Volunteer Profile - Daisy Moser

Daisy Moser at Vulcan Lake, Kalmiopsis Wilderness
Name: Daisy Moser
Age: 23
Born: Palmer, AK
Crew: June 2011, Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area
Hours on the trail: 85

Ashland, OR -- The backcountry was nothing new to Daisy Moser when she moved from Palmer, Alaska to Ashland, OR in 2009. But working in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area for a week would knock her socks off.

She'd heard about trips with the Siskiyou Mountain Club in 2010, and ended up on a week long trip in June 2011 with her friend Stefani Gissel, who had already signed up.

"It was a free backpacking trip where we got to be bad ass with no one looking," she said in an interview with SMC correspondents. "I learned a lot of team work skills, some technical skills. I'd never done that kind of work before. And I made some of my favorite memories."

Moser and her crew worked 7 nights on top a dusty ridge with views far as the Pacific Ocean. As worked progressed, every morning there was a longer commute into the work site. And every evening there was a longer commute back, through botanical areas where the Kalmiopsis leachiana was in full bloom. But Moser got more than an adventure out of the SMC.

Looking NE from Johnson Butte spike camp
"Awesome relationships, with everyone there -- people I'd never met. I discovered my potential as a human. I pushed myself for a noble cause, and that was cool."

Unfortunately, Moser won't be volunteering in the Kalmiopsis in 2012. She's working for a summer camp back home.

"It made me feel like everyday life was boring and that I could do more."

See ya in 2013, Daisy. We'll miss you on the trail.

Those interested in having a similar experience to Daisy's should visit www.siskiyoumountainclub.org, check out our 2012 trip details, and sign-up!
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Upcoming Events

Sick of sitting around and waiting for summer to kick you into gear?

Get off your duff and join the Siskiyou Mountain Club for a Wilderness adventure.
Soda Mtn Wilderness Area
  • Saturday, June 2nd -- Come help scout the Lone Pine Trail in the Soda Mountain Wilderness near Ashland, OR. Come for the wildflowers, views of Mt. Shasta, Pilot Rock and access in the Soda Mountain Wilderness's remote depths. Meet at 8am at Ashland Shop N' Kart located at 2268 Ashland St, Ashland, OR. Plan on hiking 5-7 miles, wear sturdy shoes or boots, dress appropriate for weather conditions, and bring plenty of food and water. We should be back to Shop N' Kart by 4pm. Contact Gabe Howe, howegabe(a)gmail.com. 
Vulcan Lake
  • Friday, June 22 - June 30. Spend 8 days in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area working on the Trans-Kalmiopsis Route between Johnson Butte and Taggart's Bar. Spend much of your time in a world-renown botanical area and enjoy a day relaxing either on the Chetco River, Box Canyon or Vulcan Lake. Trip details, orientation, checklist and sign-up at www.siskiyoumountainclub.org.
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5 reasons you should love the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area

Vast roadless areas of undisturbed habitat

Box Canyon Creek, tributary of Chetco River
  • It's a huge tract of undisturbed forest habitat. At 180,000-acres the Kalmiopsis is Oregon's 3rd largest federally designated Wilderness Area. It's the largest Wilderness Area in Oregon west of the Cascades.
  • Unmatched biodiversity. If it grows in the Pacific Northwest, it probably grows somewhere in the Kalmiopsis. 
  • Unparalleled natural history. The Kalmiopsis has been a refuge for life since well before the Pleistocene epoch. While the rest of Oregon's ecological library was being wiped clean by migrating glaciers, life in the Kalmiopsis was evolving. 
  • Wild Rivers. The Chetco, Illinois and North Fork Smith all originate or run through the Kalmiopsis. These rivers support native fish runs, provide clean drinking water for communities and knock-your-socks-off recreation opportunities. Rivers like the Chetco are known for their pristine clarity and enchanting effect. 
  • Modern History. From Lilla and John Leach who discovered many new plants in the area, to the 2002 Biscuit Fire, the Kalmiopsis has always been a fascinating component of Southern Oregon's history. 
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Civic Engagement

Civic engagement has become a central component of the SMC's vision. At first, this was all about getting work done. I had encountered conditions in the forest which frustrated me, so I started doing something about it. But as I began taking more people into the woods to work, and seeing the transformation they went through, the SMC became about people, about providing an enriching experience for volunteers.

Southern Oregon University students at Babyfoot Lake after whoopin trail into shape
Volunteers don't just go home with new work skills and an authentic appreciation for public service. They go home with a graduated sense of confidence. For most of our volunteers, this is the most challenging experience of their life so far. On our hike back to the trailhead, after working for eight days at a time in the Wilderness, volunteers live the outcomes of their commitment.

They walk over a trail which they preserved without help from technology or mechanization, a trail that would have been lost, and that process becomes a metaphor. When they return home, many SMC volunteers -- as told by volunteer Matt Cortese -- start removing the brush and clutter of daily life, uncovering and revealing their own inner-path.

While I take pride in the fact that our outcomes can be measured by the mile, I take greater pride in the direct impact the SMC has on peoples' lives.

-Gabe Howe
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