Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness for a week of conservation, recreation, and exploration in the Spring Mountains. 

Alternative Summer Break is a 5-day long service-learning experience designed for college students and young adults (18-39).  This year we will be based out of Mahogany Grove Group Camp in the Spring Mountains of Southern Nevada.  

We will camp under the stars among the mountain mahogany, pines, and junipers, enjoy visits to springs and trails, and meet representatives from our partner agencies such as the Forest Service.

Participants will gain hands on experience in conservation as we collect data at springs, maintain and improve trails, and meet with local experts in the outdoors community.

Friends of Nevada Wilderness provides tent, sleeping bag, and necessary personal protection equipment FREE OF CHARGE for ASB participants to borrow.  We also enjoy delicious, gourmet camp meals and desserts each night!

Interested in a career in the outdoors, conservation, recreation, or STEM?  We'll be visited by representatives from our land management and non-profit partners to discuss their career paths and ways to get started on your dream career!

Sign up today for more information and to save your place! Check out photos from our last Alternative Summer Break here!

Questions? Our ASB-FAQ page may help - click here for frequently asked questions about our Alternative Breaks. 

A refundable $49 deposit and completion of our survey is required to hold your place, an email will be sent after RSVPing with a link to our PayPal account for payment.  RSVPs, deposit, and survey must be completed before 5/22 to participate.  Space is limited, RSVP today!

Our Alternative Breaks are funded by the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP).  Friends of Nevada Wilderness is proud to partner with the Federal public lands agencies that make up SNAP and manage more than 10 million acres of public lands and water in Southern Nevada to provide conservation and recreational opportunities.  SNAP's “Engaging Communities through Stewardship” project is delivering a continuum of activities, including environmental education programs, stewardship events, and responsible outdoor recreation trainings designed to engage our local community, from childhood into adulthood, in their public lands.  To learn more and get involved visit https://nvpubliclandspartners.org/.

BECOME A WILDERNESS WEED WARRIOR

Join us for a weedy Wednesday in Mount Rose Wilderness! We will meet at the Hunter Creek trailhead at 8 am and hike to a location along Hunter Creek Trail as a group to remove the invasive musk thistle. 

Musk thistle is classified as a noxious weed which spreads prolifically and negatively impacts native ecosystems. This weed thrives in disturbed areas like fire scars and replaces native plants. As wildfire seasons rage hotter and longer, restoration is vital to ensure native species have a fighting change at survival. Musk thistle competes with desirable native plants, and because of it's spiny nature, wildlife rarely graze upon it. When left unmanaged, it can take over and transform the landscape. Removing this invading species directly supports the health of our native ecosystems. Weed pulls are a fun way to spend time outdoors and help support the health of our native ecosystems. 

See one of last years Weed Pulls here!

Read more about the beautiful Mount Rose Wilderness here!

Information:

Difficulty: Moderate: The project involves hiking 2-4 miles, partially off-trail, creek crossings, steep hills up and down, carrying a shovel, using the shovel, bending up and down

Location: Hunter Creek Trailhead

Dates: Saturday, June 10th, 8 am - 3 pm

Travel: Meet at Hunter Creek Trailhead

Gear/Clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy work or hiking shoes. Bring at least 2 liters of water, sunscreen, and a lunch/snacks. Shovels and gloves will be provided. 

More Details: In-depth information such as weather and project specifics will be sent to those who RSVP about 1 week before the project.

RSVP is required to participate.

Weedy Wednesday!

Join us for a weedy Wednesday in Mount Rose Wilderness! We will meet at the Hunter Creek trailhead at 8 am and hike to a location along Hunter Creek Trail as a group to remove the invasive musk thistle. 

Musk thistle is classified as a noxious weed which spreads prolifically and negatively impacts native ecosystems. This weed thrives in disturbed areas like fire scars and replaces native plants. As wildfire seasons rage hotter and longer, restoration is vital to ensure native species have a fighting change at survival. Musk thistle competes with desirable native plants, and because of it's spiny nature, wildlife rarely graze upon it. When left unmanaged, it can take over and transform the landscape. Removing this invading species directly supports the health of our native ecosystems. Weed pulls are a fun way to spend time outdoors and help support the health of our native ecosystems. 

See one of last years Weed Pulls here!

Read more about the beautiful Mount Rose Wilderness here!

Information:

Difficulty: Moderate: The project involves hiking 2-4 miles, partially off-trail, creek crossings, steep hills up and down, carrying a shovel, using the shovel, bending up and down

Location: Hunter Creek Trailhead

Dates: Wednesday, June 14th, 8 am - 3 pm

Travel: Meet at Hunter Creek Trailhead

Gear/Clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy work or hiking shoes. Bring at least 2 liters of water, sunscreen, and a lunch/snacks. Shovels and gloves will be provided. 

More Details: In-depth information such as weather and project specifics will be sent to those who RSVP about 1 week before the project.

RSVP is required to participate.

Join KNIT Studios and Friends of Nevada Wilderness along with the US Forest Service to install a new Wilderness Boundary Sign on Fletcher Canyon Trail.

