The Many Individuals Who Make the Long Trail System Happen
Volunteers are the backbone of the Green Mountain Club, and have been since the club’s inception in 1910. Volunteers clear waterbars and clip brush along every mile of trail; they participate in important construction projects and lend their strength to long pack-ins. They monitor boundaries and educate visitors.
Learn about some of GMC’s volunteers and the contributions they make to the trails you love.
Marc Vincent: Mount Mansfield Trail Steward
Marc retired with his husband Alex to Shelburne, Vermont in 2016 and immediately joined the Green Mountain Club. He began volunteering as an Information Volunteer at Barnes Camp Visitor Center in 2023, then joined the inaugural class of trail Steward volunteers at the Mount Mansfield Visitor Center in 2025. Born and raised in Paris, Marc enjoys using his fluent French to connect with our French-Canadian visitors and supports GMC’s efforts to make the outdoors more accessible to people from all walks of life.
“It is very rewarding to share important information about the alpine environment on Mt. Mansfield and many visitors were very appreciative. On a personal basis, it was great to deepen my own knowledge of alpine flora and fauna. I loved meeting and talking to visitors from all over the world and everyone seemed really happy at being on top of Mt. Mansfield, especially when they found out that it was the highest mountain in Vermont!”
Mt. Abraham Union High School Environmental Action Group: Continual Stewardship of a Local Trail
Building on the one-off impact and reward of a service learning project, the high school’s Environmental Action Group officially adopted the Battell Trail, in Lincoln, in 2024. Now the student group conducts trail maintenance twicer per year, in the spring and fall. They clear and install waterbars, brush in social trails, and monitor segments with muddiness or erosion. The student group also hauls in wood chips for the Battell Shelter’s composting outhouse, and contributed to hauling in lumber for the new Battell Shelter construction in 2025.
“We learned much about trail conservation and the outdoors, and it planted a spark in a few of us that maybe this type of volunteer work could actually be fun and help us spend more time in nature. When spokespeople from the GMC came to speak to the whole school one day about trail maintenance, even kids not in EAG were paying attention.”
— Swayer Behounek, MAUHS Student
Burlington Section: Routine Spring Maintenance Work Days
The Burlington Section maintains the Long Trail and its side trails from the Winooski River to Smugglers’ Notch. Eash Saturday in May, they host an open work day for any interested volunteer. Led by Scott Albertson and Pete Saile, the Trail Committee Chairs for the Section, the group splits up, hikes in to the day’s assigned trail section, and gets to work. Joining a section work day is a great way to learn the basics of trail maintenance and meet fellow volunteers. The section provides tools, like loppers, hazel hoes, and handsaws. A chainsaw safety-certified volunteer joins each group, and manages fallen trees (blowdowns) that are too large for a handsaw.
All 14 of GMC’s regional sections conduct spring and fall volunteer outings. See upcoming events here, or connect with your local section here.
Volunteer Resources
Ready to Join Us?
We are always looking for more people who want to lend their time, energy, and skills to improving the Long Trail system. Learn more about volunteer opportunities and apply today.