MT-4024
August 8-12, 2011
Must commit to minimum of three days
Join us this summer for some "pedestrian reconnaissance" on the Black Butte and Monument Ridge prehistoric archaeological districts! To date, very little information has been compiled on the frequency, type, and age range of prehistoric sites in this area. PIT volunteers and Forest staff will conduct archaeological survey on both districts. We will photograph and map sites we encounter and identify and inventory associated artifacts. Our work this year will address the potential for formal, national nominations and, hopefully, will provide enough information to ensure future studies within both districts' boundaries.
Black Butte is the highest point (10,542 ft above sea level) in the Gravelly Mountain Range, and weather can be quite unpredictable; volunteers should come prepared for a variety of conditions. We will provide all meals, but ask that volunteers contribute to cooking duties and cleanup, as well as to camp maintenance and cleanliness. Participants should also come prepared for stunning vistas - the project area is quite remote, but is one of the most beautiful spots in southwestern Montana! We hope to see you in August!
Number of openings: 5
Special skills: Must be physically capable of hiking moderate distances each day over rugged terrain at high altitude, and in a variety of weather conditions; previous GPS navigation and artifact identification experience helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Limited FS housing available at no charge at Black Butte cabin; first come-first served; vault toilet only; tent and small-sized RV camping available on site; no hookups; all meals provided by FS, though volunteers will be expected to assist with cooking and clean-up; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment/bedding, water, and transportation; access to the site is along FS system roads and use of high-clearance vehicles is recommended
Nearest towns: Ennis, 55 miles
Applications due: June 6, 2011
MT-3994
June 13-17, 2011
Must commit to full session
West Fork Guard Station is located along the Rock Creek drainage in Western Montana. It was constructed for Forest Service use in the 1920s, and later became part of a Boy Scout camp. Today it is in its intermediate stage of eligibility for the NRHP (National Register of Historic Places) and part of the Forest Service's rental cabin program. However, time and usage have taken a toll on the structures, and they are in need of a little "TLC!" The main, log cabin will be the focus for our 2011 PIT project. Participants will paint trim on doors and windows and place daubing between set logs where needed. As a finishing touch, we'll also oil the logs to aid in preservation and restore the cabin to its earlier appearance. We have the opportunity to work with an experienced historic preservation crew, and volunteers will come away with some new skills and knowledge. This is a beautiful place to spend your time "off the clock," and what's more - we're going to feed you! We hope you'll join us in June as we work to spruce up this historic treasure!
Number of openings: 5
Special skills: None required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Tent and RV/trailer camping on site; water, pit toilet, no hook-ups; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment and transportation; FS will provide all meals
Nearest towns: Philipsburg, 22 miles
Applications due: April 18, 2011
MT-4002
June 20-24, 2011
Must commit to full session
Spend a week reconstructing the past in the beautiful Swan Valley of northwest Montana, only miles from Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness! During the course of this PIT project, volunteers and Forest staff will do restoration work at the old Condon Ranger Station. The Station was constructed in 1923 as the Ranger's headquarters, but was moved to be closer to the airstrip in 1965. That locale became the "new&" Condon Ranger Station. The "old" ranger station is located on a low hill next to a beautiful meadow, on a forest road about a mile east of the Highway 35. Currently, old Condon includes the combination ranger's residence and office, a log warehouse, a very cool log barn, an equipment shed, and the old kitchen building. The residence/office was leased to a local teacher until 2006. Since she moved out, the building has not been in use. In 2010, stimulus funds allowed the Ranger District to contract for interior restoration work and, since the work's recent completion, the building has been ready to become part of the Forest Service's rental cabin program. However, both the office/residence and the warehouse are still in need of a bit more "TLC" on the exterior. During the week of our project, we'll put a new cedar roof onto the residence porch. We'll also replace some of the logs on the warehouse, and we'll install a new roof. We may be able to complete a variety of other tasks around the property as time allows.
Volunteers will come away with some new skills, and insight into the preservation of historic structures. The site has great views of the Mission Mountain Range to the west, and this is a spectacular place to explore in the "off hours." We hope you'll join us in June!
Number of openings: 6
Special skills: Basic carpentry skills desired, but not required
Minimum age: 12 years old, under 18 with a responsible adult
Facilities: Housing provided in FS historic ranger's residence; water, showers, kitchen, other amenities; Condon has B&Bs but otherwise limited services; volunteers responsible for personal bedding and transportation; FS will provide all meals
Nearest towns: Condon, 1 mile; Kalispell, >50 miles
Applications due: April 18, 2011
MT-3983
May 23-June 3, 2011 (including weekends)
Must commit to full session
Join us as we dig into the past on the Gallatin National Forest! Over the last decade, the Forest Service has worked cooperatively with MSU-Bozeman to survey and map stone features at various locations in the Gardiner Basin near Yellowstone National Park. At present, we have recorded about 16, which have been interpreted as pits and blinds associated with Bighorn sheep hunting by Indian peoples - probably the Shoshone. The Little Creek Trailhead site is located between two of these pit-blind complexes. Test excavations in the 1990s revealed eight, somewhat indistinct levels, dating from the Late Prehistoric and Proto-Historic periods (ca. A.D. 1400 - 1600s). Recovered artifact assemblages included obsidian projectile points, pottery, and faunal remains - bison and deer in the upper levels, and Bighorn sheep in the lower-most levels. Most faunal remains had been highly pulverized. However, all of this the testing has yielded more questions than answers, and additional work is needed to understand the archeological record at the Trailhead. PIT volunteers and Forest staff will formally excavate the site this spring. We will map the site and document the stratigraphy, and will plot, collect, and label the artifacts we recover.
