SAWTOOTH NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

Recreation Report June 12, 2014

The Trey McIntyre Project Join us on June 13th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Visitor Center (8 miles north of Ketchum on Hwy 75), for the opening of an exhibition of photographs by Trey McIntyre in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act . This is a presentation of “Art, Wilderness and the Human Connection” in partnership with the Society of Wilderness Stewardship and the U.S. Forest Service. In addition, on June 14, at 8 p.m., Trey McIntyre and dancers will tour Hailey, Idaho at the WRHS Performing Arts Theater at the Community Campus for a once in a lifetime performance and presentation of this project, as well as the company’s last appearance in Idaho. Trey will make a brand new work in front of your very eyes and you can get the first glimpse of photographs Trey took of the dancers in the wilderness surrounding the Sawtooth Mountains. For more details and tickets, please see page three. (http://www.wilderness50th.org/)

The Wilderness Act

The Wilderness Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. It creat- ed the legal definition of wilderness in the United States and protected several millions of acres of federal land. The Wilderness Act is well know for its poetic and clear definition of wilderness: “A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where “The idea of wilderness man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man needs no defense, it only himself is a visitor who does not remain.” In its own words, the Wilderness Act sought to: “assure that an increasing population, accompanied by expanding set- needs defenders.” tlement and growing mechanization, does not occupy and modify all areas within the U.S. and its possessions, leaving no lands designated for preservation and - Edward Abbey protection in their natural condition…”

In This Issue

 Wilderness 50th Events (Page 1 and 3)

 Road/Trail Reports (Pg.2)

 Campground Info (Page 3)

 Firewood Permits (Page 4) White Mule’s Ears — blooming all over the Sawtooth Valley Trail conditions south of North Cherry Creek near Galena Lodge Galena Summit:

Road Conditions: Most of the trails above 8,000 feet in the As we progress into summer, most of our Forest roads are opening up and a majority are higher elevations are still snow covered, open to the trailheads. The exceptions are: Pole Creek (closed before Grand Prize due to an but don’t let that stop you from getting avalanche) 6/12/14, and 4th of July, closed within a mile of the trailhead, due to wet condi- out. Early summer is a great time to ex- tions and downed trees. Many other roads at high elevations may be muddy or have snow. plore the area’s trails below 8000 feet You may find downed trees across roads and trails in some areas. Our trail crews are get- and enjoy the wildflower show! ting to these areas as quickly as possible to make roads and trails accessible. If you do see  Murdock Canyon Trail: Open. road or trail access hindered by a fallen tree or avalanche, please do not continue and report the damage to the nearest Ranger Station or Visitor Center. Traveling on wet, muddy roads  Harriman Trail: Open to Galena causes resource damage. Please turn around if you encounter wet, muddy conditions that would cause damage or ruts to the roadway, until the area has a chance to dry.  Boulder Creek: Road passable, trail unknown. (6/11). Trail conditions north of Galena Summit:  Baker Creek: Trails are not accessi-  Pole Creek: Open 4 miles to corrals trailhead. ble at this time due to fire rehab beyond East Fork of Baker Creek.  Hellroaring: Open at lower trailhead, passable to the lake. (6/3).  Prairie Creek: Open to Prairie  Boundary Creek: Trail good to the ridge and probably beyond. (5/26). Lakes, snow on the Mill Lake side. (6/10).  Fisher Creek: Loop is open. Use caution over wet areas. (6/10).  Galena Trails: Most of Galena’s  Horton Peak: Trail good to switchbacks and then some snow but passable (6/4) trails are accessible to hikers and Mt. Bikers.  Fishhook Creek: Trail open to meadow, and a short distance beyond (6/11).

 Titus Lake: Trail from Hwy still has  Bench Lake: Trail ok within 100 yards of lake, then snow (5/26). two foot snow patches and downed

 Baron Creek: Trail good to about 2 miles, impassable stream crossing (6/2). trees at the start. (6/8).

 Sawtooth Lake/Iron Creek: Trail has been maintained to creek crossing 3 miles in. Big creek crossing and snow rest of the way to lakes. Sawtooth Lake frozen (6/11).

 Stanley Lake Creek: OK to Alpine Way. (6/3)

 Grandjean: Maintained a mile (avalanche pile removed). Snow beyond (6/11).

 Slate Creek: Ok to Hoodoo, and OK 3 miles up Livingston Creek. (6/3)

 Big Casino: OK up to 4.5 miles and then snow. (6/4)

 Elk Creek: Ok to trailhead (6/4). Boulder Mountains from Prairie Creek  Warm Springs/Robinson Bar: Ok a few miles but crossing is impassable. (6/4).

Summer Campground Opening Dates

Reservation and First Come, First Serve Campgrounds:

The following campgrounds are now open::

 All Wood River Campgrounds: North Fork, Wood River, Easley, Murdock, and Caribou.

 Alturas Campgrounds and Pettit Campgrounds.

 All Redfish Campgrounds RV Campers on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area

 All Salmon River Campgrounds.

