OVERVIEW:    

The month of July brought our crew a new location in the Siskiyou National Forest and a new project. We plan to complete a 2.5 mile long trail to the Devil’s Punch Bowl. We have already moved camp once and completed almost half our trail project; however, we still have lots of rocky trail sections to complete by September 15^th--sharp. Our new and final camp location is filled with breath taking sights and lots of great sun light. The crew is feeling strong and determined and definitely plans to complete the trail on time, if not earlier. We would never be this far into the project without the great support from our sponsor and cook. As of right now we are at our final camp and ready to work right to the end. We have a full month and lots of sunlight to keep us focused and ready.

Well another month has flown by. Some ask where it has gone, others, when will it be over. But one consensus remains; our classes have grown increasingly more interesting as the season moves on. Although only a few classes have been taught (due to the chaos of travel and camp construction), both have been excellent. The first session was orchestrated by none other than our very own Canadian immigrant, Dan Block (WEB—South Bend, Indiana). Dan enlightened us on the finer points of "killing with a kiss", when he taught our crew the interesting game of Assassin. We all drew names of others in the group of who we had to "kill" by kissing them anywhere on the face. When that person was kissed, they would give their victim’s name to the assassin, who then proceeded to snatch the next victim off guard. As you can imagine, the stakes were high, and the penalties even higher. Unfortunately, the first to be smooched to death was our own fearless leader Peter Martinez. We could all hear his mortified screams throughout the calm silence before breakfast call. Our top Assassin? Good Ol’ Brett Snyder (WEB—Sedona, AZ). That sneaky lip magnet dove at the opportunity to smack a fat wet-one on as many innocent corpies as he could.

Our final lesson of July was a very special treat. Mike Elliot and Janet Yoder graced us with their enlightened presence and guided us through the realms of Wilderness Survival. Both graduates of the Tom Brown Jr. School of Wilderness Awareness, Mike and Janet showed us how to overcome nature’s brutalities, and harness her subtleties. We learned the 4 most important steps to survival! We learned to extract water from soil using a solar still; how to build a lean-to Debris Shelter for warmth and protection; how to start a fire using a bow and drill; and finally how to find food from plants, nuts, trees, and grass. It was an extremely informative class, and also quite relevant. Thanks a lot Mike and Janet for coming way back into the Siskiyou Wilderness to share with us your very special, very timeless knowledge.

None.

One member of the crew sustained a puncture wound due to tripping on the trail, but is now fully recovered and working SUPER well. A few rashes and blisters here and there, but other than that people are healthy and ready to do trail work!

We have had lots of visitors in the month of July.

• Joe Rodger a friend of Brett Snider (WEB—Arizona), visited for a night.
• Tony Vasquez (Inyo, 1994), and past Backcountry Camp Supervisor (Yosemite, 2001 & Klamath, 2004), visited for 2 nights to help move camp and work with crew members.
• Larry McKinnel, a friend of Peter Martinez visited for 2 nights along with family

PRODUCTION:  

New Trail Construction (Reroute):  Doe Flat Trail   —2,112 linear yards