I started resident volunteering in 2012. Beginning as a camp host in Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek CA. I confirmed a great way to winterize my RV. Just park it by a cactus, palm tree, or both!
After two winters I moved on to Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Lake CO. Summer 2014 I mainly did interpretation. That meant giving historic tours, staffing the visitor center desk and roving trails. Plus managing traffic jams caused by elk and moose, especially during the fall rut. Interpretation was a great learning experience. But I also did a special project: building a pack animal shelter.
For the next two winters home was the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Brooksville MS. I did a number of projects involving welding, carpentry and heavy equipment. The main project was building a set of four kiosks.
Summer 2015 was spent playing Trailhead Steward at one of my favorite places in New England: White Mountains National Forest, Campton NH. Engaging visitors with Hike Safe and Leave No Trace messaging was a great program and wonderful experience.
After a second winter at Noxubee Refuge in MS, the next duty station for spring 2016 was Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Silver City NM. That gig was very remote. Zero cell reception. But living in the Gila National Forest was beautiful. (Too bad I can't seem to find any pix.)
Winter 2016 was spent at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Los Fresnos TX. Another great experience with several projects completed.
Fall 2017 included a turn at Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Socorro NM. Between projects there were opportunities to help capture wolves. That was pretty special, and quite interesting.
Winter 2017 was spent at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Amargosa Valley NV. There I expanded my list of heavy equipment credentials to include a commercial drivers license. It's also an oasis in the Mojave Desert, with over 50 seeps and springs producing over 10,000 gallons of water. Per minute!
Summer 2018 is off to a great start at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Glenwood WA. It's only 18 miles, as the crow flies, to Mt. Adams.
So let's do the math. In the past six years that makes eight different public lands where I've served. Three parks, one forest and five refuges. It must be true that time flies when you're having fun. Because this week I logged my five thousandth hour.
I'm still in denial about retirement. But second childhood's a blast!
