Pocatello Parks and Recreation is holding two volunteer work days at the East Fork Mink Creek Nordic Center, one on October 3rd and one on October 17th. Most volunteers come trying to get 10 hours of volunteering they can do in exchange for a season pass for XC skiing, but I swindled permission to also open up the trail grooming and building for a geocaching CITO event. Of course if you can get 10 hours of volunteering you get the smiley from the CITO AND the season pass.
We will be primarily raking and smoothing out piles of bark over bald patches of trail, trimming bushes and branches on the snowshoe trail, and rebuilding snow fencing lining the XC ski trails, but there will also be some people up there clearing debris off trails. restaining floors and benches, and hauling / splitting wood for the log burning stoves the public use at the yurt. The earlier you show up, the better chance you'll have of picking your favorite from the list of volunteer opportunities in building and maintaining the trails.
Make sure to bring plenty of water and work gloves.
On both days the even runs from 9am until 5pm so you can stay longer than the CITO event on the 17th but arriving after 3pm will find most of the various tasks wrapping up and not much to do. When you arrive, there is a sign in sheet for the volunteer hours and there will be people at the base to meet you and orient you. Most volunteer crews are driven to each trail maintenance spot with city trucks, but there is the option to get a significant hike in, especially if you trim the snowshoe loop. That is why the 10km hike attribute is listed.
If you want more information you can contact Matthew at gougmatt@isu.edu or (208)760-7320.