Thoughts on trail work?

>>715015
whhhaaaaat
id do this, is it volunteer work?
how to into this pls

>>715017
Well for the Maine Conservation corps you pretty much just have to apply, they're desperate for people. You get paid a living wage + some benefits. mediocre health insurance, camp any state park for free, 100$ refund on boots etc.

>>715021
i wonder if there is shit like this in washington state.

>>715026
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/wcc/
looks like it

Brutal chaingang navvy work. I'd rather gut fish for 1 cent per lb again.

>>715099
>camp in national forests working on trails
little bit of elbow grease scares you off getting paid to be /out/
it's regular 8 hour days. inna. fuckin dope.

Id like to do this in Colorado but it seems to only be youth programs near where I'm living and I'm too old.

>>715099
Elbow grease? Mate have you ever done manual labor, I've done 5 seasons of this shit, 8 hours raking rocks and shovelling gravel isn't dope from day 2, the only tougher work I've done is slope brush cutting and ash planting.

>women using a shovel
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA JESUS FUCK
no wonder my trade is 99% male, what a fucking joke.

I was a Crew Leader for a Youth Conservation Corps in my state. You don't get paid here. It's volunteer but they do give you stipends and reimburse your travel costs. I just did it for my resume. I wasn't even into /out/ at the time but it changed my life. I got into /out/ and I wanted to change my career. Before I was studying to become a Elementary School teacher. Was going to be a math or science teacher and teach the football team for a small team. I changed my major to Hospitality Management with a few courses in Forestry and wanted to become a Forest or Park Ranger. Sadly that's a very competitive field and I never got a job, but I did get into the Parks & Recs for my county. I make $60K a year literally doing nothing but scheduling and managing events for public park grounds and driving around to them. It's not bad but I wish I was working on a National Forest or Park.

NPS crew here, (wg04). Best job I ever had. Yeah it's probably one of the most physically tough jobs you can do, but I can't exaggerate enough how buff it gets you by the end of the season. We work 10 hour days 4 days/week, which leaves a good long weekend for a second job or for personal projects. And of course it's seasonal; love it or hate it.
The fact that it's a federal job has its ups and downs. Pay is great, occasional perks like free flu shots, and they really invest in giving you training and certifications, like for vehicle operation, firefighting, etc.
Not to mention you build stuff that's gonna last hundreds of years.

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I've been a volunteer Crew Leader at Kennesaw Mountain Battlegrounds Park for the past few years, it's been okay

Pic relates, my/our most recent project

>>715026
Conservation Corps are HUGE out west. You're living in the right part of the country. MCC, CCC, SCC...there's more...

>>715099
you're dumb and wrong and its the best job ever.

>>715738
what park?

>>715769
>what park?
Don't want to say. East coast.

>>715806
You ever been to Baxter?

>>715904
When I did part of the AT, yeah, not for work though. Baxter's a state park.

>>715806
alrighty. I applied for GRSM and shenandoah trails this season...can't really think of anywhere else I'd want to work in the east. Hope you're somewhere fun

>>715904
>Baxter
State Park but awesomeness supreme.

I'm doing trail work for 4 days restoring primitive trails in Oregon. It is my first backpacking trip and I'm scared shit less

>>715015

I worked in The VYCC in VT, and just finished a season with the MCC in MT. Honestly, I loved trail work, but the libtard super vegans made my life miserable for having different veiws and not voting bernie.

>>716278
Well that's probably because MCC will take just about anyone with a college degree looking for a cool, fun, outdoors experience. You wouldn't have encountered any *real* trail workers there...though I've met some GMC and RMC trail guys, they were cool.

Damn, wish I knew about things like this before I grew up and got a job. Knew a bunch of faggots doing Americorps and stuff like that but this would have been great.

>>716536

I was in Northern Rockies and pretty much worked in Glacier all season. We worked with the parks trail crew, and they were an awesome bunch. My crew was made up of SJW-types that read Aldo Leopold once.

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Klamath Crew, 2011. Best "job" I ever had. I was ready to gtfo at the end of it all, after 6 months in the mountains. But it was an amazing experience and I highly recommend it. CCC Backcountry programs is great because they try really hard to make crews as diverse and mixed up as possible, including members that don't have a ton of experience working on trails or hiking. In the end it's a social experiment that happens to involved trail work. The biggest thing they're looking for is someone who's willing to be a team player.

That said it isn't without its downsides. You hardly have any free time or privacy. A few deaths in the history of the program means no one can go anywhere out of camp alone. Also no drugs or booze and theoretically you're not supposed to fuck your crew members (though apparently that's a pretty loose rule or half my crew would've been gone). It's highly structured and regimented but honestly a lot of people can benefit from that.

