Berkshire Staff 2010




Here we are, assembled, signed on, and ready to rock the trails of Connecticut and Massachusetts. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present AMC's Berkshire Trails Staff 2010. Again, we are lucky and blessed to have a talented squad ready to patrol and work on the trails this year. The Ridgerunners will be out on the Appalachian Trail in CT and a bit of MA, mitigating the impacts of high use through outreach and education, living on the trail and keeping it in good shape. The Berkshire Teen Trail Crew Leaders will be leading teens, 15-19, on one to three week backcountry trail crews throughout the region, rolling rocks, building staircases and drainages, and having a blast. "Leave No Tracey" Slaughter and "Johnny G the Milkman" Goepel are the program veterans stepping into leadership roles this season. We've got another ambitious summer planned, with the goal of leaving these trails better than we found them, making friends and memories in the process. Let's do this.

Regional Trails Coordinator

Matt Moore

It's my third Summer in this full time role, and having come from a long line of seasonal dream jobs including Ridgerunning, Caretaking, and Trail Crew Leading in gorgeous locales in Vermont, New Hampshire, The Berkshires, and Yosemite National Park, I've got to say this is the dream job to rule them all. It's been superlatively fulfilling to work with all the talented and energized staff that have come through the program, especially those who have come back for multiple seasons and who have helped take this program to new heights. Perhaps above all, rolling rocks with, cooking burrito feasts with, and high fiving the 100+ teenagers that over the last two years have given 5,000 volunteer hours to the AT and other trails, setting countless rock steps and building dozens of bomber drainages, has been satisfying and inspiring work that I am proud of and motivates me to continue to give all I can to this program and its staff. In my spare time, I like constructing long-winded adjective-laden sentences and procuring an unwieldy collection of records which I share with a handful of folks on my community radio show. I'm looking forward to another great year!


Field Coordinator

Tracey Slaughter

Well, how do? My name is Tracey and I come from the Old Line state. I am happily returning for a second season with the AMC in the Berkshires, stepping into the role of Field Coordinator after a season as Teen Trail Crew Leader.
I ’ve had a year-long intermission between these gigs and plenty in-between to keep me hopping. Last year instead of working on the Appalachian Trail, I spent six months hiking it. With all of that time to think and reflect I couldn’t avoid the nudge to go back to school, even if it means sitting at a desk again. I plan to study Environmental Public Health in the fall.
When not tromping through the woods, I’m liable to stomp to the tune of banjos and washboards, cruise blissfully around on my jalopy of a tag-sale 10-speed, and get carried away by the words of a good book. Close to my heart are scuffed wooden floors, old time music, and tales of mountain living. I am looking forward to spending more time in these beautiful Berkshire hills, working with the Trail Crew, and giving back to the Trail and community.



Ridgerunner Field Coordinator

Johnny Goepel

This will be my third season working with the AMC's ridgerunner program. I've had incredible experiences ridgerunning for the past two summers and am stoked to come back this year and take it to another level! Born and raised in Maryland, I'm finishing up my senior year studying Geosciences at Frostburg University, nestled in the Allegheny highlands. I enjoy anything dealing with the outdoors, playing music, and zymurgy. I hope to see you all out on the trails this summer for another great season in the woods!

Trail Crew Leader

Celia Demers

I’m a native of western mass and I am extremely excited to be finally hitting the trails in my home state. My love for the outdoors began as a child taking long walks with my grandfather in the forest picking wild mushrooms. My adventurous spirit grew as I got older and I headed out west. This is where I began my love for trail work and conservation, in 2005 working with the Western Colorado Conservation Corps. I have also worked with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) leading high school trail crews in California, New Hampshire, and Georgia. When I’m not on the trail I spend my time knitting, running, and when the weather is right, I can be found with my fly rod in hand. This will be my first time working with the AMC and I couldn’t be happier to be part of the Berkshire team. Get ready all you “Rockers” out there, time to get our grunt on and move some rocks!



Ridgerunner

Jeffrey Woodin

Hey everyone, I’m Jeffrey. After thru-hiking the A.T. in 2004, and working as a backcountry caretaker for the AMC in the Whites in 2007, I’m excited to be back on the trail this season as a ridgerunner in the Berkshires. I can honestly say that I found working for the AMC previously to be my most meaningful and enjoyable employment to date. The opportunity to work a full season in the beautiful outdoors in a capacity to work towards its conservation is too good to be true.
As a ridgerunner I’m looking forward to connecting with hikers from all different walks of life, having interesting conversations, and just sharing the experience of time well spent in a tranquil and uplifting setting.



