In late September, an Environmental Projects crew went on a spike at Butano State Park for a total of eight days. For those who are unaware, a "spike" refers to when a crew camps near a project site where a daily commute is not possible, typically lasting seven to ten days.
"Spikes are fun. Spikes are hard. But they're worth the memories," says corpsmember José. “These three spikes have been life changing for me,” adds corpsmember Raymond.
The Projects crew worked to restore trails and rehabilitate the burn area in the Santa Cruz mountains due to the CZU Complex Fire in 2020. “Dealing with the damage that the wildfire caused…it’s challenging work, and it’s dirty work,” Raymond states.
Corpsmembers shared their experience, detailing the tools used and the skills earned, as well as the fun times that allowed the team to bond. “I think it’s a nice project,” says corpsmember Richard. “Seeing the forest as you’re hiking through, and seeing the progress you’re making as you’re going through each and every day.”
For many of the corpsmembers, the skills gained from this experience can lead to a wealth of job opportunities. Jose states that he “definitely [does] feel that [he has] opened some different doors to different job opportunities,” and that “the jobs are endless.”
Corpsmember Raymond recommends the Corps highly after going on three spikes, stating that “the work that we do is challenging but it builds character.”
Learn about what a spike is and hear firsthand about the corpsmembers' hard-earned completion of this trail restoration project by watching the video above.
Shoutout to all of the corpsmembers who helped out with this massive project!