MOUNT CHARLESTON, Nev. -- Nearby Mount Charleston and the surrounding forests are more likely to catch on fire with plenty of fuel to burn. So Nevada Conservation Corps volunteers started their week of clearing trails on the mountain.
Many of the trails they're clearing lead through areas that nearly burned in last year's Cathedral Canyon Fire. With thick trees, trails aren't just for hikers, they're also for firefighters.
"The work they're doing is dangerous enough without the trails making it harder for them to access," said AmeriCorps volunteer Kristine Kula.
"Especially in the Spring Mountains, where they have such high fuel," said Robert Vaghini with the Nevada Conservation Corps. "When its dry, it's important the fire crew would have access."
Around two dozen AmeriCorps volunteers camp in the Spring Mountains all summer, four days a week. They earn a living stipend, but many do it for federal college tuition money.
"A lot of it is a mental game. You've got to flip the rocks. Many times you have to haul huge, huge rocks weighing a few hundred pounds," said volunteer Amanda Rauh.
Early into the project, they hit a snag. Actually, they hit a rock -- a big rock. The question is, how are they going to move it? Sledgehammers didn't work, and neither did bare hands digging underneath the boulder.
So the rock is going to stay until Wednesday, when they are going to bring in a special rock driller to try and crack it in two.
The Nevada Conservation Corps runs wilderness programs year round. Those interested in joining can go here for more information.
