Project Name: Frank Church Wilderness Immersion – Sign Up Page 

Project Dates: July 29 – August 13 

Congratulations! You've been accepted to join ITA's wilderness Immersion Project for 2026!  

This fly-in project will drop volunteers deep in the backcountry for an extended project working on trails in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. Starting from Cold Meadows backcountry airstrip, we'll work on clearing up the Cottonwood Creek Trail, focusing first on completing work in a meadow on a short reroute around a section flooded by beavers, which volunteers started last year. The crew will also work on clearing the trail toward Black Lake and beyond, with potential to bump camp along as work allows.  

The Cottonwood Creek Trail connects with several other trails to form a loop through meadows, up and over ridges, and past several peaks and lakes. ITA has been working on clearing trails in this area for many years now, with no shortage of downfall each year. This is a great opportunity to work in a very remote area of the Frank Church and help preserve a remote trail system.  

ITA is partnering with the Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Wilderness Foundation, who will also have a crew out for the duration. We'll camp separately and be working on different sections of trail but there may be opportunity for some inter-crew socialization and support on the project work. Having these projects at the same time allows both groups to maximize pack support opportunities for both crews in this very remote area! 

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: Cottonwood Creek Trail #41, Black Lake Trail # 238 

Itinerary: This is a 15-day project. Volunteers will join a pre-trip Zoom meeting/planning session in the months prior to the trip. Flying in and out of Cascade. On the first day, we'll have pack support available to bring some of our camping gear, food, and tools into a base camp near the confluence of Farrow and Cottonwood Creek, about 6 miles in. Halfway through, a food resupply will be flown into the airstrip, and the crew will hike back to get it. At the end of the project, pack support returns to bring gear back to the airstrip for a flight back home early the last day. As the crew progresses further, we may decide it's best to move our camp closer to work; pack support is not available to bump camp, so this will be backpacking. 

Food Provided by ITA: No  

Gear Packing List: More information about planning extended backcountry trips will be available to the crew Gear Checklist for Backpacking Projects 

Crew Leader: Glenn Florence and Michelle Florence  

Estimated Drive Time from Closest Town: Flying 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 reservations. 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 8
If there are no volunteer spots available, click “Sign Up” to get on our waitlist for this project!

Waitlist Signups: 0