It barely pays, but assuming you have basic gear they'll provide everything else and since there's no where to spend your money, you'll walk out of the program with a few thousand in the bank. You'll also have some great references and a great program to stick on your resume.

>>718737
>>715015
>>715021
So hows it work?
Do they provide living arrangements?
Because this sounds interesting af but it sounds like you have to provide most stuff for yourself, and I'm a poor college student who still lives at home (19)

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>>718754
Well I'll assume that everything is the same as when I was there.

You can apply and if they like your app you'll get a phone interview. There's internal hires that are brought in from the general CCC; the backcountry crew is considered the elite of the CCC so it's pretty competitive to get in. There's a quota of external hires too though, as they like to diversify the crews.

Assuming you get hired, which will be based far more on your social skills than anything else, you'll have to buy your own gear, including a tent. Get a good one 'cause you'll be in it for around 6 months.

They'll provide a couple uniforms, boots and all of the tools you'll need. They'll provide all of your food. Pretty much all of the necessities. But you'll need a big pack and a day pack, sleeping bag, tent, containers for water, mess kit, clothes for off hours, plenty of good socks, toiletries, and plenty of other things I'm probably forgetting off hand.

It's a bit of an investment, but you don't have to buy really expensive gear and at the end of it all you'll have a nice chunk of cash waiting for you assuming you don't find some stupid way of pissing it away out there. I actually helped one dude buy some gear because he came from inner city LA and had shit. Big waste cause he quit a month in, but point is don't be dissuaded if you don't have every fancy fucking piece of gear in the Bear Grylls catalog. Almost everyone shows up with too much stuff and you can barter and trade gear to fill the gaps sometimes. You'll also learn to make do without a lot of shit early on, and you'll toughen up fast.

>>715099

Confirmed softcock. Physical labour is good for you.

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>>718786
As far as the work goes, you'll wake up before the crack of dawn, cram down some breakfast, help with the camp dishes, then prep your daypack (water, lunch, whatever else) do PT, and head out on the trail. Get to work, however far from camp that is (how far you range depends on where you're stationed, I went as far as 14 miles from camp in a day if I remember right) and bust your ass all day until it's time to head home. No power tools where I was stationed, so you'll get used to picks, shovels, crosscut saws and axes.

When you get back to camp you'll get a short while to yourself to rest and clean up, then you'll do camp and tool maintenance, have dinner and do dishes again. After dinner usually you'll do some sort of homework/classwork or discussion with the crew. Then it's free time until bed. You'll probably have around 1 or 2 hours a day total of free time each day...they keep you busy. You'll also rotate through the kitchen tent every so often which can be fun.

Your weekends are your own, unless you're on kitchen duty for the weekend. On my crew we were obligated to leave camp each weekend, intended to facilitate us exploring and learn some self sufficiency. Of course you have to be with at least one person while out of camp, but you'll get used to that. And most of us were glad to get out of camp as much as possible and just have a nice stretch of free time. You'll learn to treasure it.

A lot of it is dependent upon your crew leader and private contractors (called sponsors, often park staff or alumni) with your crew. Experiences vary widely from park to park and year to year. But overall I'd find it hard not to recommend it.

>>718786
Thanks anon

My family is moving down to Oregon soon here, I'm most likely going with them. When I finish college I'll definitely look into this, sounds like a once in a lifetime kind of thing

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>>718794
Hell yeah. Can't beat weekends doing shit like sledding on your ass down a mountainside. You'll lose a fuckton of weight, build muscle, learn some good social and leadership skills and see shit you'll probably never see outside of the program. With the way things are going out there, you may also get a chance at a more permanent position on a fire crew. That's even tougher work but a few of my crew mates ended up on those crews and they love it.

My college ends pretty late around early June, >>718737
Your experience sounds like something I really want to do and I plan on applying next year, but do you know of any other trail work programs that run only for the summer?

>>718801
Nah I came from out of the state just for that program. I'm sure they exist, there's a ton to do and they need people. Get on the California Conservation Corps website and contact them. They'll inform you better than I can.

>>715015
I did some (2 week programs, twice) as a teenager, 9/10 would do again

http://www.outdoors.org/conservation/trails/volunteer/trailopps/index.cfm

You know these people are legit because their domain name is literally outdoors.org

>>718737

Good work mate, sounds like you had a good time. I wish I'd done something like that my first summer out of high school.

>>718786
>>718793

Nice to see some genuine /out/ content on here. Well done mang, sounds awesome.

