Karlissa Skinner

Wilderness Project Liaison

Hitch 4 – CatRock Ventures Volunteer Project, July 18-25

Lolo Peak Trail and One Horse Lakes Trail | Bitterroot National Forest | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness

It’s hard to believe summer (and the trail work season) is nearly over… I savor these dog days on the trails, when I smell the Ponderosas and huckleberries before I even see them. This being my fifth field season, I have come to recognize, anticipate and truly appreciate the seasonal succession of plant life in the Wilderness areas I get to call my office. Plants have offered me endless inspiration, peace and wisdom over the years, and this season the lesson that pervades is resilience. I have greeted all the familiar wildflowers and even gotten to know a few new ones, but what I’ve noticed with the most poignancy is the plants that seem to defy the odds and grow in unexpected places—specifically right in the middle of a rock.

These tenacious plants stop me in my tracks and pull me out of my head and back to the present moment. I wonder, “how the heck…?” And then I realize: if these plants can grow in/on/through solid stone, then I can handle x, y, z, fill in the blanks with whatever I was worrying about before I stopped to admire such an impressive phenomenon.

And the beauty of my position leading different volunteer projects all summer is getting to witness other people have these realizations as well. I recently had the opportunity to work with volunteers from CatRock Ventures, an inspiring nonprofit based in New York whose mission is to invest in the success of Bronx youth by providing experiences in leadership, outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. Daphne, Jeton and Jordan, accompanied by group heroes (oops, I meant leaders) Abiola and Cam, flew into Missoula the weekend before the project and got to explore Missoula and Glacier National Park before venturing into the Wilderness to put their leadership and stewardship training into practice! However, NYC training couldn’t fully prepare them for some of the challenges (and rewards!) ahead. In those first few days I heard a lot of awe-inspired exclamations: “it’s so quiet,” “the air smells so good,” “there are so many plants.” I watched them experience pure bliss as they got to ride a horse, roast a marshmallow (and then another, and another, and another…), splash in an alpine lake, and dance around a campfire. This perspective is such a joyful reminder to not take for granted how lucky I am to have grown up in Montana.

On the other hand, though, the steep hikes, long days analyzing cut plans and pulling a crosscut, and ruthless mosquitoes are all just another part of the experience for me. But for Daphne, Jeton, and Jordan, these less glamorous aspects of trail work proved to be quite difficult at times. We scrambled a steep grade to Lolo Peak, conquered a technical 8-tree root ball, and learned to “embrace the suck” (a trail work philosophy that encourages us to do our best to enjoy our circumstances despite rain, mosquitoes, etc). In just a week I noticed so much progress in their ability to communicate and clear trail, offer help with camp chores, and endure the relentless mosquitoes to enjoy campfire chats and s’mores. I think it’s safe to say that it was a life-changing week for them. I’m so inspired by their plant-like tenacity and so humbled by Cam and Abiola’s commitment to CatRock’s mission.

This is my fifth summer having spent more nights in the backcountry than in the city.

I’m frequently struck with an overwhelming sense of wonder and gratitude for all the trail miles, stunning peak views, alpine lake sunrises, river lullabies and plant wisdom. And it’s so special to share these Wilderness appreciation moments with so many eager volunteers throughout the summer. We get to learn together that the greatest challenges yield the greatest rewards, and persistence builds resilience. We’re not only enduring, but thriving in challenging environments, adapting to changing conditions, growing stronger for the obstacles we overcome.

KARLISSA SKINNER

Wilderness Project Liaison

Selway-Bitterroot & Frank Church-RONR Wilderness

Karlissa spent her summers hiking and camping around Helena, Montana. Her conservation corps experience doing trail work and living in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness helped her to discover her love for the natural world and wilderness conservation. Karlissa is an avid rock climber, backpacker, and river rafter.