View Full Version : AT Ridgerunners
Chaco Taco
11-30-2007, 13:56
So i am looking foir the thread about the paid positions open for ridgerunners. Does anyone have the link and does anyone know how to apply???
Digger'02
11-30-2007, 14:13
hey the seasonal job application will be posted on the appalachian trail conservancy's website appalachiantrail.org soon. Keep on the lookout
Chaco Taco
11-30-2007, 17:27
Yes you were the one that had posted that. Thank you. When would ridgerunners be asked to go out? I guess when would it start and where would training be?? Im considering moving up to Asheville to be closer to the trail.
peakbagger
12-01-2007, 11:05
It sounds like you are NC based but be aware that some of the trail maintaining clubs also hire ridgerunners and caretakers seperate from the ATC even though they are working on the AT. The Maine Appalachian Trail club,MATC is worth checking out. I suspect PATC may also but thats speculation.
double j
12-01-2007, 13:28
whats the pay anyone know????
Chaco Taco
12-03-2007, 19:17
whats the pay anyone know????
Probably not much
I got paid $320 a week in NJ plus a $25/week gas stipend, though I remember this being on the higher side compared to other states/programs. The GMC in Vermont paid very low.
The season for us went from Memorial Weekend to Labor Day, but this varies by region. If you work up north you'll be going into October. Training is 2-3 days in mid-May and then you have a short training in your state right before you start.
Great job!
whitefoot_hp
12-03-2007, 20:57
what exactly does a ridge runner do?
It sounds like you are NC based but be aware that some of the trail maintaining clubs also hire ridgerunners and caretakers seperate from the ATC even though they are working on the AT. The Maine Appalachian Trail club,MATC is worth checking out. I suspect PATC may also but thats speculation.
I believe the MATC hires their own ridgerunners in cooperation with the ATC, send Bluebearee a PM, she was the riderunner at Abol Bridge this year and can answer questions you have about it.
Kirby
I believe the MATC hires their own ridgerunners in cooperation with the ATC, send Bluebearee a PM, she was the riderunner at Abol Bridge this year and can answer questions you have about it.
Kirby
You are correct. The ATC is the umbrella organization for all the ridgerunner programs, but if you're chosen you'll be employed by either the local trail club or the state. The jobs are broken up into regions. I was part of the Mid-Atlantic which encapsulated every thing between the Shenendoahs and CT. All of us trained together at the Scott Farm in Boiling Springs. I assume the northern and southern states have their own regional training events.
What does a ridgerunner do? Simply, they are information givers. Info on trail conditions, weather, bear safety, water conditions, camping regulations, fire regulations, leave no trace, first aid, and more. Some jobs include a caretaking position as well, like in NJ. You are the eyes and ears for the local park rangers, the National Park rangers, local authorities, local trail clubs and maintainers and the ATC. Most of these folks rarely get on the trail, so you are reporting issues, problems, sections that need maintainance, etc. You are the liaison between the users and the providers. I did quite a bit of light trail maintainance and trail clean-up too. You do Leave No Trace talks with various groups, sometimes informally, other times for structured.
SGT Rock
12-03-2007, 22:15
So what was the pay like ;)
I imagine it wasn't much - but the office conditions were good.
warraghiyagey
12-03-2007, 22:16
what exactly does a ridge runner do?
Runs ridges.
So what was the pay like ;)
I imagine it wasn't much - but the office conditions were good.
Read post 7
SGT Rock
12-03-2007, 22:25
Sorry, missed that. Memorial Day seems late to be starting. I've seen ridgerunners in the Smokies in early March
You are correct. The ATC is the umbrella organization for all the ridgerunner programs, but if you're chosen you'll be employed by either the local trail club or the state. The jobs are broken up into regions. I was part of the Mid-Atlantic which encapsulated every thing between the Shenendoahs and CT. All of us trained together at the Scott Farm in Boiling Springs. I assume the northern and southern states have their own regional training events.
What does a ridgerunner do? Simply, they are information givers. Info on trail conditions, weather, bear safety, water conditions, camping regulations, fire regulations, leave no trace, first aid, and more. Some jobs include a caretaking position as well, like in NJ. You are the eyes and ears for the local park rangers, the National Park rangers, local authorities, local trail clubs and maintainers and the ATC. Most of these folks rarely get on the trail, so you are reporting issues, problems, sections that need maintainance, etc. You are the liaison between the users and the providers. I did quite a bit of light trail maintainance and trail clean-up too. You do Leave No Trace talks with various groups, sometimes informally, other times for structured.
