Stories from the Backcountry: Wilderness 101 Affinity Group trip with Here Montana

Group photo at the Wilderness boundary. Photo by Antonio Ibarra-Olivares.

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation recently partnered with Here Montana to provide an introductory backpacking and stewardship experience for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals. The trip brought eight participants into the 1.5 million acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex with the goal of making the wilderness more accessible to those who did not grow up recreating in the outdoors or haven’t traditionally seen themselves as part of the outdoor community. From July 17th through July 21st, the group learned about the history of the area, practiced how to set up a backcountry camp and hiked to the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. 

This was a new type of trip for the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation (BMWF), who typically leads trail work projects to open trails or fight invasive weeds with crews of volunteers. It’s part of a new initiative they’re calling Wild Connections.

“Our motto is, ‘Connecting People to Wild Places,’ and it’s important to us that this includes all people who want to experience wilderness,” explains BMWF Program Director Rebecca Powell. “To do this, we need to start thinking about the barriers that exist for some – including access to the skills and knowledge needed to safely recreate in the backcountry. For those of us who were lucky enough to have friends or family members show us the ropes, it’s easy to forget that these connections are rare or don’t exist in every community.”

By the end of the trip, everyone had successfully caught a fish! Photo by Antonio Ibarra-Olivares.

The group was led by Alex Kim from Here Montana, and Rebecca Powell and Erynn Castellanos from the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation. During the five-day trip the group was joined by Kellie Carim, Ph.D., an Aquatic Research Biologist who led a lesson on the importance of Montana’s rivers and native fish. Lailani Upham from Iron Shield Creative led a discussion and shared many stories from the ancestral tribes of the area. The group also participated in a Forest Bathing session led by Certified Forest Therapy Guide Ellen Horowitz, and learned about Wilderness packing and stock use from BMWF Master Packers Frank Vitale and Krissy Gillispie.

Here Montana is a BIPOC Outdoor Program based in Missoula, but the participants on the trip came from all over Montana. For many, this was their first wilderness experience, and for some it was their first time camping or backpacking. “Getting to watch the participants experience the outdoors, some of them for the first time ever, is by far the most fulfilling part of my job,” Alex Kim, Program Coordinator for Here Montana, expresses. “This program allows [people] to build communities that they get to call their own and I am grateful to be a part of it.” 

Joel Old Person, a participant on the trip and a member of the Blackfeet Nation, remarks, “My motivation for going on this trip was getting outside of the city and going on a trip in the wilderness with people of the BIPOC community. Another reason I was motivated to go on this trip is to go on land that my ancestors used to travel freely and roam around the land, and it was cool to be in a place where most people have not been before.”

The group participates in a Forest Bathing session with Ellen Horowitz. Photo by Antonio Ibarra-Olivares.

Tenzin Lhaze, a Missoula resident, comments on her experience, “Being in the middle of the woods with some of the kindest people made me feel good inside. Like many people, the COVID period was an incredibly trying time and it made me revisit past trauma as a marginalized person. However, being in a group of similarly experienced people that looked like me reaffirmed the common human experience and the strength of the human spirit in spite of these hurdles.” 

Elif Bilal, a participant from Bozeman, reflects, “I have been an immigrant in Montana for over four years but this trip was the first time I have felt at home – I am beyond grateful to have connected with incredible people and been introduced into the area. The entire time I felt blessed for having the opportunity of being welcomed into the sacred lands. I left with a deep appreciation of knowing that I just made lifetime memories that will always fill my heart with joy and gratitude. Thank you for making this possible.” 

The Foundation hopes to host more of these trips to continue to introduce people from marginalized groups to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Groups and individuals hoping to explore partnerships and future opportunities can reach Erynn Castellanos at erynn@bmwf.org. Here Montana will continue to offer more opportunities in outdoor recreation. For those looking for partnerships, sponsorships and those interested in opportunities can contact Alex Kim at kimA@ci.missoula.mt.us.