Getting Paid to Camp: Summer in the Forest Service

By LISA GARRIGUES
NACHES VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
NACHES — For many Naches Valley High School students, the perfect summer job is right in their backyard: the Wenatchee National Forest.
In fact, 39 of this summer’s 72 seasonal employees at the Naches Ranger District have either graduated from or currently attend Naches Valley High School.
For these students, the ability to be paid to work outdoors is the opportunity of a lifetime.
“It’s like we’re getting paid to camp,” says 20-year-old Naches Valley graduate and current Whitworth University student Phil Doehle.
He’s a member of the Wilderness Trail Crew, which clears logs and debris from trails for hikers and horseback riders in designated wilderness areas. Five of the seven members of the crew are Naches Valley grads. The crew often camps overnight in the wilderness for periods of up to four days.
“I love waking up to the views from the top of a mountain,” Doehle says.
However, there are some job hazards, such as dead limbs falling from trees and steep trails with unstable footing, not to mention wildlife.
“We’ve seen elk, deer, pine martins, porcupines, squirrels, and even some bears,” Doehle says.
Plus, weather can vary from extreme heat to drenching rainstorms.
“We handle the weather by being prepared,” Doehle says. “I bring lots of water, extra layers, and rain gear.”
A typical day on the job includes hiking 3 to 5 miles to the job site while carrying a heavy pack filled with tools, food and camping equipment.
“I pack the lightest food possible,” says Katie Moore, a 21-year-old Naches Valley grad and Gonzaga University. “Dried fruit, Luna Bars, oatmeal, instant potatoes, coffee, lots of candy — anything high calorie and light.”
According to Moore, the work is rigorous and leaves crew members dead tired at the end of the day.
“Many people don’t realize how much work the Forest Service puts into making their trails safe and clean,” she says.
For example, during one of their recent four-day tours, members of the Wilderness Trail Crew hiked 10 miles on the Fish Lake Way Trail to clear blocked trees. They cleared roughly 80 trees using six-foot-long cross-cut saws.
“These are unique to our job because we can’t use power tools in the wilderness,” Moore explains. “We have to take good care of our saws because they aren’t commonly used anymore. If something happened to one of our saws, it would be very hard and expensive to replace it.”
Students working for the U.S. Forest Service learn to use a lot of special gear during their summer employment. In addition to cross-cut saws, those working on clearing and repairing trails have the opportunity to use tools, such as half shovels and a pulaski, a combination of an ax and a hoe. Other necessities include hard hats, boots, gloves, radios, and a First Aid kit.
Different jobs are available for teens at the Forest Service. In addition to clearing trails, students hired to work on trail crews construct and repair trails, bridges, and culverts.
Teens can also work in recreation, which includes collecting fees, picking up litter, restocking bathrooms, and doing basic campground maintenance. Other jobs are on the timber and fire crews.
No matter what position teen employees hold, “workers need to be dependable, have a good attitude, and learn things quickly,” says 49-year-old Sue Ranger, a recreational planner for the Forest Service.
Applying is easy: “I tell all the high school counselors in the Valley about the jobs available,” says Cheryl Fuller, a 60-year-old human resources specialist for the Forest Service.
Students can get hired in two different programs. The Youth Conservation Corps, or YCC, is for high school students ages 15 to 18. Student Temporary Employment Program, or STEP, is for anyone above 18 who is taking college classes.
If hiking in the forest every day isn’t enough, the wages and benefits are pretty attractive as well. STEP employees earn more than the minimum wage, at rates that vary based on their experience and education level.
YCC employees earn minimum wage, but have the ability to work 40 hours a week and accumulate vacation and sick leave. That opportunity is rare, says Amber Baumgarten, an 18-year-old graduate of Naches Valley and soon-to-be freshman at Eastern Washington University.
“It’s really hard to find a 40-hour-a-week job when you’re in high school,” she says.
Mandi Stockton, a 17-year-old senior at Naches Valley, has worked for the Forest Service for two years.
“I come back to this job every year because it’s a great experience and opportunity for someone my age,” she says.
Stockton is a YCC leader working for the fuels department. Her job involves finding the height, age, and status of trees in the forest to determine what areas would burn the fastest in a fire.
“I love that I get to wake up every morning and go hang out in the beautiful forest for nine hours,” she says.
Many student Forest Service employees agree: Whether they’re maintaining recreational trails, cleaning campgrounds, or backpacking in the wilderness, working for the Forest Service is a great way to spend a summer.
In addition to learning about the forest and its ecosystems, they develop leadership skills and the ability to work well on teams. As a member of the Front Country Trails Crew for the past three years, Baumgarten says she’s discovered the value of teamwork.
She says, “My crew is really nice to work with. I’ve learned the importance of working together and communicating with them.”