Bob Marshall Foundation

Crews Gain Ground, but Wildfires Will Burn for Weeks

Giorgio — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:52:02 +0000

The various wildfires that have been ravaging the Bob Marshall Wilderness since at least August 16th, when they were first spotted, are largely under control. Firefighters and officials say, however, that the fires will continue burning for weeks, because the rough and dangerous terrain makes it impossible to contain them adequately. Meanwhile, the smoke coming out of the Bob Marshall Wilderness region is slowly creeping into the Helena Valley. No information has been released on the causes.

dflowers2 via Flickr

Luckily, the winds that picked up earlier this week did not affect the Big Salmon Lake fire that has only grown insignificantly in size since Friday night. It now covers roughly 2,700 acres. Currently, 14 fire personnel are working against it, mostly engaged in protecting historic sites. “Those fires have not had a significant increase in size, but we’re still seeing fire burning within the existing perimeters,” Spotted Bear District Ranger Deb Mucklow told the Daily Inter Lake. “We have high winds reported on both fires, but it hasn’t caused the movement that we’ve seen previously.”

On their homepage, the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation is constantly updating information on trail conditions in the affected areas. Currently, Trails # 110 , #111 and #451 are closed in the Big Salmon Creek drainage. “The Bob” creas are also performing structure protection measures at Salmon Forks Cabin, the Big Salmon Creek Suspension Bridge and the Little Salmon Pack Bridge. Before entering the park, please make sure to consult the official trail condition reports available here.

Be Safe when You Visit!

Giorgio — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:44:37 +0000

Time and again we hear about frightening accident that happen when inexperienced adventurers hike without care or precaution. Before enjoying the outdoors, there are a couple of things that you should always keep in mind to prevent.

1. You should always let someone know exactly where you plan on going and, more importantly, when you will be back. A relative or a friend, or someone else who will understand that something is wrong if you don’t call back in after your day in the wild.

Explore but be Safe (Photo: Ken Lund)

2. Always bring some essentials to prepare for the unpredictable, whether that is unexpected storm or an injury from a fall: Enough food for a day or two, a first aid kit and some water purification tablets. Also, you should have a compass or a GPS.

3. Check the weather forecast. The sky might look perfectly clear but only ten minutes from now it might be all different. If you are about to leave and the sky looks questionable, don’t go. And if you are on your way already, come back immediately.

4. The Buddy System: Never go alone. Whatever happens, it will always be good to have someone with you.

5. Stay on the trails. We know you like adventures but the trail system is designed to lead you to safety at some point – whether that is other hikers or the way back into civilization.

There is more to know. If you are interesting in learning all about hiking safety, check out this site that gives you more detail on what matters when you are outdoors.

Be a Volunteer for the Bob!

Giorgio — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:34:45 +0000

Volunteering is one of the best ways to become involved with the great project that was started almost a century ago, when Bob Marshall discovered the great outdoors and thought it worth preserving. Today, there are countless opportunities to work as a volunteer for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation. The long list includes everything from strenuous week-long trips to clear fallen trees off the historic phone to shorter weekend projects that aim to clear out some of the trails affected by the large 2007 wildfires. Volunteer Season goes until September so there is some time left if you are interested.

Digging In (Image: TogetherGreen via Flickr)

Volunteers have been helping out at the BMWF for 15 years now, they have been deep into one of the country’s largest and most remote wildernesses, they have maintained and preserved many a trail, cabin or artifact. But volunteering at “The Bob” is more than just work, it is an experience. Some of have even thought of it as a free vacation. But that only works if you love working outdoors with a bunch of seasoned experts that provide the knowledge and the equipment. The BMWF takes care of that and the food for the trip, so there is nothing that you have to worry about. Except, of course, your body. Personally, I feel that there is nothing better than a long day of working out in the woods, smelling, tasting, breathing the wonderful atmosphere of the wilderness. But thats just me. You should come and see for yourself.