Last time our friends at KNIT joined us, we removed graffiti during snow showers for Earth Day '22 at Fletcher Canyon.  This year we'll be replacing the large Mount Charleston Wilderness boundary sign (pictured above) and removing the old Eagles' Nest trail sign before installing a new post and new sign.  

Be prepared to hike a mile and a half round trip, with snow and ice on the trail.  Volunteers will help carry in the new signs and post, tools needed, and their personal gear.  

RSVP today to save your spot!

We cannot accommodate volunteers under 18 years of age, dogs, cats or other pets.  

Please contact Peter Sbraccia at [email protected] with any questions.

This project is currently full. To join our waitlist, please email [email protected]

Check out Whitebark Pine Collection #2 project here!

Help the Whitebark Pine!

On December 25th, 2022 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a final rule (87 FR 76882) to list the Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Whitebark Pine is an important component of western high-elevation forests, their populations have been declining in both the United States and Canada from combined effects. Warmer temperature trends have triggered epidemic outbreaks of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) and lowered the trees’ resistance to white pine blister rust, caused by a nonnative fungus (Cronartium ribicola), both of which have killed millions of trees. Historical fire suppression allowed the march of more shade-tolerant competitors into Whitebark pine habitat, replacing this species through succession. 

Photo sourced from "Conservation and Management of Whitebark Pine Ecosystems on Bureau of Land Management Lands in the Western United States"

The overall goal of this project is to provide the BLM with Whitebark Pine seeds so they can study this specific Whitebark Pine population's resiliency towards known killers, propagate seeds, and keep seeds in a seed bank for dispersal at a later time in the event of a fire or population die-off.

The Whitebark Pine is considered a keystone species, meaning it increases the biodiversity of a community because of the important and critical role it plays in the lifecycle of many other species. This tree provides shelter and food for numerous other plants and animals. The work we are doing is an important step in helping save this tree and its surrounding ecosystem. 

This project has two parts. This RSVP page is for part one of the project.

For this project, we will split our time between the Pahute Peak Wilderness and Pine Forest Wilderness. We will be hiking to and working with small, isolated populations of the Whitebark Pine. We will cage the young pine cones with mesh baskets (photo above) to keep the Clarks Nutcracker from eating the seeds as they mature over the summer.

Please note: this project is longer than usual (Thursday - Monday) and will require strenuous hiking long distances over some rocky areas.

We will return to the same sites for the second part of the project in September to harvest the mature pine cones (separate RSVP page here).

Information

Difficulty: Hard: The project involves hiking off trail, up steep, rocky terrain, and carrying heavy loads

Location: Pine Forest Wilderness and the Pahute Peak Wilderness

Dates: June 22th - June 26th

Travel: 4WD and high clearance required. A limited number of spots are available in Friends trucks.

Food: Breakfast and coffee are provided on all work days, big group dinners provided Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night

Gear/Clothing: Please wear long sleeves, long pants, and sturdy work or hiking shoes. Camping equipment: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Camping gear available for loan 

More Details: In-depth information such as camping location, weather, and project specifics will be sent out about a week before to those who have RSVP'd

RSVP required to participate

Suggested Packing List 

Come join Friends of Nevada Wilderness to survey Stanley Springs, a big springs complex with a long history! We’ll hike about a mile and a half up the Stanley Springs trail to the beautiful forested springs that we’ll survey together. This is a great opportunity to freshen up on spring monitoring techniques, get a little more guided practice, meet some of your fellow volunteers, or learn how to use the flow and water quality meters. This opportunity is open to anyone but spaces are limited. 

WHEN: June 23rd from 8am to 2pm. You will be able to leave earlier if desired.

WHERE: We’ll meet at the Stanley Springs parking area along Kyle Canyon Road—about a 45 minute drive from Las Vegas. It should be nice and cool compared to the Vegas Valley!

WHAT: We will hike around a mile and a half up the Stanley Springs trail as a group. This trail is short and well maintained but relatively steep and at high elevation, so some may find it challenging. Once we reach the top of the trail, we’ll work as a group to survey a few springs in the area. You’ll get to practice with the equipment and hang out with some cool people!

WHAT TO BRING: You’ll want to wear comfortable clothing and shoes for hiking. Make sure to bring sun protection (hat, sun screen, sunglasses), at least 2 LITERS of water, and food/snacks for the day. A small daypack would also be helpful to carry these materials on the hike.

WHAT WE BRING: We’ll have survey equipment, snacks and water, and extra field sheets and pencils that we will distribute at the trailhead. And, of course, the springs shirts 😉

More details will be sent out to all RSVPs in advance of the event, but feel free to reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Join our Volunteer Cat Rock Trail Crew this summer and help Friends and USFS repair Cathedral Rock Trail with SIX DATES available this summer!

Do you love hiking?  Do you love trails!?  Join our Cathedral Rock Volunteer Trail Crew this summer and help us repair and improve one of the most popular trails in the Spring Mountains.

Our second event will be Wednesday June 28. RSVP at the bottom of this page to sign up for Wednesday, June 28. 

