By Frank Keim

Thinking back...

deep

into the heart of these arctic mountains

known today as the Brooks Range,

I remember

the long windy solitude of the valley,

where gray river cobbles collide

with a braided maze of ancient caribou trails,

By Brett Haverstick

I was off work and at the trailhead by 6:00 p.m. I estimated that I had about three-and-a-half hours of daylight to hike the eight miles to Bass Lake on the Montana side of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. I wasn’t in the best backpacking shape, but I figured I could still knock out the miles and the 3,500 ft. elevation gain before it was completely dark. I hadn’t backpacked into the Selway—Bitterroot, my favorite Wilderness, since last autumn.

By Phil Knight

What good is designated wilderness? Are the Lee Metcalf or the Absaroka Beartooth “wasted lands” because people can’t just go do whatever they want there?

I am currently (temporarily) disabled from a fall and cannot walk unassisted. There will be no wilderness trips for me this summer.