Prepare for WTA's Backcountry Trip Registration

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 repair trails and enjoy Washington's natural beauty with a team of fun, friendly people.

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.

There are trails all over Washington that need your help. Use the tips below to get ready for the big day, and, starting February 3, search the season’s most exciting trips for your perfect adventure, Whether you’re looking for an easy ramble to camp or breathtaking views.

Signups open February 11 at 10:00 a.m. for WTA's summer backcountry trips. Get to know the new process and be sure fill out your forms.

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. Starting in 2017, each trip participant will need to have their own MyBackpack account; if you intend to bring a plus one, make sure they have their own account created before registering.

• Create your MyBackpack account.
• Already have it but forgot your password? Reset it here.
• 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. These forms are in your My Backpack dashboard, or in the Documents tab of a Volunteer Vacation or Backcountry Response Team trip.

By filling out your forms ahead of time, you will save yourself a step when it's time to register.

3. Check out the preview

You'll be able to see where WTA's backcountry trips are heading starting on February 3. Peruse our list using our sortable search. If you've always wanted to visit the Olympic Peninsula, joining a backcountry trip in that area will help you get there!

You can find all work parties in a specific area, or if you're just interested in seeing the 3-8 day backcountry trips, 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 these over several single day work parties, or over the course of one backcountry trip!

To find which trips earn a pass, sort our search. Just hit 'Advanced Options' and select the box that corresponds to the pass you'd like to earn.

You can also 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.

WTA's backcountry trips are a fantastic way to engage with our community of volunteers, help protect our public lands, and meet new people. So join us this summer!