Tough Times for the USFS

This story is cause for concern: https://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/us-forest-service-job-eliminations-trail-workers/

Our trails are getting more use than ever, and maintenance is always an issue. But that's about to become even more of a problem.

But it's not completely unexpected. I hear from the rangers that I work with that they can't even fill the positions they have. When I was young I would have LOVED to get paid to work in the mountains, and everyone was making minimum wage. These days, young people seems to prefer to work indoors...and may even want to be paid a living wage.

I can't explain the former, but I can certainly understand the latter.

Meanwhile, all of this is the perfect reason for you to get in touch with your local protected lands and ask how you can help. Volunteer to work on a trail near you, or work on a trail this vacation instead of just hiking it. You will learn, and you will love it!