I just went through seven of the most physically challenging days of my life in the most remote place in the lower 48, the Frank Church Wilderness in Idaho. Ben, a forest service employee, and I were dropped off by plane on a short dirt landing strip at the confluence of Lower Loon Creek and the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.

Our mission was to clear rock slides, cut trees that had fallen over the trail, and make the trail passable by human and horse. We had a rough twenty-five miles of trail to cover in just seven days; it should have been eight days, but our flight was canceled the day earlier due to a snowstorm and whiteouts. If successful, we would find a forest service rig waiting for us at Meyer's Cove, the trailhead to Camas Creek. The first ten miles of work would be on the Middle Fork trail and the last half would be on the Camas Creek trail, this is excluding a steep jaunt up Dry Gulch for a few miles.

The Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness is one of the most rugged places I have ever been. The trail is often hanging on the edge of a cliff or on a fire-burnt slope that is ready to slide into the river. At some of these points the trail has sections missing that required Ben and I to try to cut a solid tread into the hillside that would still hold the weight of a horse. I definitely had the thought, "don't look down," going through my head as I was putting my weight into the swing of a pulaski.

Beyond the ruggedness, the pure physical challenge of carrying seven days worth of food and gear including the multiple tools is nearly overwhelming. At one point I had all of my normal backpacking gear for an extended trip, but also had a rock bar and pulaski attached to my pack in addition to the crosscut saw in my hands.

But at the end of the day, I would wash some of the black off from the burnt areas and the plain old dirt from everywhere else and look up at my surroundings. I would see a herd of elk moving across the hillside, a group of deer coming out of the cover to feed or an amazing mix of colors as the sun set over the mountains. No matter how exhausted I was or how difficult it was to pump water, it was all worth it to me. Although I may have captured some of these scenes with photographs, I will always remember moments such as these.

On Wednesday I will be flying with two Salmon-Challis National Forest trail crew employees into the middle of the largest wilderness area in the lower 48, the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. I will be spending seven days clearing trails and doing basic trail maintenance along the middle fork of the Salmon River.

I'm excited to head into the wilderness and I hope I will handle it alright for my first backpacking trip of the year. At the very least, I should have some great photos to share when I get back!

When showing pictures from my many backpacking trips, one of the parts I like to point out is my campsite location and what I wake up to in the morning. Here are some of my backpacking photos featuring a tent:



Thanks to TwoHeelDrive and Backpacker.com for the ideas.

I recently spent an eight day work hitch clearing brush and cutting blowdowns with crosscuts on the Horse Creek Trail in the Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness. Horse Creek empties into the Salmon River about five miles down river from the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the Salmon River. We cleared brush for a little over 6 miles and my arms haven't been so sore for quite awhile. It was still a great time and we saw a ton of wildlife; elk herds daily, black bears, mountain goats within a couple hundred yards, and a wolf.

On Wednesday, April 29th, I will be flying into Lower Loon Creek in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. I will be working with one of the backcountry patrols clearing a trail that was covered by an avalanche slide. I will be in the middle of the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 for 8 days. It should be a great plane flight!

I have spent much of this week in Boise, ID for the Student Conservation Association's project leader training. We have been covering topics ranging from conflict resolution to defensive driving and the 26 project leaders have had the opportunity to share experiences, challenges, and concerns about the upcoming season. I am always amazed by the growth and leadership that can be fostered in the SCA experience.

I am one of the trail project leaders(trail crews rock), but there are many other crews working in the SCA Native Plant Corps, Wildland Fire Corps and Desert Restoration Corps. Next Tuesday I will be heading off to the Salmon - Challis National Forest to meet with the forest staff and plan for the summer. Hopefully I will have the crew hired by May and ready to begin crew member training in June at Mt. Rainier. I'm excited!

I have also been given some cool toys to play with. Who would have guessed a trail crew leader would be getting a Blackberry with an unlimited data plan and a laptop? It makes sense though since internet access will be difficult at times and it does not make sense to drive somewhere to get internet access.

Anyway, this must be one of the best jobs working outdoors. The pay is great, the people are great, and the experience cannot be beat.

