TRAILBLAZERS
GRADES 8 + 9
Sign up, Session Dates, and Packing List
The Trailblazers Crew is a two-week-long entry-level volunteer program. Sessions operate incrementally, with no sessions operating the week after 4th of July, from June 8 to August 6, 2026. Youth ranging from 8th-9th grade can participate in Trailblazers
Member placement for the Trailblazers program is first come first served with priority to youth who reside in Northwest Colorado. If spaces are still available as program sessions near, we will reach out to applicants applying from different locations. Crews have 10-12 members. We strive for a balanced gender distribution.
2026 Trailblazers Session Dates
Session 1: June 8-June 18
Session 2: June 22-July 2
Session 3: July 13-July 23
Session 4: July 27-August 6
Week One:
Monday–Thursday of service projects (4–6 hours daily) with frontcountry camping. Parent pickup is Thursday at 4:00 PM. Youth return home for the weekend.
Week Two:
Begins Monday at 8:00 AM with a three-night backcountry expedition.
Parent pickup is Thursday at 4:00 PM.
A Day in the Life
YCC Trailblazers is designed for youth entering grades 8th-9th who will complete 4-6 hours of service per day. The following is a schedule of project days Tuesday and Wednesday in the first week of the session.
8:00 AM
Breakfast
The crew members wake up at 7:30 am to get ready for the day. The crew eats breakfast at 8am. All the food is communal but everyone makes their own lunch. The crew takes about an hour to eat and pack their food before beginning kitchen cleanup. After dishes are done, and food is stored safely, people take time to brush their teeth, fill personal water bottles, and make sure their day packs are ready to go for the workday ahead!
9:00 AM
Commute to Worksite and Complete Stretch and Safety Circle
The project day starts with a stretch/warm-up circle followed by a safety briefing on the day's project. Then, the crew will transition to the work site either by hiking or being transported in.
10:00 AM-
Noon
Service hours!
There are roughly two hours spent completing service hours with breaks throughout.
12:00 PM
Lunch Break
Crews take a 30-minute lunch break.
12:30 -
2:00 PM
Service Hours
Complete the project day and transition to recreation (swimming or a short hike, depending on the location)
4:00 PM
Arrive Back at Camp
The crew will leave the worksite with enough time to commute back to camp. On the last day of the project, crews are allotted 30-minutes as part of the workday for tool maintenance. The work is done for the day, and people usually take some personal time before dinner to relax, read, go for a swim, etc.
6:00 PM
Dinner
Crew members take turns cooking dinner with the Crew Leaders each night. Everyone will eat together, and then clean up together, including dishes, trash, grey water, and food storage.
7:30 PM
Post-Dinner
All members are expected to participate in a nightly debrief as a crew, educational activities, or miscellaneous camp chores. As chores are split amongst the crew, free time varies from day to day to engage in solo activities such as reading, writing, drawing, puzzling, and other such activities. As a reminder, members are not permitted to use cell phones while participating in YCC.