EAGLE SUMMIT WILDERNESS ALLIANCE
VOLUNTEER
WILDERNESS RANGERS
VWRs
CONSIDER BECOMING A
VOLUNTEER WILDERNESS RANGER
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FOR CURRENT VWRs ONLY
Volunteer Wilderness Rangers (VWRs) come in two flavors:
TRAILHEAD HOSTS and TRAIL PATROLLERS. Both go through the same training program and pursue the same objectives. Both are multi-taskers, official representatives of the United States Forest Service, meeting the public, encouraging them to follow Leave No Trace principles.
The difference is mobility:
Trailhead Hosts stay put at the trailhead, where with table, chairs, banner, maps, and swag, they help visitors on their way in and way out of the Wilderness.
Patrollers hike the trails, helping to keep them clear and inspecting campsites while also engaging hikers and backpackers.
Some VWRs do both, on different days. Also, pairs of VWRs sometimes do both on the same day, taking turns staffing the table and hiking the trail.
VWRs commit to:
A half-day in person training program (plus, in advance, a one-hour on-line video introduction)
A follow-up mentor hike
Four Wilderness outings - both trail patrols and trailhead host sessions count. Patrols each last 4 hours or more; trailhead host sessions last 3 hours or more. The season begins when trails are clear and lasts until mid-October.
WHAT DO VWRs DO?
PREPARATION
VWRs are provided a kit containing dog leashes, a flower guide book, a water proof notebook, and educational cards for Leave No Trace, local Wilderness Areas, and dog control information. In addition, Trailhead Hosts have a table, more swag for giving, and an ESWA banner and sandwich board.
We encourage VWRs to work in pairs (only one member of the pair needs to have completed ranger training).
Before each patrol or trailhead session, VWRs sign up at our online site.
ON THE TRAIL / AT THE TRAILHEAD
VWRs answer questions for hikers, especially pertaining to trail distance (Wilderness signs, deliberately kept to a minimum, never list mileage), condition, elevation and time required to reach destination. VWRs educate hikers regarding Wilderness regulations, "Leave no trace" wilderness ethics, the danger of falling trees, what to do when encountering potentially dangerous wildlife such as moose, bears, mountain lions and mountain goats, where campsites and campfires are allowed and not allowed and why dogs should be kept on a leash.
VWRs inform interested hikers about Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance (ESWA), how and why we help the Forest Service and provide them with information on how to get involved with us if they wish to do so.
VWRs keep a record of number of hikers and campers encountered (and group sizes) and number of dogs on & off leash. Trail patrollers also assess trail conditions, count trees across the trail, estimate miles hiked, note time spent on the hike, and assess campsite conditions (including campfire rings).
AFTERWARDS
VWRs fill out a short online report with all the information recorded above, in addition to date, name of trail, time of hike, condition of trail signs, horses or big game seen and interesting, novel, fun, or scary encounters with people or animals.
Download the VWR Training Manual HERE (2MB)
More Training Day photos HERE
NOTE: Training is normally held the Saturday before the Memorial Day weekend. There are morning and afternoon training sessions.