I will be spending my off time out of the backcountry at Wildhorse Guard Station between Ketchum and Mackay, ID. It's a remote location and over 30 minutes from services of any kind, including cell service. It will be interesting to see how the crew handles the isolation on off time. Here is a picture, the road was still snowed over when I checked it out last...

I've been in the Mount Rainier area for two days now in preparation for the arrival of my crew and an eleven day training. It has been great but it will take a little time to adjust to the humidity and rain; hopefully Mt. Rainier will peak out of the clouds during the next couple weeks. I am definitely excited and anxious to finally meet my crew on June 3rd!

Update with Photos:

I just accepted a fall/winter position with the SCA as a project leader for two back-to-back crews on the Florida National Scenic Trail. The first crew will be in the fall and have a variety of projects ranging from reroutes to boardwalk while the second crew in winter will be constructing a suspension bridge for almost the entire three months.

As I pack to fly out to Idaho for my job as a trail crew leader it has become obvious that I have way too much backpacking gear. While I often justify certain items for specific situations, such as a 32 degree sleeping bag for summer and a 0 degree bag for colder times, having to fit all of my gear into one checked luggage bag has forced me to realize what I actually need.

I'm only bringing one sleeping bag, one backpack, one shelter, one sleeping pad, one stove etc... Although I have four sleeping bags, my 15 degreee synthetic is best for an all purpose bag that can take a beating. It's much the same for backpacks, my Granite Gear Latitude Vapor may be lightweight, but my Arc'Teryx Bora 80 won't leave any question about having enough room.

Anyways, isn't backpacking about carrying only what is needed and maximizing the use of that gear? I think this experience may be a turning point in my gear addiction and if anything, I might be more inclined to create, modify or fix gear to get the most out of the least. My homemade alcohol backpacking stove may be just the start!

I have traveled to many different national parks in my lifetime and some have definitely made the list for return trips. Here are my favorite national parks in order.

1. Death Valley National Park, CA - I love the desert and this park has amazing contrast from Badwater Basin(lowest point in western hemisphere) all the way to Telescope peak(highest point in park at 11,000+ feet).

2. Wrangell - St. Elias National Park, AK - I didn't spend much time in this park, but the isolation and vastness are overwhelming.

3. Sequoia National Park, CA - Car camping among the giants and then backpacking out of Mineral King put my size into perspective.

4. Kenai Fjords National Park, AK - Waking up and see Exit Glacier glowing in the morning sunshine for 30 days was worth the back-breaking labor I did building a part of the Harding Ice Field Trail.

5. Yellowstone National Park, WY - I have a weak spot for wildlife. I need to return to this park now that I love backpacking.

6. Shenandoah National Park, VA - Great and easy backpacking. Working there for three months gives it a little boost.

7. Great Smokey Mountains National Park, TN - Only stayed in the campgrounds, but would have loved to get into some more remote areas.

8. Denali National Park, AK - I visited in late September after season and didn't see any wildlife, but greatly enjoyed the vastness.

9. Mojave National Preserve, CA - Is there anything cooler than a joshua tree forest?

10. Rocky Mountain National Park, CO - Had a great drive through, need to get away from the people and roads though.

Others not making the list that I have visited: Badlands National Park, Redwood National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Picture Rocks Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore, Grand Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Top on the list for me to make my first visit: Glacier National Park, Zion National Park, Yosemite National Park, Olympic National Park

In the last few days I have been researching how to build a homemade alcohol stove out of pop cans for backpacking. I found directions for several different designs at zenstoves.net and decided to try making the pressurized type. Here are some specs and the pictures documenting the process.

Specs:
2 cups time to boil: ~5 minutes
time to prime: ~10 seconds
weight: < 1 ounce
capacity: 1.5 ounces
full capacity burn time: ~8 minutes
fuel used: denatured alcohol

The two cans that will eventually become my alcohol stove.

Tool used to quickly cut the root beer cans for my alcohol stove.

The three primary pieces to my alcohol stove. The top and bottom parts with the inner wall that helps hold it together.

A completed pressurized stove that burns denatured alcohol and weighs approximately ONE OUNCE! It has an inner wall, is approximately 35 mm tall and holds a little under two ounces of alcohol. I used jb weld to attach the bolt and nut, the fiberglass wick and the top and bottom pieces of the can. I finished it off with some paint that can handle temps up to 1200.

