EVENT RECAP: USFS And BHA Volunteers Brush Trail in Montana's Flathead Valley

June 28, 2025 - 8 BHA members based out of the Whitefish/Kalispell area of the Flathead Valley, MT, volunteered their Saturday to hike, sweat and build up "conservation Karma" for the coming hunting season. Volunteers collaborated with USFS in clearing trail 171 - Ingalls to Sylvia Lake, just West of the popular campsites and water access surrounding Tally Lake. Beyond the 4 miles of public land that was improved through these efforts, volunteers enjoyed a day of mountain views and camaraderie among other boots-on-the-ground, stewardship-minded outdoorsmen.

Volunteers arrived early Saturday morning at the historic Star Meadow Forest Service Ranger Station. After filling up on coffee and packing boxed lunches, there was a quick briefing before loppers, folding saws and donated Kinco Gloves were distributed and the hike up the mountain began. Trail 171 is multi-use trail with a beautiful juxtaposition of burnt lodgepole and new growth Larch with pockets of Indian Paintbrush and Mountain Lupine, still holding petals, despite the summer heat. Using the "arm span test", the BHA crew worked their way up the trail toward Sylvie lake, ensuring anything that could be touched within an arm-span on either side was removed and tossed away from the trail. USFS instructed us in this reduction distance, saying that it should maintain an open path for about 5 yrs. 

At the 4 mile turn around point, boxed lunches were enjoyed in the shade, snacks were exchanged like a scene from an elementary school cafeteria and dogs lapped up as much water as they could out of sweat stained hats.

Completing the days' trail work, volunteers headed back to the Star Meadows Cabin to consolidate tools. For folks that didn't have to rush back home, dinner was shared family-style around the large wooden table in the kitchen. We passed around the cabin's log book,  containing the many journal entries of groups documenting their adventures at the cabin as well as on the surrounding public land. Many entries expressed their gratitude to the USFS for providing access and ensuring the quality of the pristine places held in public trust. The BHA trail crew left a message of their own for future readers and as the evening progressed, a cribbage board made its way to the kitchen table. Over a game of cards, we watched as a herd of elk with calves, still spotted and feeble, feed and play in the meadow just outside the kitchen window. It was as if some higher power acknowledged our work with a nature show and a reminder of what the BHA mission and efforts are all about.

Thanks to all those that showed-up and a special thank you to our partners at OnX Maps, Dometic and Jetboil for their continued support of BHA, especially our boots on-the-ground Stewardship mission!

About Andrew Hahne

BHA Habitat Stewardship Coordinator based out of Missoula, MT.