Working on a Lost Trails Found seasonal crew — frequently asked questions
What are Lost Trails Found crews?
The Lost Trails Found crews are WTA’s professional trail maintenance and construction teams made up of 6 professional trail workers, including an experienced crew leader, an assistant crew leader and four crew members. These seasonal employees are paid for their work. They work in 7-day hitches, during which they camp out near work sites on public lands, often in backcountry settings.
The Lost Trails Found name refers to our campaign focused on supporting trails that haven’t seen maintenance in many years and are at risk of disappearing. While these projects are a general focus for the program, we function as general professional trail crews, and do not work exclusively within the boundaries of recovering lost trails.
What is a professional trail crew?
A professional trail crew focuses on production output and project quality. The priorities of our Lost Trails Found crews could best be summarized as “safety, work, and fun,” in that order. We do our best to facilitate an enjoyable crew experience, but the main emphasis of the crew is in producing the best trail work possible. We expect our crews to understand sustainable trail philosophy and build to the highest possible standard for our partners, all while maintaining consistent work outputs. Lastly, these crews are also expected to be self-sufficient in remote backcountry environments with minimal support, while upholding the highest safety standards.
How are Lost Trails Found crews different from other trail crews?
Many of our members and leaders have participated in Conservation Corps programs in the past. While similar in some ways, our program differs in its stronger emphasis on production outcomes and the expectation of members to operate with more independence. We have no age restrictions or term limits, allowing us to field full crews of seasoned trail workers.
Another key differentiating factor is that we are a statewide program, working in a wide variety of regions and ranger districts for both federal and state land managers across Washington.
Where do Lost Trails Found crews work?
Lost Trails Found crews work on public lands across Washington. We work with all national forests in the state, a number of national parks, and various state land managers including the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
We work in all sorts of environments, but tend to spend the majority of our time in a backcountry setting. That means that these crews generally hike in 5-15 miles to set up a remote basecamp, and live out of that for a week at a time while on hitch. Washington is a diverse state with a range of climates, and the Lost Trails Found crews work in all of them, from temperate rainforests to high desert. We also do a considerable amount of work in recent wildfire burn scars.
During work hitches, crews camp near their worksites. Basecamps vary by project and include both front country and backcountry sites.
Where do crew members come from?
Most crew members come from communities in the greater Seattle area. While local residency is not required, WTA does not provide housing for out-of-area crew members during off-time, and only provides transportation between the work site and the crew bases in North Bend and Central, Wash..
How long is the Lost Trails Found season?
Lost Trails Found crews operate from early May to mid October. Crew Leaders and Assistant Crew Leaders start their season in mid March to accommodate a longer training period and several training hitches.
What is the schedule?
All our crews work a 7-day hitch schedule. Crew Leaders will have an additional admin day on the end of their hitches (making eight days total). Hitches start on Wednesdays and end on Tuesdays. Each crew may also do a small number of 4-day (Tuesday-Friday) hitches each year. Crew Members and Assistant Crew Leaders will have additional training and tool maintenance days throughout the season.
Is prior experience or training required?
These are not considered entry-level trail crew positions, and the ideal applicant comes in with some experience. With that said, a lack of formal trail work experience should not keep you from applying if you are prepared for the physical and mental demands of the job, and have some combination of personal backcountry experience and manual labor experience. Experience in conservation or construction work is particularly helpful.
Specific skills we seek out are: new trail construction, general trail, drainage and brushing maintenance, crosscut and chainsaw bucking and felling, rock and timber structures. Additional experience in backcountry camping and hiking is also crucial.
Additionally, we are looking for members who have a proven commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, a shared alignment with the guiding principles of WTA mission statement, and a community-first mindset.
What do crew members need to bring with them?
Each crew member is responsible for bringing their own set-up for backcountry living including all necessary work clothes and backpacking gear. All tools and personal protective equipment (PPE) are provided by WTA. A $200 gear stipend is included with the job to help outfit crew members with the gear they need. Additionally, WTA can provide assistance in the form of loaner gear to any crew member to whom access to gear presents a barrier to entry.
