During the months of greatest hiking activity, seasonal paid and volunteer Caretakers are stationed at high use overnight facilities and campsites. All Caretakers provide their own food, fuel, and other incidentals. Caretakers based in northern Vermont live in Long Trail cabins sharing bunk space with overnight users. They often work closely with GMC Summit Caretakers. The exception is the position on Mount Abraham, where the caretaker resides in a tent near Battell Shelter, takes care of that campsite, and also serves as a Summit Caretaker on the ecologically sensitive summit.
Caretakers work an irregular five-day week that always includes weekends and holidays.
They should possess strong backpacking and outdoor skills, the ability to work independently, ability to communicate effectively with diverse groups of hikers, and sufficient motivation and emotional maturity to live and work in remote areas with little supervision. First aid skills are essential and knowledge of the Long Trail System is encouraged. Caretakers must be committed to backcountry stewardship, dedicated to the goals of GMC and our agency partners, and enthusiastic about living in the outdoors. This program is a cooperative effort of the Green Mountain Club and, depending on location, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, the University of Vermont, Stowe Mountain Resort, Smugglers Notch Resort, Sugarbush Valley Resort, Stratton Mountain Corporation, and the U.S. Forest Service. GMC will hire Summit Caretakers for Mount Mansfield, Camels Hump, Mount Abraham, and Stratton Mountain.