WST.004

Warrior Stewardship Team 004 Cover Photo

Stewardship Partner: Tread Lightly!

Dates: September 9th - 15th 2023

Project Site: Soapstone Basin, Heber-Kamas Ranger District, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah

Funding Support: Trail Trust by Fox Factory

THE JOURNEY TO SOAPSTONE BASIN

Cooler fall temperatures provided an exceptional experience for Warrior Stewardship Team 004 on their 1,400 mile adventure in early September of 2023. Partnering with Tread Lightly!, the team would descend on the Soapstone Basin area near Kamas, UT for several days of work to improve trail marking signage. Their basecamp along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, a fisherman's paradise, would give the team opportunities to fish immaculate flowing streams and high alpine lakes for various trout species.

Starting their trip from the Two Wolf Foundation HQ in Hamilton, MT, Team 004 made the first camp on opening night along the East Fork of the Bitterroot River in a small USFS campground that would give them quick access back to the highway in the morning. With nearly 8 hours of driving to accomplish the following day, the secluded and completely empty campground was a perfect choice for the team.

While heavily representing the Marine Corps, the members of Team 004 quickly connected through common backgrounds and shared service experiences. But this trip would unite them in a different way. The adventure, the mission, the fishing, and the landscapes would soon draw them together as tight as any military unit from their past.