CA-3891
April 25-30; May 2-7, 2010 (including weekends)
Must commit to one full session; may participate in both
The Angeles National Forest invites PIT volunteers to participate in an important archaeological survey! The 2009 "Station Fire," the largest wildfire in Los Angeles County history, burned over 160,000 acres of vegetation on the Angeles NF, revealing hundreds of previously undocumented archaeological sites. Our study will focus on the Gleason Creek Canyon region within the Forest's Aliso-Arrastre Archaeological Special Interest Area. This area is known to contain numerous Native Californian village remnants, encampments, earth ovens, rock circles, and cupule rock art sites. PIT participants will conduct archaeological reconnaissance to identify and record prehistoric and historic sites exposed by the wildfire.
Number of openings: 4
Special skills: Must be in good physical condition and able to hike moderate distances for long periods each day in a variety of weather conditions; previous archaeological survey experience and/or experience with photography, orienteering, and the outdoors helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Housing provided at no cost in FS barracks; water, showers, full kitchen, and other amenities; RV/trailer camping available in parking area adjacent to FS barracks; no hookups; volunteers responsible for personal bedding and meals; daily transportation to and from the study area provided by FS
Nearest towns:Wrightwood, 3 miles; Phelan, 10 miles; Palmdale, 35 miles
Applications due: February 21, 2010
CA-3890
May 3-7; 10-14, 2010
Must commit to one full session; may participate in both
The Laguna Mountain Recreation Area (LMRA) has the greatest concentration of recorded archaeological sites on the Cleveland National Forest (CNF). Most were recorded during surveys conducted in the early 1980s and many of the associated site records have not been updated since that time. The LMRA is open to the public year round and archaeological sites in the area are often impacted inadvertently as a result of heavy use at campgrounds and other recreation spots. Artifacts are sometimes disturbed or even collected out of curiosity. This will be the seventh year in a row that PIT volunteers and FS archaeologists will survey select portions of the LMRA. As in past years, participants will relocate previously recorded sites and update site maps using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. We will also update site record photographs and documentation, and monitor current site conditions. The results of the project will provide the necessary data for the CNF Heritage Program to more accurately monitor the effects of continued recreational use of this area on its cultural resources. Come join us for a hike into the past as we work to preserve and protect the archaeology of the Laguna Mountains.
Number of openings:12
Special skills: Must be in good physical condition and able to hike moderate distances in a wilderness area under a variety of weather conditions; archaeological survey experience helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: FS barracks at no charge; full kitchen, bathrooms, and other amenities.
Nearest towns: Alpine, 20 miles; El Cajon, 35 miles
Applications due: March 1, 2010
CA-3915
June 14-18, 2010
Must commit to entire session
2010 will mark the fourth year of our successful PIT project! Join us as we continue the search for traces of the Yreka Trail in the northernmost portion of California. The Yreka Trail is a branch of the Applegate Trail or "Southern Road" to Oregon. Beginning in the early 1850s, this trail was used by emigrants and gold-seekers to reach the Shasta Valley and the gold fields surrounding Yreka. The prolonged use of this trail by settlers precipitated hostilities with the Modoc, which, eventually led to the Modoc War (1872).
Once again we will survey with the aid of metal detectors, and excavate small test probes to determine if artifacts are present along the route we suspect is part of the trail. Artifacts we are likely to find include mule and oxen shoes, square nails, wagon hardware, and personal effects (buttons, clasps, utensils). Participants will be walking in forested and brushy areas, but will be treated to some spectacular views. Please indicate on your application if you have and are willing to bring a metal detector. The FS has a limited number of metal detectors available, but it is a great help if you have and can bring your own. See you in June!
Number of openings: 12
Special skills: Must be physically capable of hiking moderate distances each day in often difficult terrain and a variety of weather conditions; experience with metal detectors helpful but not required
Minimum age: 12 years old, under 18 with a responsible adult
Facilities: Tent and RV camping in area campgrounds and RV parks; facilities vary; Weed, Yreka, and Mt. Shasta are full-service communities with hotels/motels, restaurants, and a full range of other amenities; volunteers responsible for personal lodging, camping equipment, food, water, and transportation
Nearest towns: Weed, 35 miles; Yreka, 40 miles; Mt. Shasta, 40 miles
Applications due: April 12, 2010
CA-3922
June 7-13, 2010 (including weekends)
Must commit to full session
The beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains have been explored and settled by representatives of many cultures throughout history. However, the first to call the area home were the Yana. This indigenous people were comprised of four groups: the Northern Yana, the Central Yana, the Southern Yana, and the Yahi. Each group had relatively distinct boundaries, dialects and customs, but all lived on wild game, fished salmon, fruit, acorns and roots. Their territories encompassed approximately 2400 square miles of mountain streams, gorges, boulder-strewn hills, and lush meadows. In 1925, Ishi, last of the Yahi, died. With his passing, the groups ceased to be federally recognized as formal tribes.