The stove in action boiling two cups of water in a titanium pot:

It has been a busy summer for me leading a trail crew on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, but it has been one of the best in my life. We have done a bunch of cool projects and recently built a 50 ft turnpike with a 5 ft bridge over a stream. That project took the crew about 4 days to finish and by the end, we were pros at making saddle notches with the limited tools we carried (we didnt even have a chisel). Its quite amazing when looking at the pictures of our trail work.







For our last two work hitches, we will be building some rustic stringer bridges. It’s a lot of work, but it is extremely rewarding to see the finished project on something so complex. One of the bridges we will be building is on Kane Creek Trail, where a bike rider broke his leg trying to cross an old, blown out bridge. The other will be on Summit Creek Trail over a large see in a hillside; although, there is still a chance we might just build a log retaining wall instead.

When we havent been working the crew is often out climbing some spectacular mountains in the area. I have spent much of my off-time enjoying the peace and quiet of living an hour from any type of town. We did go to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks for one break; however, I much prefer the solitude of Idaho mountains.

Only one more month before I head south to do trail work on the Florida Trail for the fall and winter!

Eight things to know before backpacking in Shenandoah National Park:

1. A free permit is required for overnight use, but you may camp almost anywhere in the park. Permits can be obtained at entrance stations, visitor centers, both ends of the Appalachian Trail in the park, and Old Rag fee station.

2. Open fires are not permitted in the park. Although you may enjoy the experience of a fire, fires are restricted for ecological reasons to protect the park.

3. The most popular backpacking areas are the Appalachian Trail and Jeremy's Run. The AT accounts for over 50% of backpacking use and Jeremy's Run consistently leads all non AT trails for destinations. If you want to avoid crowds, check out the south district of the park.

4. Several areas are off limits to backpacking including the Whiteoak Canyon Trail, Limberlost Trail, Old Rag and Hawksbill Summit, and Big Meadows. Backcountry regulations stipulate that you also camp a quarter mile from Skyline Drive and the park boundary. You also must camp one half mile from park structures such as Rapidan Camp.

5. Shenandoah National Park has undergone significant ecological change in the last few years as hemlocks continue to die and the forest recovers from the 2000 fire which burnt over 20000 acres. Many parts of the park may appear to be great campsites according to a topographical map, but the lack of a forest canopy has drastically changed many areas. Instead of open forest understories, you now find thick mountain laurel and new growth. You've been warned, now don't forget about those widow makers either.

6. Less popular but great trails can be found. Examples include White Rocks, Thorton River, and Big Run. You really can't go wrong with any trail you pick in the park.

7. Bears, snakes and poison ivy. While working in the park for the last summer, I was far more concerned about where poison ivy was than bears or snakes. Although the bear population is very high, most of the bears are well behaved. The nuisance bears are quickly relocated and are often found at the frontcountry campgrounds anyhow. For snakes, there are a few spots in the park where you are likely to come across a few copperheads or a rattler, but sightings are usually limited to snakes sunning themselves. Just go around them when you see them. Watch out for poison ivy!!

8. Although these aren't the highest mountains, most hikes usually begin from Skyline Drive and head down the mountain and then back up. Just remember that it's a lot more work going back up than it is down, especially on a hot and humid summer day.

If you have any questions about the park, I'll be happy to answer them, just leave me a comment.

The SCA is taking applications for trail crews on the Salmon Challis National Forest including the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. I will be leading one of the crews! Here is the position summary from the SCA:

Help restore, protect, and enhance recent burned areas in the central Idaho mountains. SCA is looking for 10 energetic, adventurous, hard working, high spirited, individuals interested in getting their hands dirty completing a vast array of trail projects in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and surrounding areas. Project location will be the Salmon Challis National Forest. Term of service is 3 months and much of that time will be spent in various backcountry and front country settings, camping and living in a tent. Hiking and backpacking required. Plan, manage and complete trail construction projects, 80%; prepare for field hitches, 20%. A community spirit and teamwork is paramount to the success of the project.

