Selway 1986

Bill Fate flew Edge, Nasty, and Tiny Tate in the bush airstrip at Moose Creek, 26 miles from the end of the road.  This is the launch area for trips into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.  The trip was began in the midst of a 1200 square mile prescribed natural burn area, the Kids had to march through miles of desolate ash-covered landscape.  In some areas, the ash was very deep, and requiring the Kids to drink vast quantities of tequila.  As alcohol-laden sweat poured over their bodies, the Kids were vulnerable to alcohol-storm combustion, a rare phenomenon that can turn fatal in a blink of an eye.  Within one day, the Kids ran out of all fruit, making the tequila impossible to drink in the debilitating heat.  

On this fateful trip over six rattlesnakes were spotted, and one was killed for the Edge's hatband.  Tiny Tate said the snake tasted like chicken, even though he never ate any of it.  There were way too many spiders - we still don't know why.  After day after day of hardship and long hours of fishing, eventually the young heroes emerged near the trailhead.  Glen Brown gets credit for a successful pickup of the crew and was wise enough to bring extra alcohol with him to the rendezvous point.  To this day I am eternally grateful for this act of selflessness and sacrifice for his friends.

Note:  Due to the very high temperatures of the raging fire, all film was destroyed.  The following are photos of Bill Fate's plane which delivered the three excited Labor Day Gang crew: