Dates:

Meeting Date/Time/Location:
July 3rd / 8AM / Owl Creek Trailhead

Hike In Date: July 3rd

Hike Out Date: July 7th

Ranger District:

Spotted Bear Ranger District

Trailhead:

Owl Creek Trailhead

Campsite:

Primitive backcountry campsite

Miles to camp:

  • Hike In: 10 Miles/ +3,000 elevation

  • Work Day: 5 Miles/ +1,750 elevation gain

  • Work Day: ~about 8 miles round trip/ 2,000 ft elevation gain and loss

  • Hike Out: 15 miles/ -3,000 elevation

Hiking Difficulty:

Strenuous: A hike of about 10 miles to the first camp at Pentagon Cabin, with an elevation gain of 3,000. Then a shorter hike to the 3-day basecamp.

Work Difficulty:

Moderate: Volunteers may hike up to 10 miles a day with a pack weighing up to 20 lbs. to collect eDNA samples. Volunteers will also travel off trails to collect samples while navigating through brush and unlevel ground.

Project Description

We’re excited to announce our second year in partnership with the University of Montana for a community science trip. Participants on this trip will assist with two science projects. The ecological research involves the collection of environmental DNA samples in the Bob Marshall Wilderness to understand the distribution of threatened aquatic species. In addition, participants will support work to understand how community science opportunities shape individual wilderness experiences and support wilderness stewardship. All participants will be asked to participate in an interview/survey following the trip.

During the trip, volunteers may hike up to 10 miles a day with a pack weighing up to 20 lbs. No camping or scientific experience is necessary for this trip, although we do recommend that volunteers have some experience hiking.

For questions about this project please contact erynn@bmwf.org. The miles might be long but the views and work being done will be well worth the trek!

Cancellation Policy

It is very important to know that you are expected to commit to the project once you sign up. All of our projects take a lot of time and effort to organize and we want to make sure that we have full trips so that we can complete the project as outlined by our Forest Service partners. Please do not sign up for a trip unless you are committed to doing it.

We do, of course, understand that things happen and circumstances change, so if you must cancel, please do so as soon as possible. Cancellations made less than 45 days before the trip and no-shows will forfeit their project registration deposit as a cancellation fee. 

While uncommon, BMWF may find it necessary to cancel a project due to low volunteer sign-ups or safety reasons (i.e. wildfires), but will contact volunteers as soon as possible and typically no later than two weeks before the project start date.  For this reason we strongly recommend volunteers purchase trip insurance when making airline reservations or other travel arrangements.

To see how many spots are available click the SIGN UP button below. The second page will tell you when there are fewer than 4 spots remaining on a trip.

We encourage you to join the waitlist if a trip is full – we often have openings for these spots throughout the summer!