Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Grab your bear can or camp chair, kick your feet up and chew the fat about anything Sierra Nevada related that doesn't quite fit in any of the other forums. Within reason, (and the HST rules and guidelines) this is also an anything goes forum. Tell stories, discuss wilderness issues, music, or whatever else the High Sierra stirs up in your mind.
User avatar
Ken M
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:26 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Post by Ken M »

RoguePhotonic wrote:Good to see you on High Sierra Topix Ken! One of these days we will see each other again on a project.
Hey, Chris!

We almost connected on the Chainsaw class by Beth, I think. But I was off on a speaking gig.

I am following up on finding out about what happened in Yos with the accident, and will let you know when I do.

Ken
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11823
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Post by maverick »

Hi Ken,

Welcome to HST! One question, you wrote here: There is no compensation for the
work hours and one must provide their own food.

Trail crews I have had the fortune to share time with in the backcountry in SEKI
had food that did not seem to have been carried into the backcountry by each
individual member by horses or mules, maybe me just assuming that incorrectly, but
if not, why would a WVR have to carry their own individual food rations and not eat
with the trail crew?
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
RoguePhotonic
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1693
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:52 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Bakersfield CA
Contact:

Re: Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Post by RoguePhotonic »

I didn't make that class either Ken. I was too busy working.
User avatar
Ken M
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:26 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Post by Ken M »

maverick wrote:Hi Ken,

Welcome to HST! One question, you wrote here: There is no compensation for the
work hours and one must provide their own food.

Trail crews I have had the fortune to share time with in the backcountry in SEKI
had food that did not seem to have been carried into the backcountry by each
individual member by horses or mules, maybe me just assuming that incorrectly, but
if not, why would a WVR have to carry their own individual food rations and not eat
with the trail crew?
mainly, because they are Rangers, not a trail crew. It many seem like the same thing, and sometimes they do the same things, but they are actually different. Rangers tend to be a more independent lot in what they are doing, than dedicated trail crews.

It is true that very occasionally, a ranger crew may have packer support into a remote location, typically for their food and tools (but nothing else), but that is not a common scenario. Even then, they have individual food.

I should also say that I do a considerable amount of trail work yearly, and am a C-Certifier Crosscut Saw instructor for the USFS. My main group is the High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew (trailcrew.org), and they DO provide a cook, food, and packer support for backcountry trips (and frontcountry trips)--all free. However, they have a group that spends full time fundraising to make that happen.

https://www.facebook.com/HSVTC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
Ken M
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:26 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Post by Ken M »

This is one section of very dangerous trail for stock, in fact, they mostly walked around it, creating enormous erosion and damage.

Image
User avatar
Ken M
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:26 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Post by Ken M »

That dangerous section was converted to the following, very gradual long steps. It was a 5 day project to do about 100 feet.

Image
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: Be a volunteer Wilderness Ranger!

Post by rlown »

It's a pretty repair. Does that encourage more stock use?

This kind of comes back to your permitting questions, Ken.

Personally, i'm not a fan of the waterbar thingies, like up rafferty and piute. They weren't built for humans.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 51 guests