Baby Boomer Ranger

I once read that photographers take their camera with them everywhere because they never know what they will find. So, being in my best ‘I wannabe a photographer’ mindset, I took my camera with me when I went to Phoenix, AZ to attend the training session “Lands for Line Officers.” I asked to go to this class. I looked forward to going, and I learned a lot. It was a good class, but having a good time wasn’t in the course objective. Sometimes, going to a training session and having a fun trip are two different things.

While I was there, I took a few photos of things that I thought were pretty typical of training sessions: the Class, the Training Binder, the Friendly Strangers, and the PowerPoint Presentation. Looking back at those photos I found myself recalling a stream of random thoughts about that week. My memory and perceptions were part fuzzy, part punctuated. I wanted the photos to work with that random and sometimes akaward mindset. In responce to those thoughts and feelings, I decided to handle the display of these photographs a little different from how I printed and matted my previous photos. I made these prints smaller, darker and surround in a soft blur. You need to step up close to see them, uncomfortably close, and make an effort to decipher each message from that small, short presentation.

I hope you appreciate my attempt to capture an uncomfortable, but chosen moment. My ten photos will be showing in my office hallway starting March 20, 2006.

I hate to eat alone.
My husband sent roses to my hotel room because I was away from home on Valentines Day.
I was at training, and the information was very useful.

I love to travel, and I am grateful that I was able to attend this class, but I rarely relax at training sessions. I only knew a few people. I knew one Lands Offficer, a Forest Supervisor and the Pacific Southwest Regional Director of Natural Resources. I’m sure they weren’t interested in looking at clothing and hanging out at the mall after class.

There was a lot of small talk and I was tired and sometimes I couldn’t concentrate. The people I met were really nice and told interesting stories.

The classes were well thought out and taught by skilled practitioners. The rooms were comfortable, and the binder was well organized and complete. Some of the classes had no new information for me, and some are packed with new gems that I look forward to using soon.

I hope that I can remember everything I learned. I need to know this stuff and know how to effectively use it when the situation arises. Did I already mention that had problems sleeping and I couldn’t concentrate?

On the last day of the training, the closing speaker was inspirational and I made a new friend from the Bureau of Land Management. I frequently found myself looking forward to going home.

Today, the Forest Service in partnership with the ski industry provides more skiing opportunities than any other entity in the world. Outdoor recreation is an important part of the of the Forest Service mission: “Caring for the land and serving people.”
Sierra Summit and the Sierra National Forest offer Central California skiers and snowboarders terrain to challenge all ability levels. There are three terrain parks and a half pipe, three surface lifts service over 430 acres, 45 runs, a vertical drop of 1679 feet, and this year brought about the opening of the new chair number seven. Unlike many ski areas, Sierra Summit is entirely on National Forest land and has no private base land or community.

Winter recreation on the National Forests is thriving, but that’s only some of the thinking that enters the mind of Nancy Woolsey, Permit Administrator for the Sierra National Forest. “Are the hazard trees gone? Is the public safe, are the facilities well maintained, and does everything fit with the surrounding National Forest?” Nancy represents the Forest Service at Sierra Summit ski area and it’s her job to work with Brian Bressel, General Manager for Sierra Summit to assure that the ski area protects the environment while providing those great half pike opportunities. “We’re just so pleased with what we have done here.” Says Brian. “If we built a new wall, we would parade everyone to that wall and point out ‘now isn’t that a great wall!’” Brian is proud of Sierra Summit, and he should be. This year they opened the new Chair 7 and Mainstream is getting a new up to date sound system that will allow special events and entertainers to take advantage of the resort setting.

In addition to Brian and Nancy, there are a few people carrying on an old tradition, working for the National Forest in the summer and working for the ski area in the winter. You may not recognize them, but if you need a lift ticket or are injured on the slopes, they are there to help.

These photos were taken during Nancy’s inspection on January 20, 2006.