I may be interested in doing this but I'm not sure if i have the right strength, and worry that it will break me within the first 2 weeks. I'm used to physical labor and getting hurt. I work at a pound though so it's a lot of, what I assume, is different muscles at work. I do 10 hours a day, get about 1-2 hours to myself between morning and night, and often take 'home work' that sucks up all that free time and my sleep. I think I could handle the constant all day work, I'm just worried I actually won't be strong enough

>>718793
>getting comfortable going off with another man in the mountains

What is this broke back?

I volunteer for WTA, any other Washingtonfags should check it out. You can work at whatever pace doing whatever with zero pressure. Some days I move huge boulders or spent an entire day cutting buried fallen trees out of trail paths, others I plant ferns and make everyone popcorn..

It's mostly finish work, typically the contracted trail work and conservation core rough cut the trails but they leave big ass stumps and trees buried in the soil, don't turn the soil and filter organics out etc. If you're on a trail in Washington that isn't all wet muddy and sloppy from organics in the soil, WTA was there.

>>719282
There's ladies too. And the work is back breaking so...

>tfw you don't live in Maine and have nothing like that in your state

>>719323
Yeah, some of the best work done by my crew is done by ladies. The job's physical, but it's 50% expertise.

>>718794
There's a youth conservation corps for the summer. I'm seriously considering it as well just to get/out/ and not be bored with nothing to do.

>>719359
>some of the best work is done by ladies

What kind of nasty fucking dykes do you work with? You are either over appreciating ugly bitches because your to pussy to handle real work or you like to fuck dudes.

I wish I knew about this before I got a full time job.

Thanks, society.

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>>718737
>>718786
>>718793
The CCC sounds awesome. I'm thinking of applying after I do MaineCC for 6 months. How hard is it to get a team leader position?

>>719514
may you die a horrible death, you are the scum of the earth. sad that fucks like you hang out on this great board

I applied for the CCC and got accepted but something got in the way at that time and I had to wait.

They do have an age limit of 25, and I'm turning 24 this year, so this fall I'm going to apply again for one of the residential camps.

The only thing I'm worried about is I get some very minor foot pain from hallux valgus. I'm a former decent wrestler/weightlifter so I'm fit, but I've never hiked that much consecutively before and I'm hoping I wouldn't get out there for a month or two and have to quit.

I just recently hiked Santiago Peak in Orange County; I was thinking of making a thread about it.

Good luck, bros.

>>715738
How did you get into it?

>>715089
I wonder if getting a job there and working there for 6-12 months would help me become a lineman

>>719344
Let's go to Maine bruh

>>719344
>
I dont live in Maine either. The MCC will accept basically anyone

>>719014
Don't. It's not BUDS, all you have to do is stick with it on jobs like that. If you stick at it, it'll give you the muscle you need to get the job done. You just have to convince yourself to do it. Commitment means a lot more than starting point

>>719364
I want to do this but in the back of my head I hear a voice telling me to save money and train for that Back country program.

>>720085
>>720142
Maine is best
t. /int/ mainer

>>719514
Ah yes because any woman that gets her hands dirty and doesn't sleep in a hermetically sealed oxygenated chamber is automatically a cave troll.

>>715130
I've tried and it's kinda competitive to get in in Co

>>720172
Pretty much, there is certain things that happens (scars, cuts, bruises, broken bones, generally looking fucked) when you do ACTUAL labor. Any chick that has the signs of ACTUALLY busting their ass at labor, is a fucking beast of a person.

No disrespect to a working lady, I just won't let your blister covered hands touch me or my dick.

>>719556
Cool story faggot.
I also like to shit post with responses that are pointless.
We have so much in common.

>>720172
I bet they don't even apply make up every 5 minutes what a bunch of fucking whores.

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>>720085
Let's go on a adventure.

Bumpin thread...I was on the GTNP trail crew last year, gonna be a backcountry ranger in RMNP this season. My experiences have been similar to others posted already. I've worked with alot of people out of CCC and MCC and they're all great. Though yose CCC seems a bit questionable. I don't know if I'd ever want to be backcountry for 6 months at a time, but maybe I've been coddled by real paychecks and 3 day weekends.

Anyway, if you want to get your foot in the door to a great career, joining a conservation corps is a good option.

Nobody felt like teaching that bitch how to use a shovel?

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>>721742
Yeah Yosemite is bullshit. We got our food by mule. They got theirs by fucking helicopters. Pampered motherfuckers.

>>719742
Any advice for getting accepted? I don't have any references but I might be able to get some soon if this uni quarter goes well

Apparently the people they want are social, can work together, and can handle labor and schedules

I'd love to do this for a summer so any info you can give me about your application process would be cool

>>715015
Yo is this in Southern California? I would love this sort of work

I'm a Scot, since everyone of these Ive seen mentioned in this thread is US CItizens only, can anyone recommend something else in a country that I might be eligible for.

