Nine Tips for a New Trail Crew Member
By Aryn Cummings, 2020 WCC Intern
Dos and Don’ts for Your First Season:
1. Always pack your rain gear! The minute you choose to forego your rain pants and rain jacket your karma begins accumulating. If you don’t pay for your mistakes right away, don’t worry. The weather will surely turn on you when you least expect it. Always bring your rain gear.
2. Don’t hike in front. This is especially true in the mornings. The lead hiker is the first to walk through every single spider web that has been spun since the last hikers came through. They also accumulate all of the morning dew from the grass and trees. This leaves the hikers in the back nice and dry, while whoever is in the front enjoys a natural shower before work!
3. Never forget the coffee. The most important meal of the day is breakfast and when you wake up at 6 AM in a freezing tent, that breakfast better be accompanied by a hot cup of coffee. If bean juice isn’t your thing, hot coco or tea are good alternatives to combat that freezing June mornings.
4. Do bring a book. The fresh air of the wilderness is addicting. It’ll make you want to get back to the woods over and over again. However, the sound of your own thoughts can be obnoxious after a while. Bring a book or listen to a podcast. Anything to drown out the sound of whatever song has been stuck in your head for the last 3 days.
5. Keep it simple while packing. Layers are everything but bring just enough to stay warm. Trust me, you’re going to regret that extra pair of pants and those 2 sweatshirts once you’ve been hiking for a few miles. Base layers are the key to staying toasty warm and saving your back while you hike.
6. Always have apples. Pack horses and mules are the sweetest beings to ever exist. Always give them a treat whenever you can. If they don’t like apples, try carrots. They deserve the world for carrying all that stuff all day. Also scratch their ears.
7. Do your camp chores. Seriously. Nobody likes a crew member that does pull their weight. There is always something to do around camp, whether it be water filtering, wood splitting, dishes, dinner, etc. A cohesive crew is one that all puts in equal effort. Living with your crew will be much more harmonious and enjoyable if you are all helping out.
8. Unpack your stuff after hitch. As soon as you get back, air out your tent and wash your clothes. Don’t let it sit in your bag and cause a stink bomb. The amount of grime that builds up over the course of a hitch is ridiculous and you will probably be nose blind to it for a few days. The smell of campfire will never leave your bag if you don’t deal with it ASAP!
9. Lastly, have fun. Some days on hitch will feel never ending and terrible. Truly. This is really hard work and some days were not enjoyable. But in the end, the hard days make you appreciate the good ones that much more. You’re going to walk away from this season knowing you did an incredible service for the people who use public land. Embrace the suck and know that by the end, you’ll wish it wasn’t over!
