Project Name: Porcupine Meadow
Project Dates: July 22-26
Volunteers will explore the meadows and ridgelines on the southern end of the Gospel Hump Wilderness on this backpacking project! Great views of the Gospel Hump begin on the drive to camp, as the trailhead is off the 444 road. This recently improved road is a main access corridor into the Gospel Hump Wilderness. With access to alpine lakes, mountain peaks (including Gospel Peak (8156') for which this wilderness is named) ending at Square Mountain Lookout, it's worth taking time to enjoy the drive in!
From Moores Campground we'll backpack 7 miles into our base camp. The first two miles descend from the trailhead to Anchor Creek. The next 2.5 miles the trail climbs up to Plummer Point, where it levels out and follows the ridge for the last 2.5 miles to camp. Under Marble and Ace Buttes, we'll camp near Porcupine Meadows. We'll work as far down Moores Trail as we can over the course of the project, cutting out logs, cutting back brush, and improving tread as needed. This trail eventually connects to the Salmon River, and ITA has worked on several of these southern trails over the year, including Johnson Saddle and Sheep Creek.
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: Hump Trail #313 and Moores Trail #312
Itinerary: This is a five-day project. Great car camping at the trailhead for folks to come out the night before. Meeting at the trailhead on Wednesday morning ready to backpack into Porcupine Meadows. Base camp here, working up and down the trail each day. Sunday, packing up camp and hiking back to the trailhead to head home!
Food Provided by ITA: No
Gear Packing List: Gear Checklist for Backpacking Projects
Crew Leader: Pam Bond and Dave Beck
Estimated Drive Time from Closest Town: 1 hour 40 min to Grangeville
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.
Volunteer Spots Available: 3 of 12
If there are no volunteer spots available, click “Sign Up” to get on our waitlist for this project!
Waitlist Signups: 0
