[Fedor]

I hope this is okay to post in this forum. If it should be in Stewardship I apologize. I'd like to volunteer for my first WTA work party on the Greenwater Trail this Thursday. I've browsed through their site and noticed that a sturdy pair of boots are required and I don't have any hiking boots at the moment. I use a pair of Merrell Chameleons and the only boots I have are steel-toed work boots that I definitely couldn't hike in. Would my Merrells suffice? I'm also wondering what a work party usually entails. Approximately how much hiking would be involved? There's no way we all hike the 14.5 miles of the Greenwater Trail is there? I'm a bit out of shape and I know that I can handle the work like digging, sawing, moving rocks, ect. I just don't know how much hiking I can do right now. Thanks..

[jenjen]

Others more knowledgeable than me will chime in... The work parties I've been on hiked maybe 3 miles in. You do need sturdy shoes - grub hoes, pulaskis, and rock bars can do a number on your toes if you mis-aim. The steel toes honestly would not be a bad idea - depending on which tool you grab. Work parties are fun. There's a whole lot of rock moving, digging, and chopping away at stuff. But there's people to talk with and joke with - which always makes the time go faster - and it's instant gratification work, which I think is awesome. You can stand up, stretch, look back, and *know* you did something constructive. Plus, they feed you candies and cookies - you gotta love that. As far as the hiking itself goes, everybody is carrying tools with them, and that slows the pace down. Also, the work parties I've been on had groups working on different parts of the trail - one group would be right at the beginning of the trail and working their way in, another group would be 3 miles in working their way out.

[Fedor]

Thanks a lot jenjen. I think I might just hold off until next week and see if I can dig a pair of boots out of my storage unit. I've been unemployed for months now and since no one wants to hire me I've recently started doing volunteer work and I'm loving it. Thanks jenjen..

[GeoTom]

You could hike in with the better hiking shoes while carrying the steel toed ones, then change into them as you start working with the tools. It is more weight to carry of course, but it might be better in the long run.

[Quark]

Actually you can certainly just work in light summer hiking boots. If you show up in tennis shoes, you'll end up just lopping all day, so you do want to wear boots. No volunteer organization expects anyone to own or wear steel toed boots to work. If they're too light, you just won't be handed a double-bit axe is all. But there's plenty of other work. Hurling mud with a shovel, hand-sawing, grubbing....the amount of fun you have is directly related to the pounds of mud you hurl. I've worked with WTA for over 10 years, and usually just wear my light boots unless I'm logging out a trail (haven't done much in the last year, but am signed up for next weekend, the follwoing and a week of cross-cutting in the Pasaytens in July).

[Malachai Constant]

You do not really need hiking boots a n old pair of work boots will do fine. If you are really cheap check goodwill. Pseudo hiking stores like Joes used have them as do some shoe stores, Doc Martins work fine but are pricey. Steel toes are a big plus and modern light weight boots will not stand up to a pulanski. They have lots of breaks and are usually fun people no pressure.

[Fedor]

Thanks a lot everybody.

[DrakeBrimstone]

Adding to the list of the kinds of work you may do, sometimes you get to build a bridge I've helped build two, one last year along the Huckleberry Creek Trail (Mt. Rainier) and one this year on Mt. St. Helens. I've never not had fun on a WTA work party. Definitely take good work boots with you though. Good solid hiking boots are a good idea as frequently you will work as you move along the trail. A couple miles in is as far as you are likely to get on a single day trip though it could be more, always check the description they will generally tell you about how far from the TH you will be working. 14+ miles is not going to be done in a single day, thats more like what you could expect on a backcountry response team. (Which I hope to get on next year as a vacation )

[RickZman]

I've worked several day trips and one week long trip. Everything that the others have said is true (about the fun, etc.). Boots are important like the hard hat, gloves and the long sleeve shirt. The WTA is a great group of people to volunteer for. Rick

[treeswarper]

Something I've discovered. Calks are good to wear for logging out roads or trails. The spikes grab into the chunks and I can more easily roll them off the road or trail using leg muscle. My feet have an excellent grip this way. The spikes are wearing down faster though. I've never worn steel toes..oops my winter boots happen to have them. I pulaskied my foot once, but it didn't go through the boots. It was right when I was thinking what a dull pulaski it was. Good thing. Just be aware where your feet are. Put brightly colored duct tape on them if you need to.