Jessica Evett, volunteer manager for the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, rarely turns down a chance to recruit a willing hand. Trail-building and other CFI projects are demanding, tough work that requires physical and mental fortitude, tempered with a pliant sense of humor. Here’s how she describes the ideal volunteer. Claire Martin, The Denver Post
Q: What qualities do you hope to find in a volunteer?
A: First, they’ve got to be over age 14, but after that, we’ve got a wide range of ages. One of our most active volunteers is 81.
Q: How do ideal volunteers look, in terms of what they’re wearing and what they’re carrying?
A: Let’s see. Leather boots and long pants. We recommend a long-sleeved shirt, but if they have a backpack with different layers inside, then they’re prepared for a variety of weather conditions.
Q: Has anyone ever showed up in flip-flops and a tank top?
A: Our volunteers have to register ahead of time because of our agreement with the U.S. Forest Service, and we give them a gear list of what to wear and what to bring. If someone showed up in open-toed shoes, and we didn’t have extra footwear, then they wouldn’t be allowed on the project. Nobody’s ever showed up in pumps.
Q: It’s hard to imagine a die-hard fashionista wanting to volunteer on a trail crew.
A: We usually appeal to people who are really into the outdoors. They’re not necessarily experienced hikers, but they do want to spend more time in the backcountry. A lot of people who volunteer have hiked these trails and want to give back in some way. They’ve seen the damage caused by erosion scars and overuse.
Q: Where, in particular?
A: If you go up Grays and Torreys peaks on a weekend, you’ll see 450 people on the trail. People see that, and they see the impact that many people have on a fragile environment. That tends to make people really want to be engaged and find out more about protecting our fourteeners.
Q: Do relationships evolve on trail projects?
A: Yes! One couple did one of our volunteer expeditions in the Windom Peaks, in the San Juans, as their honeymoon last year.
Q: Not exactly the sort of honeymoon you read about in those brides magazines.
A: We see a lot of people who are willing to roll with things — getting up at 5 a.m. to swing a pickax, or hiking 8 miles in to a trail project. Last year, some volunteers were stuck in the San Juans when a giant mudslide went over the train tracks. They had to stay an extra day and hike another 7 miles to get out. But they were very flexible and had a great positive attitude.
