I grew up in West Florida and spent a lot of time in the water. When I wasn’t in the water, I was camping or hiking. I also enjoy hunting and fishing. I spent six years in the Army as a system operator for automated field artillery systems, doing a lot of math and geometry. I chose the military...
My name is Gil Widener. I was born and raised in the rolling hills of East Tennessee in the hidden jewel of Knoxville! Both my parents were in the Air Force, my brother was in the Air Force, and I was a security forces member in the Air Force as well. I’m an ambivert who enjoys open dialogue yet...
Forest Stewardship Technician on the King Conservation District
Recreation Operations on Malheur National Forest
Biological Technician on Eagle Creek Fish Hatchery
My name is Levi Clyburn. I grew up in Brevard, North Carolina. The area is surrounded by Pisgah National Forest and Dupont State Forest. I spent quite a bit of my childhood outdoors! My favorite things to do in the forest and outdoors, in general, are hiking and photography. Swimming is also one...
My name is Jeremy Thatcher. I grew up in Los Angeles, California. Being a kid in Los Angeles, my parents would take me west to the beach, north to the mountains, and east to the deserts. With access to such diverse environments within such a short drive of my house, I developed a great...
Hello! My name is Jodie Robinson, recent college graduate and Air Force veteran. I’m originally from California, born and raised, where I spent a lot of my younger years on the road with my dad visiting many natural and historical places of interest in the western states. After enlisting in the...
My name is Joey Anderson. I am 32 years old and live in Chehalis, Washington, with my wife, daughter, and small dog Maggie. I was born in Fort Carson, Colorado, and have two brothers and a sister. I joined the Army Reserves when I was 17 and spent the next six years as a Corrections/Detention...
My name is Robert Ontiveros. I grew up in Southern California and moved to the PNW in 2016. When I moved here, I fell more in love with being in the outdoors. I enjoy going on hikes, finding hidden waterfalls, camping, and exploring the backroads of the forest. I served one full army reserve...
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...