On September 30, 2017, nine WMHCTA volunteers cleared about a mile of brush and logs from the Chief Joseph Trail above Wallowa Lake. Volunteers returned on the weekend of October 21 & 22 to continue the work. On Saturday, seven WMHCTA volunteers, eight University of Idaho students and one U of I staff member spent a wet, windy day clearing brush and logs and improving tread on the trail, north from the BC Creek crossing to Wallowa Lake State Park. The U of I crew and four WMHCTA volunteers, including one USFS employee, returned on Sunday morning for more work.

The two weekends of work dramatically improved the trail after years of deferred maintenance. If a way could be found to replace the bridge over BC Creek, the result would be a relatively short and easy loop trail up the West Fork of the Wallowa River and back across BC Creek to the State Park. The opportunity also exists to continue much-needed trail maintenance up Chief Joseph Mountain to the meadows.