This article was written by Izzi Duprey, who worked as one of GMC’s seasonal backcountry caretakers on Mount Mansfield throughout the summer and fall of 2024.
What does a Green Mountain Club backcountry caretaker do? It can be a difficult question to answer succinctly because the job consists of many roles in one. It’s part of why I love it so much. One day would be spent maintaining the trails, the next composting waste from the privy.
As a caretaker on Mount Mansfield in particular, a significant amount of time working was spent interacting with the public and educating hikers on the amazing and resilient alpine environment they hike through. From June through October, I spent hours and hours each week on the ridgeline of Mount Mansfield talking to hikers.
Working on Vermont’s Tallest (and Busiest) Summit
At the ridgeline visitor center, everyone who walked by got a similar spiel: “Welcome to Mount Mansfield! I’m one of the caretakers here, and can try and answer any questions you have. While you’re up here, we just ask that you stick to the trail and walk only on the rocks! We’ve lined the trail with string to help guide you. We’re in an alpine zone, which means that the plants are fragile and we do our best to protect them.”
As Vermont’s highest peak, Mansfield is understandably a popular destination, with thousands of visitors each year. Many of these visitors are regulars, who know and love the mountain. Even more of these visitors are on the mountain, and in an alpine zone, for their first time.
Working on the ridgeline, I strive to educate hikers on this environment so that they understand why it is worth taking care of. The plants in the alpine zone are fighters. They experience hot, dry sun in the summer, intense winds, heavy rain, and a cold, long winter frozen under ice. Despite their heartiness, human impact poses a serious threat.
Increasing Stewardship Through Understanding
In some ways, the mountains seem invincible. For most of us, it is hard to grasp just how much damage we can do as individuals. Seeing someone standing on a patch of alpine grass past the string lining the trail, I would ask, “Can I just have you to step back onto the rocks? The plants here are in an alpine zone, which means that while they can withstand a lot in terms of climate, they are fragile and cannot handle being stepped on.”
Most of the time hikers apologize and immediately step back onto a rocky area not at risk of impact. Sometimes people wanted to know more, presenting the opportunity to show off some of the plants that survive in the alpine zone, many of which are exclusive to Mount Mansfield.
While anyone can use their eyes to take in the scenery and appreciate the beauty of the nature around them, it’s hard to fully appreciate something if you don’t understand it. With a caretaker at the summit to talk about alpine plants, the trail, and the environment, hopefully hikers can reach a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the mountains. Once someone knows what to look for and why we protect it, they can be a steward of the environment as well.
I often witnessed hikers spreading the message of protecting alpine vegetation to others in their party after learning about it from me. After talking to a family one day, their young child spent the rest of the afternoon telling each new hiker arriving at the summit, “Don’t step on the vegetables!” While his error in conveying the word “vegetation” made most people laugh, it also still shared the important reminder of protecting the plants.
Not everyone is going to want to spend months at a time living in the woods, but for many folks it’s difficult to stand someplace like the ridgeline of Mount Mansfield and not feel awe or a sense of peace and beauty. Knowing that all it takes to help protect this beauty is a simple conversation is empowering. Spreading the word makes a difference.
Lessons from the Alpine Zone
Once mid-October arrives and snow begins to move into the mountains, the caretakers’ season ends. Hiking weather peters out, so there are less people to talk with at the summit. The trails are buried beneath snow and the alpine plants have a new caretaker: winter’s layers of snow and ice protect even the smallest of plants from footprints. The string will be there when the ice melts and spring arrives along with hiking season, and so will a new Green Mountain Club caretaker.
As much as I spent my season teaching visitors about the alpine environment, the mountain was simultaneously teaching me. Although it seems so simple, it took living in the woods to truly embrace and understand the idea that less is more. Less creature comforts meant more appreciation for the cozy sleeping bag I did have. A lack of plumbing made me appreciate the slow process of filtering each cold drop of mountain water I drank or cooked with. My clothes didn’t have to be fashionable for me to want to wear them; they had to function.
Spending my time with less people, often alone, made me appreciate my own company and the brief yet meaningful interactions I did have with others enjoying the trails. I am already looking forward to coming back to the mountains and continuing to foster this relationship between the people and plants of Mansfield.
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