Volunteers

FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a09SJ00000JgX33

ADDRESS: 20325 Remount Road  Huson, Montana, 59846

DATES: 5/25/2026 – 9/7/2026

DEPT: Forest Service

JOB DESCRIPTION:

History of the Depot:

The depot’s origins can be traced back to the early 1930’s when the Forest Service acquired roughly 5,000-acres from the Allen Ranch. Recognizing the need for a dedicated facility to care for and train pack animals, the Forest Service transformed the ranch into a remount depot, a place where stock could recuperate and undergo training before returning to their essential duties in the backcountry. The Civilian Conservation Corps, established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal”, built most of the buildings still found on the depot today. North of the station approximately 3-miles, remnants of the two historic Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps that housed three companies of 200 men are still visible today. One mile to the north in the Camp Menard Picnic Area, remnants of the original Smokejumper base (1941-1954) can be found before the base moved to its current location at the Aerial Fire Depot next to the Missoula Airport. Today, the depot is home to the Ninemile Ranger Station. Complete with its own stock for seasonal pack use and a winter-haven for more than 200 head of horses and mules from 14 different ranger districts throughout the region and neighboring forests including the Helena-Lewis and Clark, Flathead, Custer Gallatin, Beaverhead-Deerlodge, Bitterroot, Lolo and Teton.

Short Description: The Historic Ninemile Ranger Station is looking for enthusiastic and friendly volunteers who enjoy the outdoors. Volunteers will assist the station in the seasonal operation of the Historic Ninemile Remount Depot Visitor Center. Duties and responsibilities include serving as tour guides around the station, interpretation of the Ninemile history through stories of livestock, smokejumpers and wildfire and sales of merchandise in the Visitor Center.

Location: The Historic Ninemile Remount Depot is located at the Ninemile Ranger Station, Lolo National Forest in the beautiful Ninemile Valley, Huson, Montana. Our station is approximately 30 minutes west of the cultural hub of Missoula, MT.

Visitor Center Opening date: Memorial Day weekend, doors open at 0900 on May 25th, 2026.

Visitor Center Closing date: Labor Day weekend, doors close at end of shift on September 7th, 2026.

Hours of Operation: Visitor Center is open seven (7) days a week from 0900-1700 MST.

Volunteers Hours per week: Each volunteer group will work ~ 30hrs each week on an alternating schedule; 3-4 days on, 3-4 day off.

During this period, we see roughly 500 visitors a month. Additionally, we are the home of the Ninemile Wildlands Training Center providing traditional skills training to the public through the Heritage Expeditions program. Courses offered include Crosscut Maintenance and Sharpening, Axemanship, Horse Handling and Training Techniques, Basic Packing Clinic as well as Tack and Saddle Repair. More information on the Ninemile Wildlands Training Center can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/f1/lolo/resources-cultural/index-nwtc.shtml

Duties and Responsibilities: From our volunteers, we need general visitor center duties.

*Office/Clerical work such as conducting Point of sale (selling) transactions for merchandise, maintaining accountability, safeguarding and inventory of merchandise on hand, and informing staff when supplies need to be reordered.

*Daily accounting of finances; cash received, sales, donations and the counting and handling of cash at end of shift.

*Visitor Information: Interpretation of the Ninemile Remount Depot history through stories of livestock, smokejumpers, CCC and wildfires.

*Tour Guiding: We have a small, walkable tour loop approximately 200 yards in total length with ten (10) informational posts around the Ninemile Ranger Station.

*Stocking brochures at the Visitor Center and at the trailhead at Grand Menard Day Use Picnic area.

*Other possibilities include some maintenance work (groundskeeping, light painting, historical preservation) around the Station depending at the discretion of the Facility Manager.

Accommodations:

Volunteer will need to provide their own transportation and RV/Camper trailer.

Amenities: The Forest Service will provide volunteers with an administrative use campsite located one (1) mile from the station at the Historic Camp Menard Picnic Area. The administrative location is on the outskirts of the public use area, is clearly marked for admin use and includes a lockable gate for security of volunteer property. The Forest Service will also provide electrical (50A & 30A), water and sewer hook-up at the site. Cellular service is limited, however past volunteers have had success with cell phone boosters.

Pets: Well-trained, good mannered and those with up-to-date vaccinations are permitted.

Tagged as: SUMMER '26