From what Bluebearee told me, there was a training for all the Mainr ridgerunners, and no one else. I suppose it depends on region, it would make sense for NJ and NY at least to have the riderunners trained all in the same place because the trail club is large enough, and the same one, for that to work.
Kirby
Sorry, missed that. Memorial Day seems late to be starting. I've seen ridgerunners in the Smokies in early March
Definately, depends on the region. Memorial day is for the mid-atlantic states. I think the GA and Smokies guys are out there early.
They generally have you out in a section when it recieves the most impact and traffic, which makes sense.
I have met ridge-runners, trail maintainers, caretakers, border watchers, and AMC Hut crew - all in New England. They were all very nice and informative. I enjoyed the conversations and sharing trail conditions and animal sightings or signs. One exception was an experience with an older AMC Hut leader (or whatever he was) who responded to my weather inquiry with an abrupt, "it's on the board" while he was sitting around doing nothing. I looked at the weather message and the board and thought, wow it must be really hard to say we expect 30% chance of rain, temps in the 30s and winds of 25-40 mph on the ridges. Oh well, I didn't ask him any more questions and left quickly. He probably didn't realize the effect his simple statement had on someone just entering the Whites, but I was really annoyed and thought, wow, this is my Welcome to the Whites message. Another reason not to stay in the Huts - poor customer service.
Anyway, if you take a job on the trail, please keep in mind who the customer is and just be nice.
warraghiyagey
12-03-2007, 23:15
After two passes I've found the southern most AMC huts to be the least friendly.
Bluebearee
12-04-2007, 00:38
Everyone seems to have disseminated good info here. I was employed by MATC, which of course is then supported by the ATC. We also were thrown some swag from the ATC, shoes, shirts, gaiters, etc. But that's hit or miss every year.
I was paid $420/week, which is on the high side for RR's and was provided housing (bunkhouse with running water, propane and gas fired appliances) by BSP. The rest of my peers in Maine (4) worked at backcountry sites living in large tents and had to find their own days off housing. Our training was done in Maine in June. Obviously being on the northern end of the trail, our season starts the latest and runs the latest, varying from mid-May to end of October (me), most started in mid-June and ended from mid-Sept to Columbus Day.
When Gizmo used to be the Springer/GATC ridgerunner I believe he started in early March and ended before Trail Days and then was shipped north to Lehigh Gap/Palmerton area from then til August sometime. It's all NOBO dependent.
It was a great job and I am definitely considering going back for next season again. For me the chance to live and work within our wilderness gem here in Maine was worth every sight of the Greatest Mountain. I miss it in my daily life.
Hikerhead
12-04-2007, 01:32
I know you did a good job from what I've read. Where's my pictures?
Is there any ridge runners in the winter???
Lone Wolf
12-04-2007, 07:56
Is there any ridge runners in the winter???
no. there are hardly any hikers to babysit and not much trash to pick up or privies to clean out
briarpatch
12-04-2007, 10:43
Sorry, missed that. Memorial Day seems late to be starting. I've seen ridgerunners in the Smokies in early March
The GATC Riderunner season generally starts in early to mid March and runs till October. This year we did a full season with a 2 week break in July. Some years we have done a split season from March-June and then Sept-Oct. We also have a Caretaker on Springer from mid Feb. to May.
Season length and salary depend on our level of available funding and is set each year. We usually pay a salary plus a car/gas allowance and provide lodging at the Hike Inn on off days.
Our RR attends training classes with the Smokies RR.
We use the ATC application process mentioned in earlier posts, and we interview and select the Ridgerunner and Caretaker from those applications. We usually start interviewing in early January, since our season starts so early.
It's been interesting to be a volunteer with 2 paid employees :D . I'm moving from Info and Education to Activities next year, so I won't be involved in the hiring process, but I've talked to the incoming Info and Ed director and the process will be pretty much the same.
Lone Wolf
12-04-2007, 10:56
what exactly are they trained to do?
warraghiyagey
12-04-2007, 12:16
what exactly are they trained to do?
Sit? Stay? Hop up. Roll ever. Go for a walk.
