NSA Trail Maintenance Resource

COLORADO CONNECTION

2011-08-16T13:32:00.000-07:00

Colorado Connection

The well-known Colorado truck stop, Johnson’s Corner (http://johnsonscorner.com/), has become a staunch supporter of the NSA Trail Crew program. To that end, they have declared September 14 as “Smokejumper Day” and are going to donate 15% of the proceeds that day to our Trails program. They will have a display area for pictures of our activities. They did the same thing last year, from which we received almost $1,000.

They have also supported two specific trails projects, (thanks at least in part to the effort of Stan Linnertz MSO ‘61) one in Utah and one of the Stanley, ID projects by supplying all food, and even sending one of their employees with the company van to cook it.

So what can you do? If you would like to hang out that day, or part of it, contact Stan Linnertz stan@cmca.Com. Or, if you are ever in Colorado on I-25 between Longmont and Fort Collins, take Exit 254 and drop in. Identify yourself as a Smokejumper and say “Thanks for the support of the Trail Crew”. They just may say “Thanks” right back in a very pleasant way.

If you aren’t in the area, you can still say “Thanks”. Go to the link above and find a “Contact us” button to send them an email message.

They have a list of “Our Affiliations”. Along with the usual 4-H, Boys & Girls club, and other very worthy causes, you will find a link to the NSA Trails Maintenance Resource page maintained by Bill Ruskin (CJ ’58).

2011 NSA T.R.A.M.P.S Registration Form

2011-01-25T13:04:00.000-08:00

Hello T.R.A.M.P.S. Here are the two pages of the 2011 Registration Form for NSA volunteers. The images are in .jpg format. You can either click each image to enlarge it for reading on your screen, you can also download and print them for you files.

THE PACK TEST-Work Capacity Testing for NSA Volunteers

2011-01-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

Hello T.R.A.M.P.S. Here is the Pack Test for NSA volunteers. The image is in .jpg format. You can either click image to enlarge it for reading on your screen, you can also download and print it for you files.

Suggested Minimum Personal Gear for NSA Trail Projects

2011-01-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

1. Large duffel(Approx.36'x18")
2. Shorts/Swimsuit
3. Sleeping Bag
4. Sleeping Pad
5. One / Two Man Tent
6. Sun Hat
7. Sleeping Hat (gets cold)
8. Work Pants (quick dry)
9. Personal Toliet / First Aid Kits
10. Rain Jacket / Hood
11. Personal Water Filter
12. Iodine Tablets
13. Flashlight / Extra Batteries
14. Fanny Pack
15. Bandana
16. Toliet / Moleskin
17. Large Water Bottle
18. Bear Spray / Belt Attachement
19. Insect Repelent
20. Sun Screen
21. Knife / Belt Attachment
22. Sun / Safety Glasses
23. Heavy Hiking / Work Boots
24. Light Weight Sock Liners
25. Heavy Wool Socks
26. Leather Work Gloves
27. Long Sleeve Work Shirt
28. Wool / Fleece Warm Jacket
29. Long Underwear (sleeping)
30. Creek Waders
31. Personal Towell
32. Stuff Sac Sleeping Pillow
33. Not Shown; Personal Hot / Cold Cup, Waterproof Matches, Whistle
NOTE: For back country projects, all equipment except what is needed during the hike in (fanny pack, water bottle, creek waders, etc.) should be packed inside the LARGE DUFFLE BAG.

2010-06-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

Jon H. McBride

Posted: Sunday, June 13, 2010 2:00 am | No Comments Posted

Font Size:: Default font size; Larger font size

MISSOULA – Jon Hobert McBride, 74, died of acute heart failure while on a bicycle trek with the “Boys of Wednesday,” a group of close friends, on Wednesday, June 2, 2010, near Missoula. The “boys” biked, hiked or skied every Wednesday throughout the year.

Jon was born in Springfield, Mo., on July 8, 1935, to Hobert and Ruth Rayl McBride.

He graduated from Springfield Central High School in 1953, studied at Drury College in Springfield and worked in white pine blister rust control for the U.S. Forest Service near Haugan. He studied forestry at the University of Montana from 1954 to 1957 and, while attending the university, was a smokejumper and smokejumper squad leader in the 1954 through 1956 fire seasons.

Jon qualified for the Navy’s NAVCAD Program in 1957, and was trained as a fighter pilot, eventually flying the F-8 Crusader from the carrier Bon Homme Richard with VF 191. He also served in an instructor training squadron at Miramar, Calif.

He married Patricia Ann “Trish” Walsh in 1959, in Mountain View, Calif., near Moffett Field where he was then stationed.

Following his discharge as a full lieutenant from the Navy in 1965, Jon was hired as one of the Mobil Oil Corp.’s first corporate jet pilots. While flying for that firm he was stationed in White Plains, N.Y.; Singapore; and Washington, D.C. He retired as Mobil’s worldwide director of aviation in 1995, then returned to Missoula where he had attended college and was based as a smokejumper.

With another former smokejumper, Art Jukkala, he founded a trail maintenance program for the National Smokejumper Association in 1999. Jukkala died of a heart attack that year while on the program’s first project, and Jon assumed its lead. Under his management for the last 10 years, former and current smokejumpers have rehabilitated well over a thousand miles of trails for the Forest Service and the National Park Service and restored dozens of structures including historic lookouts and ranger stations in Montana, Idaho, Alaska, Oregon, California, Colorado, Utah and Minnesota. Jon also founded and managed a scholarship program in memory of Jukkala to benefit children of smokejumpers killed in the line of duty or in war.

His leadership was recognized in a letter from President Barack Obama and an award from the chief of the Forest Service.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia and son Jon of Missoula; brother Joe of Berkeley, Calif.; and cousin Judy of Garrison.

Memorial services will be conducted for Jon beginning at 8 a.m. on July 16 and July 24, in the Museum of Mountain Flying at Missoula’s Johnson-Bell Field.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made in his memory to the National Smokejumper Association’s Good Samaritan Fund, which meets the special needs of current and former smokejumpers. Donations may be mailed to NSA, P.O. Box 4081, Missoula, MT 59806.

NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT 2009

2010-02-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT 2009

NSA BOARD of DIRECTORS

October 9, 2009 Boise, Idaho

Overview: This was the program’s eleventh year. Created by the late Art Jukkala (Missoula ‘56), it continues to expand in popularity with our NSA membership and demand from the USFS, and this year from the U S Park Service. During 2009, we sponsored or provided for 27 projects with 282 project volunteers, compared to the 213 volunteers in 2008. No injuries or lost time incidents occurred.

Production: Projects were completed in Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Utah, California, Minnesota and Colorado.

· Our volunteers cleared more than 150 miles of trail, completed major repairs to Forest Service facilities at Big Prairie in the Northern Bob Marshall, repaired and built trail and major trail structures, upgraded building structures and built major corrals and fences. The Big Prairie project required hiking 3 days for 30 miles one way to reach the site. (60 miles round trip)

· They also repaired numerous water bars and check dams, cleared brush, cut hundreds of trees and logs, rebuilt sections of many trails, and hacked out miles of tread.

· In the Bitterroot National Forest they cleared severe downfall on 7 miles of trail that was considered impossible in the time allowed.

· They provided management and labor for building a bridge across the Clearwater River and clearing trail around Clearwater Lake in the Lolo N F in Montana. This project was doomed to failure as drop outs had occurred in early July leaving 4 volunteers to complete this difficult assignment. The Missoula Smokejumpers heard about this situation and jumped 5 smokejumpers on the project and assigned a 20 man fire training crew. All assignments were completed on time. This bridge has become a showplace to visit and admire the bridge.

· A one-week crew completed restoration of the Double Arrow Lookout near Seeley Lake Montana. This was a 5 year effort and will allow the lookout to be rented out in summers ahead.

· Roger Savage (Missoula ‘57) and his scouting teams continue to be a major factor in our success in opening long abandoned trails in wilderness.

· California, Colorado and Minnesota continue to expand as more volunteers sign on for these projects.

Mann Gulch. A project in Mann Gulch in July and August produced NSA publicity on TV and major Montana Newspapers as we provided former Smokejumpers to act as hosts to visitors during the 60^th anniversary of the Mann Gulch Fire.

Funding: Funding this year came from the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, Sawtooth Society, Lolo, Idaho Pan Handle, Dixie, Beaverhead, Superior, Tahoe, Helena and Clearwater National Forests, Robie Foundation, ExxonMobil Corporation and Johnson’s Corners (a truck stop on Interstate 25 near Fort Collins, Colorado) thanks to Stan Linnertz (MSO ’61). Various NSA Members continue to provide donations on a yearly basis. We express our sincere thanks to all.

Tools: We maintain a large tool cache and we’re able to provide tools for all projects with the exception of the saws, hammers, levels, squares and other hand tools needed for cabin rehabilitation projects. Those, for the most part are provided by our volunteers. The Missoula Aerial Fire Depot continues to loan us crosscut saws every year. Tool certification is provided by our in-house certifiers (Jeff Kindeman and Richard Hulla) and First Aid training and CPR certification is provided by Missoula AFD. Rod McIver oversees/maintains our hand tools while Chuck Fricke oversees/maintains our Chain Saws. Tom Blunn provides carpentry skills necessary to build and maintain our stove boxes and yearly warehouse modifications.

EMT’s: A new position has been created this year and that is “Chief EMT”, or chief “DR” (Doctor) as he is called. This position is held by Jim Phillips (MSO 67-71). The objective of this position is to provide communication with all EMT’s and to bring attention of our volunteers, to their personal responsibility toward health and physical conditioning before arriving on project. In support of Jim is Ivan Kays (Associate and retired Pharmacist) who oversees our First Aid kits and supplies.

Scholarships: The NSA Trail Maintenance Program has undertaken the sponsorship of two scholarship programs:

The Art Jukkala Scholarship Program. A program sponsored and funded by the Trail Program, interested members of the NSA and the general public. This program provides a $2000 yearly scholarship to children of smokejumpers killed in the line of duty at a college or school of their choice. Two scholarships have been awarded in 2006.

The NSA Trail Maintenance Smokejumper Chair Scholarship Fund at the University of Montana College of Forestry and Conservation at Missoula. A program sponsored by NSA Trail Maintenance and funded by interested members of the NSA. This program provides one yearly scholarship to a smokejumper forestry student or a forestry student child of a smokejumper. One Scholarship has been awarded in 2009 to Steven Mohr, son of a former smokejumper. Steven was a Hot Shot fire fighter.

