Berkshire Teen Trail Crew's three-week Trails Leadership Crew is an opportunity for teens 16-19 to develop an advanced skill set in camping, hiking, trail work, working with a crew, and outdoor leadership. This crew will undertake our most technical projects, such as rock staircases on steep terrain, and over the course of the three weeks will be encouraged to take the lead on their own individual or pair projects. By the third week, we hope we have a group of nine leaders all contributing to logistical, camp life, and work decisions and we will look to assign day leader roles to those participants who demonstrate responsibility and potential. This program is ideal for returning participants, or those with considerable outdoor experience, and is designed to take Berkshire Teen Trail Crew to the next level in terms of the kind of work we can do and the level of professionalism on our crews.

About the Crew:
Participants can expect to learn about outdoor skills and leadership not only through the work projects, but also through Leave No Trace and Wilderness First Aid trainings. The WFA, taught by nationally renowned SOLO, "is 16 hours long (two days), and focuses on the basic skills of: Response and Assessment, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Environmental Emergencies, Survival Skills, Soft Tissue Injuries, and Medical Emergencies." (From SOLO's website) This course will be taught over one of the weekends, and participants will receive a nationally recognized certification upon successful completion. Over the course of the three weeks we will integrate into the program the curriculum of the Leave No Trace Trainer course as well, which serves as another nationally recognized training that will give participants a fuller understanding of LNT principals and tools to teach these principles and skills to others. Participants will also receive a letter thanking them for their 120 hours of community service.

Whew! With all this resume building, leadership training, and good hard work we'll need to have plenty of time to relax and have fun and luckily Berkshire Teen Trail Crew has never had a problem finding a good balance. We'll certainly take time to soak in views, take leisurely hikes, play cards, hang out, and likely find a sweet swimming hole during the course of the three weeks. We listen to our crews, and when they have worked hard and have the achievements to show for it, if they decide it's time to take an afternoon off, then we agree. Also, we’ll take the two Fridays for strictly relaxing. We'll do laundry, have a barbeque, get ice cream, and potentially take a day trip to one of Berkshire County's many fine attractions, offering participants a chance to rest their bones and minds for week three's final push. And the food? The food is abundant and delicious. Crew members all get their turn cooking quesadillas, pasta feasts, and other backcountry delicacies.

Berkshire Teen Trail Crew is hard work and involves full eight hour days of working with hand tools, moving heavy rocks, digging, and building drainage and retaining structures in the wilderness. We hike to camp and the worksite every day, up to five miles daily, and when we pack in to start the program, participants can expect to carry loads up to fifty pounds for a few miles on uneven terrain. You don't have to be big and burly to have a great time, you just have to be willing to work and give it your best. If you're not sure, maybe try one of our one-week crews to start, or feel free to call us for more details. Parents and families can take advantage of the Berkshires’ many cultural attractions while here, including Tanglewood, the Norman Rockwell Museum, Shakespeare and Company, Mass MOCA, Kripalu, and hundreds of shops and eateries amidst the lovely Berkshire hills!

Been There, Done That, Said This:

Read more about the 2011 Berkshire 3-Week Trail Leadership Crew on the AMC Trails Blog Post>>

"Everybody wanted to be here are worked hard." Calder (3-Week Leadership Volunteer 2011)

"The leaders were fantastic; the work and organization of the program was great also." Ella (3-Week Leadership Volunteer 2011)

"I was thrilled by all aspects and would love to do this again. I would like to eventually lead crews." Maddie (3-Week Leadership Volunteer 2011)

2012 Dates:
July 29 - August 17

Contribution:
$625/$675

For More Information:
Matt Moore
AMC Regional Trails Coordinator
mjmoore@outdoors.org
Phone: 413-528-8003
Fax (call ahead): 413-528-8003

Register Today!

View the full 2012 schedule>>

 

Photos: AMC Berkshire Trails Program