What are the physical requirements of a crew member?
Trail maintenance involves a lot of physical work, particularly in a backcountry, production-oriented context. Participants must be able to hike long distances on steep trails while carrying a pack and tool, and they must be able to perform manual labor consistently for 10 hours per day, up to 7 days at a time in an outdoor work environment. Crew members must be able to lift and swing a variety of tools, often while standing in a bent posture. Before applying, consider overall fitness, as well as whether or not recent injuries and medical conditions can be properly managed in a remote outdoor work environment.
What if I cannot work for the entire season?
Participants who can be present for all hitches in the season are strongly preferred. Applicants are encouraged to let us know about planned absences during the application process. In some situations, we may be able to accommodate limited pre-planned absences.
Additionally, we do not allow staff to leave hitches early or join part-way (with exceptions for medical circumstances and emergencies). If you need to take off a couple days, it will result in missing an entire hitch. We do build in an extra unpaid week off in the month of August.
Does WTA provide transportation to projects?
Yes. At the beginning of each workweek, crew members meet with their crew leaders at their assigned base of operations. Together, the trail crew will take WTA work trucks to worksites and campsites on our public lands. At the end of the workweek, the WTA shuttles crews back to the same base of operations. If the worksite is closer to crew member homes than the base of operations, they are permitted to drive personal vehicles to the worksite, and will be compensated according to federal mileage reimbursement rates.
What is the daily routine like?
No two days on a trail crew are exactly alike. The work performed may vary with each project or
work day, but the average routine is as follows:
- Breakfast in camp before 7 a.m.
- 7 a.m. morning stretch and safety meeting (start of paid work day)
- Hike to jobsite
- Work
- 30 minute lunch (unpaid) and two 15 minute breaks
- 5:30 p.m. return to camp (end of paid work day)
- Dinner in camp
- Personal time after dinner
Note: All WTA policies remain in place while in camp.
Does WTA provide food or group meals?
Not typically. Each crew member receives a daily stipend of up to $50 and is expected to arrive on the first day of the work hitch with all of the food and anything else they need for the week of work. At camp, each member has the freedom and responsibility to plan and prepare their own meals.
How does WTA ensure the safety of crew members?
The safety of our trail crews is our top priority at the WTA. Our programs meet or exceed all
industry standard risk management protocols. We provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to all crew members and strictly enforce its use. Additionally, we require every Crew Member to maintain a Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification, and every Crew Leader to maintain a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification.
All Lost Trails Found staff also receive training around mental health and have access to professional counseling and support during the field season.
When are crew members paid?
There are two pay periods each month. The first pay period is from the 1st to the 15th; the second pay period is from the 16th to the 30/31st. Paydays occur 10 days after the end of a pay period. For example, WTA generates paychecks on August 10 for the pay period that ended on July 31.
Can I apply with my partner?
Couples are not discouraged from applying but please inform us if you are applying alongside your partner. During the hiring, each person will be considered and handled individually. We will likely place you on separate crews in order to reduce the effect exclusive relationships could have on the crew dynamic.
What can I do to prepare for the work season?
Make sure you are prepared both physically and mentally for a rigorous backcountry trail season. Train yourself physically by going for hikes of increasing lengths and elevation profiles with increasing amounts of weight in the backpack. Aim to complete a 3-mile hike with a 45-pound. pack in under 45 minutes.
Make sure you are mentally prepared by going on self-sustained backpacking trips and getting your gear, layering and camping systems dialed in. Make sure your work boots are broken in prior to the start of the season.
Finally, button up your trail knowledge by taking classes or studying trail manuals. A few recommended places to start are as follows:
- US Forest Service Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook
- US Forest Service Standard Trail Plans and Specifications
- Lightly on the Land: The SCA Trail-building and Maintenance Manual, by Robert Birkby
- Leave No Trace Seven Principles™