Advisory Council: The NSA Trail Maintenance Advisory Council, formed in May 2002, meets at least once each year. Its fifteen members are advisers to the Trail Maintenance Coordinator who serves at their pleasure. They review operations and financial accounts, recommend policies and serve as an oversight committee. A list of these names is available upon request.

Jon H. McBride (Missoula ‘54)

NSA Trail Maintenance Coordinator

Earl Cooley

2009-11-24T20:40:00.000-08:00

Earl Cooley

A firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service, in 1940 Cooley volunteered for a new program: "Smokejumper". Cooley and one other man were the first to do it -- to fly over a remote forest fire in an airplane and parachute down to fight the fire. "Our training consisted of a man saying: 'This is your parachute. You know what fire is. We jump tomorrow'," Cooley remembered. He had never been in an airplane before. He did 10 practice jumps, and then he was dispatched to a real fire. The entire "team" consisted of Cooley and Rufus Robinson; Robinson jumped first. Cooley landed in a tree, but climbed down and by morning they had the fire under control. "I don't know why, but I was never afraid to jump," Cooley once said, even though in 1949, a team of 12 smokejumpers he sent in to a Montana fire were killed when the wind shifted, turning their escape route into an inferno. Cooley was exonerated of any wrongdoing, "but I still look at that map and have thought about it every day since then," he said in 1994. The only other thing he didn't like about the job: having to walk out of the fire area when the job was done. Cooley helped found the National Smokejumper Association and served as its first president. He retired from the Forest Service in 1975, and died November 9 at age 98.
The First SmokejumpersTaken in Missoula, Mont., 1940: Back row: Glen Smith, Earl Cooley, Merle Lundrigan, Jim Alexander, Chect Derry. Kneeling: Rufus Robinson, Jim Waite, Frank Derry, George Case (district ranger, not a smokejumper), Dick Lynch, Bill Bolen. Their salary: $193 per month. (Photo: National Smokejumper Association)

From This is True for 15 November 2009
Suggestions for further reading:
The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America
by Timothy Egan
Amazon Price: $14.58
Customer Review: Timothy Egan is a talented writer, and his book doesn't lack drama or excitement. THE BIG BURN grippingly recounts the events surrounding the Great Fire of 1910, including the response of the federal government through Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford...

Young Men and Fire
by Norman Maclean
Amazon Price: $9.50
Customer Review: This book grabs you, by the heart as well as the mind. I found myself emotionally touched by the stories of those caught in the flames or narrowly escaping them. Maclean's words often connected with me at the gut level. I found myself flipping back...

Woodsburner: A Novel
by John Pipkin
Amazon Price: $16.47
Customer Review: I'm a big fan of Thoreau's writing, and I was looking forward to reading this book. It's rare to see fiction with characters such as Thoreau, and I had read some of the good reviews here, so I was tempted. But near the halfway mark I'm giving up: the...

The Thirtymile Fire: A Chronicle of Bravery and Betrayal
by John N. Maclean
Amazon Price: $11.20
Customer Review: Really a must read for the Squad Boss to the Fire Chief.
Not always a fan of the author, but without his book many of the details of this tragedy would never have been told. This story needed to be told. I retired as a fire manager in 2004,...

Jumping Fire: A Smokejumper's Memoir of Fighting Wildfire
by Murry A. Taylor
Amazon Price: $10.08
Customer Review: This book is more devoted to lamenting over failed relationships than earning our respect for a respectful occupation. The only page turning that was going on was flipping past all the frivolous sexploits and side-jinks that belonged in a man's vers...

Newsfeed display by CaRP About the HUs
About This is True

Subscribe Free
to This is True
Your e-mail:

Find by name/keyword:

Prev: Comic-Con founder Shel Dorf
Complete Name List

REMEMBERING EARL COOLEY

2009-11-17T21:05:00.000-08:00

Hundreds of mourners remember smokejumper Cooley's life, pioneering legacy

By KIM BRIGGEMAN of the Missoulian | Posted: Monday, November 16, 2009 10:50 pm

Not everyone who paid final respects to Earl Cooley on Monday knew the man.

Some, if not most, came to the Sunset Memorial Funeral Home west of Missoula because of the legends and the legacy Cooley left behind when he died Nov. 9 at age 98.

“I’m just a jumper,” shrugged Court Wallace, who sat in a back wing at a memorial service that drew some 300 people.

Wallace and most other current smokejumpers know Cooley through the stories that have been passed down, of his work in the early years of the Forest Service smokejumping era and his part in the first jump onto a wildfire in Idaho in 1940.

They had met the ailing Cooley only when he presented them their freshman class jump pins and certificates. Even as his health deteriorated, Cooley took pride in the task every summer up to and including the past one, said Ed Ward, superintendent of the Missoula smokejumper base.

Wallace had a ball cap on his lap that read “Nez Perce Forest,” the forest where Rufus Robinson of Kooskia, Idaho, and Cooley, who grew up in Corvallis, made their jump into history and lore 69 summers ago.

Though he now jumps out of Missoula, Wallace worked on the Nez Perce for several years, he said. In September 2005, he and some fellow jumpers took time out of a cabin protection project in the Selway-Bitterroot to hike some 15 miles to the Marten Creek site where Cooley and Robinson first jumped.

With the help of a GPS locator and a Forest Service map, they found it – and Wallace still shakes his head. Cooley always said it was remote. Wallace said it’s still at least two miles from the nearest trail.

“It’s funny, we were hoping to find a big meadow,” he said.

Instead they found a spot “way down in this gnarly canyon that’s solid spruce,” he said.

On that windy July day in 1940, first the strings of Cooley’s chute tangled and then he landed in one of those spruces. He made it down safely to join Robinson in containing the blaze.

He made 16 more jumps that first summer and 48 in the next nine years. But that first was the closest call he ever had, Cooley said in a 2005 Public Broadcasting System interview played in the funeral home.

Other “chuters” found trouble sleeping, but never Cooley.

“Oh yeah, hell, I enjoyed jumping,” he said in the interview, eliciting a chuckle from Monday’s mourners.

Cooley’s impact on smokejumping and firefighting was felt around the West – and honored around the nation. The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times were among the national publications that carried byline stories of his life and death in the past week.

“We make a lot out of his first jump, but he did a lot of other things for smokejumping,” pointed out Jon McBride of Missoula, a retired jumper.

Cooley was at the forefront in the development of firefighting tools and technology. Among his contributions was testing and then improving the old Eagle parachute with which he made his first jumps, and which McBride said would “open with a bang and just about knock the wind out of you.”

From his home in Missoula, McBride coordinates the Art Jukkila Trails Maintenance Program for the National Smokejumper Association, an organization Cooley founded.

Indeed, Cooley’s history is directly linked with that of smokejumping. He was the spotter in the airplane on jumping’s darkest day, at the Mann Gulch fire north of Helena in 1949 that claimed 13 lives.

When he got too old to jump, he was a Forest Service district ranger on the Nez Perce and at Noxon. He returned to Missoula in 1958 and spent the last 13 years of his Forest Service career running the smokejumper base.

He and Irene, his wife of more than 70 years, raised five daughters who survive him along with their husbands, 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Cooley’s remains were buried at the Corvallis Cemetery on Monday afternoon.

Back in Missoula, Cathy Scribner, a chaplain for Hospice of Missoula, eulogized Cooley and spoke of his wit, his courage and passion, his inner strength and his iron grip. She noted what she called his “heroic status among smokejumpers around the world.”

“He found his church in the mountains and the wild blue sky,” she said.

Court Wallace recalled another day, this one in 2004, his first year as a smokejumper. His crew was en route to a fire above the Selway-Bitterroot when at one point over a nondescript stretch of rugged country, the spotter threw a streamer from the plane. It wasn’t until later that Wallace understood why.

The date was July 12, the anniversary of that first jump, and the streamers commemorated the otherwise unmarked site where Rufus Robinson and Earl Cooley launched the smokejumping era.

“He’s really the father of smokejumping, is how we look at it,” said Ward. “He has been an inspiration to all of us, and we’ll miss his laughter, and all the fun we’ve had with him.

“Our job now is just to continue on and work hard like Earl taught us to, and keep the tradition going for another 69 years.”

Reporter Kim Briggeman can be reached at 523-5266 or at kbriggeman@missoulian.com.

McBride Honored For Volunteer Service

2009-11-10T19:44:00.000-08:00

NEWS RELEASE
USDA Forest Service -- Northern Region

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: September 7, 2009
News Contact: Rose Davis, Regional Media Liaison 406-329-3472

MISSOULA, Mt. U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell is presenting the President’s Volunteer Service Award today to a Montana man. Jon McBride is being honored with the Gold Level service award for over 4000 hours of volunteer work on National Forest System trails in seven regions of the agency.

McBride is a former Forest Service smokejumper, veteran Navy pilot and retired as Chief Pilot from an energy company ten years ago. Since 1999 he has served as coordinator for the National Smokejumper Association (NSA) Art Jukkala Trails program. Jukkala started the trails program with 18 veteran jumpers as volunteers and after his death in 1999, McBride took the leadership role for the trails program.

The NSA’s trail program led by McBride accomplished 130 projects with over 1000 NSA volunteers including improving trails, renovating guard stations and lookouts, and maintaining and building corrals and fences over the past eleven years.

Jon McBride’s efforts in successfully leading this program involve coordinating with individual forests and foundations, planning and organizing crews, assuring volunteers met Forest Service standards in their work and even planning their menus and arranging to feed groups of volunteers.

Jon McBride will be honored with the Gold Service level pin, a letter from President Barack Obama and an appreciation plaque during the 5:00 p.m. opening reception for the Forest Service Reunion on September 7th at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula. Presentation of the award is tentatively scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

###

SAVING A FOREST GEM

2008-09-10T22:38:00.000-07:00

Saving a forest gem
Glade Guard Station renovated in Dolores County
June 29, 2008By Karen Boush | Herald Staff Writer
Call it Extreme Makeover: Boondocks Edition.

Last week, renovation began on the historic Glade Guard Station, located more than 20 miles from the nearest paved road in Dolores County.

Volunteers came from around the United States to help the San Juan National Forest restore the main structure on the site - a circa 1916 residence - to its original condition.

