Nearing the end

Here I am up in Montana again with just a few weeks left remaining in the program. Before I left for Montana, we went on a week spike out to the Irish Wilderness. We hiked 7 miles into our campsite and couldn't find water. I have never been so terrified

Everyone getting ready to leave

Everyone ready to leave

Stay away bears. You can't get our food.

Having a little fun removing a tree with a felling ax.

Bottom cut with the cross saw

So much work

 After a week in the wilderness, we got called to a wildfire on our way back to St. Louis. It was my first real wildfire, and it was awesome. So much free food, and a night put up in a hotel.

And then I celebrated the 4th of July and said goodbye to St. Louis. We left for Montana the 5th. We went through South Dakota and hit up Wall Drug and Mount Rushmoore.

The first spike out was into Big Sheep Country and Dead Man's Lake Wilderness. It was an hour away from the highway on a dirt road.

Top of a really steep hill that I went down in 4 low and in 1st gear.

Making trail.

Filtering water 

Wild goose chase trying to find our team that was hiking.

Boss man had to pull out the map.

Back at Fleecer

My next spike out was in Thompson Park which is really close to Butte. I hiked around all week carrying a chain saw cutting out trees that blocked the trail. I hiked easily 25 to 30 miles.

Sweet tunnel

Before I went to work on this reroute we were making

After, no stumps.

Low Stumping

On our day off, we hiked up Red mountain.

My gear on the hike.

Hello

One day this last week, I went with Harold and blew up some rocks that blocked the trail. It was pretty much the coolest thing I have done all year.

Luke and Harold.