In just her second year volunteering with ITA, Anne went all in—signing up for an incredible seven projects! Among them was ITA’s three-week Immersion Project in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, where she brought her unwavering passion for the wilderness and tackled the tough work of clearing trails alongside some awesome crews. Thank you, Anne, for your dedication to making Idaho’s trails better for everyone!

What is your background in? What are some of the things you enjoy doing for fun?

I was born in Illinois and grew up for the most part in New Jersey. I moved out west after college, living in Washington, Oregon, and now Idaho. My background professionally is graphic design. I enjoyed the creativity involved and the interpersonal aspects, but being stuck at a computer was not satisfying to me. I didn’t come from an outdoorsy family, but somehow I wound up hiking and backpacking. My passion was always outside. I’m also a parent and raised my kids outside as much as I could. 

How and why did you first get involved with ITA? 

I first heard about ITA from an interview on our local Sandpoint Radio Station 88.5 KRFY. I was interested, but didn’t jump on board until my friend Kelly Miller suggested we go on the Cabin Creek trip in 2023. Kelly was already an ITA member and she knew of my obsession with the Frank, and that was it.

I’d been dipping into the Frank for years but longed to get into the heart of it. Wilderness history also interests me; Taylor Ranch, Jean Carroll, all of it. So, I went on two trips in 2023.  But I went hog wild in 2024 and participated in seven projects, including the Immersion Trip.

I got involved because of my need for wilderness. These trips were taking me to places that I had longed to explore further. But they’re tough spots to get to and there are not a lot of people who want to make the effort to get there. So in that way ITA has been an incredible resource for me.

What do you like about volunteering with ITA?

Trail work is my solution to many of the world’s problems. I can fix a trail. This brush, or logs, these are things I can tackle. And it’s satisfying and soulful. I really love being out there and getting to these wild places. I love doing the hard work.

And I love that there are no whiners. Everybody’s out there to go hard. I’ve been so impressed by all the interesting people and their stories. They’re really incredible. 

Most memorable backcountry or ITA experience?

I have been interested in the Frank and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness for a long time, so going along Moose Ridge on the Immersion trip, getting into the depths of that wild exploded forest, that was like an Everest of my life. I was so glad to be there. I was euphoric. But there’s much work to be done there and I would happily go back any day.

Why are trails worth protecting?

They’re the pathway into the wilderness. For me, it’s a pathway into the soul. It’s our gift from those who have come before us, and our legacy for the future.