Faced with a long to-do list and only five days to do it, they rose to the challenge.

They scraped, sanded and primed the exterior then painted it its original bright white color. They tore off the deteriorating cedar-shingle roof and put on a new one. They replaced an exterior side door and its frame, as well as the porch railing and balusters. They installed a flagpole donated from the Mancos chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and made repairs to the chimney and sandstone foundation.

If that weren't enough, they improved the site drainage and removed the windows so they could be professionally restored.

"Those guys are the hardest-working guys you'd ever meet," said Julie Coleman, heritage team leader for the San Juan Public Lands.

A smokin' crew

"Those guys" are 14 retired smokejumpers from the National Smokejumper Association, which through its trail-maintenance program, restores historic structures on Forest Service land across the country.

Averaging 68 years old, the smokejumpers paid their own way to get to the guard station, where they camped, ate catered fare and enjoyed the chance to look back on their shared experiences as smokejumpers.

"It's a rare opportunity for guys our age to come back together and relive our youth," said Bill Ruskin, a Colorado Springs resident who oversees the program.

Also dedicated to the task at hand were Coleman and her husband, David Singer, with Silverton Restoration Consulting; Elaine Sherman, archaeologist for the Dolores Public Lands Office; Lloyd McNeil, a crew foreman for the Forest Service as well as a founding member of the Jersey Jim Foundation; and Russel Heaton, a rail ranger with the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Together, they got the job done, with time left over for a flag-raising ceremony and barbecue Friday afternoon.

"Without proper maintenance, everything just deteriorates. The paint goes away, animals chew on things, the porch railing rots out," said Rich Hilderbrand, the smokejumpers' squad leader from Colorado Springs.

"(The house) is being restored to look very much like it did 50 years ago."

One hundred years of service

At an elevation of about 8,300 feet, the guard station is located about 10 miles north of McPhee Reservoir, on a remote hillside overlooking a large open area known as The Glade.

As one of the oldest U.S. Forest Service administrative sites in Colorado, it has a well-documented history.

The guard station was first established in 1906, when a log cabin, long since decayed and removed, was built as shelter for the "guardian" assigned to watch over the Glade District of the Montezuma National Forest, now part of the Dolores Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest.

In 1916, both the 600-square-foot house and a barn were constructed to serve as the ranger's seasonal headquarters.

In the mid-1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps set up a camp next to the guard station and built a woodshed, garage and outhouse, all of which still stand today.

The Forest Service used the station well into the 1970s, primarily for storage, but dwindling budgets and a lack of need for the facility resulted in its being left largely unintended.

Neglected but not forgotten, the station remained under the watchful eye of McNeil, who checked on the station whenever his work took him into "the boondocks." He said he continued to pester district officials about the station.

"I've kept fanning the flames or blowing on the coals to get the fire going, because it's meant a lot to me, and I didn't want to see it disappear," he said.

In the nick of time

In 2001, the guard station was listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties, and efforts continue to have it added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Still, even a year ago, the historic guard station remained at risk of being lost to history.

The house was showing its age with a rapidly deteriorating roof, a crumbling sandstone foundation, an infestation of rodents and myriad other problems.

Yet, the San Juan National Forest lacked the funds and manpower to do anything about it.

Last summer, however, things started looking up for the station after archaeologist Sherman told Ruskins, with the National Smokejumper Association, about its dire situation.

When Ruskins jumped at the chance to provide free labor to help save the forest gem, Coleman started rounding up money.

She secured a $10,000 grant from the Bacon Family Foundation and a $1,000 grant from the Ballantine Family Fund, in addition to $16,000 from the San Juan Public Lands.

The money covered last week's renovation activities, including the construction materials, an historic structural assessment provided by Silverton Restoration Consulting, and catering services provided by Elevated Fine Foods of Silverton.

A new chapter

Coleman said the next major stage of the renovation, slated for next summer, will include painting the interior and reinstalling the windows. She expects the renovation to be fully complete by 2010.

The house will then be available to the public as a recreational rental, operating under permit by the Jersey Jim Foundation.

The nonprofit organization already manages the Jersey Jim lookout tower north of Mancos, and is being considered to oversee management of the lower Hermosa trailhead.

Although national television crews weren't on the scene to film their efforts, the volunteers can be proud of their work.

"I think (the station) really is a connection to the past," Coleman said. "We're giving it a new life and a new chapter."

Click here to send an email to the author

Contents copyright ©, the Durango Herald. All rights reserved.

MINUTES FROM TRAIL MAINTENANCE ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

2008-03-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

NSA Trail Program Advisory Council Meeting
January 7, 2008, Missoula, Montana

At 0900 hours on January 7, 2008, Jon McBride called the meeting of the NSA Trail Program Advisory Council to order. In attendance were more than enough old NSA Members and Associates to meet or exceed any requirements for a Quorum. Jon reminded those present that this is our one required meeting for the year.

Duties of the Advisory Council: No comments or questions were generated on this topic.

Policies:
Number 5: NSA Membership Participation: Jon reiterated the policy that precludes family members from being on the same volunteer project. He has received criticism from several NSA members who want to have their wives/husbands participate in the same project. The only exception to this policy is if both husband and wife are/were jumpers and are NSA members. The last sentence in Policy Statement # 5 should be changed to read as follows:
No family members will be allowed on the same Project unless both were/are smokejumpers and are currently NSA members.

On one project in 2007, non-NSA personnel who had not signed up for a project showed up. Action was quickly taken and a larger problem was avoided. Squadleaders are charged with handling these types of situations in accord with existing Policy.

Number 6: This policy statement is changed to read as follows:
NSA Trail Maintenance Project personnel will abide by policies of the hosting Agency, i.e. Leave No Trace, Food Storage Requirements in Bear Country, First Aid and CPR certifications, etc. Squadleaders will make sure volunteers are advised of requirements and assure compliance.

Financial Health of the Program: Jon provided copies of transaction registers detailing the business activities of the NSA Trail Program for 2007. He also provided copies of bank statements for the year. The Program is financially healthy at this time.

Jon McBride and Bob Whaley initiated a discussion of the scholarship program expenditures and financial condition. For Leslie Ann Mackey, who is employed as a cosmetologist, we authorized $2000 for advanced training she needed in order to address needs of some cancer patients. This was paid for out of the NSA Trail Program budget because funds were available and there was little reason to go to the NSA treasurer to get the costs covered. Based on what we now know, we have adequate funding in the Scholarship Program to cover projected needs. There is $17,000 in the fund at this time.

Bob Whaley is engaged in discussions with Bobby Mackey and his mother regarding Bobby’s career field and associated training requirements. He appears interested in avionics at this time and he is being encouraged to look at a range of flight related career fields. At this point, he is the only additional person planning on going to college that meets our criteria for consideration under this Scholarship Program.

Payments from Hosting Agencies: Jon advised the group that he is having difficulties working with the current USFS payment system. He submitted bills for three projects where the amounts were exactly the same. He has been paid for one of the projects, but he is unable to determine which one. He requested help from Tim Aldrich to work thru this matter.

The grant funding from the American Hiking Society ($4000) to acquire tools and equipment needed for the Trail Program has been spent within the prescribed time frame. Among the speciality items acquired are eight additional approved Bear Proof Boxes. Jon worked with some of our volunteers, including Rod McIver and Chuck Fricke, to bolster the supply of other tools. Chuck was again able to get a significant donation of tools from the Fiscars Company.

Rod McIver is an expert in the use and care of tools and has a strong interest in becoming the “keeper of the Trail Program tools.” Rod has knowledge and skills in the use, maintenance and repair of the tools we use, and he has facilities wherein tools could be safely stored. A decision on this is imminent.

The National Smokejumper Association Leadership Initiative: The draft Initiative produced by Bill Ruskin was reviewed and discussed at some length. Each of the four individual parts was considered by itself and in the context of the whole package. Bill’s initiative, insights, knowledge and skills were recognized and praised by several members of the Council. The common concern expressed was the fact that the personnel involved in the Trail Program are already very busy and hesitant to take on additional significant responsibilities and duties. It was agreed that Bill would need to utilize resources outside of the NSA Trail Program to implement the Initiative. Jon McBride will draft a letter that will document the position of the Council. This draft will be sent to Council member for review and comments.

In conjunction with the discussion of the Initiative, Barry Hicks provided the group with a brief introduction to the planned National Smokejumper Center. The group working on this plan has moved ahead to create its own 501 (c-3) corporation. The facility is to be in West Yellowstone to take advantage of the huge tourist business there. That group will soon meet with personnel from the Gallatin National Forest in an effort to acquire the historic Hebgen Lake Ranger Station as the home for this program. A number of Bill Ruskins basic goals and objectives will be to provide part of the basis for structuring the program that is intended to inform and motivate youth. The group’s analysis leads them to believe that the Program will be self-supporting.

Review of 2007 Projects and Proposed Projects for 2008: The Trail Report for projects undertaken and completed in 2007 is in the mail as of today. There is nice coverage of the Mann Gulch Project completed during the rainiest period of 2007. (rain at camp and snow on top of the mountain where the project was done) Our interest in the protection and appropriate management of Mann Gulch continues. We will meet with the Ranger of the Helena Ranger District on the 16th of January to discuss the draft of a Historic Preservation Plan for Mann Gulch. This draft we will discuss was prepared by Jim Hagemeier with significant assistance from his son. Jon McBride and Tim Aldrich plan to participate in this meeting.

To the credit of the individuals involved, Projects in 2007 were completed without accident. The severe fire season added very significant challenges that were addressed in the professional manner we would expect of smokejumpers. The Trail Maintenance Special Report 2007 should be in your hands at this time. This great production includes lots of information on all the projects and offers statistics that speak to our interest, productivity, skills and senses of humor. Included with the Report is a signup sheet for the 2008 Trail Program. Based on discussions with various USFS units, there will be plenty of projects proposed for 2008. Jim Cherry is currently working to finalize a project proposal for work in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. This would be a first for us in this area and it would involve some new and different situations and challenges. The Council encourages folks to get their forms filled out and sent in so that more definitive plans can be made for all proposed projects.

The Council is encouraging squadleaders to engage in conversations with potential project hosts to develop specific project proposals. At the same time, they are also encouraged to begin recruiting volunteers for their projects. Some called this the establishment of an “unrestricted free agency” approach, but it was recommended that we not establish a super competitive system that might detract from the amazing commitments made by NSA members and Associate Members.