>>722314
Interesting. As far as I know yose C's is run by a bunch of ex-marines and vets. Its run like the military and a huge boys club. ...most of the guys I've met who've came out of it think they're the hottest shit around.

>>715015
Been doin it since I was sixteen

#bestjobever

>>723784
SCA is a program that accepts foreigners

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Another CCC Backcountry alumni and current trailworker reporting in. Its a fucking fantastic way to spend a summer and I can't recommend it enough if you love being /out/.

Why can't Australia have something like this, or if we do something advertised?
This is awesome guys, enjoy it!

Guessing you have to be a US citizen for this?

>>724345

We have a well-funded state run parks and wildlife services that do all this work without having to rely on volunteer labour.

Do they have something like this in Texas?

>>723190
If you're still here,

You might be way over thinking who goes into the CCC. It's considered somewhat of a reform program by many. If you're just a normal dude, you will be accepted. If you read the website you will get an idea of the type of person they're expecting.

They really pride themselves on helping people get high school diplomas, to give you an idea.

Good luck my friend. But I will say that you shoudn't expect to be placed in an especially timely fashion. It's more like you get put on a list and are expected to check it weekly to see if they've contacted you, at least when I did applied..

>>724345
The CCC has a transfer program with Australia, so there must be some sort of similar type of organization.

>>724206
Did you have to be in the CCC before you got into the Backcountry program? That's what I want to get into but the recruiters said it was competitive.
>>725299
I'm this poster

So I'm not sure if it's competitive in terms of the general person who applies for CCC or if I actually have to be super badass instead of just being kind of badass like I am.

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>>725303
I was already in the CCC when I got into/heard about Backcountry. So the social aspect is a big part of what they are looking for when they accept people and good references can go a long way. Most of the external hires have no trails experience so don't worry about that. Getting into the CCC is quite easy if you decide to go that route(which I recommend avoiding if you can), it can involve a waitlist depending on the center you want to go to though.

>>723784
ACE is another program that accepts foreigners.

On a fire crew in oregon just waiting to get dispatched in a couple months

>>724345
I know NSW had volunteer groups that did maintenance and repair work on the old huts along trails. They even do repair and building work using period traditional tools when and where they can using local woods. I never got a chance to join up before I moved to Victoria.

>>724345
>>725017
>>725301
>>726497

Another Ausfag here who wants do do this.
Too young though.

>>718793
>>718786
>>718737
OH SHIT NIGGER i used to be stationed at the Callahan station!!

i know the East boulder are like the back of my hand. Shit, we built a few corrals up in Cow Creek and East Beaver creek

>>725457
You're probably long gone, but can I ask why you don't recommend the CCC? I'm pretty set on it as I don't have many skills or a degree and am looking to save some money and my desk job is p lame, but it'd be nice to hear your experience.

I have a few good references and one of my best friends is a state park ranger so that might come in handy.

Question would they take pairs? Like if a friend of mine and I sign up ready to do work would it be like they'd only choose one of us or what?

>>730405
I don't think it'll make a huge difference. Either your resume pulls your weight or it doesn't. Its a different matter for couples that have been together a while, but just friends, I have a hard time seeing anyone giving you both preference on account of that.

>>719742
Wait seriously? An age limit of 25? I'm turning 30 and I'd love to do something like this, I've recently finished my first contract in the army and the outdoors are something I want to make a part of my life

>>715806
>east coast
any chance you need some unpaid interns looking to get a foot in the door or anything?

>>719742
>foot pain

is this a big problem? i currently have arch pain after a long day. its not debilitating or anything and im more than prepared to tough it out but i dont want it to get worse. if i develop worse arch pain and tell someone is there anything i can do or do i just have to leave? cause i dont want to ruin my feet forever.

>>730935
I imagine you can get insoles for arch support

>>725050
check the nps website, various volunteer positions at Big Bend. I don't know about cons corps specifically though.

>>723784
A lot of private trailwork goes on in New Zealand, on ski resorts and suchlike. Bet there's similar in Australia. You're eligible for a two-year working holiday visa for NZ and/or Aus.

>>730929
Always; but the window for this coming summer may be closing fast. Check the websites for specific parks, or better yet call them and ask. There are also nonprofits that work alongside the park, they offer a lot of internships and lower-paying jobs.

>>730935
I've been dealing with this lately, you should deal with it before it can lead to other musculoskeletal imbalances in the ankle and leg. Wear insoles and be diligent about stretching and strengthening your arch. Google search exercises for the arch and foot.

Had I known this I might've avoided the ankle pain I have now, takes a long time to heal

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>>716199
What program are you working with? I'd love to join something like that. Embrace the fear and own that shit, sounds like it's going to be a lifelong memory.