{"id":45197,"date":"2021-07-15T12:18:54","date_gmt":"2021-07-15T16:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/?page_id=45197"},"modified":"2026-05-15T13:27:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T17:27:00","slug":"host-information","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/volunteer-vacations\/alternative-break\/host-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Alternative Break Host Information"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>\n\t\t\tAlternative Break Host Information\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>Alternative Breaks are week-long trail building\/maintaining projects organized by American Hiking Society &amp; hosted by BLM, NPS, USDA-FS, USFWS, state parks, trail organizations and other nonprofit partner groups across the country.\u00a0 Most projects are one-week or shorter in length, consist of 8-14 crew members, and involve trail maintenance and building tasks on hiking trails on public lands.<\/p>\n<p>Alternative Breaks are volunteer trail stewardship projects designed specifically for college student groups and young professionals. We have many colleges and universities interested in Alternative Breaks, so we encourage you to consider hosting an Alternative Break crew, especially if you have worked with AHS in the past and can provide indoor accommodations such as cabins or a bunkhouse (which is usually preferred by these groups). Alternative Break projects primarily take place from late February-early April, but they can happen year round during students&#8217; spring, summer and fall breaks.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-Alternative-Break-Host-Guide.pdf\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlternative Break Host Guide\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/volunteer-vacations\/\"  target=\"_self\" itemprop=\"url\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/P1110770_edit2-550x275-panorama-1264580207c5aa88c50a3bdf187e71cf-.jpg\" alt=\"Get invloved - Man swings pick mattock while maintaing a trail\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"275\" width=\"550\" title=\"P1110770_edit2\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/volunteer-vacations\/\" target=\"_self\">American Hiking provides:<\/a><\/h4><ul>\n<li>Communication and selection of a crew from a pool of interested colleges and universities<\/li>\n<li>Logistical support and communication throughout the planning and trip process<\/li>\n<li>Partnership with group leader to support with menu planning, food shopping and lodging logistics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/alternative-break-host-guide-2023.pdf\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"  itemprop=\"url\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/WTrimble_190319_5623-1-550x284-panorama-f1d5ba5e26ab58b7c2e55bfcf6346a96-.jpg\" alt=\"WTrimble_190319_5623\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"284\" width=\"550\" title=\"WTrimble_190319_5623\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/alternative-break-host-guide-2023.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noopener\">Hosts provide:<\/a><\/h4><ul>\n<li>\n<ul>\n<li>Project plan and backup plan<\/li>\n<li>Technical expertise and supervision of the volunteers<\/li>\n<li>Lodging\/Accommodations for volunteers (cabin, lodge, house, or campsite. Please note indoor accommodations are often preferred)<\/li>\n<li>Tools &amp; safety equipment\/first-aid supplies<\/li>\n<li>Group cooking supplies including stove, pots, pans, utensils, and fuel (see <a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/ahs-volunteer-vacations-group-cooking-gear.pdf\">AHS Volunteer Vacations Group Cooking Gear<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/volunteer-vacations\/\"  target=\"_self\" itemprop=\"url\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/bb-plugin\/cache\/WTrimble_190321_5738-1-550x367-panorama-2cb4c1f2949b3e520befc92561f32ab8-.jpg\" alt=\"WTrimble_190321_5738\" itemprop=\"image\" height=\"367\" width=\"550\" title=\"WTrimble_190321_5738\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/volunteer-vacations\/\" target=\"_self\">Volunteers provide:<\/a><\/h4><ul>\n<li>Volunteer labor and eager attitudes!<\/li>\n<li>Limited hiking and camping gear (backpack, sleeping bag, tent, personal items) if indoor accommodations are not provided<\/li>\n<li>Travel to the project location<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tRequest a Trail Crew\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>Project requests are open. Please email eplace@americanhiking.org for questions about the application process.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSch4PluQ8_R7dnb7xGfv2h0rirZ6lbo4qsluVqVa1FNCiz_TQ\/viewform?usp=sf_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCrew Request\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n<h2>\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/AHS-Volunteer-Vacations-Host-Overview-1.pdf\" title=\"Host Overview\"  target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\tHost Overview\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>Spread the word about hosting an Alternative Break<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHost Guide\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t<h3><strong>Questions<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h5>If you are wondering what type of trail projects we typically select, please review <a href=\"https:\/\/americanhiking.org\/volunteer-vacations\/host-information\/request-a-crew\/\">these things to consider<\/a> before making your request.<\/h5>\n<h5>If you need further information about hosting an Alternative Break, please contact Ellie Place at EPlace@americahiking.org or call 301-565-6704 ext. 704.<\/h5>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alternative Break Host Information Alternative Breaks are week-long trail building\/maintaining projects organized by American Hiking Society &amp; hosted by BLM, NPS, USDA-FS, USFWS, state parks, trail organizations and other nonprofit&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":0,"parent":27926,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-45197","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - 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