About The Crew:
This program is ideal for teens, ages 15-17, to live and work in a federal Wilderness Area in the White Mountain National Forest, while engaging in a worthwhile and much appreciated service project. You can expect to have a great time in the woods, while learning and practicing trail work, Wilderness restoration and backcountry skills.
The week will begin on Sunday evening with dinner and an orientation at Camp Dodge. On Monday your crew will pack all food supplies, tools, camping equipment, and personal belongings into the woods with their Crew Leaders for a five-day, four-night excursion into the backcountry. Wilderness Spike Teen Crews will be working in one of the several federally designated Wilderness Areas in the White Mountains. The difference between the general White Mountain Spike Teen Crews and the Wilderness Spike Teen Crews is location, total crew size, and type of project. Due to the location in federally designated Wilderness, we limit the Wilderness Crews to a maximum of 7 volunteers. The work may involve campsite restoration, planting trees and clearing brush, cleaning drainage, felling trees and installing water bars and bog bridges, working on shelters, and other tasks. Volunteers will get to meet a representative from the US Forest Service and gain a better understanding of conservation in this area. Please remember that the work will be strenuous and demanding, and that we’ll be out rain or shine. Our packs usually weigh 40 to 60 pounds.
The crew will return on Friday to Camp Dodge in time to clean up and join the Friday night barbeque at 6 p.m. Participants may leave Friday evening or Saturday morning– Friday night stay and Saturday morning breakfast is included in program cost.
Camp Life:
These crews are not all work; there are plenty of opportunities to swim, see the views, eat great food, and more. After leaving the project each day the crew heads back to camp. Spike camps are located off trail, relatively close to the project site. Although, some Spike Crews are based out of a backcountry shelter or tentsite.
Each morning the crew gets up and helps prepare breakfast. Our crews in the backcountry are contacted each morning by handheld radio to check in to see if any additional food or tools are needed. After breakfast the crew takes what they need for the day, water, rain gear, lunch, tools and safety gear, and heads to the project site. The hike could be a few tenths of a mile from camp up to a mile and a half from camp.
All participants assist with meal preparation in the backcountry. Participants will learn to cook quality meals in the woods, and there will be plenty of it. The crew builds quite an apatite over the course of the week. After dinner and cleanup the crew often plays games, tells stories, discusses conservation and environmental ethics, but most of all just kicks back and enjoys the evening in the woods. We supply all tents and group cooking equipment for the crew.
What The Volunteers Say:
The physical challenge of packing the gear in and the actual trail work was very satisfying. I learned a lot. The crew leaders were really nice and the projects were interesting. It was nice to see how much the hikers appreciated it. Camping in the woods was really nice too. I am most satisfied with… everything. Ashleigh (2008 Wilderness Teen Participant)
Yes it was hard work but that was what I wanted and expected. The food was really good and the leaders were very experienced. I loved the satisfaction after moving a huge rock. Cooper (2008 Wilderness Teen Participant)
It was intense!! Daniel (2008 Wilderness Teen Participant)
2009 Dates:
June 28 – July 3
July 19 - 24
Contribution:
$175 (AMC members)
$195 (non-members)
Register Today!
View Full 2009 Schedule