SGT Rock
12-04-2007, 12:22
How about shake or play dead.
Lone Wolf
12-04-2007, 12:24
i guess they're just trained to pick up trash at shelters and tell people where to camp. good pay for that
SGT Rock
12-04-2007, 12:30
Sounds like a good retirement job ;)
CoyoteWhips
12-04-2007, 12:50
It does sound like a worthwhile occupation. I know my wife wouldn't mind getting me out of the house for six months, as long as I sent my paychecks home!
warraghiyagey
12-04-2007, 12:52
How about shake or play dead.
They're most likely to do that on the below zero nights.
SGT Rock
12-04-2007, 13:00
It does sound like a worthwhile occupation. I know my wife wouldn't mind getting me out of the house for six months, as long as I sent my paychecks home!
I was thinking the same thing. $400 a week for about 28 weeks would not be too bad for doing something you already like doing if you didn't have to make a living at it.
double j
12-04-2007, 13:29
i wouldnt get out of the bed for 400 week sorry
warraghiyagey
12-04-2007, 13:38
i wouldnt get out of the bed for 400 week sorry
That's nice
what exactly are they trained to do?
RR's are trained to: administer First Aid, CPR, learn and give LNT seminars, some conflict resolution, how to deal with annoying individuals who don't want to follow any rules, what to do when you come upon a group of guys partying at a shelter and being disrespectful, etc.
Sit? Stay? Hop up. Roll ever. Go for a walk.
Funny. Seriously though you may be thankful some day when an RR assists in safely getting you or a loved one out of the backcountry. Was involved in a few injury rescues, search and rescue, etc.
I was thinking the same thing. $400 a week for about 28 weeks would not be too bad for doing something you already like doing if you didn't have to make a living at it.
Plus no rent or utilities, assuming you don't own a place already. I was able to be very frugal in summer 05' and save a lot of money. All you need to purchase is your own food, which is a minimal cost, especially considering its backpacking food :)
SGT Rock
12-04-2007, 15:11
Plus no rent or utilities, assuming you don't own a place already. I was able to be very frugal in summer 05' and save a lot of money. All you need to purchase is your own food, which is a minimal cost, especially considering its backpacking food :)
I was thinking about that too - a good way for someone that wants a summer job while in college or something like that.
My "footprint" exists at home whether I am there or not so if I wanted to do that someday it really wouldn't save me a lot. The ridgerunners I have seen in the Smokies are older than me which leads me to believe it is a good job for those retired people that want something to do.
Thoughtful Owl
12-04-2007, 15:58
Give me a few more years Sgt. Rock, then sign me up. Sounds like a fantastic way to spend my retirement.
RR's are trained to: administer First Aid, CPR, learn and give LNT seminars, some conflict resolution, how to deal with annoying individuals who don't want to follow any rules, what to do when you come upon a group of guys partying at a shelter and being disrespectful, etc.
Do the moderators here need any help? :D
max patch
12-04-2007, 16:52
RR's are trained to: administer First Aid, CPR, learn and give LNT seminars, some conflict resolution, how to deal with annoying individuals who don't want to follow any rules, what to do when you come upon a group of guys partying at a shelter and being disrespectful, etc.
A-Train, were you a RR? If so, as a practical matter what can you do when you come across a group of hikers engaged in inappropriate behavior?
When I ran into the ridgerunner at Horns Brook, I believe that is what it is called, I believe he said he was getting packed out at the end of August, but I may have misunderstood him.
Kirby
warraghiyagey
12-05-2007, 03:51
When I ran into the ridgerunner at Horns Brook, I believe that is what it is called, I believe he said he was getting packed out at the end of August, but I may have misunderstood him.
Kirby
Horns Pond.:)
Nightwalker
12-05-2007, 04:43
no. there are hardly any hikers to babysit and not much trash to pick up or privies to clean out
All of the privies that I've visited in the Winter were either completely full or completely empty. :)
No idea how that pertains to the discussion at hand. Just free-stylin'
I meant to say the end of October.
Kirby
Chaco Taco
12-05-2007, 23:12
Just saw on the ATC site that the applications are available. The job guide is also posted so get on it. Deadline is January 31.
Bluebearee
12-06-2007, 00:03
MATC's deadline is Jan 11th this year. http://www.matc.org