Treasure Valley Back Country Horsemen
Meetingsare held at FRA Building 1012 11th AveNorth NampaID Web site: Meetings: the 4th Tues Feb – Nov
PRESIDENTTerry Burgess 631-3596
VICE PRES. Paula McDermott 250-4331
SECRETARY Erin Thornbrugh 602-3954
TREAS. Tammie Jo Nebeker-McClure 989-4895
2015 TVBCH BOARD MEMBERS
Keith Lambrecht ’15 888-1392
Doug Jones'15869-9623
Vickie Burgess'15585-6726
Bonnie Fox ’14 880-4776
Jim Freeland '14 495-1245
Ken Nungesser '14 467-5686
Debbie Learned '14 582-3195
Jill Nebeker '14 922-4370
State Board of Directors (2) Jill Nebeker 922-4370, Bonnie Fox 880-4776
alt Jim Fox 459-2179
501C3 Rep: AliceMillington 475-4107
NEWSLETTER - Keith Lambrecht 888-1392
WEBSITE – Jill Nebeker 922-4370
EQUIPMENT COORD. –Mike Carl 250-5685
PROJECT REPORTS: Jim Smolinski 954-0753
May, 2015 Newsletter
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Our Mission
To perpetuate the common-sense use and enjoyment of horses in America’s back country and wilderness,
To work to insure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use.
To assist the various government and private agencies in their maintenance and management of said resource.
To educate, encourage and solicit active participation in the wise and sustaining use of the back country resources by horsemen and the general public,
To foster and encourage the formation of new Backcountry Horsemen organizations.
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Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation Internship
Sally Ferguson attended our April general membership meeting. Subsequent to that meeting we have received information about a Wilderness Ranger Intern program that the foundation sponsors.This is a 14-week competitive program where the foundation recruits college students from universities in Idaho, Montana, and many academic communities across the country. This is an internship designed for students who have academic interests in natural resources, recreation or wilderness and demonstrated competencies in backcountry travel. The foundation partners with the US Forest Service, Montana Conservation Corps, and non-agency wilderness professionals to provide extensive field training and mentoring aimed at developing leadership and management skills. They deliver 2 weeks of comprehensive training that includes crosscut saws, pack stock, wilderness first responder and trail maintenance. Then the Intern enters into the field for 12 weeks of varied wilderness field work, where they will work under the direction of professional wilderness rangers. The cost of the 14 week intern is $5,210. The foundation is seeking donations for the sponsorship of an intern. This will be in item of discussion at our May general membership meeting.
Annual Boise National Forest North Zone
This meeting was hosted by our chapter at our meeting place at the FRA Hall. Thank you to Ken Nungesser, President of the FRA for allowing us to host this meeting in their hall. The meeting was well attended by various trail user groups who volunteer hours of work on helping to keep trail systems open and maintained. There were members from the Squaw Butte BCH chapter in attendance, Bill Holt, President, Phil Ryan, BCHI Director, and Rob Adams. From Treasure Valley BCH in attendance were Jim & Bonnie Fox, Mike Carl, Jill Nebeker, Dennis & Paula McDermott, Terry & Vickie Burgess, Donny & Erin Thornbrugh, and Jim Freeland. We appreciate this good representation of our chapter. John Hidy, Boise National Forest North Zone Trails Supervisor, and other forest service representative provided vital information for scheduling trail projects for 2015, work agreements, safety issues, and report forms.
National Trails Day
Keith Lambrecht, Paula McDermott, & Tammie Jo Nebeker-McClure are working on ideas for a project for National Trails Day on June 6. This will be an item of discussion at our May 26 general membership meeting.
For your information…
Information has been received from Jennifer Oates of O2 Photography here in the TreasureValley. They are holding a “Horses and their People” invitational. This is an opportunity for individuals to receive complimentary sessions to have some horse portraits created. Sign ups are to be received by May 31st. Contact: Jennifer Oates, O2 Photography at Jennifer@ o2photography.com, or 208.880.2525.
Mark your calendars…
Chapter Meeting –May26, 2015
Jascha M. Zeitlin, Recreation Specialist with the PayetteNational Forest, West Zone will be our guest speaker. Jascha has some trail projects that may work well for our chapter since some of our major projects are scheduled for late summer or late fall. We will look forward to having Jascha at our next meeting.
Coming up…
SBFC Foundation - summer projects
The Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation is asking for volunteers to help pack gear into the Frank Church Wilderness for the trail crews. You can find out more about SBFC at their website -
These are not Chapter projects. Experienced volunteers will provide pack stock for a trip of up to 25 miles into the Wilderness for a week. There is some mileage compensation. If you have questions contact Joe Williams at 467-4359.
July 4thto July 11thMiddle Fork Volunteer Trail Clearing (Salmon-ChallisNF)
Ever want to visit Idaho’s most iconic Middle Fork of the Salmon River? How about volunteering to maintain the first twenty miles of trail alongside the Middle Fork, while our base-camp gets packed along on a string of mules! Join us for this unique project, working one-direction, bumping camp every day and flying out from Indian Creek Guard Station. The project is best suited to experienced trail workers who are physically fit and able to hike several miles a day while working on clearing trees and improving trail conditions.
