Good weather, great speakers, and a fantastic group made this weekend’s Trail Skills Kickoff event a complete success!
Saturday morning, Friends convened with pulaskis, axes, crosscut saws, combi-tools, loppers, handsaws, and USFS Cabinet Ranger District’s Recreational Specialist Joel Sather to brush up and get ready for another great 
season of trail stewardship. A short introduction of hand tools and Trail Management Objectives was followed with a hands-on tree-bucking and trail tread maintenance review. Several individuals stepped forward to serve as leaders during this years’ completion of the Star Peak Historic Trail Restioration. 
Thanks to Joel and all our Volunteers for all the time and energy you donate to keeping our trails the best they can be!
Some of the weekends’ participants opted to camp out for the night, and were treated with a fun presentation by Weeds Specialist Kenneth Thacker, who gave an overview of invasive weeds and their 
control, presented his rough draft for an SP wilderness-specific weed ID and mitigation booklet, and challenged guests with a Find-That-Weed! hunt. Friends discovered some really interesting plant species. The evening culminated with a noxious weed seed-burning bonfire, and everyone went back to their tents a little more informed on how to help keep our wilderness pristine. Thanks Ken and Bonnie!!
Sunday morning, Friends convened around the camp once more to discuss FSPW Guided Hike Leading. Topics included FSPW Hike-Leader Protocols, Outdoor Awareness and Safety, First Aid, and Hike Leading Basics. Thanks to all our Sunday presenters, Carol Jenkins, Phil Hough, and Kristen Nowicki, and to all our newly trained hike leaders for all the wonderful support and inspiration you provide!
Together, the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness are working toward building a community of informed and passionate citizens who will steward best management practices for the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness, a treasure to northern Idaho and Northwestern Montana. Thank you Friends!!!
Stay Wild!
