Volunteer
Job Description
FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/
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ADDRESS: Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument; 26 JIM BRADFORD TRAIL; Mimbres, New Mexico 88049
DEPT: National Park Service
DATES: 10/3/2021 – 1/1/2022
DESCRIPTION:
Join a dynamic volunteer team at the only National Park Service site that shares the history of the Mogollon Culture cliff dwellings. Volunteers provide many types of interpretive services including staffing the visitor center information desk, enhancing visitor experiences at the trail head museum, orienting visitors and sometimes presenting guided tours of the cliff dwellings.
Make Your Volunteer Experience Memorable for Yourself and for the Visiting Public!
WE NEED YOUR HELP! USE YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE TO HELP VISITORS DISCOVER GILA CLIFF DWELLINGS NATIONAL MONUMENT AS AN INTERPRETIVE VOLUNTEER
POSITION DESCRIPTION:
The park is seeking interpretive volunteers. Have you ever wanted to find out what it’s like to be a park ranger? Are you seeking to learn and expand your skills as an interpreter? Then Gila Cliff Dwellings may be the volunteer place for you!
Volunteers seeking or having experience presenting interpretive communications for the cliff dwellings are welcome!
Volunteers also provide informal interpretation related to surrounding cultural and natural resources.
Volunteers staff the Gila Visitor Center providing regional orientation and information to visitors. Working at the visitor center includes selling items through the Western National Parks Association store and operating a computerized cash register.
Training is provided.
Volunteers are asked to make a 32 hour a week minimum commitment for 3 months of your choosing between September and March. Longer stays are possible if both parties find it beneficial to extend the term of service.
LOCATION AND LOGISTICS:
The National Monument is located in a remote area within the beautiful mountains of the Gila National Forest and Gila Wilderness Area of southwestern New Mexico. Enjoy amazing scenery and outstanding local recreational opportunities including hiking, biking, photography, wilderness hot springs, wildlife observation, and much more.
A limited number of dorm rooms for singles are usually available and there may be RV sites with hookups provided available.
Volunteers live and work at an altitude of about 5800 feet (1780m). Since the park is open year-round and much of the job is outdoors, volunteers will be working in a wide range of weather conditions and temperatures. Staffing the cliff dwellings requires standing for extended periods of time. It also means hiking an unpaved one-mile loop trail that is steep and strenuous several times a day fairly quickly. The 185-foot elevation gain (and loss) traveling to the dwellings is the equivalent of climbing 18 flights of stairs. All volunteers must be able to walk the trail, sometimes more than once each day.
Cell phones do not work within the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument area. A land-line phone at the visitor center lets people reach you in an emergency. Free (limited) WiFi and laundry is available in the housing area. Nearby access to hot spring soaking.
NOTE: Please include three references (with phone numbers) Couples must complete applications for EACH person.
Due to the remoteness, reliable personal transportation and a valid driver’s license are required.
DUTIES
Provide orientation and informal interpretation to folks going to the dwellings and wilderness hikers. At the dwellings, you answer questions and may provide pre-written mini tours.
Assisting the cooperating association to make sales, clean, stock, price, and other retail tasks.
Some basic maintenance is done by all staff. This includes basic cleaning of vault toilets and the restrooms. Occasionally there are random other projects such as organizing, special events, working in our native plant garden etc.
QUALIFICATIONS
A background in Interpretation and Customer Service is useful but not necessary. We will provide training on interpretation, customer service, the monument’s history, the Mogollon culture, etc. Being able to work well as part of a team and bringing a good attitude to work are the most important qualifications!
WORK ENVIRONMENT
A majority of the work is performed outside either at the Trailhead or within the cliff dwellings. The trail to the dwellings is one mile round-trip with an elevation gain of 185 feet. This is equivalent to climbing about 18 flights of steps. All volunteers must be able to navigate this trail fairly quickly, sometimes multiple times every day.
Elevation for the park is about 5700′. The trail is intentionally unpaved and as natural as possible to encourage an experience similar to that of the cliff dwellers. This makes the trail uneven, winding and sometimes strenuously steep.