Poudre Wilderness volunteers/Photo courtesy
The Rocky Mountain Conservancy and the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers have partnered to lead the High School Leadership Corps, an 11-day intensive summer outdoor adventure for high school students that combines service, education and personal growth.
One of the biggest challenges for students is venturing into the wilderness for a multi-day work experience with the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers. Volunteers work to connect these youth with nature while teaching them environmental awareness and respect through fun programs and hands-on experiences.
The volunteer organization was founded in 1996 to support the U.S. Forest Service and was a response to ranger cuts in 1995, according to Jeff Randa, a member of the group’s board of directors.
“Poudre Wilderness Volunteers started with about 25 people serving as volunteer rangers,” Randa said.
Since 1995, the organization’s scope has expanded from simply monitoring trails and promoting backcountry education to assisting the Canyon Lakes Ranger District with trail maintenance and construction. The group has played a critical role in wildfire recovery in the region. After the High Park Fire in 2012, the group restored trails and also after the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire, the conservation organization’s press release said.
In June, the High School Leadership Corps hiked the Fish Creek Trail into Roosevelt National Forest. They learned how to set up camp and spent several days building a bridge over the creek. Mentors guided the students through the entire process; from sourcing the rocks and trees, to milling the wood with hand tools, to moving the rocks and milling logs to create a stable foundation, to putting all the elements together to build a safe and stable bridge for hikers.
“This is a completely new experience for the students,” said Sasha Godsil, field coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Conservancy. “They were all out of their comfort zone and for some it was really their first time in the mountains. Plus, there was no cell reception up there, no ‘screens,’ so they had to be by themselves and each other.”
Mike Corbin of the Poudre Wilderness Volunteers oversaw the Fish Creek bridge project and praised his young trail crew.
“Everyone followed directions and was always cooperative,” said Corbin. “I think everyone had fun and the bridge turned out great.”
To apply for the program, high school students need few prerequisites other than an interest in getting out into nature, which is what the conservation organization is planning.
Participants receive a complete uniform from hat to boots, $400 stipends upon completion, use of equipment, and the experience of backpacking and camping. By providing this equipment, the conservation organization removes a major financial barrier to being outdoors and developing a love and knowledge of nature.
The High School Leadership Corps is funded through donations and the sale of license plates from Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. and grants from the National Park Foundation and the WoodNext Foundation.
