Volunteer Trail Crew Leader

SUMMARY:

The Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance (VVMTA) is excited to offer a seasonal full-time Volunteer Trail Crew Leader position. The Volunteer Trail Crew Leader will focus on working closely with VVMTA’s Trail Stewardship Coordinator to support the efficient operation of the VVMTA’s Adopt A Trail program. The Volunteer Trail Crew Leader’s primary responsibilities will include scouting and identifying trail projects across Eagle County, strategizing and planning for the execution of these projects, and leading Adopt A Trail teams in the field to complete these projects. This position will require frequent work with volunteers, and will be required to convey the messages and value of the Adopt A Trail program to these volunteers while helping them grow their skills and motivate them to remain involved with the program.

 

ABOUT THE VVMTA:

The VVMTA’s mission is to connect our community to the outdoors through sustainable recreation. Our vision is a sustainable multi-use soft surface trail network connecting all communities in Eagle County to the outdoors. We envision a community of stewards striving to conserve our public lands through sustainable recreation opportunities. Through trail access and experiences, the community will improve its mental and physical health, quality of life, and economic vitality. We advocate for soft surface trails, manage trail stewardship programs, maintain and build trails, coordinate and train volunteers, educate outdoor recreational users, and create opportunities to access the outdoors. We provide our expertise, resources, and experience to support local land managers in various soft surface trail initiatives.

 

ABOUT THE ADOPT A TRAIL PROGRAM:

The VVMTA launched the Adopt A Trail (AAT) program in 2016 with 30 local volunteer teams adopting 30 trails to maintain. Since then, the program has grown to include 80 volunteer teams adopting over 70 trails across all land managers in Eagle County that are maintained by an army of local volunteer trail stewards. Annually, the program engages over 800 volunteers who provide over 3,000 hours of volunteer trail stewardship activities.

 

LOCATION:

● Eagle County, CO

 

DATES & TIME:

● May 1st – October 31st

● Primary schedule is Monday – Friday

● On average, 35 hours per week

● Will be required to work some evenings and weekends

 

POSITION DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

● Lead supervised trail work days with various volunteer teams to complete trail work projects

● Identify and inventory trail maintenance projects across trails located in Eagle County

● Keep an organized database of trail projects both completed and to be completed

● Strategize and plan for the future completion of trail projects

● Convey to teams and team members the importance of the Adopt A Trail program in accordance with the VVMTA’s goals and objectives

● Communicate closely with Trail Stewardship Coordinator to support scheduling of trail work days with Adopt A Trail teams

● Clean, maintain and inventory tools and other equipment

● Log all trail work days with Adopt A Trail logs

● Document trail work with detailed before and after photos

● Maintain organizational platform for all records and documents

● Communicate regularly throughout the season with USFS, other land managers, VVMTA staff, and all volunteers

● Help support rewards and recognition for volunteers, swag, incentives, AAT gear, etc.

 

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS:

● Required experience in trail maintenance and construction of sustainable soft surface trail, primarily for non-motorized use

● Required experience training and working with volunteers

● Required knowledge of standardized trail maintenance and construction practices, techniques, and methods

● Preferred experience working with land management agencies and other government entities

● Preferred experience with hand tools, power equipment, and heavy machinery directly related to trail maintenance and construction

● Strong communication skills, both written and verbal

● Personable and able to work within a customer service-based environment that involves routine interaction with the public

● Ability to work outdoors for long hours, performing manual labor in all types of conditions

● Competency to make judgment calls in the field around necessary trail improvements and diagnose problems

● Possess a strong attention to detail

● Ability to use web-based apps, software, and website to document work and record hours

● Preferred understanding of our local trails, spending significant time on them through various uses such as mountain biking, hiking, trail running, etc.

● Preferred experience with knowledge of desirable trail characteristics in our local trail system

● Positive attitude with versatility to adapt to a changing work environment

● U.S. Citizen with required forms of identification

● Must be 21 years of age or older with clean driving record

 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

● Frequently required to stand, sit, walk, crouch, climb and squat

● Frequently required to walk on uneven or unstable surfaces

● Frequently required to hike or bike 1-4 miles a day

● Frequently required to travel throughout the Vail Valley

● Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity

● Frequently required to climb, balance, bend, stoop, kneel or crawl

● Frequent exposure to heat and cold

● Frequently required to lift and carry up to 25lbs

● Occasionally required to hike or bike upwards of 5-10 miles a day

● Occasionally required to upwards of 50lbs

● Occasionally required to be exposed to wet and/ or humid conditions

● Occasionally work near moving mechanical parts

● Occasionally work in high, precarious places

● Occasionally work around fumes, airborne particles, or toxic chemicals

● Continually exposed to outside weather conditions

● Willingness to travel (within Eagle County) during work week

 

BENEFITS:

● Access to outdoor industry pro deals

● Housing stipend available ($250 per month based on hours worked)

● Paid time off for holiday, vacation, and sick

● Team events

● Staff apparel (t-shirts, sun shirt, hats, sweatshirt, pants, socks, footwear stipend)

● Gas/fuel stipend

● Cell phone stipend

● Employee Assistance Program through Vail Health’s Mountain Strong program

 

COMPENSATION:

● $18.00/hr – $25.00/hr – commensurate with experience