Paul Evenson made a very informative presentation on Back Country Horsemen (BCH), their history and their involvement in trail programs around the Country. Based on information he had obtained, the Forest Service puts a value $18.77 per hour for each volunteer on trail projects. (When I started smokejumping, I was getting $2.04 per hour and may not have deserved it.) With food prices going like they are, maybe we are not working too cheaply! The BCH affiliates have been supporting our projects for a number of years and are also doing many projects with their own resources. Whereas we require the use of the Volunteer Agreement as the instrument documenting our relationship with the Forest Service on Trail Projects, they are often using a Challenge Cost Share Agreement. We will have members involved in the discussions that the BCH is having with the Forest Service with regard to the types of agreements to be used in the future.

New Business: Jim Phillips moved that the Council assign a small group to develop a draft Business Plan for the Trail Program. It was seconded by Tim Aldrich. This plan would capture our current objectives, policies, methods, etc., and it would also address the changes in smokejumper population and a “marketing plan” that would focus on maintaining and sustaining the Trail Program. It would be much more than a “business” oriented document. The group briefly discussed Jim’s motion and gave approval for him to initiate the effort.

Jon McBride gave his irrevocable commitment to continue on as the leader of the Program through completion of the Report in the winter of 2009. (one more year!) This provided a sobering culmination to an otherwise very cheerful and constructive meeting. Jon, your commitment, leadership and energy have been crucial to sustaining and growing this program. We again offer our sincere thanks for the job well done.
Jon McBride, Trail Boss, NSA Trail Maintenance Program

Smokejumper's "bucket list" Includes Hiking the Bob to NSA Trail Maintenance Project

2008-03-03T15:57:00.000-08:00

NSA Trail Volunteers Attack the Bob Marshall and CDT

Have you ever wanted to hike the Bob from north to south? Several NSA trail crew volunteers are planning a trip during the week prior to meeting up with a NSA trail crew in the southern Bob… and are looking for others to join them. If you have had this on your “bucket list” since jumping fires in the Bob, read on.

Mike Overby (MSO 67) and Jim Phillips (MSO 67) (maybe), are planning on a backpacking trip that begins on July 4th/5th where the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) travels through Marias Pass just east of East Glacier on Hwy 2. The trek ends on Sunday afternoon, July 13th when the balance of the Sarbo Creek NSA trail project crew arrives at camp hiking in from the south. The distance on the CDT is estimated at 150 miles. Estimated specs are:

· Marias Pass to Badger Pass; 34.3 mi/4,111’ elevation gain/moderate difficulty

· Badger Pass to Benchmark; 88.3 mi/7,861’ elevation gain/strenuous difficulty

· Benchmark to Grassy Hills (trail to Carmichael Cabin and Sarbo Creek on N. Fork of Blackfoot River); 27mi/moderate difficulty

. Grassy Hills (CDT- trail departure) to Sarbo Creek); 14 miles / moderate difficulty

· Total estimated distance = 164 mi

For those wanting to work the Sarbo Creek Project, there will be a total of 8 NSA crew members working from July 14 through July 19th. The project will end with a hike out on July 19th returning to Missoula by that night.

Other options to missing the great food, cold beer, comradeship (and some work) on the Sarbo Creek Trail Project would be to cut east past Benchmark to a number of trail heads that go to Augusta. Another option would be to continue traveling on the CDT for 38 miles to Rogers Pass on Hwy 200.
A light pack and plenty of mole skin are recommended. We especially welcome “slow runners” that can lead the team through Griz country.

For those interested, contact Mike Overby at 469-222-5559 or mike.overby@expresspersonnel.com.

NSA Membership Application

2008-02-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

NATIONAL SMOKEJUMPER ASSOCIATION

www.smokejumpers.com

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

SMOKEJUMPERS: All who have completed smokejumping training

PILOTS: Smokejumper pilots

ASSOCIATES: All who support the NSA

Last Name___________ First Name________________MI_______

Common Use of First Name (i.e. Buddy, Marge, Joe)_____________

Mailing Address:_________________________________________

City:___________________State:______________Zip:_________

Telephone:(___)__________Email:_________________________

Smokejumper Base & Rookie Year___________________________

Other bases & Years Jumped_______________________________

For Pilots: Bases & Years Where a Pilot:_______________________

Associates: Current Job or Other Status:______________________

Membership Dues:

1 Year: $30 2 Years: $50

5 Years: $100 10 Years: $180

Life Membership: $1000

Make Checks Payable to: NATIONAL SMOKEJUMPER ASSOCIATION

MAIL TO:

NSA John R. McDaniel

P.O. Box 105

Falun, KS 67442-0105

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: Please copy the application from the blog and paste it to Word and print. Thank you

SIGN UP BEGINS FOR 2008 NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

2008-01-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

Missoula, Montana
Jon McBride, NSA Trail Maintenance Program Coordinator, announced today that sign up sheets for the 2008 trails maintenance and related projects are included in the the 2007 Trail Maintenance Special Report which will arrive this week.
If you are a member of the NSA and interested in getting back in the woods with a group of fellow smokejumpers working on trail or restoration projects in the national forests, please complete the form by March 15 and mail to: NSA, Trail Maintenance, PO Box 4081, Missoula, MT 59806 Attn: Jon McBride.
For your convenience, and in the event you didn't receive a copy of the special report or signup sheet in the mail, a copy is included here.

Please copy and paste the information below into a Word document, fill out and mail to Jon McBride.

SIGN UP SHEET 2008
NATIONAL SMOKEJUMPER ASSOCIATION
TRAIL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
If you are a member of the NSA and interested in getting back in a high country wilderness setting with a group of fellow smokejumpers working on USFS trail maintenance or restoration projects, please complete this form and mail by March 15th to: National Smokejumper Association, Trail Maintenance, P.O. Box 4081, Missoula MT 59806, Attn: Jon McBride.
“Pay is real bad, food is real good and the camaraderie and fun is outstanding.”
************************************************************************
Last Name______________________First Name_______________MI___

Street Address_________________________________________________

CITY_______________________ STATE_______ZIP________________

TELEPHONE__________________E-Mail_________________________

Year Trained______Base Trained____________Years Jumped________
Years participated in NSA TM projects _____ Number of projects_______

My AVAILABILITY in 2008
Anytime (for 1 week___, 2 weeks___) (Can arrange my schedule to fit assignment)
I will be available only during the following periods:
Idaho Fence Project ____ July 6-11, Montana/Idaho___ July 12-19 ___July 20-26,
Minnesota___ Sept TBA, Utah___ TBA, Colorado___TBA.

________I wish to work in a Guard Station/Camp accessible by car. This will involve restoration work on FS Facilities. This option is important if you are not in good shape for hiking steep grades. See page 50, Pack Test.

Unless a choice of locations listed below is selected by the volunteer, the projects will usually be assigned in Montana. Assignments in Idaho, Minnesota and Utah will be on a first come first serve basis. (Note: 75% of the projects are in Montana.)
I wish to work in ID ___, MT ___, MN ___, UT ___, CO (TBA) ___.
Other important information
________I am a qualified EMT, MD, or other emergency medical expertise.
________I am experienced in cooking and can cook for 6 to 12 individuals.
________Desire assignment with_____________________(Jumpers Name)
________I would like to help in scouting, or logistics and will come early.
________I am an experienced carpenter and have tools will travel!

Jon McBride’s phone 406-728-2302, E-mail is n2601@aol.com (preferred)
Bill Ruskin (for Colorado info) 719-599-3759, E-mail is bruskin1@earthlink.net.
Note: Assignment to projects are usually finalized and sent out in May.
Please use back of sheet to tell your story.

Smokejumpers Dodge Fast Moving Blaze, or: Fire Chases Old Smokejumpers

2007-08-06T19:48:00.000-07:00

Retired smokejumpers find another project to work on after fleeing the Bridge Fire near Powell Ranger Station. They were at work Friday.
Volunteer trail workers dodge fast-moving blaze
By Dean A. Ferguson
Saturday, July 28, 2007
POWELL - Nine old smokejumpers were probably too tough to burn, but they fled the forest fire near Powell Ranger Station anyway.
"They're a pretty amazing crew, let me tell you," said Carol Hennessey, recreation and wilderness manager for the Powell Ranger District in the Clearwater National Forest.
On Wednesday, the retired smokejumpers were among about 30 people who hiked or rode out of trails southeast of the ranger station when lightning sparked the fast-moving Bridge Fire. Accompanied by six packers with the North Central Idaho Back Country Horsemen, the men were afoot deep in Idaho's most rugged terrain.
The members of the National Smokejumper Association had come from as far away as North Carolina as volunteers clearing wilderness trails.
"It was hot," was all Bob Whaley, 72, of Missoula had to say about the trail toward Pack Box Saddle.
Whaley jumped fires in the late 1950s before his career as a U.S. Marine pilot. Smokejumping taught him "military duty and camaraderie," preparation that made Marine training "a piece of cake."
Hennessey bragged about the men, since they were "too modest" to do it themselves. She said the crew had made fast progress clearing the trail - not even taking into account the youngest was 62 years old.
On Tuesday, the men cut at least 100 downed trees, some as big around as truck tires, with cross-cut saws. They pitched camp late and hit it hard the next day.
Maybe old smokejumpers just can't stay away from fire.
"One of the fellows looked down at the creek and said, 'Look at that plume of smoke,'" recalled Jim Renshaw, 75, of Kooskia, a retired outfitter who was packing in supplies. Renshaw turned on his radio and got a call from the rangers. "They called and told us to get out."
Even though the men used to head toward fires, nobody argued about retreating, Whaley said - the operative word in this case being "retired" smokejumpers.
The forced hike out was uneventful, although the men joked about prodding Renshaw's mules to make them go faster. The whole crew made it to safety and comfort at the ranger station around midnight.
It's little surprise the men weren't too excited about the ordeal. They jumped from airplanes during smokejumping's earlier days.
The first fire jumps were made into the Nez Perce National Forest on July 12, 1940, according to the National Smokejumper Association.
Thirty years later Jim Phillips, 64, of Helena was carrying on the tradition.
Phillips paused from skinning the bark off a lodgepole pine log Friday to recall his most memorable jump.
It was the day he jumped a fire with two other men. As he prepared for a soft landing in a grove of 30-foot-tall trees, a sharp snag pierced the armpit of his jumpsuit and ran all the way up to the tip of his glove. He was stranded, helpless, far off the ground.
"I'm impaled," Phillips recalled. "I'm not hurt, not injured, I just can't get out of it."
So, he hollered and help arrived, sort of.
"My two jump partners, they could see I wasn't injured and they saw I wasn't bleeding, so they sat down under the tree and had lunch."
Phillips' story goes a long ways toward explaining why a group of retirees can work like sharecroppers and call that a vacation. They find humor in working up a blister or getting chased off mountains by fire. They're the kind of men who know cold beer tastes best after you work up a thirst. And sore feet make a stump next to a campfire as comfortable as any Lazy-Boy recliner.
The ranger district still has plenty of work to keep the smokejumpers happy.
On Friday, four of them refurbished a cabin near Wendover Campground four miles west of Powell Ranger Station. The other five did maintenance work along the Lolo Motorway.
Although the work is volunteer, the Forest Service is paying for the men's meals and travel expenses. The men will donate that $1,200 to the Selway Bitterroot Foundation, a group dedicated to keeping the back country wild and open.
The smokejumpers will head back to their homes Monday. Maybe they'll relax a little bit. After the vacation they've had, they could use a break.
---
Ferguson may be contacted at dferguson@lmtribune.com or at (208) 743-9600, ext. 274.

