were packing up for the hike back to civilization. As we waited for the horse packers to arrive, we dismantled the camp, filled in the latrine, disassembled the water-filtering system, and removed any evidence of our presence in the camping area that week. Once the packers arrived, we all got on the trail for the short hike back to our cars, where we were treated to Root Beer floats courtesy of the Forest Service. Now that’s the way to end a trip!"

Wanted: Trail Zamboni

First time WVers frequently add a new dimension to work projects. In September of 2008, rookie volunteers Joe Maglaty and Ron Eydelloth accompanied veteran Rick Volpe to Glacier National Park…a far cry from their suburban Philadelphia flatlands. Several days of sledge hammering, wheel barrowing, picking, and shoveling provided ample opportunity for Joe and Ron to commiserate (and brainstorm) about WV tool enhancements to make their lives easier.

In particular, Joe fantasized about a "Trail Zamboni" that would, in one pass, turn a rocky, uneven trail into a smooth thoroughfare for outdoor guests. Little did Joe realize that his wish would nearly come true in August of 2009 as he again joined Rick on a WV trail project in the Medicine Bow National Forest of Wyoming. That’s Joe enjoying a ride in his “invention” under the control of fellow Philadelphia teammate Howard Dupee.


Look'n good! Thanks to Rick, Joe, and Ron for sharing their creative efforts with the rest of us. No word yet on when this trio will be mass-marketing their new machine. We'll keep you posted.

Have your own story or WV-inspired wacky idea to share? Let us know about it. Post a comment or send us an email and we'll feature it on the blog.

Painting Our Corner Of The Big Picture

Ever sought personal fulfillment by being an integral part of someone else's grand vision? That's exactly how it felt leading an eager group of young, enthusiastic students on Wilderness Volunteers' Buffalo National River service project in late March.

Long time National Park Service employee and former Buffalo National River trails supervisor Ken Smith has a dream. Our nation's first National River, dedicated in 1972 (exactly 100 years to the day after Yellowstone was established as the nation's first National Park), had no single trail that hikers could walk along the river bluffs along it's entire 60-mile length. While trails were created long ago and have been in use in the greater area for many years, the lack of a through-route was obvious to adventurers seeking solitude by foot and pack -- especially those lacking the skills or equipment to enjoy the river by paddle and canoe.

With great forethought and experience, and with the support of park management, Ken carefully mapped out the remaining 25-mile stretch to link existing fragmented trails into what will ultimately become the Buffalo National River Trail through the heart of this great Oak-Hickory, Ozark forest. Of course, great visions are such because of missing ingredients -- as is usually the case with public lands, lack of money and personnel top the list. As a retiree and volunteer himself, Ken literally took matters into his own hands and began raising money through a new foundation he established for this purpose, and he began recruiting volunteers in earnest, at first locally, and later involving national conservation groups like Wilderness Volunteers. He's even written an entire book Buffalo River Handbook filled with insights and information about the river and trail system in the area.

Persevering through a gauntlet of spring rains and mud, and mild, leaf-crunching fall colors, volunteer groups camping on the beautiful river beaches under massive limestone bluffs for a week at a time have completed 10 of the 25 miles, usually at a pace about .25 miles per week. It's slow going, but Ken seeks quality not quantity, and his watchful eyes and constant supervision ensure that it's done right the first time.

Our group certainly endured heavy rains and cold conditions, but as we found out, it's tough to dampen the spirit and enthusiasm exuded by youthful vigor. This intrepid group from DePaul University never flinched, despite some wet sleeping bags and cold feet. Each and every student demonstrated resilience and hopefully took home something special from their week of trail construction. If one word can sum it up, John called the entire experience "fantastic".

Volunteerism rewards the soul. Best of all, it introduces us to special people like Ken Smith and special places like the Buffalo National River.

Kitchen Kits 101

What’s in your kitchen kit? When I became a WV leader in 2000, I was sent a basic cook kit consisting of four cooking pots (two large and two small) with lids, two coffee pots, and an assortment of utensils which included large spoons, a spatula, a Sierra cup, and other items. As the person who does all or most of the cooking on trips I lead, I wanted to make food preparation as efficient and easy on me as possible, so over the years I have added a variety of kitchen tools to make my time in the backcountry kitchen as pleasant an experience as possible.

One of the first items I added was a high quality folding knife with a partially serrated cutting edge. Conventional wisdom is that more injuries occur when someone uses a dull knife. I don’t know if this is true, but a sharp knife certainly is better and more efficient when I have to cut or chop various ingredients. My next additions had to do with coffee preparation. I am an advocate for quality coffee, even in the backcountry, so I first tried using a plastic French press coffee maker. The French press works well, but dealing with the coffee grounds, especially when wet was a problem. What I use now is a large plastic cone that takes number 6 paper coffee filters. I also have two stainless steel carafe type thermoses into which I filter the brewed coffee. This system works well for several reasons. I can set aside the used grounds in the paper filter, and they will dry out before being put in the trash. I can also make coffee well in advance of breakfast and keep it hot so when folks start getting up a fresh cup of coffee awaits them.

I have added other items to my cook kit as well, and the above represent only some of the refinements I have made to my kit. Everything I have for the kitchen kit fits in a large duffle that is easy for agency personnel to put on pack animals for transport into the backcountry. If I am leading a trip where the agency does not supply pack support, I modify my kitchen kit to accommodate the circumstances. What modifications have you made to your cook kit that others might want to know about? Post them here.

Hash browns with mushrooms and bacon bits.

6-8 cups dried shredded potatoes (available in the bulk section of most grocery stores)
2 packages of dried wild mushrooms
1 package of bacon bits (substitute sundried tomatoes to make dish vegetarian friendly)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for cooking

Re-hydrate dried items in warm water. Allow about 30 minutes for this process. Add ingredients to hot oil and cook until tender and potatoes are starting to brown. It is important to constantly stir the potatoes as they can stick easily to the pan.

Note: The above potato amounts may vary depending on what else you might be serving with the hash browns for breakfast.