Some individuals still survive, however, and this PIT project will serve to establish a Management Plan to protect and preserve the group's cultural history. PIT volunteers and Forest archaeologists will monitor known prehistoric sites in three archaeologically sensitive canyons within the Southern Yana and Yahi territories, two of which are located in the remote Ishi Wilderness. A large number of sites are positioned along the shores of creeks (Antelope, Mill and Deer Creek) that wind through the canyons. Unfortunately, many of these important sites have been the target of looters, have been damaged by livestock, or have suffered degradation from natural forces. Participants will relocate, assess, and document the condition of sites through detailed description and photography, and will record precise provenience information with GPS equipment. We value your help and insight as we seek to protect these sites and their significant cultural resources. Please join us in June for a unique archaeological experience!
Number of openings: 6
Special skills: Must be physically capable of hiking long distances each day over rough and often steep terrain in variety of weather conditions; previous archaeological survey, photography, and/or GPS experience helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 18 years old
Facilities: Primitive camping near trailheads; water and chemical toilets provided by FS; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment, food, and transportation
Nearest towns: Chester, 40 miles
Applications due: April 5, 2010
CA-3896
May 10-14, 2010
Must commit to minimum of four days
Last year, PIT volunteers helped us survey and document cultural remnants along the historic Nobles Pass Emigrant Trail to Fort Crook. This major travel route was heavily used by prospective settlers, soldiers, and freight wagons in the mid- to late 1800s. During the 2009 survey, we found and collected a large number and variety of artifacts that now need to be to processed and recorded, and the Lassen National Forest needs your help once again! With the help of photographs and drawings and the guidance of wagon trail expert Richard Silva, volunteers will help identify, document, and describe artifacts from the wagon road. Our work this year will ensure that this unique set of artifacts is properly curated, and will help provide a better understanding of how and when historic populations used the route. Information from the project will be employed to help protect and interpret the road, and artifacts may be used for displays, which will help to tell the story of this important connector trail. Weather permitting, we will also get you out of the lab for a few hours for a field trip to examine historic wagon road segments. Please join us for this unique volunteer opportunity!
Number of openings: 3-5
Special skills: None required
Minimum age: 14 years old, under 18 with a responsible adult
Facilities: Tent and RV/pop-up camping available at FS campground (30-45 minutes from project area) at no charge; pit toilets, no potable water, no hookups; lodging also possible in FS barracks on a first-come, first served basis; two-person rooms, full kitchen, and other amenities; Fall River Mills and Burney are full-service communities with motels and a range of other amenities; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment/bedding, food, water, and transportation to/from a designated meeting area each day (if staying in area motels or campgrounds)
Nearest towns: Project in Fall River Mills; Burney, 17 miles
Applications due: March 8, 2010
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CA-3917
July 12-16, 2010
Must commit to minimum of two days
The Feather River Ranger District on the Plumas National Forest invites PIT volunteers to participate in an archaeological excavation at the Gold Rush-era (1850s) townsite of Howland Flat, in Sierra County, California. The 1930's saw the decline of the town, but in its heyday, Howland Flat boasted a population of 2,000, including a sizeable Chinese community. The town had a hotel, saloons, restaurants, stores, a church, livery stables, doctors, dentists, attorneys, a Wells Fargo Express office, a school, post office, a brewery, and three cemeteries. With all of these features - seemingly designed to cater to the needs of all its occupants - it is interesting that the town housed the only Joss House (a temple where Chinese gods were kept and worshipped) in the Northern Sierra Nevada Mines.
