3 Easy Steps to Prep for WTA's Backcountry Trip Registration

A crew on the Loowit Trail takes a farewell photo in camp after a week of great work at St. Helens. Photo by Anna Roth.

WTA's backcountry work parties open for registration this Saturday, Feb. 20 at 10:00 a.m.!

Explore the exciting possibilities: 3-8 days of backcountry volunteer fun

Never joined us for a multi-day volunteer trip? WTA's volunteer vacations and Backcountry Response Teams (BCRTs) are a great way to give back to the trails that take you into the heart of Washington’s gorgeous wilderness. When you join one, you’ll be part of a multi-day adventure with fun and friendly people, repairing trails and enjoying Washington’s natural beauty.

There are trails all over Washington that need your help. Use the tips below to get ready for the big day, and search the season’s most exciting trips for your perfect adventure, whether you’re looking for an easy ramble to base camp or breathtaking views.

1. Create a My Backpack account

My Backpack is your basecamp on wta.org. You can file trip reports, save hikes, and register for work parties here. If you don't already have one, you'll need to create an account. For more info about My Backpack, check out these FAQs.

2. Complete your documents

For the safety of you and other volunteers, WTA needs to know a bit about your physical health and any special considerations you may have. You'll need to complete your Backcountry and Medical forms before registering for a work party. By filling out your forms ahead of time, you will save yourself a step when it's time to register.

These forms can be found within the trail work page of your My Backpack dashboard, or on the Documents tab of a volunteer vacation or Backcountry Response Team trip.

3. Check out the new signup process

This year, our signup process got an update, complete with new ways to filter your work parties, and different ways to see where and when they're happening.

Always wanted to visit the Olympic Peninsula? You can find all work parties on the Peninsula using our new map feature. If you're just interested in seeing the 3-8 day backcountry trips happening in the Olympics, filter by Backcountry Response Team and Volunteer Vacation types.

Backcountry bonus: earn your Northwest Forest or Discover passes

You can also earn Northwest Forest and Discover passes by volunteering with us!

You can earn either in one backcountry trip and you can sort to find out which work parties get you these passes. Just hit 'Advanced Options' and select the box that corresponds to the pass you'd like to earn.

You can even get to know the area you'll be working in by checking out our Hiking Guide and Trip Reports. At the bottom of the info page, just click through to get familiar with where you'll be working.