A group of Boy Scouts helping members of the Boise ATV Trail Riders Club to clear Trail 275 on the Boise Front Ridge Road.
Bill Jones was asked by a young Boy Scout (Auston D. ) if he could assist his Boy Scout Troop (ages 10-14) in identifying a merit badge project. Bill suggested they contact Wautuna Welt, recreation representative from the Mtn Home Ranger District, Boise National Forest for a trail cleanup project. The Forest has several trails on the Boise Ridge Road that may need some clearing.Clearing Trail 275 was chosen for the project and Bill was contacted to help. Mike R. and Tim H. (members of Boise ATV Trail Riders Club) offered to assist Bill as adult supervisors while he was cutting trees.
In prep for the project, the Scouts, along with their Scout supervisors, walked from the 8th Street Extension parking lot the day before and camped overnight on the ridge. Bill and his assistants, Mike and Tim, met the Scout Troop at the Boise Ridge Road trail junction and the trailhead. By 8:30 am they departed for the trail looking for overgrown Chaparral and blocking the trail as well as fallen or hazard trees.
Mike and Tim, assisting with the Boise Ridge Road Trail 275 Boy Scout trail clean-up project. Notice smoke from the Trinity fire in the distance…it has been a bad summer for forest fires.
Bill lead the group on his ATV so that he was first in line in cutting the trees from the trail. Mike and Tim, kept the Scouts back while the trees were being cut. The trees were cut into sections so that Scouts could pull them off the trail. The group cleared two miles of trail to Clear Creek in less than five hours. The Scouts walked back up the hill and back to camp for lunch because they were not allowed to ride the ATVs.
It was a good project and ride with not too much smoke. Thanks to everyone for their help in keeping the roads and trails open for all to use.—Bill Jones, BATRC Ride Leader