Backcountry Trails Program

[Guest]

I recently heard about this awesome program offered by the California Conservation Corps called the Backcountry Trails Program. Basically, if you are accepted, you get put into a group of 15 people and assigned to a National Park in California. Next thing you know you're hiking 30 miles into the middle of the wilderness to live for 6 months. Your job while you are there is to maintain hiking trails. This sounds AWESOME!! I don't know about you guys but I have always wanted to live in the woods and this sounds like the perfect opportunity. The work is very physically demanding but also very rewarding. The pay is only about 1500 a month but it's not like you are going to spend anything while in the middle of nowhere. Every group is assigned a cook and the food is supposed to be amazing. Also, Friday through Sunday is free time and you are allowed to go anywhere and do anything within the park during this time.

This may be a long shot but has anybody ever done this program or anything like it? If so, what were your experiences like?

Edit: Forgot the link http://www.ccc.ca.gov/backcountry/bcpage.htm

[Farbin Kaiber]

It sounds like a trick to get young people to do the manual labor to build fire access roads. I would not under any circumstance trust any program that has anything to do with the State of California. Sorry, it comes with living here. Have you seen our laws?

[atomic]

You do not have to be involved with a program like this to become a Hill Billy ! LOL j/k

Honestly if thats your thing, then go for it. It could at least be a character builder for you.

[h0lmes]

It sounds like a trick to get young people to do the manual labor to build fire access roads. I would not under any circumstance trust any program that has anything to do with the State of California. Sorry, it comes with living here. Have you seen our laws?

They don't build any new roads or trails, only maintenance of existing ones. Also, I have been talking to someone that did it last summer and from what it sounds like it is a very organized and worthwhile program.

[george graves]

Look up someone in "back country horsemen" - They do the same thing but for no/little pay, and do ti for the weekend. I did a video for them, and it looked amazing. Not so sure I'd want to do it 5 days a week.

[Pinepig]

I had a cousin of mine did it for a couple of years, he loved it. You will find a few kids there that came from less than perfect backgrounds but they are trying and that's all it takes. There is nothing wrong with the CCC organization, good folks, as an ex park ranger I had to deal with them every once in a while and never had any problems.

[TwoJ's]

Do you hunt for the food? If not, can you if you want to? I think if I had 3 days a week in the woods with nothing to do, weapons, hunting, explosives and trying to build structures would be the only things that could keep me entertained.

[mrsleeve]

I am considering joining the back country horsemen, yup you take a few weekends a year pile a bunch of stuff up on a few pack animals an venture out deep into the national forests to maintain trails. The inlaws are in a they love it I might tag along on a trip or 2 before I join though. Will let you know