💥Cool project alert💥 Our annual Girls in the Bob trip still has four spots available for young women (ages 14-19) who want to get their hands dirty in the wilderness this summer! This a chance to work together with a group of fellow badass girls to find your strengths, push your limits, make new friends, sleep under the stars and have an adventure of a lifetime. This year's project will take place on July 15th-19th, up Hoadley Creek trail #226. Work will include reestablishing the trail tread where its eroding, and clearing trees from the trail corridor. In the evening you'll enjoy camp along the beautiful South Fork Sun River. Learn more at www.bmwf.org/2025-bmwf-20-hoadly-creek #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #scapegoatwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex

It's time to start our weekly Catch Up with our Crews! 🔥🔥🔥 Our first round of volunteer projects wrapped up amidst the winter storm last weekend. THANK YOU to these volunteers who joined us, rain and shine, to get some great work done in the Bob! In addition to volunteer and intern crews, our Crew Leaders have a few "Pro Hitches" where they'll work together as a trail crew in response to the emerging needs of the USFS. On their first project, they covered over 35 miles and cleared 304 trees from five different trails. 💪 #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #greatbearwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex #volunteervacations

🔥Call for volunteers: July🔥 As our field season gets underway, we have a few projects in July that need more help! Come enjoy peak summertime in the Bob, where the days are long and the creeks run cold and clear to cool you off after a long day of trail work. - #10 Route Creek 6/28-7/2: 4 spots open - #14 Bighead Creek 7/5-7/9: 2 spots open - #20 Girls in the Bob 7/15-7/19: 4 spots open - Trailhead Stewardship #2 7/18: 4 spots open - #23 Dwight Creek 7/19-7/24: 7 spots open (‼️) Learn more about each project and sign up at bmwf.org/volunteer 💪🏔⛺️ #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #greatbearwilderness #scapegoatwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex #volunteervacations #montana #visitmontana

At BMWF, we believe everyone should have the chance to get out and enjoy the benefits of places like the Bob. As we celebrate Pride this month, we want to extend an invitation: When you join one of our Volunteer Adventures, you're welcome to come as you are. Our Crew Leaders are committed to creating a safe and friendly environment where you can feel comfortable to learn new things and have an epic experience in the Bob. We also have a strict non-discrimination policy that we hold all of our volunteers, staff, and packers to. The wilderness doesn’t discriminate, and neither do we. We can't control what nature throws at us, but we can give people the skills they need to feel prepared, within a community where they feel like they belong. We hope you'll join us this summer! 🌈 #lovethebob #pridemonth #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex #bobmarshallwilderness #scapegoatwilderness #greatbearwilderness

📢Upcoming events! This weekend we're excited to be part of the Lewis & Clark Festival at the Lewis and Clark Foundation at the Interpretive Center in Great Falls. Join us on Saturday, June 21st for a day full of interactive activities, demonstrations and games, PLUS live music by Supaman! Learn more at lewisandclarkfoundation.org Then on Monday, June 23rd, we're the featured non-profit at the @bigforkmondaymarket! From 5-8 PM, stop by our Bob Booth to chat trails, learn about volunteering, and grab some brand new merch. We're very glad it won't be as sweltering as it was for us last summer 😅 Learn more at bigforkmarket.org #lovethebob

Our first four volunteer crews hike into the Bob tomorrow! Before they go, we want to take a moment to introduce you to our stellar team of Crew Leaders. These fine folks will accompany our volunteers all summer to help them have productive, safe, and meaningful experiences in the Bob. We're super happy to have four friendly faces returning: Shannon O'Healaigh and Kevin Kromarek are back for their third summers, and Francie Hammer and Henry Kelso are returning for their second. We're also excited to bring some fresh talent on board with Zoe Leake and Cole Peterson. This whole team has a wealth of knowledge, tons of love for the Bob, and the PMA (positive mental attitude) needed to take on working in the wilds all summer. Read each of their bios at bmwf.org/staff-board And if ✨YOU✨ want to join them out there – sign up for a Volunteer Adventure now! We still have a number of projects of all lengths and difficulty levels with spots open. 👉👉 bmwf.org/volunteer #lovethebob #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex #bobmarshallwilderness #scapegoatwilderness #greatbearwilderness #volunteervacation

Happy Father’s Day to all of the rad dads out there — including our fearless leader Clifford Kipp. This guy keeps us working together as a team, always with a super positive attitude (and sometimes, donuts! 🍩). Cheers to all of the hardworking, dedicated dads who are teaching their kiddos to love the great outdoors! 👨🏻🍻