Bloggers Note: Following are comments about the article.

"I love it...we need to bill them as the fleet of foot trail crew and in the future make appropriate assignments in fleet footed terrain. tk

"The guys are really pissed about the article using the word "fleeing". I helped a lot by telling them they are the only trail crew we have ever had that "fled" a fire."
Jon

NSA Trail Maintenance Recognized by American Hiking Society with $4000 Grant

2007-04-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

On April 24, Jon McBride received a call from Ivan Levin of the American Hiking Society, headquartered in Silver Spring, MD confirming that the NSA Trail Maintenance Program will be the recipient of a $4000 grant for the purposes of purchasing new equipment for the use of our volunteers. In addition, a company in Oregon will donate three large camp stoves plus make available at a very low price the purchase of Sun Showers. Ivan complimented the NSA on its application and Newsletter saying it was one of the finest they had received and their board had spent a lot of time looking it over. NSA will receive confirmation of the grant in writing in the next few days and will receive the grant in 3 to 4 weeks.

Smokejumper Porter Rollout nets $800 for Art Jukkala Scholarship Fund

2007-01-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 3, 2007

Left Hand Brewing Funds Scholarship Program
for Children of Fallen Smokejumpers

(LONGMONT, CO) – In a tribute to those fearless experienced wildland firefighters who give themselves to protect our natural heritage, our homes and our lives here in Colorado and across the nation, Left Hand Brewing Company, together with the Fox Theater in Boulder, CO and the Big Hoss Grill in Denver, CO, staged three different fundraising events in the month of December. Each event featured the “Official Beer of the National Smokejumpers Association”, Left Hand’s limited release Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter.

Benefiting the National Smokejumpers Association’s Art Jukkala Scholarship Program for children of fallen Smokejumpers, the events raised $800.00 for the fund. Stan Linnertz, Smokejumper Life Member, Missoula Class of 1961, called the partnership “…just spectacular. The National Smokejumper Association’s primary focus is to contribute to and maintain the quality of our wildlife areas for generations to come, and getting the word out to people about what we do is great. And to raise funds for the scholarship program for young people whose parent(s) were killed in action just means a great deal to us.”

The Art Jukkala Scholarship Program was created in 2006 so that children of Smokejumpers killed in action would be given an opportunity to apply for a college scholarship. The funds collected by the family and friends of Art Jukkala (honorary Life Member) at his Memorial Service and later donations by the Smokejumper community were used as seed monies to start the scholarship program in Art’s name. For more information, or to make a donation to the Art Jukkala Scholarship Program, contact the National Smokejumpers Association @ P.O. Box 4081, Missoula, MT 59806, or visit www.smokejumpers.com.

About Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter
As the “Official Beer of the National Smokejumper Association”, this truly hand-crafted smoked imperial porter is made with hot and cold-smoked barley malt using a combination of several hardwoods. Roasty black in color, the long-lingering smokiness wraps around flavors of sweet molasses, toasted malt and an earthy hoppiness. The beer is full-bodied, black with garnet undertones in color, and 9.2% alcohol by volume. It will be available in 750 milliliter silk-screened Belgian beer bottles and kegs in Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

About the National Smokejumper Association
The National Smokejumper Association, through a cadre of volunteers and partnerships, is dedicated to preserving the history and lore of smokejumping, maintaining and restoring our nation’s forest and grassland resources, and responding to special needs of smokejumpers and their families. Learn more @ www.smokejumpers.com.

About Left Hand Brewing Company
Celebrating thirteen years of brewing a well-balanced portfolio of craft beers, Left Hand Brewing Company is located at 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. For more information, check out our website @ www.lefthandbrewing.com, call the brewery @ 303-772-0258, or, better yet, swing by our tasting room (over 21 please) and sample Smokejumper yourself!

MINUTES FROM TRAIL MAINTENANCE ADVISORY MEETING

2006-12-20T21:09:00.000-08:00

NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE ADVISORY COUNCIL
Meeting Notes—December 8, 2006

Trailmaster Jon McBride opened the meeting at 0905 by welcoming those in attendance including NSA President Doug Houston. (See picture below of attendees and names) In referring to a group of 60+ year-old men as “the boys”, he is sounding more and more like one of our heroes, Fred Brauer. By next December, maybe even by next July, we will also be talking of ourselves as a “band of brothers.” Fred’s influence is lasting!

1) Discussion of duties of the Advisory Council: Jon stressed that the Trail Maintenance program is an NSA function, and it does not operate in the free spirit mode without regard to the underpinnings provided by NSA. He reiterated that he views the Advisory Council as his “boss” and he serves at their pleasure. Jon asked if there were any comments or questions regarding his role or that of the Advisory Council.
a. Jim Schofield asked if we should discuss what process might be used if the Council desired to replace Jon. It was agreed that there was no process and further that there was currently no need to discuss a process. (Jon, I think you can consider this a vote of confidence.)

2) Jon passed out copies of the NSA Trail Maintenance Objectives, noting that some adjustments had been made during last year’s meeting of the Advisory Council to add focus to the importance of safety and of following established procedures for outdoor skills and ethics in accordance with Leave No Trace and Bear Management guidelines. He again asked if there were suggestions or questions, and there were none.

3) Jon passed out copies of the NSA Trail Maintenance Polices. He noted that as of the last year, our policy limits us to projects where volunteers are provided under a Volunteer Agreement. He also made special note of the provision that precluded a family member from accompanying a volunteer on a project. He asked if there were suggestions or questions.

a. One member asked if Associate Members on projects had to be current Associate Members. Jon stated that all the “worker volunteers” had to be either active NSA Members or Associate Members. On occasion, a non-active person has been on a project for special needs such as a cook or an EMT but they had always joined soon after the project was completed. Otherwise, current membership is required.
b. A question was raised about fitness requirements for participation as a volunteer on a trail maintenance project. Jon stated that he would strengthen the message to squadleaders who have the responsibility to make the contacts with volunteers relative to fitness. A good discussion ensued wherein it agreed that prospective volunteers themselves need to be honest and realistic about their health and physical condition. To not take on the responsibility, a prospective volunteer may put a huge burden on his teammates while out in the woods in a remote area. We have a number of “drive to” projects that may better suit some of our volunteers. Jon also suggested that volunteers could go through the pack test that is described in detail in the Trail Maintenance Newsletter each year on their own and make sure they qualify at the moderate level or higher.

4) Jon handed out copies of the new NSA Mission Statement and Our Values as written by Jim Cherry and approved by NSA BOD’s. It is clearly a great improvement and recognizes the growth in the scope of our focus and activities. There were no questions or comments.

5) Jon handed out a Register Report that included details and a summary of the NSA Trail Maintenance finances for the period October 30, 2005 through November 1, 2006.

a. Jon and Bob Whaley provided detail relative to expenditures for tuition for family members of two jumpers who lost their lives while in action. These expenditures are under the Art Jukkala Scholarship Program that is being overseen by a committee composed of Jon McBride, Bob Whaley, Jim Schofield Stan Linnertz and Carl Gidlund. In the past year, Scholarships have been presented to Lesi Ann Mackie and Ginny Thrash. Jon and the committee have made predictions of funds needed to finance scholarships in the future. It appears that we are on track to have the funds required for $2000.00 yearly scholarship per student.
b. As previously approved by the Advisory Council, the funds available for Scholarships have been moved from the Trail Maintenance Accounts to NSA Accounts managed by the NSA Treasurer, Charlie Brown. Charlie is investing the funds in CD’s to provide some growth. Jon was asked if funds moved to the Scholarship Account could be moved back to the Trail Maintenance Account if they were needed there. The answer was no. This is a policy within NSA. This led to the conclusion that NSA has control of the funds and policies in place today. Jim Schofield asked if there was guidance in our Trail Maintenance Program Policy for this management of funds. The answer is no and it was agreed that this should be considered.
c. Jon provided an assessment of the Trail Maintenance Program accounts and recommended that additional funding was necessary. This was approved.
d. Stan Linnertz steered us through a discussion of several ideas for raising additional funds for the Scholarship Program. The Left Hand Brewery production of Smokejumper Beer and related functions and the sale of some additional “specialized Smokejumper clothing and travel bags were discussed in some detail. Stan has some great ideas that were fully supported by the Council. Doug Houston was asked if there was potential for a conflict with Western Heritage that now has the concession for smokejumper clothing and memorabilia. Doug said he felt there was not a problem. The Art Jukkala Scholarship Brochures that were sent out have so far yielded a return of approximately $3000.00.

