Just got accepted to do a 3 week trail crew for thesca.org Ive been waiting so long for this. Cant wait
Just got accepted to do a 3 week trail crew for thesca.org Ive been waiting so long for this. Cant wait
Great news! Have a blast.
FB
"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss
Congratulations! I'm a long-time contributor to the Student Conservation Association, which I see as offering people a lot of opportunities to experience the outdoors and "do some good".
Where will you be posted?
Make sure that you tell us about the experience when you return!
GA←↕→ME: 1973 to 2014
Congrats!!! Have yourself a blast!!
"It was on the first of May, in the year 1769, that I resigned my domestic happiness for a time, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilderness of America." - Daniel Boone
Thats great news, have a good time, remember, SAFETY FIRST. Enjoy and take care...
They never get old, They always stay new, Those three little words, PLEASE and THANK YOU.
Wow....now THAT'S confusing. I thought that you meant the SCA.org, which I have been a memeber of since 1978.
just got my crew changed. Get this i was in pennsylvania. But they said i had to much experience for the group so they moved me to YELLOWSTONE NATIONAl park. I was like OMFG i cant believe that im going to yellowstone for 1 month for free. At yellowstone im going to be removing a 50ft bridge.
Good for you, man. I was part of a 6 week crew on the CDT in Idaho a decade ago. It is something I'd never forget. A few things to consider:
You will be "sponsored" in part by a person or group to be there. At some point they'll give you the name and address. Some gardening club in Ohio was mine. Make sure you send them a letter after you're done with pictures and such. They'll probably sponsor someone again if'n you play it right.
Stay in touch with the group you work with. It'll be easier since you'll all have Facebook.
Pictures. Lots.
If think that you might eventually want to work for the park be sure to stay in touch with the ranger in charge of your project. Since you're probably in a front country group you might see them every week. Our project was 15 miles back from any road so we only saw ours twice (at the beginning and end). Years later I wanted to track her down to get a job one of their fire teams. No luck. If I'd stayed in touch I would at least have had a reference.
Have a BLAST!
Listen to what Johnny Thunder said, I worked for them and then later with the National Park. You've got to network it. Stay in touch with the Ranger cause he can help get you hired if not with him he might know of another Park/Ranger that is hiring and since you've done an excellent job that will go along way.
SCA is a great program. I just wished some of the government workers that they send people to lived up to their end of the deal.
I tried one of the SCA internships a number of years ago at one of the Forest Service offices after I graduated high school. The guy that they matched me up with to work under was a jerk. I was supposed to room with the regular summer interns at a local college, then got moved to his house, then finally was moved into a camper next to a motel by myself.
Then my boss made me into the ultimate go-for or grunt worker, and would not offer any info on his job, duties, and what we were doing on a project. I didn't learn one thing from him. Then ended up leaving me alone for a half the time so he could earn extra cash at another job. But when I was out with contract workers, they would show me everything and let me get some hands on experience.
''Tennessee Viking'
Mountains to Sea Trail Hiker & Maintainer
Former TEHCC (AT) Maintainer
Enjoy yourself, It's a great opportunity, but be careful. There's lots of ways to get hurt, permanently. Sometimes a bridge member can be under tension and when it comes loose it can do lots of damage. I knew a guy who was decapitated by a cable coming loose once. Just sayin.
So how many programs does SCA have now? I did their internship program for college students, then they had projects setup or general duties for high school students at the parks. Then the trail crews everywhere.
Last edited by Tennessee Viking; 05-28-2009 at 23:17.
''Tennessee Viking'
Mountains to Sea Trail Hiker & Maintainer
Former TEHCC (AT) Maintainer