 Trail Crew Leader

Michael Leavitt

Hey! I grew up in Northwest Connecticut but I just finished my junior year at Keene State College in New Hampshire. I am majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Biology. I love hiking, camping and being outdoors! Last summer I spent some time volunteering in Acadia National Park in Maine doing trail work. I had a lot of fun and can’t wait to spend this summer out in the woods!






Ridgerunner


Daniel Griffith


Hi, I'm Dan. I'm psyched to be a Ridgerunner this summer!

I’m a Bio nerd, and if you ever catch me not botanizing,

or talking someone’s ear off about botanizing, then you might find me hiking, doing trail work, Nordic skiing, playing soccer, traveling, or eating. Botanists have all the anthers!
Anyways, I love lightweight backpacking and making my own gear, although I don’t always use the gear I make. I’ve made countless denatured alcohol stoves, for example. I really think this summer of Ridgerunning will be a unique opportunity to refine these skills because you have time between shifts to learn from your experience. I especially look forward to working with a team of other experienced hikers who might teach me a trick or two!
Life is always better when a tent is your home. See you on the trail.


Trail Crew Leader

Rachel Goff

Hey guys! My name is Rachel and I’m studying English and environmental education at Colby College in Maine. I’m counting down the days until I’m done with finals and can begin my first summer working with the AMC in the Berkshires! I look forward to learning about ridgerunning, doing some trail work, and spending as much time as possible outside. Likes: hiking, Motown music, creative writing, and Ultimate Frisbee. Dislikes: mushrooms. See you this summer!






Ridgerunner


Caleb Jackson

Hi everybody. This will be my first year with the AMC but just another awesome experience hiking the trail. I am really looking forward to a summer outdoors drawing flora and fauna, reading, and interacting with other hiking enthusiasts. My longest experience on the trail to date is a six week journey on and around the AT in Virginia but I have been hiking, camping and meandering on foot since before I could talk. The Ridge runner position is basically my dream job. So now I've got a new pair of boots and I am ready to puts some miles on em. See you all out there!



Ridgerunner

Luke Neumann

Hey All-

My name is Luke, as I write this I’m procrastinating working on calculus, in the process of wrapping up my second year here at the University of Vermont, in beautiful Burlington. I study Economics (boring) and political science, but mostly spend my time trying to get out and about. I’m wicked excited to spend my summer walking the AT in the Berkshires, especially since I normally spend my summers sitting in the front of a cramped ambulance, driving around the bumpy roads of Boston. My interests include hiking (obviously), biking, canoe/ kayaking, reading, Ridge-Running (new addition),and politics. As far as hiking goes, I love to go light, eat large amounts of pepperoni, and take absurdly long breaks in beautiful places. I plan to tackle some really important life questions on the trail this summer, such as whether it’s really worth it to carry honey, as heavy as it is, (probably) or whether or not it’s worth buying jerky with the puny amount you get per package (probably not), and what the perfect GORP is made of(at least 10 different goodies). In all seriousness, though, I’m looking forward to a successful summer, meeting hikers from all walks of life and sharing a couple, if not a lot, of laughs. Happy Trails.


On the Help Out

This year we have more crews than ever, and so we needed more staff than ever. Several members of the AMC Berkshire Trails family stepped forward to help out.

Crew Leader

Brian Schmitt

Brian was a crew leader back in '08, and in the years since has spent most of his time in Honduras teaching health to local school children. He couldn't make it back for the full season this year, but he came in the clutch to lead four consecutive weeks of crew in July and August. We are grateful to have his patience, work ethic, and commitment to our youth participants back in the program.






Crew Leader

Stephen Barnard

One of our best participants from the past two years, Stephen joins us this year as a leader for two weeks. Hailing from the great New York City, where you may find him longboarding or cruising on his fixed-gear bike on his days off before he departs for the University of Michigan in the fall to study engineering.









Crew Leader

Olivia Neville

Olivia comes to us most recently from Utah, where she spent the winter season skiing and working around Park City. She's backpacked extensively in the Northwest, where she went to college, the desert Southwest, and other glorious mountain locals throughout the country. She is a close friend of Katherine, '09 Crew Leader, and her upbeat attitude and outdoor leadership skills have been invaluable on the three weeks of crew she is leading with us this year.






Leave No Trace Trainer

Connor Young!


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