![[Image Description: Two MCC members taking a brief break; one is sitting on a rock, the other is standing nearby. They are both in their uniforms, looking out at the expansive, mountain view surrounding them.]](https://cdn.firespring.com/images/c3f85e97-43a9-4810-8081-e8e6338173d0.jpeg)
This hitch we spent in the Black Hills was full of baby willow trees, mud, troubleshooting, and team building. We were paired with another WRT crew and got to make dinners together, share music, and laugh.
Our crew got our truck stuck in the mud on day 3 while on our way to another project site. We did the best we could to get ourselves out, but ended up calling for reinforcement from our project partners. They were kind and patient as they hooked up our truck and pulled us out!
After moving project sites, we finally got to put our knowledge to the test while building BDAs (beaver dam analogs)! It was muddy, slippery, and wet, involving many boot-topping incidents. But all in all, it was very rewarding when we got to step back and admire our amazing structures in action. We quickly saw the effects take place as the small, narrow streams turned into ponds reaching four feet deep in some areas.
We planted over 5 thousand baby willow trees in the course of 9 days! We accompanied them with bamboo poles and plastic tubes to keep them safe from grazing elk and deer, making sure to keep them in wet marshy conditions for successful growth.
In conclusion, we were all glad to spend this time together learning about the importance of our work while having fun doing so.
