Common Questions - Youth Vacations

Youth volunteers get dirty but stay happy carrying a log through the forest.

Who Can Apply

Q. How old must a Youth Vacation volunteer be?

A. A volunteer must be 14-18 years old and presently attending high school.  The exception is the Hyas Lake Family Vacation where attendees must be 10 or older.

Q. What is WTA looking for in a Youth Vacation volunteer?

A. Before you sign up for a trip, please make sure you fit into the following criteria of what we look for in an applicant:

• You are able to commit to stay for the entire week. (All of our front country trips run from Sunday afternoon to Friday afternoon).

• A great attitude and desire to work with Washington Trails Association and be a part of a team.

• Physical stamina and ability to hike to and from the work site, and ability to work at a moderate pace throughout the day.

• Ability and desire to adhere to the following basic rules: Be safe, Have fun and Get some work done
• Must be enrolled in high school or age 14 - 18
  
  

Q. Who can sign up for an Advanced Backcountry trip?

A. Before you sign up for a trip, please make sure you fit the above listed qualifications for a youth volunteer in addition to the following criteria:

• You are able to commit to stay for the entire week. (All of the Advanced Backcountry trips run from Saturday morning to the following Saturday).

• Previous trail maintenance experience with WTA or another trail organization (indicate your experience in your application and dates you volunteered).

• Backcountry camping savvy (indicate your experience in your application).

• Desire to gain trail crew leadership and backcountry camping skills. 
• Must be enrolled in high school or age 15 - 18

• Ability to acquire the necessary gear for your trip.
  
  

Q. What if I have never volunteered before?

A. We'd prefer, but do not require, youth volunteers to go on a day trip with WTA before committing for an entire week. While most kids love their experience, trail work can be strenuous and not for everyone. The front country trips are designed for all levels of volunteers. The experienced crew leaders are there to help you understand what is required and how it can be accomplished in the easiest way. At WTA, we encourage all volunteers to work at their own speed, pace themselves, take breaks, and change tasks frequently. At the end of the week you will be amazed at how much fun you had, how hard you worked and what you learned.

Q. Can friends or siblings apply to the same vacation?

A. Although we understand the need to share fun experiences with friends, WTA feels that the experience of the volunteer (and the WTA crew leader) is a much richer one if he/she has an opportunity to meet new people from different schools and backgrounds. Therefore, please do not sign up with a group of four or more friends or students from the same school, unless first contacting the WTA office to discuss the options.

How to Apply

Q. How do I apply for a vacation?

A.  You must submit an application, medical form, and teacher reference each year. The application can be found in the link to your trip agenda, which you will receive in your e-mail after signing up. We keep these on file for the season so you only need to fill out one per season. Online applications are preferred! We will contact you within 7 – 14 days of receipt of your application via e-mail or phone. Please let us know if you have not heard from us within that time period, as we may have overlooked your application! Again, payment is desired at the time of applying, but you may submit payment at a later time, as long as full payment is submitted within two weeks of applying (or you are subject to lose your spot on the roster). If you have questions about filling out the application, payment, or your status on a trip, contact alyssa@wta.org

Q. My child is a returning volunteer- must he/she reapply?

A. Yes, all returning volunteers must submit an on-line application and medical form, although the teacher reference will be waived for returning students in good standing with WTA.

Q. What does it cost to attend?

A. The cost of your first Youth Vacation is $150 for non-WTA members (includes a one-year membership) and $125 for WTA members. If you come out for more than one trip in a season, you only pay $75 for each subsequent trip. You must pay within two weeks of signing up for a trip, or you will be subject to lose your space on the roster.

Q. Can I get a refund if I change my mind about going?

A. Refunds will be given if you withdraw from a trip at least a month before the trip date. Please contact the office if unexpected circumstances arise less than a month before the trip date. WTA office:  (206) 625-1367.

Q. Can I attend more than one trip?

A. Yes. When applying, please indicate which programs you would like to attend. We do suggest that the weeks NOT be back to back. Due to the hard work and physically active days we recommend that volunteers go home and recuperate in order to do well on additional trips.

About The Work & Camp Life

Q. Must I commit to stay for the entire week?

A. Yes!  You must commit for the entire week.

Q. What is expected of me (after all, this is my vacation!)?

A. Other than having a good attitude, adhering to a few simple rules, and helping out with meals and the dishes from time to time, you are free to relax and enjoy your surroundings after a hard day of work. You’ll be amazed at what you and your crew will have accomplished by the end of the week!

Q. What should I bring?

A. You MUST be properly prepared and “geared” up for a week in the backcountry.  Please consult the pack list appropriate for your trip:

• Front country pack list
• Backcountry Advanced pack list

Q. Do I have any time off?

A. The days are full of hard work on the trail, but there is time in the evening to participate in recreational activities, learn about the natural history of the area or create music night. Activities vary site by site.