6) In general, Western Heritage has taken over the merchandise program. Doug Houston indicated they are currently overloaded and are slow to deliver. He has had a number of conversations with them and he thinks this will improve. He sees no problem with the NSA Boise Reunion Group selling shirts and caps. Tom Blunn then asked about the cups that had been provided to volunteers in 2006. They were appreciated, but were not durable when packed. Other types of cups, larger and not so fragile, were considered, but the cost was determined to be too high. For 2007, they will re-think the cup topic. Jim Cherry, our purchaser is looking into this matter.
7) Jon stated he announced at the NSA Director’s Meeting in Wenatchee in October, details of the Trail Maintenance Smokejumper Chair Scholarship Fund at the U. of Montana Forestry School. NSA Trail Maintenance is a Sponsor of this Scholarship Fund, but does not provide funding. This program provides a yearly scholarship to a Smokejumper Forestry Student and/or a Forestry Student child of a smokejumper. This fund was started by Hal Howell, eight-year trail maintenance veteran.
8) Jon announced that Tom Blunn is stepping down as the Chief Procurer of food for the Trail Maintenance Program. Gary Weyerman has moved into this role. We offer a big thanks to Tom for all he has done for the Program for the past 8 years. He will still be in there helping, but Gary is the grocery guy.
9) The Bob Marshall Foundation wants to have six projects in 2007. There were discussions of horse-packing issues that need some study and resolution. Some of the things we have historically had packed by Forest Service packers are giving the Back Country Horseman packers some difficulty. Large side-packs such as coolers appear to be one problem area for sure. It was suggested that we talk with some outfitters who take long summer trips and ask them for advice on how to keep fresh food appropriately cooled for a week or so.
10) There is talk of an early Hell’s Canyon project. More information will be available soon.
11) The Bonners Ferry Ranger District would like to have a crew for the Selkirk Area.
12) The Selway-Bitterroot plans to have a project in the Moose Creek Area.
13) Tim Aldrich was asked to contact the Bitterroot NF to secure payment for the Bear Creek Project.
14) Chuck Wildes is working with the Helena NF on a possible project in the Mann Gulch Area. He has scheduled a meeting with the Helena District Ranger to discuss particulars. It was stated that Bob Sallee is interested in being involved with this effort.
15) Jon said that Jim Cherry had attended the American Hiking Society’s convention and made a number of contacts.

SMOKEJUMPER LANDS AT LEFT HAND BREWERY

2006-11-20T22:18:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Left Hand Brewing!

We’d like to request your presence at one of three fundraising events tied into our latest limited edition release beer, Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter. The press release is attached, as well as a picture of the beer. I’ve copied the text below as well.

Let me know if you have any questions. We hope to see you at one of the events!

Cheers,

Chris Lennert
Left Hand Brewing Company

Smokejumper lands at Left Hand Brewing

(LONGMONT, CO) – In a tribute to those fearless experienced wildland firefighters who give themselves to protect our natural heritage, our homes and our lives here in Colorado and across the nation, Left Hand Brewing Company will release later this month a limited edition smoked imperial porter called Smokejumper. Three separate events in Colorado are planned for the release, all with proceeds going directly to a scholarship fund for children of Smokejumpers killed in action. Please join us in supporting these great individuals (not to mention the opportunity to talk with several Smokejumpers in person) at one of the events listed below.

Thursday, November 30th
Location: Left Hand Brewing Company,
1265 Boston Avenue, Longmont CO (303) 772-0258
Time: 5:00 PM
Friday, December 1st
Location: Fox Theatre – Boulder CO
1135 13th Street, Boulder CO (303) 443-3399
Time: 8:30 PM
Other: Performance by The Big Wu
Thursday, December 14th
Location: Big Hoss Grill
3961 Tennyson Street, Denver CO (720) 855-3061
Time: 6:00 PM
Other: Pig Roast

About Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter
As the “Official Beer of the National Smokejumper Association”, this truly hand-crafted smoked imperial porter is made with hot and cold-smoked barley malt using a combination of several hardwoods. Roasty black in color, the long-lingering smokiness wraps around flavors of sweet molasses, toasted malt and an earthy hoppiness. The beer is full-bodied, black with garnet undertones in color, and 9.2% alcohol by volume. It will be available in 750 milliliter silk-screened Belgian beer bottles and kegs in Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

About the National Smokejumper Association
The National Smokejumper Association, through a cadre of volunteers and partnerships, is dedicated to preserving the history and lore of smokejumping, maintaining and restoring our nation’s forest and grassland resources, and responding to special needs of smokejumpers and their families. Learn more @ www.smokejumpers.com.

About Left Hand Brewing Company
Celebrating thirteen years of brewing a well-balanced portfolio of craft beers, Left Hand Brewing Company is located at 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. For more information, check out our website @ www.lefthandbrewing.com, call the brewery @ 303-772-0258, or, better yet, swing by our tasting room (over 21 please) and sample Smokejumper yourself!

NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT 2006

2006-10-29T14:54:00.000-08:00

NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE REPORT 2006
To
NSA BOARD of DIRECTORS
Annual Meeting
October 7, 2006 Wenatchee, Washington

Overview: This was the program’s eighth year. Created by the late Art Jukkala (Missoula ‘56), it continues to expand in popularity and demand. During 2006, we sponsored or provided for 18 projects with 172 one-week volunteers, a 16 percent expansion.

Production: Projects were completed in Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Colorado on the Flathead, Helena, Idaho Panhandle, Lolo, Lewis and Clark, Clearwater, Bitterroot, Chugach and Pike-San Isabel National Forests plus the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. We also participated in one project on private land, restoration of the Hudson’s Bay Fort Connah near Ronan, Montana.
• Our volunteers cleared more than 150 miles of trail, reroofed a guard station, repaired and upgraded three historic structures and rebuilt major corrals and fences.
• They also repaired numerous water bars and check dams, cleared brush, cut hundreds of trees and logs, rebuilt sections of many trails, and hacked out miles of tread.
• In the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, they cut through three quarters of a mile of 30- to 40-inch logs with crosscuts to open a trail that our scouting crew reported as possibly “not doable” in the scheduled one week time frame.
• They built three major bridges in Colorado, two of which were on a rerouting of the Continental Divide Trail. The Colorado program continues to expand thanks to the leadership of Bill Ruskin (CJ ‘58) and Warren Pierce (CJ ‘64).
• Our volunteers built another bridge in the Lewis and Clark National Forest in Montana.
• Two one-week crews rebuilt and restored for use a lookout near Seeley Lake.
• Roger Savage (Missoula ‘57) and his scouting teams continue to be a major factor in our success in opening long abandoned trails in wilderness. Two such remote trails, which hadn’t been maintained in 25 to 30 years, were opened in 2006, one in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and one in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. The work required GPS navigation, and entailed crawling through brush and log blowdowns, and flagging trail.
• Our scouts utilized horses and rubber rafts. They also took a three-day 30-mile-plus hike across the Bitterroot Range to scout two projects, one in Montana and one in Idaho.
• In June, our scouts hiked 16 miles during a reainstorm on Sergeant Creek in the northern Bob Marshall Wilderness.
• Roy Williams (Missoula ‘60) and Bill Ruskin transported the 10-man Dirty Face Crew across the flooded Middle Fork of the Flathead River near the southern tip of Glacier National Park on rubber rafts. They repeated the process one week later in to get the crew out of the woods.

Funding: Funding this year came from the Bob Marshall Foundation, Sawtooth Society, Lolo and Clearwater National Forests and ExxonMobil Corporation. Morgan Stanley also donated thanks to Bruce Montgomery (McCall ‘69) and Johnson’s Corners (a truck stop on Interstate 25 near Fort Collins, Colorado) thanks to Stan Linnertz (Missoula ’61). In addition, we were successful in obtaining grants from Montana’s Ravalli and Flathead County Resource Advisory Committees for projects in those counties. In addition, we received donations from the following jumpers: Dan Hensley (Missoula ’57), Charlie Brown (McCall “56), Jim Anderson (Missoula ‘58), Jack Benton (Missoula ‘59) and Fred Donner (Missoula ‘59). We express our sincere thanks to all.

Tools: We maintain a large tool cache and we’re able to provide tools for all projects with the exception of the saws, hammers, levels, squares and other hand tools needed for cabin rehabilitation projects. Those are provided by our volunteers. The Missoula Aerial Fire Depot continues to loan us crosscut saws when they’re needed. Tool certification is also provided by Missoula AFD and the Forest Service in Colorado.

Scholarships: The NSA Trail Maintenance Program has undertaken the sponsorship of two scholarship programs:

The Art Jukkala Scholarship Program. A program sponsored and funded by the Trail Program, interested members of the NSA and the general public. This program provides a $2000 yearly scholarship to children of smokejumpers killed in the line of duty. Two scholarships have been awarded in 2006.

The NSA Trail Maintenance Smokejumper Chair Scholarship Fund at the University of Montana College of Forestry and Conservation at Missoula. A program sponsored by NSA Trail Maintenance and funded by interested members of the NSA. This program provides one yearly scholarship to a smokejumper forestry student or a forestry student child of a smokejumper.

Advisory Council: The NSA Trail Maintenance Advisory Council, formed in May 2002, meets at least once each year. Its members are advisers to the Trail Maintenance Coordinator. They review operations and financial accounts, recommend policies and serve as an oversight committee.

Jon H. McBride (Missoula ‘54)
NSA Trail Maintenance Coordinator

SPIRITS HIGH AT NSA 2006 TRAIL MAINTENANCE SEND -OFF SOCIALS

2006-08-02T10:13:00.000-07:00

“HAVE I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU!”

