Clare Vergobbi, 2023 Summer Programs Coordinator
The snow has melted, the river is high, and the Redfish Lake Visitor Center and Gallery and the Stanley Museum are OPEN! That means it’s time to introduce our 2023 SIHA crew! They come from across the country, with a variety of backgrounds. Look for them behind the Visitor Center desk, at trailheads, roving the campgrounds, and at the Stanley Museum. We’re looking forward to the season!
THE 2023 MUSEUM CREW:
Megan Nelson is returning for her fifth year with SIHA (definitely a record!) as our 2023 Museum Docent. Originally from Wisconsin, Megan has swapped the Great Lakes for Idaho’s alpine lakes. She returns to us from far-away Pocatello, and is excited to be back. When Megan isn’t up in the mountains with us, she’s studying for her Masters in Applied Historical Research at Boise State University. As our resident historian, Megan can answer all sorts of questions on the history of the area and direct you to the best ghost towns, mining museums, and historic sites.
Our 2023 Historic Specialist, Ian Maupin comes to SIHA from Eastern Oregon where he grew up on a ranch. He recently graduated from Northwest Nazarene with a degree in history and a minor in political science. Ian enjoys anything outdoors, and also makes his own wine. Ask him about the history of animal agriculture in the Sawtooths!
THE 2023 NATURALISTS:
Fiona Neely joins us from Maryland and is a rising senior at Elon University in North Carolina where she is studying environmental studies and land management. She recently studied in the Kingdom of Bhutan and is thrilled to be back in the mountains! Ask her about forest ecology and lichen!
Heath Bagley hails from Boise where he is finishing his associate’s degree in Biology at the College of Western Idaho. A dedicated artist, Heath takes inspiration from the natural world and spends a lot of time scribbling in his sketchbook. He also once kept a banana slug as a pet. Ask him about mosquitos, great horned owls, and dead things.
Hali Bedenharn comes to SIHA from upstate New York, the farthest afield of any of our summer crew! She recently graduated from the State University of New York at Oneonta with a degree in Environmental Sustainability and Geography. She is excited to join SIHA as a naturalist this summer and explore the Sawtooths! Ask her to meep like a pika for you.
Joseph Meihak joins us from Arcata, where he’s studying Wildlife Management at Cal Poly Humboldt. Originally from Colorado, Joseph is fascinated by carnivore ecology and hopes to work in carnivore conservation in the future. He made it to the state geography bee in elementary school–so ask him all your geography questions when you see him at the front desk at the Redfish Visitor Center!
Sue and Brian Hagens come to the Sawtooths from Wisconsin most recently. They recently went on the road as nomads and are excited to join SIHA in the Sawtooths during their first RVing summer! They’ll be behind the desk at the Redfish Visitor Center, so come to them with all your Sawtooth-related questions!
Clare Vergobbi is SIHA’s new Summer Programs Coordinator! This is their first year with SIHA but they have been visiting the Sawtooths since childhood. Find them at the Redfish Visitor Center or at trailheads chatting about LNT this summer! When not on the job, they’ll probably be laying on the beach reading or searching for pikas at alpine lakes.
The Redfish Visitor Center is now open every day from 9:30am to 5pm through early September! We’re here to answer your questions, chat about hikes, and provide you with the best books and maps for your Sawtooth adventures! The Stanley Museum is open 10am-5pm every day of the week, mid-June through Labor Day. Stop by for fascinating historical displays and fun kids activities, and keep an eye out for more information on History Day hosted at the Stanley Museum on July 22nd.