Project Name: Caton Lake
Dates: July 9-13
In the Boise National Forest, volunteers will continue ITA’s work on the Caton Lake Trail where we have been working since 2017. Starting from the Caton Lake/Rainbow Lake Trailhead, pack stock will help bring in some of our gear and the crew will establish a backcountry primitive basecamp at Caton Meadows. Each year ITA makes progress cutting away new downed trees to keep the trail from being lost; our goal is to make it to Caton Lake in the next two seasons. This trail, featuring lakes, open meadows, lush forest, and stark burn scars, deserves a chance to stay open!
Later this season, ITA is hosting a project to rebuild a trail bridge near the meadow.
More info on the adjacent Rainbow Lake trail can be found on All Trails.
Project information is subject to change. Crew leaders will communicate via email. Failure to respond to your crew leader may result in being dropped from the project. See our FAQs, reach out to your crew leader, or contact ITA staff at trails@idahotrailsassociation.org if you have questions.
Trails: Caton Lake Trail #093
Itinerary: This is a five-day project. Crew will meet at the trailhead in the morning (welcome to camp the evening before) pack up gear and hike into base camp. From here, work on the Caton Lake Trail and return to camp in the meadow each night. Sunday morning, pack up and backpack to the trailhead, head home!
Food Provided by ITA: No
Crew Leader: Patti Stieger
Estimated Drive Time from Closest Town: 2 hours 15 min from Cascade
Trail Map: Click for trail map and elevation profile
Refundable deposit: $50
Why do I need to pay a deposit? We’ve had trouble with people backing out of trips at the last minute which can really affect the productivity of the overall project. By charging a refundable fee, volunteers are less likely to cancel their reservation. Refunds will not be given to volunteers that do not show up or cancel their reservation. Exceptions will be made for medical reasons or unforeseen circumstances. Volunteers can choose to donate the deposit to ITA. All donations are tax-deductible and will go towards maintaining trails throughout Idaho. If you require assistance in paying for this fee, please contact us at trails@idahotrailsassociation.org and we will waive the cost.
Difficulty Rating
You should have experience with backpacking and be in good hiking condition with broken-in and tested gear. This is a remote backcountry project so injuries such as sprains and blisters or even extreme fatigue from not being properly conditioned can quickly become a big safety issue. If you are unsure about the proper gear or about preparing for a trip, please reach out to trails@idahotrailsassociation.org.
If having the right gear to be safe and comfortable is a limiting factor, volunteers may apply for scholarships to purchase gear they need through the Splattski Outdoor Access Fund.
Volunteer Spots Available: 7 of 12
If there are no volunteer spots available, click “Sign Up” to get on our waitlist for this project!
Waitlist Signups: 0