Missoula, MT. Well over 125 smokejumper volunteers kicked off the 2006 Trail maintenance season in Missoula on July 15 and 23. The volunteers assembled for a beer call at Applebees and then moved over to the Golden Corral for dinner and some words of wisdom from trail boss Jon McBride and others before leaving for their assigned projects the next day.
Hal Howell, MSO ’55 has been with the trails program since it’s inception and so far has volunteered for 19 projects, (squadleader on most of them) in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Colorado. Hal always shows up early in Missoula to assist Jon McBride with final preparations. Hal says, “my NSA trail projects, skiing, golf, and some family time mixed in keep me young, off the streets and out of trouble”.
James Cherry, MSO’57 is, among other things, a beekeeper. An early veteran of the trails program, Jim is volunteering for three projects in 2006. Jim travels to Montana, Idaho and Colorado from his home base in Iowa towing a honey wagon (bee hives and all). “Well, I can’t find a bee-sitter back home so I just bring them with me,” Jim said. Also loaded in the honey wagon, besides his trail gear and tools are cases of honey that Jim generously provides to all NSA trail volunteers. He gives each volunteer a one-pound jar (great nourishment on the trail) and each camp kitchen gets a one and one-half pound jar. Additional jars of his excellent Winnebago Beeline Honey are always available for purchase and with the bees along there is no concern about running out of the healthy stuff. Thank you, Jim-everyone appreciates your generous contribution.
Bill Breyfogle, MSO’55 is participating for his fifth summer in the NSA trails program. Bill lives in Michigan and with his camp experience as a life long member of the Boy Scouts of America, Bill usually volunteers as the camp cook. “I really enjoy the good comradeship and the hard work with its satisfying accomplishments. Since it costs me a grand to get out here, I just stay for two weeks and double the pleasure,” Bill added.
Stan Linnerzt, who is a cook on two projects in 2006, said “I don’t have any talent, so I just cook.” That is not necessarily true, since Stan gets kudos for proposing the idea for the GIVE program and recently was instrumental in securing a $500 grant for the Colorado projects. As far as Stan’s talent goes, if you haven’t had the good fortune to be in an NSA trail camp for breakfast when Stan serves his beer soaked granola in beer batter hot cakes with huckleberry topping, you are definitely missing out!
Speaking of huckleberries, Jim Scofield MSO’66, donated a box of huckleberry products, including the topping mentioned above, to each camp. In the huck package sent for the Colorado crew, Scofield included the following note: “Bill- sorry the Colorado crew has to work so high above timberline that you don’t find any hucks. We have managed to spare some of our Montana hucks and send them to you.” Jim, considering the cost of hucks (seems like they are sold by the berry not per pound) your contribution to the volunteers is greatly appreciated. “ I donate the huck stuff because I want to contribute to a great program,” Jim added.
“If you look at the people who participate in the NSA Trails program,” said Ron Stoleson MSO ’56, “there are great number of life members volunteering. Jon McBride and Tom Blunn are accomplishing the impossible.” Stoleson added,
“next to the smokejumper reunion the trails program is the most unifying program in the NSA. It helps renew friendships, provides an opportunity to make new friends and the program is making significant contributions to the public lands. I can’t say enough about the positive benefits of the NSA Trails program.”
Tom Blunn, Associate, who cooked on the Willow Creek project this season, is the main link between the volunteers’ work accomplishments and the fuel that keeps them going. 'We Work For Food' is the smokejumper trail volunteer motto and Tom makes sure there is plenty of high quality food available for everyone. “It all starts in February when I begin planning for the upcoming seasons projects and purchasing begins soon after.” Tom said. “I try to improve my efficiency each year because of the continued growth of the program, and Jon needs all the help he can get with the menu planning and food purchasing. The butcher knows me by first name and my purchasing team (Chuck Fricke, Gary & Mary Jane Weyermann, Don Courtney, Ted Nyquest) know where to get the best bargains in Missoula. I’m really glad to be part of this worthwhile program.” Thanks, Tom, for a great job. We all appreciate your great contribution!
“HAVE I GOT A DEAL FOR YOU!” These infamous words were spoken by Fred Brauer, MSO ‘41 to the cheering group of enthusiastic smoke jumper volunteers at the July 15 send off social. Fred added, “ I wish you the all the success on your projects that I know you will have. Thank you for the work you have done in the past and the jobs you are doing now. Good luck to you all.”

GIVE TO THE NSA ART JUKKALA SCHLOLARSHIP FUND

2006-07-31T22:14:00.000-07:00

GIVE Program Announced at 2006
NSA Trail Send Off Socials

Missoula, MT, Over 125 smokejumpers, associates and others gathered in Missoula on july 15 & 22 to begin their one or two week volunteer stint to repair trails, bridges, lookout towers and a host of other work assignments (see previous posts for details of all projects). At the send off social, details of the Art Jukkala Scholarship Program were presented by Jon Mcbride, Hal Howell and Stan Linnertz. The NSA Trail Maintenance Program created a scholarship fund so that children of smokejumpers killed in action would be given an opportunity top apply for a college scholarship. Two children have been awarded scholarships from the initial funds available. Lesliann Mackey and Ginney Thrash, each received a $2000 scholarship.
For more information about the Art Jukkala Scholarship Program including assistance in planning a fundraising event in your area to benefit the program, please contact: Jon McBride (NSA Trails Coordinator) (406) 728-2302 * email: n2601@aol.com or Stan Linnertz (970) 532-4367 * email: stan@cmca.com.

NSA 2006 TRAIL PROJECTS UNDERWAY

2006-06-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Missoula, MT- Jon McBride, NSA trail maintenance program chief, announced that the 2006 NSA trail maintenance program is well underway. Scouting parties have completed reconnaissance of trails for projects scheduled for July in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and at this posting Roger Savage and Roy Williams are in the Selway / Bitterroot Wilderness scouting a trail for still another project. Two Bridges were constructed over Frenchman Creek in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area in the Pike San Isabel NF on June 22/23. Seven jumpers participated in cross cut and chain saw certification training as part of the Frenchman Creek project. Smokejumper volunteers will assemble in Missoula on July 14 to begin volunteering for two weeks and 15 projects in Montana and Idaho. "This year we have a record number of smokejumper volunteers, associates and projects," McBride said. "This demonstrates a continually expanding program and outstanding participation by smokejumpers and support by the USFS and non-profit trail groups including the Bob Marshall Foundation, the Colorado Trail Foundation and the Continental Divide Trail Alliance," John added. McBride also recognized the sponsors of the NSA Art Jukkala Trial Maintenance Program. A special sponsor recognition will be posted on the this blog at the completion of the 2006 season.
In the above images L to R are Jon McBride (mso 54), Roger Savage (mso 61), Tom Heily (special visitor from Ireland, Freefall expert and active Fireman from Dublin), Joe Aquano (assoc), Wendell Breardsley (assoc), Don Murray (assoc) Al Henson (assoc) Ron Larsen (assoc) Ted Nyquest (mso 54), Gary Weyermann (mso 63), Roy Williams (mso 61) standing at Meadow Creek Pack Bridge in the rain at the start of an all day scout of Sergeant Creek/Corporal Creek. (In the rain!)
The crew was able to GPS map and flag the entire trail and locate suitable camp site for the NSA Sergeant Creek/Corporal Creek project scheduled July 23-30 2006. (Jim Anderson, Squadleader) This trail has not been located or useable for over 30 years.
At the end of the scouting the crew could not cross the Spotted Bear River, being a flood stage. Roy Williams was called into action and ferried all across in his rubber raft.
A wet day was had by all!

NSA TRAIL / MAINTENANCE PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS 2006

2006-05-21T13:11:00.004-07:00

NSA PROJECTS 2006 (partial list)

WEEK 1: 7/15- meet in Missoula, 7/16- pack in or drive to site, 7/22- out

Mullan Cabin (Panhandle National Forest; Mullan Idaho)
Type of Project: Front-country admisistrative site restration work, including new roof, cabin porch and foundation modification. Drive to site 10 minutes off of Interstate 90. Work will be directed by Panhandle N F.

Silvertip Cabin (Spotted Bear Ranger District; Flathead National Forest)
Type of Project: Backcountry cabin maintenance/restoration. The crew will be packed in by Spotted Bear Ranger District. Hike into cabin is 1.5 miles.
Work includes facility maintenance work as directed by Spotted Bear Ranger District. Spotted Bear will provide support for packing, technical advisor, and materials. Funded by RAC grant for supplies, food, travel expenses, etc.

Willow Creek Guard Station; South Fork of the Sun River (Rocky Mountain Ranger District; Lewis & Clark National Forest)
Type of Project: Front-country administrative site work with trail maintenance and construction. Facility work includes fencing work, focusing on putting in a barb wired fence for the large district pasture. Trail work includes: Bridge replacement on the South Fork of the Sun River Trail #202 (two miles from the trailhead), which involves pulling out an old two plank bridge and replacing it with a single 4 x 15 ft bridge. Trail work also includes turnpike maintenance on Hoadley Cr. #226, right at junction with #202 (three miles from the trailhead). Turnpike work includes replacing kicked out curb logs and filling in (crowning) the turnpike as needed. There is additional annual trail maintenance on Willow Creek/Fairview Trail #204.
This project will be supported by Rocky Mountain Ranger District with a technical advisor.

Dirtyface Creek #62 (Hungry Horse Ranger District; Flathead National Forest)
Type of Project: Backcountry campsite with trail maintenance. Crew will be packed in. Hike into campsite is 5 miles with approx. 200 ft elevation gained.
Work includes heavy brushing and scratching in tread on Dirtyface, as well as clearing large downfall, hopefully connecting work done from the pass down in ‘03. Campsite located at Elk Creek (just past Elk Creek trail junction) with daily hikes of 2-3 miles to worksite. Would need raft support to ferry crew and gear across the Middle Fork of the Flathead.

Double Arrow Lookout Tower (Seeley Lake District; Lolo National Forest)
Type of Project: Drive to camp site at foot of Lookout. Work involves restration of lookout tower. The tower is 20’tall and requires new roof, frame and structure work.

Sawtooth Fence Project Pole Creek (Sawtooth National Forest)
Type of Project; Front country drive to campsite with major logworm fence building near USFS facilities.

WEEK 2: 7/23- meet in Missoula, 7/24- pack in or drive to site, 7/30- out

Spruce Creek #221(Spotted Bear Ranger District; Flathead National Forest), Art Jukkala #401 (Seeley Lake Ranger District; Lolo National Forest)
Type of Project: Backcountry campsite with heavy trail maintenance. Group will be packed in. Approx. a seven-mile hike into the campsite.
Work includes heavy clearing through avalanche debris on Spruce Creek. The trail was scouted in ’05 and should be flagged. Also, clearing and annual maintenance work on Art Jukkala Trail, as time permits. Campsite at small lake at the head of Spruce Creek or possibly below, coming in from Pyramid Pass and camping near Ross Creek junction? Partner with Missoula BCH for packing support.

Upper Harrison Creek #584 (Spotted Bear Ranger District; Flathead National Forest)
Type of Project: Backcountry campsite with trail maintenance. Group will be packed in. The campsite is located on Harrison Creek at Corporal Creek, and is about a six-mile hike with 600 ft elevation gained from the Meadow Creek Trailhead. Work includes tread-work near the top of Harrison Creek, drainage maintenance and installation, rocking and possible cribbing. Additional work located on Corporal Creek #88: Needs to be scouted and flagged prior to project. Work includes corridor I.D. and clearing, brushing, tread-work. (This will be part of a project in ’07 working on Seargent Cr. #88 from the north, to Corporal Creek.)
Campsite: Located just past junction with Corporal Creek and Harrison Creek.

