Tent Pad Construction: Mid-Atlantic Crew (Session 5)

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The Mid-Atlantic Crew basecamp is located near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Crew works on large-scale projects along the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) during the fall of each year. Projects take place anywhere from Rockfish Gap in Virginia to the New York-Connecticut border. Join the crew and help to transform the Trail while working alongside a welcoming team of fellow volunteers and professional trail staff.

Read a complete volunteer position description for Mid-Atlantic Crew Members: https://appalachiantrail.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2022-MidACrew-Vol-PD-.pdf.

More detailed information will be provided during the application process. You can also CLICK HERE to learn more about Mid-Atlantic Trail Crew.

This crew session will begin on Wednesday, October 12 (starting at 5 p.m.) and finish on Monday, October 17 (ending around 6 p.m.).

The Crew work on the constructing of a tent site near a shelter in Boiling Springs, PA. Shelters and campsites are regularly placed along the Trail, in order to allow long-distance hikers a place to stop over for the night without disturbing the environment by setting up a campsite, and to allow for making new friends with fellow hikers. These cut and fill tent pads will provide tent sites with a more level surface and limit site sprawl and vegetative trampling around the shelter. Each day the Crew will be camping and commuting from the crew basecamp in Gardners, PA to the worksite and then hiking three-quarters of a mile to the project with an approximately 50-foot elevation gain.

The following resources will be provided to volunteers:

• Shuttles to and from the nearest airports/bus stations, provided upon request.
• Transportation from basecamp to primitive, backcountry tent camping near the project work site.
• Room and board.
• Three meals a day (with lots of snacks!), including a large welcome and thank you dinners.
• All cooking/kitchen equipment for the backcountry.
• Loaner camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack, daypack, water bottles, etc.).
• All trail work tools, gear, and PPE (gloves, glasses, hardhat).
• Training and leadership guidance throughout the week.

Volunteers are expected to provide the following:

• Appropriate work clothes (long pants, clothes you don’t mind getting dirty).
• Personal camping equipment if desired.
• A willingness to work hard within personal capabilities.
• An ability to follow crew staff instruction and example.
• A great attitude and being open to meeting new trail crew friends!

Volunteers are expected to arrive at basecamp on the start date between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. for crew introductions and orientation. Dinner will be provided at 6 p.m., and afterwards, the crew packs group gear and has a safety talk before wrapping up for the evening.

Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older to participate in the Mid-Atlantic Crew. Volunteer who are 16 years old, must have a parent/guardian accompany the volunteer during the crew week. Volunteers who are 17 years old need a parent/guardian to sign a release form prior to the work week (the parent/guardian does not need to accompany the volunteer).

Volunteers participating in ATC-administer Trail Crews, such as the Mid-Atlantic Trail Crew, are expected to be fully vaccinated. During the registration process, applicants must submit their vaccination record as part of their application packet.