Q. What about the day off for Advanced Backcountry trips?

A.  Wednesday is your day to relax or explore your beautiful surroundings. Bring a book, playing cards, or go for a hike with a crew leader, it’s your day to enjoy!

Youth Vacation volunteers sleep in tents in a group space.

Q. What is the housing like?

A. Front country volunteers will be staying in tents at campsites within State Parks and US National Forests. Advanced Backcountry volunteers hike into camp and stay in tents. All volunteers will prepare their own meals, some over a campfire. Each volunteer will pack his or her own lunch daily to take to the work site.

Q. What is the difficulty of a youth vacation trip?

A. Each day's trail work can be strenuous and difficult if you are not accustomed to this kind of work. We encourage you to join us on a regular one-day work party to see if you would enjoy it for a full week.  We also encourage all volunteers to work at their own speed, pace themselves, take breaks, and change tasks frequently. The crew leaders are there to help you understand what is required and how it can be accomplished in the easiest way. If you are suffering any type of health problem(s) that might be aggravated by physical exertion and that could not be controlled at a safe level while in the field, a week-long vacation is not appropriate for you.

Our difficulty rating system (below) is based on the initial hike to the base camp:

Front Country: 

Car camp

Backcountry Advanced Trips:

Easy:  1-3 mile hike to camp with little elevation gain

Moderate:  3-5 mile hike to camp with 500 – 1,000 feet elevation gain

Difficult:  5-8 mile hike to camp with 1,000-2,000 feet elevation gain

Strenuous:  4 – 6 mile (or more) hike to camp with 2,000 feet or more elevation gain

Q. What is a typical day like?

A. Below is a typical day. Depending on the project or the weather (sometimes at “hot” locations, your crew may decide to start work early and/or end the day early), the hike to the work site will vary and you should make sure to check the overall trip difficulty before you join.

Arrival:  Saturday morning or Sunday afternoon, depending upon the agreed upon meeting time as directed to you by your crew leader.  Arrive at camp, set up camp, relax, and get to know the crew!

Front Country:  Monday - Friday
Advanced Backcountry:  Sunday – Friday (excluding Wed, which is your day off):

6:30 – 7:00am – Rise n’ shine, make your lunch with the lunch goodies
7:00am – Breakfast is served, please be on time!
7:30 – 8:00am – Clean-up from breakfast (dishes, put food away, etc).
8:00 – 8:30am – leave for the work site
8:30 – 9:00am – Begin work on the project
9:00 – noon – Continue work, stopping periodically for breaks

Noon – Lunch – take at least a 30 min. lunch break, probably longer to recuperate and enjoy the fresh mountain air!

After lunch – 3:30 or 4:00pm – continue working, stopping periodically for breaks.  Depending on the difficulty of the project and the weather, the “end” time may vary from day to day.  Don’t over work!

After work – unwind and freshen up – find a stream or lake to put your feet (or body) in, take a quick snooze, find a tree to read a book under, eat some snacks, etc.

6:00 – 7:00pm – depending on the agreed upon dinner time, have a big plate of yummy food. The cooking crew may be needed up to an hour before the meal is served to help “prep.”

After dinner – The clean-up crew helps finish dishes. After that, it's free time, although some nights there may be an informational session provided by the crew leaders before you set off for a good nights sleep in your tent.

Q. What is the menu like?  

A. There is some variation based on the crew leader and/or designated needs for the trip, but this gives you a pretty good idea of what you’ll have. We like to think of it as “Comfort food meets Pacific Northwest cuisine”...

Breakfasts

Pancakes
Breakfast burritos
Egg scramble with toasted bagels
French toast
Each breakfast will have sides of sausage and/or bacon
Oatmeal and granola for those who like a lighter breakfast

Lunches

Build-your-own lunch with whole grain bread, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, GORP, chips and other snacks.

Dinners

BBQ cookout
Burritos
Curry chicken
Spaghetti feast with meatballs and garlic bread
South of the border-quesadillas
Grilled chicken Caesar salad
Toasty grilled cheese and tomato soup
Each dinner comes with a side salad full of fresh veggies

Dessert

Cookies and more cookies
Field-made huckleberry cobbler, when in season

Q.  What else should I know?

A.  Visit our general Trailwork FAQ’s for a day on trail – most of these still apply to our weeklong trips. Our Guide to Trailwork is also a good reference for the technical side of things. Most importantly, if you have a nagging question that we haven’t asked/answered, please e-mail or call!  WTA’s main line is (206) 625-1367 and the direct line for Trail Maintenance is (206) 965-8565.  E-mail questions to: trail_teams@wta.org or alyssa@wta.org.