Nick Kivari

Wilderness Ranger Fellow

Moose Creek Mini Immersion | Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness

June 19-July 7, 2025

*The Cook House at Moose Creek Ranger Station*

When I first received an email from our Program Director, Josh Page, about an extended 19-day stay in the wilderness, I thought, “why the hell not?" and raised my hand that same day. I was seeking to test my limits in a backcountry setting and also share a whole bunch of laughs with some lovely people. The goal for this hitch was to hike in to Moose Creek Ranger Station along the Selway River Trail and from there work up the Bailey Mountain Trail. The 24 mile hike was a challenge that had to be faced head on and so it was. Split between two days, we made it to the Ranger Station with feelings of relief, accomplishment, and very very…wet feet. Once we had dried ourselves out and set up in the bunkhouse (what a treat) we had the chance to feel how special the place we had found ourselves in was. One can feel the history behind the cabins scattered throughout the station and the sheer amount of willpower needed to create this place.

The main goal of this hitch was of course, Bailey Mountain. Bailey proved to be a worthy opponent for my highly capable crew consisting of crew leads: Enzo and Caleb, as well as fellows: Serenade, Raegan and myself. The trail, like many others, had recently had a fire and windstorm within the last three years. These two disasters combined led to hundreds of trees down on the trail that needed sawing. On top of this, the trail had not been maintained for an unspecified but clearly long time. This lack of maintenance led to brush so thick one had to press through with full force to continue on up the mountain.

*My campsite under the bridge at Moose Creek.*

While working the Bailey Mountain Trail, the hardest thing came first thing in the morning. The hike up was ever climbing and being drenched in sweat by 7am is a new experience for me. Each day I could feel myself gaining strength to the point where the hike became less of a burden and more of a competition with myself. No matter what, at the completion of those morning hikes, I was exhausted. The beauty of a hard hike and work day to me is the feeling of cool creek water flowing over my body. Nothing compares to this. This is the feeling of ultimate freedom. Gently falling asleep (at 7pm) to the sound of Moose Creek rolling by.

My guiding light throughout my time was the music of The Grateful Dead and the biography I was reading about the band. I hope to never find myself in a place where I cannot engage in song and dance. Even 30 miles deep into the wilderness I could have the experience of dancing in the field to the music. To me, the Dead and the natural world go hand in hand. This was most obvious during my time in the woods.

These 19 days taught me confidence, rigidity, and simplicity. My crew made this extended stay easy, never failing to make me laugh up until the very last day.

Nick Kivari

East Aurora, NY

SUNY- Environmental Studies

Nick is from East Aurora, NY and found his love for nature in the Adirondack Mountains. At a young age he found a passion for the environment and climate change mitigation. When it came time for college, Nick attended SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to study environmental studies. His passion for wilderness comes from a love for solitude as well as flora and fauna of all different kinds.