Little is written or known about the Chinese population in Howland flat. The main focus of this project will be to define the location and determine the size of the Chinese section of the town, and to locate specific households and businesses. To that end, participants will excavate designated test units, complete surface surveys, and conduct limited metal detector sweeps. We also plan to map and record the few standing buildings and recently collapsed structures present at the site. The detailed maps and other data from our project will be used for public interpretation of the townsite and guide future research. Please join us for this unique opportunity!
Number of openings: 20
Special skills: No Special Skills Required
Minimum age: 7 years old, under 18 with a responsible adult
Facilities: Tent and RV camping at Little Grass Valley Reservoir campgrounds (~45 minutes from Howland Flat); facilities and fees vary depending on site; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment, food, water, and daily transportation; carpooling to the site is suggested due to limited and historic, steep dirt road access
Nearest towns: La Porte, 4 miles
Applications due: May 10, 2010
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CA-3911
June 7-11, 2010
Must commit to minimum of two days
Following the Civil War and completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869, the rapid development of northern Californian towns and cities radically increased the need for construction lumber. Prime mountain forests provided the best sources available, but access to these areas was limited - there were few roads into the mountain from the Sacramento Valley and its transportation hubs at the time. Therefore, elaborate wooden flume systems, including Tehama County's 42-mile-long Blue Ridge Flume, were created to carry cut lumber from the heights to distribution centers. Flume tenders lived in key spots along the flumes. Following abandonment in the late 1870s, the flume system was largely dismantled, but vestiges still exist.
Once again, under the direction of Dr. Eric Ritter, archaeologist at the BLM Redding office, PIT volunteers and BLM personnel will survey and record along the Flume in the northern Sacramento Valley. The data collected will be used to provide interpretive maps across the Bureau's Bend Area of Critical Environmental Concern and proposed National Recreation Area. We will concentrate on 12 miles of flume and support roads/trails and settlement in the lowlands along the Sacramento River near Red Bluff. Volunteers and BLM staff will map the alignment and ancillary features of the flume to determine flume construction and provide data regarding maintenance workers' facilities and lifeways for interpretive purposes. We will use metal detectors for artifact recovery and feature definition. Markers will be installed at key locations, and we will visit historic and prehistoric sites in the vicinity (including petroglyphs, villages, rock shelters and homesteads!). We will also conduct site documentation activities at select locations as time permits. Access to one area will likely involve river raft travel, so we may even have a bit of extra fun during work hours! Please join us for another year at the Blue Ridge Flume Complex.
Number of openings: 15
Special skills: Must be physically capable of hiking several miles each day in fluctuating (summer transitional - often hot) weather conditions over rocky and hilly terrain; experience with metal detector use helpful, but not required; please note on your application if you have and are willing to bring a metal detector
Minimum age: 12 years old, under 18 with a responsible adult
Facilities: Primitive camping; toilets and sun showers or equivalent; some travel trailer space available; volunteers responsible for personal camping equipment and food; some drinking water provided by FO
Nearest towns: Red Bluff, 5 miles; Anderson, 10 miles; Redding, 25 miles
Applications due: April 5, 2010
CA-3912
April 26-30, 2010
Must commit to entire session
Come to North Fork, the exact center of California, and help the Sierra National Forest pour through its historic photo collection! We'll begin to organize, catalog, and curate the collection at the historic North Fork Compound, the first Sierra National Forest headquarters’ office, now the Bass Lake Ranger District Office. Participants will enter photo information into a searchable database, which can then be used by Forest personnel, researchers, students, and others who may wish to conduct Forest or regional research. Photos will be placed into archival-quality protective sleeves and filed in archival storage boxes. Information gained from this project may contribute to the current National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) nomination for the North Fork Compound.
Slots are limited and we'll take applications until they're filled, so apply now to join us for the Sierra National Forest Historic Photo Archives Passport in Time Project!
Number of openings: 8
Special skills: Computer experience (particularly with Microsoft Access) helpful, but not required
Minimum age: 15 years old, under 18 with a responsible adult
Facilities: District Office barracks available at no charge; full kitchen, showers, other amenities; Oakhurst is a full-service community with motels, restaurants, and a full range of other amenities; limited services in North Fork; volunteers responsible for personal lodging (if opting not to stay in FS barracks), meals, and transportation
Nearest towns: Project located in North Fork; Oakhurst, 19 miles
Applications due: Ongoing until filled - applications forwarded to Project Leader from Clearinghouse upon receipt