Learning the Ropes at Crew Member Orientation

Some fly in from around the country (or the world), some embark on ambitious road trips, some jump on greyhounds—but one way or another, new crew members converge in program offices around the country throughout the year for orientation into their new positions on trail crews. There are around 20 orientation sessions held each year for trail crews within Conservation Legacy, but this number doesn’t include all of the orientations for our Stewards Individual Placement Internships, Community Volunteer Ambassadors, Youth Corps, and other programs.

There’s an air of excitement and anticipation throughout orientation week. Some crew members are about to have their first experience with physical labor and spending extended periods of time outside, while some are returning for another season. Brooklyn Henderson began her first trail season at the AZCC orientation in Flagstaff in May of 2018. “I was so scared to leave home,” she admitted, “but I’m happy that I started this. I’m a rookie, but there’s no judgement. It’s like a tight little community.”

After a day of walkthroughs at their individual program’s office, crews head out into nature for a week of camping, learning the ropes, and getting to know their peers and crew leaders. Orientation locations vary based on factors like weather conditions and proximity to other program offices, but crews receive training in the same fundamentals, including Leave No Trace ethics and proper tool use and maintenance. “Orientation gives new crew members a chance to get used to our operations without too much intensity or demand,” explains James Pitts, AZCC’s program coordinator out of the Tucson office. “It helps ease them into the groove before they’re asked to go out and start swinging tools.”

During orientation week, every crew member receives a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification after successfully completing the 16-hour course, led by staff. The WFA course culminates in a ‘final scenario’, in which crew members must attend to ‘patients’ (people acting out different injuries) while being observed by instructors. With crews routinely using hand tools and mechanized equipment—often in a backcountry setting—safety is a top priority. WFA certification is just one way programs mitigate the risks inherent with trail work.

In addition to the hard skills new members are introduced to, orientation also provides an important space for bonding and developing crew culture. Crews will spend hundreds of hours living and working together throughout their terms of service and tend to become close knit units, but conflicts do occasionally arise as one might expect. Interpersonal skills such as mediation, effective communication, and collaboration are as important as knowing the proper way to sharpen a saw or wield a rock bar.

click images to view larger size.

After orientation week, crews will go on to a variety of projects like maintaining high-traffic trails in the Grand Canyon, removing invasive plants from national forests, or using crosscut saws to clear fallen trees in wilderness areas. Crew member Sarah Aldama, also brand new to trail work, summed up the overall energy of the week well: “I’m excited for getting really sweaty with my fellow crew members!”

Keep an eye on this page to stay in the loop with AZCC’s position openings.