Students replicate historic Old Montana Trail Sign

ST. MARIES – Wood shop students at the St. Maries High School helped rebuild a historic trail sign for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Located at Conrad Crossing, which is approximately 75 miles east of St. Maries, Idaho along Forest Highway 50 on the St. Joe Ranger District, the Old Montana Trail interpretive sign was first constructed in 1978 by Boy Scout Troop 485 out of Opportunity, Washington.

After nearly 40 years, the sign had fallen into ruin and the Forest Service removed it with the intent to have it rebuilt. Forest Service employees Mike Frost and Jake Biar contacted the St. Maries High School wood shop teacher, Mike Noyse, with hopes to either restore or replicate the sign. With the help of Noyse’s woodshop students and Forest Service employee Mandee Silvis, the sign has been replicated and will be resurrected at Conrad Crossing this summer.

“We appreciate Mr. Noyse and the woodshop students at St. Maries High School for helping the Forest Service with restoring this historic sign,” said Mike Frost, Forest Service Packer/Trails Technician.

This project provided students a brief history lesson of an otherwise forgotten trail and history of the area in which they live. This interpretive sign will leave a legacy for visitors to see when they visit the St. Joe Ranger District. For more information about this project, please contact the St. Joe Ranger Station at (208) 245-2531.