 Hwy 21 Campgrounds: All open, in- Wilderness 50th Events cluding Stanley Lake and Grandjean. I

 Individual camping sites can be re- Opening Celebration: Join us June 13 between 5:30 and served as early as 180 days in ad- 7:30 p.m. for a kick-off celebration of 50th anniversary vance and group sites 360 days, in- events and the opening of a showing of photographs by cluding picnic sites. To make reserva- Trey McIntyre as part of the Sawtooth Project: Art, Wilder- tions, call 877-444-6777 or online: ness and the Human Connection. For more information www.recreation.gov. There are 33 de- visit: www.fs.usda.gov/sawtooth veloped campgrounds within the Saw- tooth NRA. Approximately 27% can be Trey McIntyre Project Performance: Multi-media performance in celebration of reserved. The remainder are on a first wilderness by this Boise based, internationally renowned dance company. Perfor- come, first serve basis. mance date: June 14th at 8 p.m. at the Wood River High School Performing Arts Center in Hailey, Idaho. Seating is limited, so get your tickets early! Tickets are Dispersed Camping: $15, available at http://treymcintyre.com/sawtooth or “The Wildflower” clothing store in Hailey. For more information, contact Carol Cole at 208-727-5007 or http:// Dispersed camping is any camping outside treymcintyre.com of developed campgrounds and is becom- ing available on forest roads that are open Trey McIntyre Photo Exhibit: Join us for a showing of a breathtaking series of and dry. These campsites are free and photographs of TMP dancers, interacting with the elements of nature in the Saw- abundant throughout the Sawtooth NRA. tooth Wilderness. Dates: June 13 through July 6, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 We ask that you stay on existing roads p.m. at the Sawtooth NRA Visitor Center, 8 miles north of Ketchum on Highway (see Forest travel map) and camp in areas 75. For more information, contact Carol Cole at [email protected] or 208-727-5007. previously used. If a campfire is desired, it To view online: http://treymcintyre.com/image/portfolios/sawtooth-project/. Stay should be built in an existing fire ring. Pack Tuned for more events coming in July and August! it in, pack it out. The camping limit north of Galena Summit is 16 days. You must relo- Other upcoming events: cate more than a distance of 10 miles from the original site for 14 days. South of Gale- Sawtooth Relay: June 14th. Runners and support vehicles will be on Hwy 75 be- na summit the limit is 16 days and you tween Stanley and Ketchum from midnight to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Slow down and cannot relocate anywhere in the Ketchum use caution. Plan extra time for your travels. RD or the SNRA non-fee areas for 14 days. Along the Salmon River Corridor, the Keep Wilderness Wild and Clean: All summer, volunteers can help clean the camping stay limit is 10 days. You must Sawtooth Wilderness and join the Sawtooth Society for an end of season celebra- relocate more than a distance of 10 miles tion (date to be announced). Location: Personal trips anywhere in the Sawtooth from the original site. Wilderness. Contact: Kelly Conte: [email protected] or the Sawtooth Society website: http://www.sawtoothsociety.org

For more information and updates on events visit: www.wilderness50th.org Sawtooth National Recreation Area Contact Information Educational Sawtooth NRA Headquarters: M-Sat, 8:30-5:00 - 208-727-5000 Programs Offered

Stanley Ranger Station: M-F, 8:30-12:00 & 1:00-4:30 - 208-774-3000 We are pleased to offer a variety of educational activi- Redfish Visitor Center: Opening June 13th, daily from 9:30-5:00 ties, programs and services to local schools and youth

www.fs.usda.gov/sawtooth groups. Several traveling “Ed-venture” trunks are available for loan to educa- Spring Migration: As warm weather arrives, animals are migrating tors or group leaders. For back to the Sawtooth Valley from where they previously spent the win- more information, please ter. Drive cautiously and obey posted speed limits to make room for call Susan Kranz at 727- animals crossing the highway. Slow down to allow for passage of 5018. Pronghorn antelope, Sandhill cranes, deer and birds of prey, to name a few. If you wish to observe these animals, please pull completely off Firewood Permits: the roadway. Firewood permits are now Mushroom Season: Mushroom gathering for personal use will be permitted on the Sawtooth NF in the Beaver Creek Fire area on the available. (We will be open Ketchum and Fairfield Ranger Districts and the Kelley Fire area on the at HQ on Saturdays Fairfield Ranger District. Be advised several road and area closures throughout the summer, but remain in place. Be aware of areas closed to the public due to hazard- closed on Sundays and hol- ous conditions. Free use permits will be required on all Sawtooth NF idays). The minimum pur- lands. You can obtain your free use permit and map of open areas at chase is two cords at any Sawtooth NF office. You will need to carry your permit with you $25.00, each additional when you are gathering. Commercial mushroom harvest will not be cord is $12.50, for up to 10 permitted in any of the burned areas on the Sawtooth NF. Pickers cords per household. There should use caution in fresh burned areas due to stump holes, falling will be no free firewood trees or loose soil or rocks. Pickers can harvest up to 5 gallons per this year. For more infor- day until the permit expires. mation, contact the front Sawtooth National Recreation Area Private Lands Program desk at 208-727-5000.

The 756,000-acre Sawtooth National Recreation Area includes more We are an equal opportunity than 20,000 acres of privately owned land, primarily in the Sawtooth provider. Valley and Stanley Basin, and along the Salmon River for approxi- mately 25 miles downstream from Stanley, Idaho. When the U.S, Con- gress established the Sawtooth NRA in 1972, it sought to preserve and protect the Area’s “natural, scenic, historic, pastoral, and fish and wildlife values and to provide for the enhancement of the recreation values associated therewith.” (Public Law 92-400). Our management goals and commitment for conservation of the landscape are governed by this law.