I know that after looking at some of my trail work pictures, I can't wait to get back out there and do some work! I think it has to do with the incredible amount of effort and attention to quality that I put into these projects and the awesome results, not to mention the location of the work!

The Mojave National Preserve, Blue Ridge Parkway, and Kenai Fjords National Park are three of the places I have spent much of my summer working for the Student Conservation Association. I was a coleader for two crews and a member of one of the SCA staff crews. I built a bridge, designed new trail, chopped out that trail, moved huge rocks for a rock staircase and pulled hundreds of alder roots. These experiences have taught me quite a bit about trail work and a whole lot more about myself.

My first project early this summer was as a coleader of a 6 student SCA high school crew in the Mojave National Preserve. Our work was to be concentrated on new trail construction as much of the trail had been wiped out by fire and floods. We built over one mile of new trail and fixed the tread of almost another two miles in 21 days of work. The desert heat wasn't too bad and we only had a few days where it became an issue. Here are some photos of our work showing the new construction of trail:

For our recreational trip after the work, we traveled to Sequoia National Park. It was a long drive but I felt as though we needed to get out of the desert and find some water and trees. The crew also had a great time in the mountains and climbing up to high passes. Here is a picture of the crew:

After my crew in the Mojave National Preserve, I flew back home for a day and the flew out to Roanoke, Virginia to lead my second high school crew with my girlfriend, Ashley. This crew was going to be working much more frontcountry and deal less with the harshness of the environment I had in the Mojave, but we had terrific projects with the Blue Ridge Parkway NPS unit. The first and main project was replacing an old 26 foot bridge with a new, wider, and stronger bridge. The bridge took a little over a week to finish and was a terrific project. Here are some of the pictures at different stages:

After completing the bridge, we found another project building a rock staircase on a steep section of trail. The 16 step staircase took 5 days to build but should last for years. The crew did a great job making crush around the stairs and using heavy and appropriate rocks for stairs. Here are a couple pictures:

I am very proud of this staircase and think the crew did a tremendous job and put a lot of effort into a very difficult project. After completing these two projects, Ashley and I took the crew to the Great Smokey Mountains and Shenandoah National Park for environmental education and recreation. The crew participated in fish shocking in the Smokeys, backpacked in Shenandoah, and traveled much of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a great experience for all of the members.

When I started my first two high school crews, I was unsure what I would be doing when fall came around. One opportunity that Ashley and I had was to be a member of a staff crew working at Kenai Fjords National Park. The staff crew would be made up of six crew leaders from the summer and we would be putting in 1500 feet of new trail to relocate part of the Harding Ice Field Trail. The project would require working in temperate rainforest removing hundreds of alder stumps, walking through devil's club, and swatting biting red flys. Here is a picture showing the vegetation after a chainsaw had already gone through:

We worked extremely hard and made great progress. We knocked out 1500 feet of new trail and removed hundreds of stumps with nothing but a pulaski, pick mattock and loppers. However, I greatly enjoyed the lack of responsibility of being a crew member and being allowed to concentrate on work for several hours at a time. It was also a great opportunity for me to enhance my trail building skills, specifically designing trails. Here are some pictures of completed trail:

The opportunity to work in Kenai Fjords National Park was amazing. Every morning we had a view of mountains and glaciers such as this, taken 100 yards away from the cabin we were staying.

Working in Alaska also afforded us the opportunity to see much more of the state than Kenai Fjords National Park. Ashley and I made a week long road trip through Alaska traveling to places like Denali National Park and Wrangell St. Elias National Park. These two parks were two of the most beautiful places that I have ever been to. Snow covered mountains and wide open spaces could be seen in the distance at any point along our route. Here are a few of the most beautiful photos.

Overall, I had an amazing time and traveled to awesome places this summer and fall. I definitely think I could continue doing this for a few years as I have no expenses while doing these jobs. The projects are also extremely fulfilling, especially when I had an opportunity to make an impact on a high school crew member. There isn't a much better feeling.

The Granite Gear Latitude Vapor Backpack has been my lightweight backpack of choice for a couple years now. It weighs in at 2lbs and 10 oz and while not ultralightweight, it is respectable. It is a very simple pack that doesn't have a bunch of unnecessary pockets, straps, or loops.

