Cabin Needs Helpers

Sun., Aug. 8, 1999

By Rich Landers richl@spokesman.com (509) 459-5508

West Fork Cabin

The West Fork Cabin in the Selkirk Mountains west of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, is rising from its ashes.

The original cabin, built in the 1930s, burned to the ground last year, taking with it many memories of early fire-fighting crews and the backpackers that primarily used the cabin in the past few decades.

Bonners Ferry area volunteers and Forest Service employees are organizing donations and volunteers to build a new cabin at the original site in the Smith Creek drainage before fall.

Panhandle Helicopter recently helped move more than 55,000 pounds of building materials to the site, which is about a mile from the nearest forest road, said Pat Hart, trail crew supervisor for the Bonners Ferry Ranger District.

Youth crews and volunteers under the guidance of experienced masons have been battling mosquitoes to dig trenches, pour the foundation and put up the walls.

Anyone interested in helping on the project or making donations of money can contact Hart at (208) 267-5561.

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Cabin Needs Helpers

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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