Volunteer in the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area, near Eureka, Montana

Explore the beautiful Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area on the Kootenai National Forest and contribute to the stewardship of this unique area.

This summer, the University of Montana’s Wilderness Institute will take small groups of volunteers into the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area and adjacent roadless areas on the Kootenai National Forest. Volunteers will work with experienced field leaders to map and monitor weeds, inventory campsites, roads and trails, and document wildlife.

Join us for 3-5 day backpacking trips in this unique Wilderness Study Area just south of the Canadian border. Learn about invasive species, native plants, monitoring methods, and the natural history and wildlife of the Ten Lakes Area. Backcountry experience is helpful but not necessary. Dinners are provided daily, and transportation is available from Eureka, Kalispell, Whitefish and Missoula. Volunteers receive t-shirts and prizes. For more information, and to sign up, visit www.cfc.umt.edu/wi or contact the Wilderness Institute, 406-243-5361, wi@cfc.umt.edu.

This volunteer opportunity is available to citizen volunteers of all ages.

Summer 2010 Volunteer Trips:

1) July 2-5, Bluebird Basin (Fri-Mon): Travel by St. Clair Peak to spectacular Bluebird and ParadiseLakes, and up into the beautiful Ten Lakes Scenic Area.

2) July 9-11, Deep Creek Loop (Fri-Sun): Hike around Mount Petery and along a portion of the Whitefish Divide Trail with views of the Flathead and Kootenai National Forests.

3) July 16-19, Gibralter Ridge (Fri-Mon): Traverse the scenic Gibralter Ridge from Big Therriault Lake to Grave Creek.

4) July 22-25, Stahl Peak (Thurs-Sun): Hike from Foundation Creek up past Mount Wam, looping around stunning Stahl Peak.

5) Aug 6-10, Whitefish Divide Trail (Fri-Tues): Hike Blue Sky Creek to Mount Locke, then traverse the Whitefish Divide Trail with breathtaking panoramic views.

6) Aug 19-23, Ten Lakes Scenic Area (Thurs-Mon): Traverse the heart of the Ten Lakes Scenic Area by majestic Poorman Mountain and the Wolverine Lakes, returning via Therriault Pass.

7) Aug 27-29, Krinklehorn Pass (Fri-Sun): Follow Williams Creek over a beautiful alpine pass, looping around Krinklehorn and Krag Peaks.

Through this project, in collaboration with the Forest Service and local communities, we:

• Obtain critical data on wilderness character, invasive plants, and recreation sites and impacts
• Provide these data to the Forest Service in useful forms
• Stem the spread of invasive species through hand pulling
• Restore native grasses and forbs by using onsite sources to reseed hand-pulled areas
• Rehabilitate/naturalize campsites where appropriate
• Build community capacity for citizen monitoring and restoration
• Increase community involvement in wilderness management and stewardship