r/ConservationCorps • u/Key_Respond_7685 • Sep 10 '26
Discussion Have a buttload of questions...
Corps Name: N/A
Hi! I havent committed to any programs yet. I'll only be able to join a job in August, are there any crews that start then? When should I apply?
I'm also looking for trail crew positions that keep you with the same people...is that possible?? (Any manual labor really, like learning how to use chain saws and going into the backcountry)
I also need housing and a program that does not require a car.
How would they feel if I have epilepsy but am medicated and have been seizure free for a long period?
I'm blanking right now but will probably be back with more questions! Thanks guys!
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u/Key_Respond_7685 Sep 10 '26
Thank you soo much. I'm curious about the different term options. My school is wack and ends around August, I'm wondering if theres anything for fall/winter/ spring. I dont want to wait a year before the next summer, but guess I will if thats the only way.
I appreciate the insight about saws and the physicality of the job! For epilepsy, I have small seizures so I wont need the hospital (havent so far) its more of just wondering if they will hire me. If anyone has experienced with this please let me know!!
How long was your term? Any things you wish you knew before going in? How was your time?
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u/Natural-Oil9149 Sep 10 '26
Check out ACE Mountain West! They provide housing and send you on some gnarly backcountry projects.
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u/previousinnovation Sep 11 '26
Arizona CC and New Mexico CC both do winter seasons that start in September and run through either December or March, depending on how much money they can get from Americorps.
I applied in May for a job with NMCC.
Keeping crews together for the duration of the season is pretty standard.
Not sure about housing. It wasn't available when I was there, but that was a while ago. Some of my crew members didn't have cars, so they got rides from the rest of us or used ubers to get to their rentals. We were a camping crew, so we were out camping for 9 or 10 days at a time, and then would be in town for 4 or 5 days off. Most of us continued camping out on BLM land during our off time, which is free, but you'd need a car for that.
Not sure about the medical issue. You should call and ask.
There are a few other conservation corps that operate in the Southwest, like ACE (American Conservation Experience) Southwest CC. They probably do winter seasons, too, so be sure to check around. Here's a bunch of options: https://corpsnetwork.org/find-a-corps/
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u/Mobile-Sweet-4941 Rocky Mountain Youth Corps (CO) Sep 11 '26
Give Rocky Mountain Youth Corps out of Colorado a look. They have both saw and trail crews. Applications open in December and the summer term starts around late May or early June and ends mid August. You will not need a car at all for the summer season, as it is a full 24/7 program.
For saw you are trained and certified on both bucking and felling. As another poster said, you are not guaranteed to get certified, but they do try their best to get everyone certified and everyone will have the opportunity to run saws during training. Project work consists of basically anything you can think of that needs a chainsaw, it could be fuels reduction, disease mitigation, brushing, etc. The quality of the projects you get all depend on what work is available. You could be stuck cutting sage brush for multiple weeks or you could be dropping trees in the woods for multiple weeks. You will likely not be stuck on the same project for more than 2-3 weeks, in fact most projects only last a week, though there are exceptions. When you are not running saws you will be swamping, which is basically throwing the stuff being cut into piles or dispersing of it according to what the project partner wants.
I was on a saw crew when I worked at RMYC so I can't tell you much about trails but I will say the trail crews at RMYC can be very backcountry heavy. Unlike saw, most trail crews will be doing 8 days of work with 6 days off (saw is 4 on, 3 off).
I can't speak on anything medical related but your crew leads will have proper wilderness first aid training and there are multiple med forms that you need to fill out before the season and are reviewed again at the beginning of the season.
In terms of crew life, as stated before RMYC follows a 24/7 model in the summer, meaning you will be with the same people (usually 8-10) the entire season. People do get sick of each other, people will quit, but everyone on my crew got along pretty well (besides a select few people, but they ended up quitting lol) overall I found it to be a good time and made many memories.
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u/liketheaxe Sep 14 '26
Because no one has addressed your epilepsy yet - generally speaking, this should not be an obstacle for you, as long as you are managing the condition and are able to continue managing during the program. If you are offered a position, you should be asked to fill out a medical form, and someone from the program may contact you to ask some follow-up questions.
Most corps programs will keep you with the same crew of folks throughout your season, and others here have provided you good suggestions for corps to look into or places to start. Just to tack onto that, I worked in the corps space for a long time, and made a website all about what it's like to serve in a conservation corps, everything from food to what to bring to what the work is like and how to apply: corpslife.wordpress.com
Good luck!
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u/Key_Respond_7685 18d ago
Sorry this is such a late response but you dont know how happy this info makes me. Thank you so much!
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u/pins-chick Sep 10 '26
My term began at the beginning of June and I applied in March and was confirmed by April.
I was on a trail crew and stayed with the same people the whole summer. It is possible! I was with Idaho Conservation Corps / Northwest Youth Corps. Although be advised, you don't get to choose who you're with and I was sick of everyone by the end of the summer. It's really weird because you bond and have inside jokes and share incredible experiences, but you're also tired and dirty most of the time and tempers flare. We had a crew truck and I did not need a car the entire time. I was also on a camping crew, so housing was provided in terms of a tent.
I did the Conservation Corps specifically to get a saw certification, but I didn't pass the exam and was not allowed to use saws for the rest of the summer. Be advised that getting to use saws is not a guarantee on a saw crew.
As for medical things, it's probably a case-by-case basis. We were at most 2 hours from town for many of our projects, although there was one that was about 6 hours (extremely rough road, almost rolled the truck at one point).
Edit to say that if you're considering doing this, start training now. My term was really hard for me, but it would have been easier if I had been physically prepared. Practice incline hiking, walk multiple miles at a time, start strengthening your back/arms/legs now. Best of luck!