Trail work valued at more than $640,000

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation and the Back Country Horsemen of the Flathead had a busy summer doing volunteer trail work and other projects in the wilderness complex.

Foundation volunteers maintained a total of 164.7 miles of trails along with other work. According to program director Rebecca Powell, their summer accomplishments were worth $341,260 and included:

• 39 volunteer projects with 287 volunteers

• 25 volunteer packers, half of them were from the Back Country Horsemen

• 276 days of field work and 1,538 total service days

• 7 miles of trail brushed

• 2,832 trees cleared from trails

• 371 drainage structures maintained

• 1,214 yards of treadwork

• 99 acres of noxious weeds treated

The Back Country Horsemen worked on 40 volunteer projects, including trail work, education and packing supplies into remote Forest Service locations, president Andy Breland said. All told, their work was estimated to be worth $307,000 and included:

• 3,750 hours of labor

• 71,770 pound of cargo packed in

• 24,591 miles of stock hauled to complete the work.