Our Performance Trail Crew Program does so much for Pacific Northwest trails, communities, and our youth crew members. With your support, we can unlock additional funding and make a life-changing service experience available to more heroes and get even more work done on the trail.
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About the Performance Trail Crew Program
Your gift helps provide youth with an outdoor service learning experience that has the power to change lives.
Performance Trail Crew Members spend the summer outdoors discovering our scenic public lands while working on the Pacific Northwest Trail.
Hear what some of our trail crew members are saying.
“I enjoyed learning how to work and communicate with different people, and learning about different trail-building techniques and tools. Seeing different parts of Western Washington — even the variety within one National Forest — was wonderful! I also really liked cooking at camp and spending time with my crew at the end of the day. They are a wonderful bunch.”
-Megan, 2020 Mt Baker Crew Member
“I loved working outdoors and having an amazing crew. They were easy to work and spend time with.”
-Ella, 2020 Mt Baker Crew Member
“I loved working outdoors and having an amazing crew. I really liked the team bonding that occurred. One of the reasons I want to come back next year is due to the amazing people I met. I loved how we worked well together, but I enjoyed our time camping out. It was incredible to be comfortable and feel endless support from people I just met a couple months prior.”
-Julia, 2020 Western Washington Crew Member
“The most memorable part of my season was our trip to the Goat Lakes from Hart’s Pass. That ten day hitch working on the PCT/ PNT was my first backpacking trip ever!
Soon after I finished my season with the PNTA, I decided to join Washington Conservation Corps. Now I help them do restoration and conservation work on riparian habitat throughout Washington State.”
-Erica, 2019 Western Pasayten Crew Member
“Having crew leaders as mentors and not just bosses was a real blessing. I’m proud of the progress our crew was able to make together and I’m proud to have worked through to the end of every hitch and to the end of the season.”
-Jacob, 2019 Mt Baker Crew Member
“My proudest accomplishment was clearing 150 trees from the Boundary Trail in a single hitch! The long hikes we made into the Pasayten Wilderness carrying heavy packs and working in hot weather, sometimes with no shade, were challenging and rewarding at the same time. The season gave me some technical knowledge, but it also taught me to be a more patient person.”
-Adonis, 2019 Eastern Pasayten Crew Member
Your gift helps maintain and enhance the PNT for all to enjoy.
It brings us closer to our goal of maintaining and enhancing 100% of the 1,200 mile trail system and it helps more youth and young adults learn trail stewardship skills and explore careers in natural resource management.
Performance Trail Crews
Our Performance Trail Crews are seasonal trail maintenance and construction teams that keep the 1,200 mile Pacific Northwest Trail open for everyone to enjoy.
Located high in the rugged mountain ranges of the Northwest, access to many trailheads along the PNT is limited most of the year. Our Performance Trail Crews help us make the most of the short season. Each summer, they travel to work wherever they are needed most, restoring the trail from nature’s toll and working to improve the trail system.
Work Based Learning Crews
For 15 seasons, the PNTA has provided work-based learning opportunities that let US Job Corps students apply their skills in the construction of outdoor recreational infrastructure on our public lands. The US Job Corps helps young adults, ages 16 – 24, improve the quality of their lives through vocational and academic training.
Our WBL Crews construct bridges, puncheon walkways, trailhead kiosks, campground facilities, trails and other outdoor recreation infrastructure. Typically, each crew spends nine days camping out in the field before returning to the Curlew Job Corps Campus to resume their work-based learning.
Building Structures on a Backcountry Trail Crew
Second-year trail crew member, Adam describes what it’s like to build structures and work on a backcountry trail crew with the PNTA.
What it Takes to Log Out the PNT
First-year trail crew member, Mattie shares some her favorite things about working on a PNTA Performance Trail Crew and why she enjoys logging out trails using old fashioned crosscut saws.
The Trail Crew Experience
Alina, a first-year PNTA trail crew member, reflects on her experiences working on a backcountry trail crew on the Bogachiel Trail in Olympic National Park.