Siamese Lakes Campsite Monitoring w/ Here Montana

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Visit greatburn.org to learn more and view the registration link.

Trip is limited to 8. Please submit your application by June 30, 2025. Registration fee is waived for this trip.

This trip is open to BIPOC community members only. GBCA is excited to offer this trip in partnership with Here Montana. Whether or not you’ve been on a trip with us and you’re looking for something more challenging than what we’ve offered in the past, this is the trip for you! This trip is aimed at people who have experience with longer hikes or backpacking. We will be completing campsite inventories and restoration work at Siamese Lakes. During our adventure, the group will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Great Burn, why protecting these places is important, and local flora and fauna. Let’s get out and experience a wild place that’s not too far from Missoula. We will be camping at a lake, so if you’re interested in fishing make sure to have your MT license!

In addition the group will engage in outdoor leadership development. Participants will gain hands-on experience in teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving in dynamic outdoor settings. They will develop key leadership skills such as communication, conflict resolution, and risk assessment while navigating real-world scenarios in the backcountry.

The program will focus on:

* Team Building & Team Awareness - Strengthening group cohesion through trust exercises, group discussions, and collaborative decision-making. Participants will learn to recognize and utilize individual strengths within a team to enhance overall effectiveness.

* Situational Leadership - Understanding different leadership styles and learning how to adapt based on group needs, environmental conditions, and available resources.

* Wilderness First Aid & Risk Management - Covering the basics of first aid, injury prevention, and emergency response to ensure safe and responsible backcountry travel.

* Stewardship - Encouraging responsible outdoor ethics, sustainable recreation practices, and environmental stewardship, reinforcing the role of outdoor leaders in preserving natural spaces.

* Personal Growth & Leadership Reflection - Encouraging participants to step outside their comfort zones, build resilience, and reflect on their leadership experiences to develop confidence and adaptability in outdoor and everyday settings.

This combination of hands-on service work and leadership training will provide participants with a well-rounded outdoor experience, equipping them with valuable skills they can carry forward in their outdoor adventures and beyond.

Siamese Lakes are popular lakes that lie within the Great Burn recommended wilderness along the Montana/Idaho border. The group will learn how to conduct backcountry campsite inventories, clean up around the lakes, do some wildlife surveys, and help pull weeds.

Trailhead: Clearwater Crossing #101, Ninemile RD, Lolo NF

Closest Town: Alberton, MT

**All volunteer trips are subject to change due to ever-changing fire activity.

Strenuous. The hike in will be quite long with a decent amount of elevation gain. There will be several opportunities for breaks, and we anticipate allotting a majority of the day to the hike. Luckily, this means the hike out will be mostly downhill!

Moderate. Work will include completing campsite inventories, cleaning up trash, conducting wildlife surveys, and pulling weeds. Hand tools may include: shovels, weed pullers, loppers, and hand saws.

Day 1 | With the option of carpooling from Missoula, we will meet at the Clearwater Crossing trailhead the evening of 8/29 around 1700MST. We will do an "Unpack the Pack" and gear check around the campfire with dinner and s’mores!

Day 2 | We will start our hike early in the morning to try to beat the heat. We will take West Fork Fish Creek #101 to Siamese Lakes #114. It’ll be long mileage, but a good trail. We will camp at Lower Siamese Lake. 11.5 mi. Elevation gain: 2,800ft. Elevation loss: 300ft.

Day 3 | We will complete campsite impact inventories at Lower and Upper Siamese Lakes. This will involve a trash cleanup as well as reducing fire rings and social trails. There will be time to swim or fish at Upper Siamese Lake. Camp at Lower Siamese Lake. 0.5 mi.

Day 4 | We will finish up any work that’s needed in the morning and pack up camp to head out. We will hike back to the trailhead with hopes to arrive in the early afternoon. 11.5 mi. Elevation gain: 300ft. Elevation loss: 2,800ft.

Trip is limited to 8. Please submit your application by June 30, 2025. Registration fee is waived for this trip.

This trip is open to BIPOC community members only. GBCA is excited to offer this trip in partnership with Here Montana. Whether or not you’ve been on a trip with us and you’re looking for something more challenging than what we’ve offered in the past, this is the trip for you! This trip is aimed at people who have experience with longer hikes or backpacking. We will be completing campsite inventories and restoration work at Siamese Lakes. During our adventure, the group will also have the opportunity to learn more about the Great Burn, why protecting these places is important, and local flora and fauna. Let’s get out and experience a wild place that’s not too far from Missoula. We will be camping at a lake, so if you’re interested in fishing make sure to have your MT license!

In addition the group will engage in outdoor leadership development. Participants will gain hands-on experience in teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving in dynamic outdoor settings. They will develop key leadership skills such as communication, conflict resolution, and risk assessment while navigating real-world scenarios in the backcountry.

The program will focus on:

* Team Building & Team Awareness - Strengthening group cohesion through trust exercises, group discussions, and collaborative decision-making. Participants will learn to recognize and utilize individual strengths within a team to enhance overall effectiveness.

* Situational Leadership - Understanding different leadership styles and learning how to adapt based on group needs, environmental conditions, and available resources.

* Wilderness First Aid & Risk Management - Covering the basics of first aid, injury prevention, and emergency response to ensure safe and responsible backcountry travel.

* Stewardship - Encouraging responsible outdoor ethics, sustainable recreation practices, and environmental stewardship, reinforcing the role of outdoor leaders in preserving natural spaces.

* Personal Growth & Leadership Reflection - Encouraging participants to step outside their comfort zones, build resilience, and reflect on their leadership experiences to develop confidence and adaptability in outdoor and everyday settings.

This combination of hands-on service work and leadership training will provide participants with a well-rounded outdoor experience, equipping them with valuable skills they can carry forward in their outdoor adventures and beyond.

Siamese Lakes are popular lakes that lie within the Great Burn recommended wilderness along the Montana/Idaho border. The group will learn how to conduct backcountry campsite inventories, clean up around the lakes, do some wildlife surveys, and help pull weeds.

Trailhead: Clearwater Crossing #101, Ninemile RD, Lolo NF

Closest Town: Alberton, MT

**All volunteer trips are subject to change due to ever-changing fire activity.

Strenuous. The hike in will be quite long with a decent amount of elevation gain. There will be several opportunities for breaks, and we anticipate allotting a majority of the day to the hike. Luckily, this means the hike out will be mostly downhill!

Moderate. Work will include completing campsite inventories, cleaning up trash, conducting wildlife surveys, and pulling weeds. Hand tools may include: shovels, weed pullers, loppers, and hand saws.

Day 1 | With the option of carpooling from Missoula, we will meet at the Clearwater Crossing trailhead the evening of 8/29 around 1700MST. We will do an "Unpack the Pack" and gear check around the campfire with dinner and s’mores!

Day 2 | We will start our hike early in the morning to try to beat the heat. We will take West Fork Fish Creek #101 to Siamese Lakes #114. It’ll be long mileage, but a good trail. We will camp at Lower Siamese Lake. 11.5 mi. Elevation gain: 2,800ft. Elevation loss: 300ft.

Day 3 | We will complete campsite impact inventories at Lower and Upper Siamese Lakes. This will involve a trash cleanup as well as reducing fire rings and social trails. There will be time to swim or fish at Upper Siamese Lake. Camp at Lower Siamese Lake. 0.5 mi.

Day 4 | We will finish up any work that’s needed in the morning and pack up camp to head out. We will hike back to the trailhead with hopes to arrive in the early afternoon. 11.5 mi. Elevation gain: 300ft. Elevation loss: 2,800ft.