💥Cool project alert💥 We’re honestly kind of surprised this one is still open, but it is one of our most challenging projects this summer. Our Big Prairie Chute Loft project still has two spots available for what’s sure to be a unique, unforgettable adventure in the Bob! We’re excited to be partnering with the Forest Service to help rehabilitate this historic building at Big Prairie. The chute loft was built in 1942 (before the Wilderness Act!) and needs some major work to make it usable again, all of which will need to be done by hand with non-motorized tools. These buildings were grandfathered in and cannot be rebuilt if they’re lost, which makes restoration that much more important. Work was started by USFS and BMWF staff last fall to stabilize the foundation and vertical supports. This summer, our volunteer crew will hike the two-day trip into Big Prairie and help break up the concrete floor that’s heaved and is in pieces, to help prep it for replacement. The dates for this trip are July 21st through July 29th. Learn more at bmwf.org/2025-bmwf-24-big-prairie This significant project was inspired by Susan Kemper in memory of her late husband Gordan Ash, longtime ranger at Big Prairie. We’re honored to be a part of celebrating his legacy by preserving this historic backcountry ranger station. #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex #bigprairie

Oh man. Our 2025 t-shirts are here, and they are RAD!! So much thanks to Missoula-based artist and BMWF volunteer, Marty Corette @dotlinerender, for creating some super special artwork for us to use this year. We also have a new color in our Bob tees, and we’ve restocked our sun shirts and hats for the summer – check ‘em all out and stock up to hit the trail at bmwf.org/shop 🫶🛒🏔 #lovethebob

Do you have floating the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork of the Flathead on your bucket list? @wildernessriver has generously offered to help support our trail and habitat projects through their spectacular river trips this summer! The Middle Fork Flathead is a beautiful 35-mile river journey through the Great Bear Wilderness. You'll start with a breathtaking flight into Schafer Meadows, the last remaining backcountry airstrip in the Bob. The five day trip will allow plenty of time for hiking, fishing, looking for wildlife, floating casually, running rapids, and sitting around the campfire. The first two people to mention the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation when reserving a 2025 Middle Fork of the Flathead trip will donate $1,000 of their trip fee straight to our stewardship work in the Bob 🔥 🔥 Open dates are June 17th-21st, and June 24th-28th. Learn much more at wildernessriver.com/trip/middle-fork-of-the-flathead/ 🚣🌊

✨Reminder✨ Our spring training session for the Great Bear Trail Posse is this Friday, June 13th! This is a chance to get registered as an official Forest Service volunteer so that you can knock out some trail work on your own time. After attending the training, you'll have access to our tool box to borrow equipment whenever you'd like. You can also submit trail scouting or solitude monitoring reports if you're hitting the trail without tools. Learn more and register for the training at bmwf.org/gbtp #lovethebob #greatbearwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex

Check it out! After 22 years of hanging on our office wall, we finally got the original artwork for our license plates framed 😍 Whitefish artist Andrea Brew (@artdrea.mt) created this watercolor design in 2003 with a silhouetted pack string passing beneath one of the towering limestone reefs that the Bob is known for. ✨You✨ can show your love for this wild place by choosing the BMWF license plate when you renew your vehicle registration! A portion of your registration fee supports the Foundation’s wilderness stewardship and conservation work in the Bob. Learn more at mvdmt.gov 🏔🚙💨 Shoutout to Matt with Owl Cave Woodworks (owlcavewoodworks.com) for doing an absolutely gorgeous job on this custom frame! #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex

This Thursday! We're so excited to be a part of this FREE evening featuring outdoor fun, live music, local brews, and all things wild and wonderful at the Trails, Rivers & Forests Expo, co-hosted by @wildmontana and @americanrivers. 🗓️ Thursday, June 5th 🕔 5–9 PM 📍 @highlanderbeer Outdoor Pavilion Come hang with your favorite local outdoor organizations and businesses doing incredible work to protect and maintain access to Missoula’s trails, rivers, and forests. Stop by our booth to learn more about exploring the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex this summer. Enjoy hands-on activities like river safety games, wildlife tracking, and more! 🎶 Live music with @thepackstrings 🍕 Highlander wood fired pizza 🌭 @thewildweeniegmail.com4 food truck 🎁 Raffle prizes 🍻 Cold drinks 👣 Family-friendly fun Curious about what’s happening outside your back door this summer? This event is for YOU. Bring your friends, bring your family. Let’s celebrate the wild places that make Montana special. Learn more: wildmontana.org/event/trails-rivers-forests-expo/

That's a wrap on training and orientation! Our Crew Leaders, Trail Technicians and Wilderness Interns finished up three weeks of intensive classroom and field training last Friday. We've covered quite the range of topics to help prepare for their season in the Bob. From leadership training and risk management, to trail maintenance. From nutrition and meal planning, to the history and significance of this landscape. Now it's time for them to put it all to use. Starting tomorrow they disperse across the Complex to spend their summer caring for this special place. We can't wait to see what they accomplish. Thanks so much to @loonlake4hcamp for providing a beautiful home base, and to everyone who joined along the way to share knowledge with this crew. Flathead National Forest staff, @davidpowdersteele, @peopleandcarnivores, @indigikitchen, @flatheadriversalliance, @montanafwp, @ahshanannigan, Frank Vitale, @natechutefoundation, Missoula Fire Sciences Lab, Tim Ryan and @skcollege, plus many other friends and volunteers. Thank you for helping foster the next generation of conservation leaders! 🌱 #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #greatbearwilderness #scapegoatwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex

THANK YOU to all of you who turned out in force to support our 2025 field season. With the generous support of 78 donors plus timely grant awards from @nationalforests, @whitefishcommunityfoundation and Cinnabar Foundation, we’re excited to kick off our full slate of stewardship projects in the Bob starting next week! We’re so grateful to everyone who has helped us reach this point. Thank you, thank you, thank you — and we hope to see you out there this summer! #lovethebob

Hey you! Are you going to @oldsaltfestival this year? By using our code when you grab your tickets, you can support active wilderness stewardship AND attend this awesome outdoor festival just south of the Bob – win, win! Just enter code Bob10 when you buy your tickets, and Old Salt will donate 10% of your ticket purchase to BMWF. We'll put your donation to work on the trail while you enjoy awesome eats and dance the night away at the festival. Old Salt Festival is an unforgettable celebration of community, land stewardship, and connection to land happening June 20-22, 2025 at the Mannix Ranch in Helmville, Montana. Learn more and grab your tickets 👉👉 www.oldsaltco-op.com #lovethebob #Festival #oldsaltfestival #SupportLocal #NonprofitPartner #landstewardship #landiskin #montanafest #montanafestival

Calling retired trail dawgs, avid hikers, or those who just want to do something extra for their public lands this summer – you're invited to join the Great Bear Trail Posse! Our Spring training date is coming up on ✨Friday, June 13th✨ Now in its second summer, the Great Bear Trail Posse was formed to help address trail maintenance needs along the Great Bear Panhandle. Just off of Hwy 2, these trails offer fantastic day hikes from the Flathead Valley, but are notorious for getting extremely brushy as summer rolls on. This is a chance to help care for these trails on your own time. If traveling with a group on our Volunteer Adventures isn't a great fit for you, the Posse might be more up your alley. To join the Posse, attend our spring training on June 13th. You'll then be covered as an official Forest Service volunteer all summer. Check out our tool box anytime you like, and spend some time clearing trails when it works for your schedule. There are also trail scouting or solitude monitoring opportunities if you're hiking without tools. Learn much more and sign up for the training day at bmwf.org/gbtp 🐻 #lovethebob #greatbearwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex

We're thrilled to announce the artists chosen for our Artist Wilderness Connection residencies this summer! With almost 50 applicants for just three spots, this year's selection process was more competitive than ever before. These four won us over with their incredible talent, dedication to their craft and passion for wilderness. We can't wait to see what they create from their time spent in the Bob! 🎶 Musician Elana James @elana_james (Austin, TX) ☕ Potter and ecologist Adi Rex @magpie.pottery (Missoula) 🖼 Visual artist collaborators Tarek Penser @tareksprints (Whitefish) and Sydney Boveng @huckleberry.syd (Kalispell) Learn more and read their full bios at bmwf.org/awc Artist Wilderness Connection is a collaboration between Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation, @glacierartmuseum_mt, Flathead National Forest, and Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. This unique artist-in-residence program places artists in remote backcountry cabins in the Bob Marshall or Great Bear Wilderness areas to create art inspired by these wild places. After completing their residency, artists will share their backcountry experience with a free community outreach program or exhibition. #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #greatbearwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex #artistresidency

Today was one of our favorite days of Crew Leader and Intern orientation – Pack Stock training! Master Packer Frank Vitale welcomed us at his barn outside of Columbia Falls along with his trusty team of mules. Our Crew Leaders and Interns work closely with pack animals to get tools and supplies into the backcountry all summer, so it’s super important that they know how to assist their packer and safely handle the critters. Remember, if you encounter horses or mules on the trail, they have the right of way! Talking to the rider will put the animals at ease, and you can decide together where’s the best place for you to step off of the trail to let them pass. 🫏🫶 #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #scapegoatwilderness #greatbearwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex

✨Call for volunteers: June✨ Our field season kicks off in just a few short weeks, and we have some projects in June that need more help! Join us for an early season adventure for a unique, rewarding way to experience the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. 🫏 BMWF #01: Spruce Park Corral - 6/17-6/22 (4 spots open) - Construction project! 🪚 BMWF #06: Devil Creek - 6/18-6/19 (4 spots open) - Day trips! 🪏 BMWF #10: Route Creek - 6/28-7/2 (4 spots open) - Tread work! 🐴 BMWF #12: Spruce Park Corral #2 - 6/30-7/4 (4 spots open) - Construction project! Learn more and sign up at bmwf.org/volunteer #lovethebob #bobmarshallwilderness #greatbearwilderness #bobmarshallwildernesscomplex #montana #volunteervacations