Mission

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Boulder White Clouds Wilderness designation, which protected nearly 91,000 acres within a broader 275,000-acre conservation package called the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and Jerry Peak Wilderness Additions Act. Flying over rugged peaks, alpine lakes, and the East Fork of the Salmon River, we were reminded of the perseverance it took to secure these protections and the enduring value they bring for wildlife, clean water, and recreation. From above, this landscape becomes especially truly wild.

We flew over the burn scars of the Bench and Wapiti fires in the Sawtooths. These fires reshaped portions of the forest, leaving visible marks on the landscape but also offering lessons in resilience. Sawtooth Valley Wildland Fire Collaborative is motivated to take action after recent fires and prepare for the future of wildfire. From above, we saw the scale of the burns, how ecosystems are beginning to regenerate, and the opportunities to reduce wildfire hazards in the future.

Our route took us past the Thompson Creek Mine, one of North America’s largest open-pit molybdenum mines. As production restarts, questions remain about water quality, habitat impacts, and the future of the Salmon River watershed. Decisions in these headwaters ripple downstream to communities, farms, and fisheries.

Photos from the flights.