Specs:
Weight: 2lbs 10oz
Capacity: 3800 cubic inches
Load Capacity: 30lbs
Retail: around $190


The backpack has decent support given its weight and I have carried much more than the maximum 30 lb capacity that is specified by Granite Gear... more on this in a bit. One feature I greatly enjoy is the full length double zipper that allows me to access the entire contents of my backpack compared to the standard backpack that is top loaded.

I have had some problems with this pack in terms of durability. I have busted the hip belt buckle and have noticed some serious tears that would render the pack useless without some repair. Some of the durability issues are my own fault as I have had more than the specified weight capacity in the pack; however, in my opinion it is still unacceptable. The most serious tear is where the padding on the back connects to ripstop nylon near the top of one of the shoulder straps. You can see it in this picture...



That is a very important spot and will be a pain to repair. Since this is my first lightweight backpack, I think I have learned some valuable lessons about not abusing my gear and selecting gear that will meet the demands I have of it. Thus is my reason for purchasing an Arc'Teryx Bora 80!

Here is a picture of me with this pack in the Gila National Forest on spring break. Gila Wilderness Backpacking Trip Report, Trip Info and Gila NF Slideshow. Overall, would I buy this pack again. Probably, but I would seamseal those corners with silicone.

I spent all day yesterday going through chainsaw training so that I can use a saw in the park. Unfortunately it wasn't the formal sawyer class for interagency type work, but it's a good start. We spent about 3 hours in the morning going over the job hazard analysis(JHA)and a little bit about the saws. We then spent approximately 3 hours bucking some trees along Pass Mountain Fire Road in SNP. Nothing too difficult, but it was a good opportunity to get some experience and practice what I was taught.

I will be spending all of next week at Prince William Forest Park near DC for wildland fire training. Looking forward to this opportunity as I may pursue it for a couple years while I am still younger.

I hope to get out for a couple hikes this weekend but will be working at Big Meadows in the park helping out the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club for trail days. Next weekend I am going backpacking or floating down the Shenandoah River. We haven't decided which yet.

I recently purchased some shoes from Innov8. I selected the extremely lightweight ROCLITE 295. I was immediately impressed with the weight of the shoes, a little under 12 ounces for a size 11 mens on my scale for one shoe. I have never had anything so light that wasn't a sandal.

I quickly put them on and took off for a short run/hike and am happy to report the flexible, but supportive feel that I prefer in my hiking shoes. The shoes allow me to feel the trail unlike hiking boots. The sole of the Inov8 Roclite 295 is very aggressive and will do great in muddy and slippery conditions; although, I haven't tested them out on wet rock so far. One negative is that they are not non-marking soles.

The shoes have a very breathable mesh upper that should strike a good balance between breathability and keeping rocks and or dirt out. These shoes are not goretex or waterproof.

Overall, I am extremely pleased with these shoes. The Inov8 Roclite 295s will be put to the test as I try to find an ultralight hiking shoe for my thruhike of the continental divide trail in 2009.

Two-Heel Drive found a few training regimens at Backpacker Magazine to get you in shape for your next bacpacking trip. I have my own theory on how to get in shape for backpacking and usually base my exercise activities around it. It's built on three main elements:

Anaerobic endurance is necessary for climbing those steep, but short hills. This usually goes together with overall leg strength and I increase my anaerobic endurance by doing sprints up a hill. I'll sprint 40 yards, walk back down and when I get to the bottom, repeat about 10 times.

Aerobic endurance is needed to keep moving for those 10 hour hiking days. For this, I usually go for a long bike ride, nothing too hilly, but just making sure I'm out biking for a few hours. I find biking is much easier on the body than running.

Core body strength is needed to handle the weight of the backpack without getting a sore back or any other problems. For this, I usually just take a backpack filled with some weights and go for a easy hike. This also gets my feet adjusted to the extra work so that I can avoid blisters on the trail. I usually combine my dayhikes with scouting for deer hunting, trying to walk down a deer trail with a backpack on can be a challenge.

So basically to get in shape for backpacking, I ride bike, do short sprints, and go on long dayhikes. It's nothing too strict and unless you plan on following a training regimen for months, you don't need anything too complicated.