Project Name: 20 Mile Lakes – Backpacking 101
Project Dates: July 31 – August 2
ITA's Women in the Wild trail projects are designed to create a supportive, empowering, and fun environment where women can learn new skills, build confidence, and connect with others who share a love for the outdoors. These all-female trail crews provide a unique space for volunteers to work together, gain hands-on experience in trail maintenance, and make a lasting impact on Idaho's public lands.
This Backpacking 101 course/trail project will provide a chance for new backpackers to learn together, while out on a project improving trails! We're partnering with Kristina Schmid, owner of Empower Her Outdoors , whose mission is to empower women through outdoor education, fostering a community of like-minded individuals who seek to learn, grow, and connect with nature. Kristian will help folks new to backpacking prepare prior to the trip through virtual meetups to talk training, menu, packing, etc. virtual meetups to talk training, menu, packing, etc.
We'll meet at the trailhead off Warren Wagon Road north of McCall and offer tips and guidance for packing up. We'll hike in together the 2.5 miles to base camp, doing trail work as we go. After setting up camp, work will be primarily on the Twenty Mile Lakes Trail, clearing logs and cutting back brush. On Sunday, continue working toward Twenty Mile Lakes before heading back to the trailhead. We'll work on improving the trail, cutting out any logs, brushing and light tread work.
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: Twenty Mile #85, Twenty Mile Lakes Trails #315
Itinerary: This is a three day project. Meet at the trailhead early Friday to pack up gear and hike into camp. Set up camp, working Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday morning. Sunday early afternoon, heading back to cars and heading home.
Food Provided by ITA: No
Gear Packing List: Gear Checklist for Backpacking Projects
Crew Leader: Pam Bond
Estimated Drive Time from Closest Town: 30 minutes from McCall
Trail Map: Click for trail map and elevation profile
Non-refundable trail project fee: $50
Why do I need to pay a fee to volunteer for this trip? The fees collected will help to cover the costs of providing extra support and training for volunteers from EmpowHer Outdoors. The Backpacking 101 portion goes above and beyond what ITA is usually able to offer through volunteers. 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. If you require assistance in paying this fee, please contact us as trails@idahotrailsassociation.org and we will waive the cost.
Difficulty Rating
No experience with backpacking needed! We ask volunteers to try to make the pre-trip Zoom sessions and take advantage of the support from EmpowHer Outdoors to be as prepared as possible when showing up to the trailhead. Please be in good hiking condition with boots broken in, and gear tested. 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 safety issue. If you are unsure about the proper gear or about preparing for a trip, please reach out to trails@idahotrailsassociation.org.
Volunteer Spots Available: 4 of 12
If there are no volunteer spots available, click “Sign Up” to get on our waitlist for this project!
Waitlist Signups: 0