August 8thto August 15thIndian Creek Volunteer Trail Clearing (Salmon-ChallisNF)
Picking up where we left off in 2014, we’re heading back to Indian Creek one of the Frank’s most secluded and wild West-side drainages. Our trip includes a walk in from ChilcootPass, base-camping on the headwaters of Indian Creek and working on clearing downfall with cross-cut saws. Check out the December issue of Idaho Magazine for a recount from the 2014 trip, and come help us open this wild and beautiful trail corridor!
August 8thto August 15thMarble Creek Volunteer Trail Clearing (PayetteNF)
Part of the Idaho Centennial Trail, Marble Creek has been an annual Volunteer Project for SBFC for the past four seasons. Join us this year, as we continue to improve trail conditions on the ICT, removing downfall with cross-cut saws and handtools. The BackCountry Horseman are supporting this trip by packing our kitchen gear down, all you need is your personal backpacking gear and a week to volunteer!
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2015 Calendars
If you need more calendars to sell or if you have calendar money to turn in, please contact Jill Nebeker @ 922-4370.
Life Flight Applications
St. Luke’s and St. Alphonsus offer subscriptions to the same Life Flight Network. Sponsors send out renewal letters, and you may have received one this month. The Group rate for St. Luke’s is $45 and there is now a group rate available for St. Al’s for $45. If you are interested in switching sponsors or adding Life Flight, contact Tammie Jo Nebeker-McClure. New members will receive an application when they submit a TVBCH membership application.
Chapter membership dues
Chapter membership dues are payable now for 2015. The membership applications are available on our website. We are required to have a current application filled out each year. There are several positions within our chapter who use our membership roster for emailings, member contact, State organization reporting, etc., so it is important to update our list as early as possible. Please remit application & dues to Tammie Jo Nebeker-McClure, Treasurer at the address shown on the application.There will also be Membership Application Forms at our next
May if you would like to renew your membership at that time.Thank you for your membership & support.
Projects & Events:
May 26 - General Membership Meeting
Aug. 8-15th - Norton Lookout. Joe Williams 467-4359
Aug. ?? - Morehead Lookout. John Millington
398-4360
Aug. ?? - Annual Picnic
Sept. 4-7th - BearValley Project. Bonnie Fox
880-4776 or Paula McDermott
250-4331.
Sept. 19 -20 - French Creek trail project
John Millington 398-4360
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TreasureValley BCH General Membership Meeting Minutes
April 28, 2015
Attendees: Erin & Donny Thornbrugh, Dennis & Paula McDermott, Bonnie Fox, Mike Carl, Jill Nebeker, Jim Freeland, Doug Jones Ken Nungesser, Keith Lambrecht, Joe Williams, Brendan Casey(Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation), Bill Lewis, Sally Ferguson, Executive Director (Selway Bitterroot Frank Church Foundation), John Rose (Salmon-Challis National Forest), Tammie Jo Nebeker-McClure, Josette Beaumont, and Vickie & Terry Burgess.
Terry Burgess called the meeting to order at 7:35pm.
Guest Speakers:
John Rose thanked the chapter members for helping with the Morehead & Norton Lookout projects. He is planning to get back up there for both projects this year.
Painting for Morehead is projected for August, but no date has been set yet.
Norton: install roof shingles, painting, possibly work on shutters. The goal is to get it in good working order. This may be a multi-year project. This year the dates set are, August 8-15th.
Sally Ferguson is in her 10th season with SBFC Foundation, her 4th year in the Frank Church area. She is looking forward to working with our chapter.
Brendan Casey: This is his first year on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River trail project with a start date of July 4th.
General Meeting:
Mike Carl made a motion to approve the March meeting minutes as printed in the April newsletter. Ken Nungesser seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Website: Jill Nebeker posted a summary of the State BOD meeting.
Alice Millington won first place for her work on the chapter display at the State BOD meeting. The chapter received a $250 award, thanks to her hard work.
Bonnie Fox: Meeting with John Hidy from the BoiseNational Forest at the FRA building on May 11 at 7:00 pm, doors open @ 6:30. Mike Carl made a motion for the chapter to provide refreshments for the meeting. Bill Lewis seconded the motion. Motion passed.
Bonnie Fox & Bill Bell update on the Steve Edwards Clinic. Steve Edwards came & toured the facility and it has his approval. The clinic will be in 2016.
Keith Lambreht: Projects for the National Trails Day on June 6th. Looking for suggestions. Tammie suggested IdahoCity. A lot of people are confused about the trails & private property. She would like for us to put up a Kiosk there or do something in OwyheeCounty. Paula McDermott suggested the Bruneau Sand Dunes, where they need help with the corrals. Terry Burgess suggested that we table the suggestions until the next meeting so that Keith, Paula, & Tammie can investigate projects & then the chapter can vote on which ones we will support.
Tammie Jo: Report on bomb proofing-desensitization playday- we had about 30 participants, mostly from BBCH, one from SBBCH ( who showed up to help clean up).
We got 4 new members.
Tammie was concerned about the lack of horsemanship she observed.
Bonnie Fox made a motion for the chapter to donate $150 for gift certificates for Calvin for the use of his facilities and the work that he and his helpers did to get the arena ready for us. Josette Beaumont 2nd the motion. Motion passed.
Ken Nungesser said the hall is rented out the week of our June meeting so we should look into having it somewhere else. Terry Burgess will let us know.
Doug Jones made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Tammie Jo Nebeker-McClue 2nd. Mortion passed
Meeting adjourned.