Volunteers will assist with repairs along Cathedral Rock Trail including:

• clearing and repairing drainage bars, dips, and cuts.
• removing downed trees from the trail corridor.
• trimming brush and aspens along the trail corridor.
• building a check dam to prevent erosion.
• repairing and replacing rock steps.
• removing damaged benches and posts.
• repairing washout erosion.
• building new drainage features.
• building a crib wall. 
• and more!

Cathedral Rock Trail is a strenuous, high elevation, steeply inclined trail. The trail may have snow, ice, mud, or water on it throughout the early summer.  Volunteers are strongly encouraged to hike the trail before committing to a day project with the Cathedral Rock Volunteer Trail Crew this summer.  The high elevation and steep terrain make the hike deceptively difficult, especially when carrying tools, water, lunch, and PPE.

Trail work is a rewarding challenge and will change your perspective about hiking.  We'll be using traditional tools and skills, working with US Forest Service Staff to accomplish our trail goals.

Volunteers will hike up to 3 miles roundtrip with tools, personal protective equipment, their own water and lunch, and other items needed for a day on the trail.  Friends of Nevada Wilderness will provide safety training, necessary personal protective equipment, and tools.  Our Stewardship team will demonstrate how to use our tools, including crosscut saws, rock bars, and mcleods.  

Closed-toe shoes, and long pants are required attire.  Volunteers must be 18 years old.  Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate pets. 

Please contact Peter Sbraccia [email protected] with any questions. 

Join our Volunteer Cat Rock Trail Crew this summer and help Friends and USFS repair Cathedral Rock Trail with SIX DATES available this summer!

Do you love hiking?  Do you love trails!?  Join our Cathedral Rock Volunteer Trail Crew this summer and help us repair and improve one of the most popular trails in the Spring Mountains.

Our third event will be Saturday July 8. RSVP at the bottom of this page to sign up for Saturday, July 8. 

Volunteers will assist with repairs along Cathedral Rock Trail including:

• clearing and repairing drainage bars, dips, and cuts.
• removing downed trees from the trail corridor.
• trimming brush and aspens along the trail corridor.
• building a check dam to prevent erosion.
• repairing and replacing rock steps.
• removing damaged benches and posts.
• repairing washout erosion.
• building new drainage features.
• building a crib wall. 
• and more!

Cathedral Rock Trail is a strenuous, high elevation, steeply inclined trail. The trail may have snow, ice, mud, or water on it throughout the early summer.  Volunteers are strongly encouraged to hike the trail before committing to a day project with the Cathedral Rock Volunteer Trail Crew this summer.  The high elevation and steep terrain make the hike deceptively difficult, especially when carrying tools, water, lunch, and PPE.

Trail work is a rewarding challenge and will change your perspective about hiking.  We'll be using traditional tools and skills, working with US Forest Service Staff to accomplish our trail goals.

Volunteers will hike up to 3 miles roundtrip with tools, personal protective equipment, their own water and lunch, and other items needed for a day on the trail.  Friends of Nevada Wilderness will provide safety training, necessary personal protective equipment, and tools.  Our Stewardship team will demonstrate how to use our tools, including crosscut saws, rock bars, and mcleods.  

Closed-toe shoes, and long pants are required attire.  Volunteers must be 18 years old.  Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate pets. 

Please contact Peter Sbraccia [email protected] with any questions. 

Join our Volunteer Cat Rock Trail Crew this summer and help Friends and USFS repair Cathedral Rock Trail with SIX DATES available this summer!

Do you love hiking?  Do you love trails!?  Join our Cathedral Rock Volunteer Trail Crew this summer and help us repair and improve one of the most popular trails in the Spring Mountains.

Our second event will be Wednesday July 12. RSVP at the bottom of this page to sign up for Wednesday, July 12. 

Volunteers will assist with repairs along Cathedral Rock Trail including:

• clearing and repairing drainage bars, dips, and cuts.
• removing downed trees from the trail corridor.
• trimming brush and aspens along the trail corridor.
• building a check dam to prevent erosion.
• repairing and replacing rock steps.
• removing damaged benches and posts.
• repairing washout erosion.
• building new drainage features.
• building a crib wall. 
• and more!

Cathedral Rock Trail is a strenuous, high elevation, steeply inclined trail. The trail may have snow, ice, mud, or water on it throughout the early summer.  Volunteers are strongly encouraged to hike the trail before committing to a day project with the Cathedral Rock Volunteer Trail Crew this summer.  The high elevation and steep terrain make the hike deceptively difficult, especially when carrying tools, water, lunch, and PPE.

Trail work is a rewarding challenge and will change your perspective about hiking.  We'll be using traditional tools and skills, working with US Forest Service Staff to accomplish our trail goals.

Volunteers will hike up to 3 miles roundtrip with tools, personal protective equipment, their own water and lunch, and other items needed for a day on the trail.  Friends of Nevada Wilderness will provide safety training, necessary personal protective equipment, and tools.  Our Stewardship team will demonstrate how to use our tools, including crosscut saws, rock bars, and mcleods.  

Closed-toe shoes, and long pants are required attire.  Volunteers must be 18 years old.  Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate pets. 

Please contact Peter Sbraccia [email protected] with any questions.