 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 
|
 
What are Volunteer Vacations? WHAT ARE VOLUNTEER VACATIONS?Volunteer Vacations are a series of trail building projects on America's public lands. Each crew consists of 6-15 volunteers accompanied by a crew leader. Trips involve backpacking or day hiking and accommodations vary from primitive campsites to bunkhouses or cabins. Tools and supervision are provided by the host agency or organization. More than a program that rehabilitates trails, Volunteer Vacations fosters public land stewardship and provides volunteers the opportunity to give back to the trails they love and have a great time doing it!WHY MUST I PAY TO VOLUNTEER?American Hiking is a non-profit organization. The registration fee helps offset the costs associated with coordinating more than 100 different projects in 30 states. Our volunteers also are exempt from paying park entrance fees, campground fees and backcountry permit fees, which for a typical week in a U.S. National Park could run upwards of $30. Ground transportation to and from the project site as well as food for the week is included on most trips. Your registration fee also includes a crew member t-shirt and a year's membership in American Hiking for new participants. The registration fee is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.WHAT ARRANGEMENTS ARE MADE REGARDING FOOD?Food is provided by the host unless indicated otherwise, and all meals are prepared as a group. Food is provided for the crew in different ways. On some trips, the host or crew leader will have already done the grocery shopping before the group arrives. On other trips, the host agency may provide Volunteer Vacationers with a daily stipend ($5-$23/day, per person) which can be used to offset any upfront food costs. There may be circumstances in which a host agency cannot provide food. In these special cases, we work with the host to provide some easy-to-prepare camp meals and you will be asked to chip in with grocery expenses. The American Hiking crew leader will help coordinate the menu, grocery shopping, and camp chores, including cooking and cleanup detail.WHAT IF I AM A VEGETARIAN/VEGAN OR HAVE DIETARY RESTRICTIONS?There is a place on the registration form to denote any special dietary needs. If you follow a strict vegan diet you may be asked to bring some of your own food.WHO COVERS THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION?You are responsible for all travel costs to and from the site. Many hosts offer an airport pickup. When we confirm the project, we will provide you with airport pickup and departure times and the designated meeting place. Travel expenses for public service projects are considered charitable contributions and may be tax deductible.HOW DO I GET TO THE PROJECT SITE IF NO AIRPORT PICKUP IS PROVIDED BY THE HOST?If the host cannot provide airport pickup, it is the responsibility of the volunteer to get to the site. We provide a list of participants in the confirmation packet and you might coordinate with some of your fellow crew members to carpool, or there might be an airport shuttle that will get you close to the site where the host may be willing to pick you up. The host and crew leader will be able to provide more information about transportation options.HOW CAN I CHOOSE A PROJECT TO SUIT MY FITNESS LEVEL?All of our projects require participants to be in good physical condition; however you should read the project descriptions carefully. Projects are rated from 'easy' to 'extremely strenuous'.Easy-Moderate trips are usually front country projects that include car-camping or cabin accommodations and day hikes to and from the work site each day. Some projects with a moderate rating can include backpacking up to 3 miles to base camp. Work usually includes general trail maintenance. Moderate-Difficult trips usually require longer hikes into base camp and can also include car-camping or cabin accommodations with longer day hikes and more demanding physical work. The work may include heavy lifting, lots of bending, shoveling, picking, chopping, and/or sawing. Strenuous-Very Strenuous trips usually require backpacking up to 17 miles into base camp. Generally these projects are rated strenuous due to the backpacking distance. Prior backpacking experience is strongly recommended. The work may include heavy lifting, lots of bending, shoveling, picking, chopping, and/or sawing. DO I NEED PRIOR TRAIL BUILDING, BACKPACKING, OR CAMPING EXPERIENCE?No experience is necessary. There is a wide variety of tasks on each trip and there's always something for everyone to do. Some of our projects involve hiking or backpacking into a remote location. Previous backpacking experience is strongly recommended for projects involving more than a 5-mile hike into base camp and those rated strenuous. Work in congressionally designated wilderness areas is performed using hand tools only, in accordance with federal regulations.WHERE WILL I SLEEP?Volunteers are provided housing or a place to put up a tent in either a front country or a backcountry location. Campsites range from developed campgrounds with bathroom/shower facilities to primitive backcountry sites. You must provide your own tent and camping gear. Some projects provide cabin or lodge accommodations where you only need your sleeping bag.WHO PARTICIPATES?Our volunteers come from all walks of life and from all across the country. Age ranges from 18 to 80. The minimum age is 18 unless younger participants are accompanied by a parent or guardian.WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO DO ON YOUR VOLUNTEER VACATION AND WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY LIKE?Typically, you'll enjoy a hearty breakfast, be on the trail by 8 a.m., work 6-7 hours, and return to camp in time to enjoy the long afternoons. All participants perform a fair share of camp chores, including cooking, washing dishes, collecting firewood, and maintaining tools-and most trips incorporate plenty of free time to relax or explore the area.WHAT SHOULD I BRING?Volunteers provide their own tent, sleeping bag, pad, and all personal gear, including eating utensils. For backcountry projects, you must provide your own backpacking gear. Tools and supervision are provided by the host agency or organization. Your host or crew leader will emphasize any special gear or equipment needs. Download the suggested equipment list (PDF 61KB).Equipment list found at - www.americanhiking.org/events/pdfs/AHSVVEquipmentList.pdf. MAY I BRING MY DOG?Pets are not allowed.WHAT IS THE REFUND POLICY?Each project takes a great deal of planning and attention.Unexpected cancellations cause a great deal of strain on your host and the rest of the crew if you fail to show up. Cancellations prevent others from having a spot and can even result in the cancellation of the entire project. Please do not take your commitment lightly. If you cancel 8 weeks prior to your trip's begin date, we will refund $100 of the original fee. There is a $50 fee if you would like to transfer your registration to another project during the same calendar year. Cancellations received less than 8 weeks before the trip will not be refunded. Trip cancellations, though rare, may occur due to unforeseen circumstances for the host or if the minimum number of participants is not met. If the project you signed up for is cancelled, we will refund the entire $245 registration fee. The $30 membership fee is non-refundable. HOW SOON WILL I RECEIVE MY CONFIRMATION PACKET?We mail confirmation packets as soon as the project is confirmed or no later than 4-6 weeks prior to the start of a project. You should not make non-refundable reservations until we have confirmed your project.If you have questions contact AHS Volunteer Vacations at 301-565-6704 ext. 206. Documents in PDF format can be downloaded and printed from your computer. You will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to view or print these documents.
Hiker's Info Center ||
Trail Conservation & Policy ||
Events & Volunteer Opportunities If you have questions about this site, please contact ahs.webmaster@c-t-g.com |
