[wheezer]

Saw this on Portland Hikers website:

[HunterConservationist]

[Snowbrushy]

[Bowregard]

I know this is an old thread but I just ran across it and remembered a good friend of mine who went to work in the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). This was in the early 1980s and my understanding was it was a National Park Service Program loosely modeled after the CCC. I remember he worked out of Newhalem, Moran State Park, and few locations in Oregon as well. They provided lodging, meals, training, and wages and worked on various park projects that involved felling trees, clearing brush, building rough structures, etc. He really enjoyed it because he gained skills and experience for job applications and access to a lot of regional areas he otherwise might never have seen. He moved around to a lot of different areas and spent 2-3 years in the program and I believe it was year-round. I searched and found what looks like a scaled down version of the same program here: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/youthprograms/ycc.htm It looks like it is just a summer program for 15-18 year old's now (he was about 19-23 when in the program). The strong job market for younger folks (and demographic trends) would probably not make it a very attractive right now but it is too bad that program (or something like it) was not maintained over the years. High school graduates don't all fit well in the college, trades, or military options available to them and there are some who want to take time off before taking the next step. It that seems like it might be a good fit. Not trying to turn this into a political discussion but does anybody know if there are any programs like this still in existence?

[Carbonj]

There is the WCC program in this state, 18 to 25 year olds that get paid minimum wage with a scholarship award. Its part of AmericaCorps. They work thru the Dept of Ecology.Good program. I worked NPS trailcrew for years and the WCC crews were great group of kids. The YCC is younger and not as motivated. The NPS would pay certain amount for these crews, WCC was a good deal , YCC meh.

[Bowregard]

Hmmm... That sounds more like the program my buddy was in. I will check it out. At this point I am just curious but I remember how positive he was about the program and it stuck in my mind.

[Dick B]

I spent my first of 2 summers that I worked on the USFS Quilcene District, lodged in the old CCC camp on Penny Ck just outside of town. Does anyone have any information as what projects this camp worked on? Pictures, camp layout etc. When I was in residence there in '54 there were 2 buildings still standing. One was the cook house and mess hall. Across the road was a bunk house. It had a day room with a ping pong table, and individual rooms. I'm sure a rest room and showers also. Actually it was a pretty good layout. The 2nd summer we bunked in a refurbished horse barn west of town. Kitchen and eating downstairs and open sleeping quarters upstairs in the original hay loft. Curious if that old barn/bunkhouse is still there. I was thru Quil several years back and the original ranger station was still there and looked like it had been converted into a residence.

[NicoleH]

I live there [img:mg4ph]IMG_20220904_183106215.jpg ⏱️[❌] =