Trail work at Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry Register

Date and Time:
Wed, Oct 8, 2025; 3:00 PM (Central) - Sun, Oct 12, 2025  3:00 PM  (Central)

Organized By: Eastern Missouri Group

Location: 13969 Cr 252, Salem, MO 65560, USA

Map | Directions

Event Organizers:
John Feldmann
   johnfeldmann@msn.com
   (314) 609-5278
Dave Campbell
   davecampbell9009@gmail.com
   (217) 553-9009
Lisa Dahlgren
   gentlespirit99@hotmail.com
   (636) 394-6210

To participate in this outing, you must fill out this medical form and bring it with you.
Twice a year Sierra Club does a multi-day trail maintenance stewardship in the amazing backcountry of Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry.  In addition to making sure that trails are passable and adequately as well as accurately blazed, participants get a chance to hike and work in a back country that is beautiful and unique.  
Work Activities:  Tasks will range from light pruning and brush removal, to heavy lifting and operation of gas-powered equipment. 
Participants are encouraged to work at their own pace, but it is expected that each participant is able to work a full day, starting directly after breakfast and lasting most of the afternoon.  You are expected to stay with your crew as you work. 
Although no experience is required, common sense, good humor, and a willingness to participate is mandatory.  Service trips such as these require participants to be able to accurately judge their fitness level, to be able to deal with unexpected situations, follow safety guidelines, and have the flexibility and patience needed to work and stay in close quarters with a variety of people.
**All participants are also requested to participate in cleaning our accommodations so that task does not fall to only a few individuals.  Please expect to have a cleaning task asked of you even if you will be leaving before our last scheduled day.
Trip Difficulty:  All service trips are at least moderately strenuous, and this one is not an exception.  Participants should be able to walk on rooty and rocky trails for at least 2 miles while they also carry their tools and their personal supplies for the day.  Tools vary in weight from one to several pounds.  No one will be asked to take on more than they feel they can.  Safety hazards include all of those typically found when in the backcountry of Missouri.
Equipment and Clothing:   Participants are expected to furnish their own day pack, water bottle (2 liters, minimum), boots, rain gear and personal work gloves (although some may be available through Sierra Club).  Participants will also need to supply their own sleeping bag and pillow (or whatever sleep kit they prefer) personal gear, and towel.  It is also helpful if you bring your own reusable container for lunch.  The Sierra Club provides all work tools.  In addition, all participants must have the following safety items: a safety whistle, compass, and completed medical form which is given to their crew lead at the begining of each work day and retrieved from the crew lead at the end of the work day.
Accommodations: Accommodations will be at Drey Land.  Drey Land is a newly built lodge that has a kitchen and large dining room, and a large veranda. Our accommodations at Drey Land will be in multi-bed bunk-style cabins (without electricity) or in one of the two bunk-rooms at the main lodge (with electricity).  One of the two bunk-rooms at the main lodge will be designated for those who identify as male, and the other bunk-room at the main lodge will be for those who identify female.  Those in need of electricity overnight, such as for a C-pap, will be in the lodge bunk-rooms. A bath house with showers that does not have electricity is in a centralized location on the grounds, and there are two shower rooms with electricity in the main lodge.  Cabins are in close proximity to both the bath house and the lodge.  Cabin-users are welcome to use either the bath house or the lodge shower facilities. Please contact me if you have questions or concerns regarding our accommodations.
Directions to Drey Land:  Take Hwy 19 out of Salem, MO and drive south to CR 252 (approximately 26 miles). Note: Once south of Salem, cell phone service is unreliable.  
When you see the sign for Current River State Park, the gravel road CR 252 will be the next left (in 0.4 miles) where there is a cluster of about 10 mailboxes. Turn left.  [If you cross the MO-19 bridge over Sinking Creek, you have missed CR 252 – turn around].
NOTE: Google maps cannot “find” Dreyland.  Follow these final directions carefully.  
After you have turned left at the mailboxes, stay on the main road of CR 252 for about 1.3 miles where you will see driveways on both sides of the road [at coordinates 37.331805, -91.39534 ].  Continue on CR 252 about ¼ mile until you go downhill to a Y in the road.  At the Y, bear Right (uphill) and the road will lead to the Drey Land parking area.
**If you incorrectly bear left (downhill) at the Y, you will come to Sinking Creek. DO NOT CROSS THE CREEK. You have gone too far, turn around back to the Y. 

Meals: All meals except dinner on Wed evening will be provided.  You are welcome to heat up or make your own meal in the kitchen on Wed evening, as the kitchen is well equipped and has a micro-wave.  Breakfasts are simple.  Coffee, tea, and cocoa are available.  Participants make their own lunches from sandwich makings, veggies and prepackaged snack bars/deserts.  Dinners are prepared for us by volunteers dedicated to meal preparation.  Most dietary preferences can be accommodated.  Participants may make a donation to help defray the cost of food (suggested donation is $10/day/person).
 

Level: Strenuous ()

Cost: No cost, however, a donation to defray the cost of our food is requested.

Signup Instructions: Please sign up on the website, and sign the waiver as well as complete the medical form.

Additional Directions: If at all possible, please plan on arriving the late afternoon or night prior to your desired work day(s) to help ease organization of work crews. This year we are also asking that everyone expect to participate in some aspect of cleaning our living space, even if you do not plan to be at this event on the last morning.

Cancellation Policy: A full or half day of work may be cancelled if there is severe weather or severe weather advisory. It is extremely unlikely that this entire event would be cancelled.