Get Paid to Hike

I can't vouch for authenticity of this post. I just got it on the pct-l. Don't know how many hands this is gone through. Take it as an FYI.

My name is Dieter Fenkart-Froeschl and I work with the National Parks
Conservation Association. I have been asked to lead a project that involves
assessing the condition of 2,300 miles of trails in Grand Canyon NP, Great
Smokey Mountains NP, Delaware Water Gap NRA and Yosemite NP. We are seeking
a total of nine teams with 18 hikers. We will be paying a weekly stipend of
$345 for a total of eleven weeks. The job will involve hiking roughly 300
miles of trails and then putting together a written condition assessment of
the trails.

I am attaching a flyer with more details. Please feel free to forward this
on to anyone who you think would be interested and qualified.

Thank you in advance,
Dieter

NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
Protecting Parks for Future Generations

Expedition 2003
Our Mission
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) is America's only
private, non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting,
preserving and enhancing the U.S. National Park System for present and
future generations.

Background
The National Park Service (NPS) is in the midst of assessing the physical
condition of all of its assets. Some park units are performing their own
condition assessment whereas others are hiring outside contractors to
perform the task. NPCA has been asked to help assess the condition of 2,360
miles of trail in Grand Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park , Great
Smokey Mountain's National Park and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area. We are calling this project Expedition 2003.

Purpose
The purpose of a service-wide condition assessment is to provide NPS with a
clear understanding of the state of its resources. With limited funds
available to park units, this work will directly help park managers
prioritize maintenance projects with varying degrees of complexity and
funding constraints. Your contribution will be crucial!

Structure and Final Product of Expedition 2003
NPCA is looking to hire nine teams consisting of two people per team to hike
roughly 300 miles over the course of seven weeks. Hikers will be known as
Explorers and as an Explorer, you will be trekking through the front and
backcountry trails of one of the four above-mentioned parks.

Throughout your travels, you will document and record the condition of
trails, shelters, comfort stations, camping sites, signs, posts and all
other physical structures and sites that exist along the trail. At the end
of your Expedition, you will provide NPCA with a document outlining the
condition of the trails you hiked. This will include pictures, a precise
GPS location and a written assessment of locations/ structures that are in
stable to poor condition.

Requirements
Experience in backcountry hiking is a must. You should also:
* be able to hike 10 miles per day over a ten week period (survival skills
could come in handy),
* have a good understanding of trails (training will be provided) and have
the ability to operate in remote locations without direct supervision,
* have a keen eye for inconsistencies in trail infrastructure,
* be able to use a digital camera and GPS unit with ease and use data from
both in the final write-up,
* possess satisfactory writing skills, and
* be flexible to manage unexpected events and still deliver a final product
within the allotted timeframe.

Remember, this work calls for hiking trips into remote areas of each park
with limited contact to the outside world. Hiking trips could potentially
last up to ten days. Showers will not be available and you will have to
pack your own food, water, sleeping bag, tent etc. You will be spending a
lot of time with your fellow Explorer so if you know someone who would be an
ideal hiking partner, please mention this in both your and his or her
application.

Compensation
NPCA will pay each Explorer a stipend of $275 per week for the duration of
each Expedition (7 weeks) and for post-hike work (maximum of 4 weeks). In
addition, NPCA will provide an $850 allowance for equipment and a $70 per
week allowance for food.

Contact Information
Send a cover letter and resume to Pat Hunter, at [email protected] or if
email is not available to 1300 19th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 by
Friday, May 2nd, 2003. Preference will be given to early applicants.

1300 19th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
Telephone (202) 223-NPCA (6722) ( Fax (202) 659-0650