This year has been more than I ever thought it could be and then some serving with the Mount Adams Institute and the Forest Service. Between all the hard work, amazing sights, and just as amazing people to work with, what more could a guy ask for? In the beginning, I wasn’t sure what to expect on...
Coming into the Mt Adams Institute Land Stewards Program after fulfilling a previous AmeriCorps Internship I was very excited to see where this position would take me. Not only would I be doing my mainstay of Forest Service work as a Wilderness Ranger, but I would also be learning and honing other...
The following three haiku are a reflection of my experience so far. They are meant to come one after another, with no more separation than the physical indentation that is between them. tossing and turning the storm wants to chat... maybe for an hour my head in my hands, I wept on this...
I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of different jobs in the Forest Service here at Cle Elum. The season began with a lot of trail work. I was also able to shadow the botany team and help them prevent beetle infestation. I worked with the heavy equipment operators, observing them use the...
What an incredible three months this has been for me, when I first started this program, I really didn’t know what to expect, was I going to love it or hate it? Are the other interns and forest service employees going to be good people? Can I handle living away from my parents? After three months...
My first summer on the west coast has been filled with adventures both professional and personal. I’ve explored Mt Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Gorge, as well as Portland, all the while really getting to know the Timberline lodge inside and out. My tours of the lodge were shaky at...
I am so excited to be serving an Americorps internship with the US Forest Service through the Mt. Adams Institute’s Public Lands Stewards program! I have been working as a wilderness ranger at Mt. Adams Ranger District for about 10 weeks now and already have been able to learn so much about...
The first week I was at my internship I went on a walk around the wetlands by myself with the goal of learning the names of 5 flowers and 3 insects. I had just downloaded the app Seek by recommendation from my boss. Seek is an app (that I also now recommend to everyone) that has you scan plants,...
I have been an avid outdoorsman my entire life. Hiking and exploring the bountiful forests of Washington State has been a favorite summer pastime for me, but it was never something that I thought I’d actually be paid to do. My AmeriCorps internship with the Entiat Ranger District has allowed me to...
This is my second Americorps position, and there are many reasons why I decided to serve another term after my first one. My position title is Wilderness Backcountry Ranger and I currently serve in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the Entiat Ranger District. My main responsibilities as a...
I grew up in the city of Billings, MT, where I first started exploring hiking and backpacking with my dad. We spent many summer weekends in the nearby Beartooth Mountains, enduring all kinds of weather while experiencing the powerful solitude of that rugged...
What sandy trails and drain dips taught me about life. As my crew walked along the trail, our sights set on a big project about a mile ahead, I noticed a large sandy section through a low point in the trail. As we passed by it, I addressed my confusion regarding...
A haiku about my site Green canopy spreads Umatilla's tranquil grace Nature's grace thrives Michael anzivino
Though intimidating at first, this field season has started off wonderfully. With this position (Biotech at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge) being my first-ever field job, I knew I had much to learn. And that I have. The focus of Conboy Lake’s conservational...
My time working on the Entiat trail crew so far has been some of the most rewarding work I have ever done. Every day, I’m awed at the fact that I’m lucky enough to do work that I love in such beautiful places that many people may never get to see. I have learned so...
The Chelan Ranger District is such a unique place to work. Chelan itself is hot and dry with rolling hills typical of Eastern/central Washington, yet when you get on the boat and take a ride uplake into the wilderness; the landscape takes a dramatic change. The...
Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge features a unique collection of flora and fauna set in a beautiful valley southeast of Mt. Adams. Most notably, the refuge is home to the endangered Oregon Spotted Frog (OSF), Sandhill Cranes, and Mardon Skipper Butterflies. While...
Everyone seems to want to know what a typical day in the life of an interpretative ranger on the Mt. Hood National Forest might entail; it is my intense pleasure to tell them I do not ever have a typical day. The flexibility and creativity of my position allows me to...
After a few months of routine, I wake up minutes before my first alarm goes off. Rolling out of bed before seven has been tough to adjust to, but that was never my strong suit. Most of my gear was packed the night before, but I put the finishing touches in a hurry:...
My name is Alex Apelis. I was born in New York, New York, and spent most of my life living on the East Coast. I grew up playing ice hockey and attending summer camps in the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. I came from one of the world’s busiest cities and saw...