I’m sure that over the course of this exciting season, you, the loyal blog reader, have been continuously wowed and impressed by the rugged and sexy stories of trail crew! You’ve probably been questioning yourself for months. “Who are these magical humans building massive staircases in the alpine?” “How do I quit my high paying office job, follow the call of the wild, and join a trail crew?” and “Why can’t I grow a beard like that?” If this sounds like you, then you are in the right place. Before you make the plunge and trade that soft city lifestyle for the freedom of the hills, you need to ask yourself, “do I really have what it takes?” Lucky for you, today I am here to help you find out if you have the right stuff to survive trail crew life! This test should help let you know if you should throw caution to the winds or stay soft.
How do you tell if you are trail crew material?
If you are a dirt bag, large rock or log, you are definitely trail crew material. If you are a person continue with the test below. You’re gonna want to record your answers!
1. When you finally shower, the water going down the drain looks:
- a) drinkable
- b) slightly discolored
- c) like a milkshake with gravel in it
2. How often do you change your shirt?
- a) once a day
- b) every other day
- c) once a day change into the shirt you were wearing yesterday
3. Climbing a 14,000-ft mountain before sunrise is:
- a) a once in a long while adventure
- b) a weekend activity
- c) daily commute
4. How many rock bars can you carry?
- a) What’s a rock bar?
- b) 1
- c) 2
5. Cheese is:
- a) overrated
- b) a tasty treat
- c) sharp cheddar
6. How many times can you happily eat chili mac in a week?
- a) never
- b) 1
- c) as many times as it takes
7. A good time to start hiking down the mountain because of weather is:
- a) just before the rain starts
- b) just before the hail starts
- c) just before hypothermia sets in
8. Are you comfortable pooping in a bucket?
- a) only if its a big bucket
- b) only if no one is watching
- c) only if you can make eye contact with a marmot during the deed
9. What about in a plastic wag bag in the alpine?
- a) You poop in a bag?
- b) only if someone else carries it out
- c) up to 30 mph winds and light hail
10. You found the perfect rock for a step but its to big to move, what do you do?
- a) find a new job
- b) find a smaller rock
- c) move it anyway
If you completed the test give yourself one point for every C answer, zero points for every B, and negative one point for every A answer. If you have a positive score then you are probably trail crew material! If you have a negative number maybe you shouldn’t quit your day job just yet. If you have more then 10 points you cheated…
No matter your score if you are still interested in getting “the trail crew experience” maybe the best way to see if you really have what it takes is to come volunteer with us and see what’s it’s really all about! See you out on the trail.