Indian Meadows Guard Station (Lincoln Ranger District; Helena National Forest)
Type of Project: Front country administrative site maintenance; trail maintenance and rehabilitation. Facility work will include fence work around and near the Indian Meadows Guard Station. Trail work will include maintenance and water bar replacement on trails in the area, and trail rehabilitation from a salvage logging operation.

Sawtooth Corral Project (Fourth of July Work Center and Tuckaway; Sawtooth National Forest.
Type of project: Front country administrative site; rebuilding two corrals of high importance to Forest Service.

Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Project, (Powell Ranger District; Bitterroot National Forest)
Back country trail maintenance work. Brushing, log cutting and heavy rock waterbar work at high altitude on trails leading to Bear Creek Pass and Pack Box Pass on Idaho/Montana border. Hike in approximately 12 miles to camp. Packers from Grangeville Back Country Horseman.

Bear Creek Project; (Stevensville District; Bitterroot National Forest.)
Back country trail maintenance work. Brushing, log cutting, heavy rock waterbar work at high altitude near Bear Creek Pass at Montana/Idaho border. Hike in approxmatly 9 miles to camp. Packers support from Hamilton Back Country Horseman.

Double Arrow Lookout Tower; (Seeley Lake District, Lolo National Forest.)
Drive to project and camp at foot of lookout tower. Work involves roofing and completion of restoration work started by NSA first week volunteers.

PIN FOR 2006 NSA TRAIL VOLUNTEERS

2006-03-13T09:48:00.000-08:00

NSA MONTANA / IDAHO 2006 PROJECT SCHEDULE

2006-03-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

NSA Montana and Idaho Trail Maintenance Schedule for 2006

First week:
July 15 – Volunteers arrive Missoula in time for 1600 Send-off
Social at Applebee’s at 4041 Brooks ST (hwy 93 S)
Volunteers go next door to the Golden Corral 4015
Brooks at 1730 for all you can eat buffet dinner.
July 16 – Drive to projects and set up camps. First NSA meal
(dinner)
July 17 – First full day of work.
July 21 – Last full day of work.
July 22 – Break camp after breakfast. (last meal)

Second week:
July 23 – Volunteers arrive Missoula in time for 1600 Send-off
Social at Applebee’s at 4041 Brooks ST (hwy 93 S)
Volunteers go next door to the Golden Corral 4015
Brooks at 1730 for all you can eat buffet dinner.
July 24 – Drive to projects and set up camps. First NSA meal
(dinner)
July 25 – First full day of work.
July 29 – Last full day of work.
July 30 – Break camp after breakfast. (last meal)

MINUTES FROM NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

2005-12-19T22:38:00.000-08:00

December 10 2005
Missoula Montana

A meeting was held by the NSA Trail Maintenance Advisory Council at 0900 at Jokers Wild Restaurant on N. Reserve Street in Missoula, Montana on Saturday 10 December 2005.
Advisory Council
Those Advisors present were Tom Blunn, Ron Larsen, Jeanene Jukkala, Bob Whaley, Jim Scofield, Tim Aldrich, Chuck Wildes, Carl Gidlund Don Courtney, Ed Courtney and Roger Savage. Those Advisors not present but participating via e-mail were Ron Stoleson, Stan Linnertz, Tom Kovalicky, Chuck Fricke, Roy Williams, Ted Nyquest and Jim Cherry
The meeting got underway with Jon discussing the role of the Advisory Council and that of the Trails Maintenance Coordinator. It was pointed out that the Trail Maintenance Coordinator serves at the discretion of the Advisory Council and that the Yearly Trail Maintenance Newsletter is under the direction of the council.
Financial Health
A brief review and discussion of the financial records of the program was completed and it was pointed out that we have one double entry. Jon will correct this error. In the 7 May 2005 meeting minutes, it was suggested that another Advisory Council member be authorized to sign checks on the Trail Maintenance Bank account in case Jon would not be available. Chuck Fricke has been added and can sign checks if required. Charlie Brown (NSA Treasurer) is also authorized to sign checks on this account.
It was asked if there is a maximum amount of money a non-profit can take in and remain a non profit. Jon will review this with the NSA Treasure Charlie Brown.
Objectives and Policies
A reading of action items from the 7 May 2005 meeting minutes was accomplished by Jon, with reference to all action required and taken. This included action in Trail Maintenance Objectives and Policies. It was suggested that we make an addition to the Policies to address certifications the USFS requires for volunteers using chainsaws and/or crosscut saws. Tim Aldrich will offer a re-write that can be included in that Policy element dealing with Leave No Trace and Bear Country procedures.
Carl Gidlund suggested that the Objectives only referred to back country projects and should include reference to “drive to” or “trailhead projects” as this was a growing part of our program. Carl volunteered to edit the Objectives and correct this omission.
Jon referred to a thank you letter from Joni Packard (former District Ranger at Powell RS) for our efforts in the Selway last summer. It was the finest recognition of our efforts to date and her letter produced a reply from Trail Maintenance. It was noted by Tom Blunn that she has been transferred to Missoula from Powel and that we might arrange a meeting with her in our efforts in trail maintenance.
At this time attention was given to the Special Award Plaque presented to the NSA last July at Spotted Bear Ranger Station in the Flathead N. F. Deb Mucklow presented the association with the USFS special award for “exemplary service”.

Saw Certification
Jon gave a report on Saw Certification occurring on 25 May 2005 where 12 local Trail Maintenance Volunteers were certified on both the cross cut and the chain saw. A discussion then occurred on the subject of Training and Certification requirements by the Forest Service and how this issue must be addressed for future projects. It was made clear that we must meet these certification requirements on future projects if we expect to continue with the volunteer agreement.
Volunteer Communications
The 2006 Trail Maintenance Newsletter was presented and attention was directed to the new Trail Maintenance BLOG site. The address is “nsatrail.blogspot.com” and is managed by Bill Ruskin in Colorado Springs. It will provide general information for NSA trail maintenance volunteers and hopefully take some of the administrative load off of Trail Maintenance Missoula. It was requested that the IRS letter approving NSA as a non-profit be on the BLOG site so that volunteers could print it for use when filling out and filing their tax forms. Jon said this would be accomplished. It will take some time to develop the BLOG to full potential.
NSA Trail Maintenance requirements
Jim Scofield inquired as to the details of insurance that might be purchased to protect the volunteer such as injury or tort issues. Tim Aldrich and Jon McBride explained that NSA had looked into this for reunions in the past and it was much too expensive. Jim noted that public schools have insurance connections through which families may purchase policies to cover their children involved in sports. He volunteered to look into this and report back.
Tim Aldrich and Chuck Wildes gave a brief review on their successful negotiations to obtain the volunteer agreement for one of our projects last summer and how and why we might expect more negotiations in the future in order to continue to meet this NSA Trail Maintenance requirement.
Art Jukkala Life Membership
Jon announced the unanimous approval by previous e-mail communications by the Advisory Council, of the proposal by Jim Cherry that the Advisory Council purchase a life membership in the name of Art Jukkala to be utilized by his wife Jeanene for the rest of her life.
Art Jukkala Scholarship Fund
Jon presented a proposal by Stan Linnertz to create an Art Jukkala Scholarship Fund to be available only to qualified children of Smokejumpers Killed in Action. He noted that there are three children identified to date. A discussion followed and details discussed. A vote produced unanimous approval of the fund including $6000.00 from the operations fund going into the Scholarship Fund creating a $10,000.00 fund for distribution to begin as early as September 2006. Investment of the funds in CD’s will be managed by NSA Treasure Charlie Brown. Investment in stocks or bonds is not permitted. The Scholarship Fund including identification of recipients, qualification requirements, amount of the scholarships and any other issues will be under the direct control and management of the Trail Maintenance Advisory Council.
It was noted that donations have not ever been solicited from Trail Maintenance Volunteers in the Trail Maintenance Program. The scholarship fund is seen to be different and plans to seek donations will proceed.
Bob Whaley and Ed Courtney volunteered to act as representatives of the trail maintenance advisory council and to conduct discussions with a University Registrar office in seeking guidance as to the administrative procedures to follow in funding the scholarships.
The meeting ended at approximately 1115.

SUGGESTED MINIMUM PERSONAL EQUIPMENT LIST FOR NSA TRAIL MAINTENANCE

2005-11-20T10:47:00.000-08:00

TRAILS PROGRAM MARCHES ON

2005-11-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

Trails Program Marches on
By Jon McBride (Missoula ’54)

Art Jukkala (Missoula ’56) started it. He convinced the Forest Service, with some difficulty, that old smokejumpers could do some useful work on trails that the Forest Service could no longer maintain. In 1999, he assembled 17 volunteer NSA members into two crews and went to work on trails in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
The program has grown every year since, and this year between 130 and 140 NSA volunteers worked on 13 projects, repairing over 100 miles of trail, building and rebuilding several bridges, repairing corrals and gates and rail fences, re-roofing cabins and barns, and doing other maintenance on backcountry guard stations and administrative sites.
NSA volunteers have worked in Montana, Idaho, Oregon and Colorado, and this year, for the first time, Alaska.
Also this year, Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth honored the NSA by presenting the organization the “Chief’s Award” for exemplary voluntary service.
Perhaps an even greater honor lies in the fact that we no longer have to twist Forest Service arms for projects. There is now a waiting list of projects they want us to undertake, whenever we can get to them. In addition to the Forest Service, we also work with the Bob Marshall Foundation, the Sawtooth Society, the Colorado Trail Foundation, and this year with the Seward, Alaska Iditarod Trail Blazers.
Some NSA trail projects involve many miles of hiking, and others are on sites that are vehicle accessible. The projects serve the volunteers as mini-reunions and satisfying working vacations. Most return year after year, traveling at their own expense from all over the country.
Every crew includes an emergency medical technician, a cook, and a cadre of veteran smokejumpers. In their current lives they are doctors, lawyers, Indian chiefs, politicians, pilots, engineers, journalists, preachers, teachers, carpenters, foresters, soldiers, spies and lots of other things. That kind of mix makes for good conversations, good arguments, good times, quality work and lots of silk stories. What fun it is.
And what fun it would be for Art Jukkala if he were alive to see how his baby has grown.