The project location is on a terraced bench just north of Yellowstone National Park, and northwest of the town of Gardiner. The views here area are unprecedented! To the south you can see the historic north entrance archway leading into Yellowstone National Park and to the north is the gateway to Yankee Jim Canyon. Yellowstone River is in plain view of the excavation site! There is much to do in the "off-duty" hours as well: the area offers some of the best hiking, fishing, and camping opportunities in the country, and there are numerous bike paths and even tours (guided and non-guided) available.
We are checking into the possibility of offering FS bunk-housing for this project. If this housing becomes available, facilities will include water, showers, and a few other amenities. Please indicate interest in bunk housing on your applications. Selected volunteers will be notified whether or not such housing is possible at the time of contact. Volunteers and staff will be able to utilize the bath and shower facilities located at the bunkhouse regardless of its availability for long-term stay. This will be a fun and interesting project, so we hope to see you in May!
Number of openings: 6-8
Special skills: Previous archaeological excavation experience helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Tent camping only on site; chemical toilet and water provided by FS; RV parks available near Gardiner; facilities vary, fees apply; FS housing may be available at no charge by project dates (see above); Gardiner is a full-service community with motels, restaurants, and a range of other amenities; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment/lodging, food, and extra water; transportation to and from project site and bunkhouse or Gardiner motels/RV parks provided by FS
Nearest towns: Gardiner, 2 miles
Applications due: March 21, 2011
MT-3984
June 12-18, 2011 (including weekend)*
* Due to circumstances beyond the control of Lolo National Forest, the second session of this project (formerly listed as June 19-25, 2011) has been canceled. If you have submitted an application for those dates, please contact the Clearinghouse.
Must commit to entire session
Help us reconstruct the past at the Bend Guard Station Compound! The Bend Work Center was once a Ranger Station for the old Cabinet National Forest. The original log ranger cabin was constructed in 1911. It still stands on the site, and is currently eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The bunkhouse was added to the complex in 1923 to house Forest Service work crews and rangers, and was later remodeled and modernized for continued service. Since its last remodel in 1984, the compound has fallen into disrepair and is in need of some "physical therapy."
Several small and large tasks are proposed for this project. PIT volunteers and Forest staff will strip, prime, and paint and/or stain outer surfaces; varnish the oak flooring; apply linseed oil to the outer, log surfaces; stain the cedar-shingle roof; fabricate and paint window frames and trim work; install Upson board and trim to the bunkhouse ceiling; and install cabinets. If time allows, we may also try to install a French drain and grade around the oil shed, and complete any additional tasks as they arise.
We will be offering up the Bend Work Center bunkhouse for all participants. There are four bedrooms in the basement, each with bunk beds and mattresses for four. There are two bathrooms in the bunkhouse, each with a flush toilet and a shower, and there is a large, communal kitchen and a living/dining area. The kitchen has two electric ranges, a microwave, two refrigerators and two sinks. There are no additional services available in the area. After leaving Highway 2 or 200, area roads are low, standard gravel or dirt and are often very rough. They are also frequented by logging trucks, and should be driven with care. But, once you're here, you're in beautiful surroundings and you will have full access to all the Bend Guard Station Compound has to offer. Bring your favorite tool(s) if you like, and join us on the Lolo in June!
Number of openings: 8
Special skills: Carpentry, painting, general grounds keeping, and/or restoration experience helpful, but not required; volunteers must provide own water bottle and work gloves; own safety goggles helpful
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Undeveloped tent and very limited RV camping on site; no hookups; FS housing provided at no charge at Bend Work Center bunkhouse; FS will provide all meals (continental breakfast, lunch, dinner, and coffee breaks) and water; volunteers responsible for own camping equipment or bedding
Nearest towns: Plains, 32 miles; Kalispell, 40 miles
Applications due: April 10, 2011
MT-4012
July 10-15, 2011 (including weekends)
Must commit to full session
Savenac Nursery was established as a tree nursery 104 years ago on an abandoned homestead near St. Regis. Over the next 60 years of the Nursery's life, it was destroyed by fire (the Great Burn of 1910), rebuilt twice and, until its closure in 1969, had become the largest tree nursery in the Pacific Northwest, providing over 3 million seedlings throughout the region annually. After Savenac's closure, operations were moved to the newer Coeur d'Alene Nursery, but 10 of the original buildings (built by the CCC), the landscaped grounds, and an arboretum of its exotic trees still remain. In 1999, Savenac was formally listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). With the combined efforts of dedicated PIT volunteers and Forest staff, the legend and beauty of Savenac continues.
This year will mark the Nursery's 16th annual PIT project and, once again, we'll focus on giving Savenac its annual dose of TLC! Projects will include, but are not limited to: painting, groundskeeping, trail construction, interpretation for the public, some minor construction projects, and a host of other, miscellaneous odds-and-ends to keep up the beauty of this historic treasure. We always have a lot of fun, so we hope to see you this summer for year 16!
Number of openings: 30
Special skills: Water bottle, work gloves, and safety goggles required; construction, carpentry, painting, general grounds-keeping, landscaping, and/or restoration skills helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: FS housing provided at no charge; water, bath facilities; tent camping and limited RV parking available on site, no hook-ups; meals provided by FS; lodging and other amenities available at Lincoln's Silver Dollar Bar and Motel next to the Nursery; St. Regis and Superior are full-service communities with hotels/motels, restaurants, and a full range of other amenities; volunteers responsible for personal bedding or camping equipment, water bottle, safety equipment and transportation
Nearest towns: St. Regis, 15 miles; Superior, 30 miles
Applications due: May 8, 2011