Check-in, welcome dinner, orientation and introductions. Forester introduces work project goals and work site, The National Smokejumper Center.

Afternoon: Check-in between 4 and 5 PM.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at nearby restaurant; walk up to four blocks.

Evening: Orientation and introductions followed by preview of work project goals and an overview of the National Smokejumper Center. The center is housed in the historic Madison Ranger Station buildings in Yellowstone National Park's west gateway community of West Yellowstone, Montana. It honors the proud tradition and history of "smokejumper" wilderness firefighters and is committed to preserving smokejumper history and creating a unique educational experience for visitors of all ages, including providing inspiration to American youth to enable them to enjoy and be inspired to provide stewardship for America's wildlands.

Lodging: Yellowstone Lodge

Meals Included: Dinner

Ranger Station history, project orientation, walk through and safety meeting. Work projects begin. Tour the Yellowstone Historic Center, created to protect, preserve and display the rich travel history of Yellowstone National Park.

Breakfast: Expanded continental breakfast on site.

Morning: A ranger-led walk at Montana's historic Madison Ranger Station site puts things into perspective as you hear ranger station and National Smokejumper Center history. The site included a ranger station office, barn, garage/shop and small house. The buildings supported administration of the area forestlands which were established as the Madison Forest Reserve in 1902. The area became the Madison National Forest in 1907; later, in 1931, the forest was divided among Montana's Beaverhead, Deerlodge and Gallatin National Forests. The buildings are are now located at the new site of the National Smokejumper Center which is directly adjacent to Yellowstone National Park's west entrance. Project orientation, walk through of projects at the site and safety meeting. Begin work projects.

Lunch: Sack lunches on site.

Afternoon: Work projects continue. Site projects include minor touch up jobs and cleaning after the site has been closed during the winter months. The group will also begin the layout and construction of four bedrooms and two bathrooms in the basement of the Ranger House. Since 1872, folks have been fascinated by Yellowstone and have traveled from around the world to visit Wonderland. Train service to the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park was provided by Union Pacific in 1908. Appreciate a later afternoon, docent-led walking tour at the Yellowstone Historic Center which is located within the Oregon Short Line Terminus Historic District - created to protect, preserve and display the rich travel history of Yellowstone National Park. The Yellowstone Historic Center is situated in the 1909 Depot, a grand setting for an historic American travel museum. Other buildings on site include the imposing Dining Hall, Pylon, Baggage Building,Generator Room, Oil House, Men's Dorm, Water Tower and Pump House, all built by Union Pacific between 1908 and 1929.

Dinner: Catered dinner at lodgings.

Evening: Free evening to rest, explore West Yellowstone, check out the IMAX Theater or the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.

Lodging: Yellowstone Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Work projects continue. Explore the West Yellowstone Interagency Fire Center's Smokejumper/Air Tanker Base. Hear history and tradition of smokejumper wilderness firefighters.

Breakfast: Expanded continental breakfast on site.

Morning: Daily briefing; project work.

Lunch: Catered lunches at work site.

Afternoon: Work projects continue. Travel to nearby West Yellowstone Interagency Fire Center's Smokejumper/Air Tanker Base, one of nine permanent smokejumper bases located throughout the western United States. Smokejumpers are wildland firefighters whose job it is to suppress fires in remote areas of our nation's forests and rang elands. Their primary mission is to get to the fires fast before the flames grow out of control. They are trained to jump out of airplanes since this is often the fastest way to the fire. However, as primary firefighters, smokejumpers may travel to fire by parachute, helicopter, vehicles, by foot; whatever mode of transportation is most efficient. Center personnel leads exploration; examine parachute loft, fire gear and more.

Dinner: Dinner at nearby restaurant; walk up to four blocks.

Evening: Evening lecture presents the history and tradition of smokejumper firefighters.

Lodging: Yellowstone Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Work projects continue then into Yellowstone National Park for an afternoon/evening exploration of the Lower, Midway and Upper Geyser Basins.

Breakfast: Breakfast at nearby restaurant; walk three blocks.

Morning: Daily briefing and project work.

Lunch: Sack lunches on site.

Afternoon: Work projects continue. Mid afternoon field trip departure into Yellowstone National Park via Madison River to Madison Junction area. Naturalist provides on-board interpretation which includes geyser basin and regional geology, wildlife and habitats and human history of the area. Bring camera, binoculars for wildlife viewing and a walking stick if you use one. Travel along the Firehole River to Old Faithful via Lower and Midway Geyser Basins. Exploration may include colorful Fountain Paintpot. On to grand Old Faithful's pluming eruption and the Old Faithful Visitor Center. Peek into historic Old Faithful Inn, a massive log hotel built of local stone and logs in the winter of 1903-04 within viewing distance of Old Faithful Geyser. Centered around the 500 ton fireplace, the magnificent lobby sports raw pine ceilings 76 1/2 feet high. The Inn, a masterpiece of rustic architecture, is one of the few remaining log hotels in the U.S. and is now a National Historic Landmark. Walk Geyser Hill to experience Giantess and Beehive geysers and many more! See, hear and smell awesome thermal features - hot springs, geysers, mudpots and fumaroles - and confide their surrounding hydrothermal life zone. Prepare for splendor! On-board and on-walk interpretation.

Dinner: Dinner at Old Faithful Cafeteria.

Evening: After dinner return to lodgings encompasses the crepuscular hour which offers prime time for wildlife viewing. Expect to see bison, elk, trumpeter swan, coyote, waterfowl, golden mantled ground squirrel, marmot, raven and more. On-board interpretation.

Lodging: Yellowstone Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Work projects continue. Become familiar with the ecology of fire and how forest fires and wildfire are "managed."

Breakfast: Expanded continental breakfast on site.

Morning: Daily briefing; work projects.

Lunch: Catered lunches at work site.

Afternoon: Work projects continue. Afternoon lecture. Public lands specialist describes the ecology of fire, a natural part of the ecosystem. Consider the stewardship mission of Wildland Fire operations and the vital role that WFO plays in overall successful ecosystem management.

Dinner: Catered dinner at lodgings.

Evening: Walk to nearby West Yellowstone Visitor Center for a ranger presentation pertaining to natural history of the Yellowstone area. The natural history topic will focus on geology, wildlife, current issues, habitats, life in hot water, predator/prey dynamics and/or human history, etc.

Lodging: Yellowstone Lodge

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at nearby restaurant; walk three blocks.

Morning: Daily briefing; work projects windup and closing.

Brunch: Catered, sit-down brunch at lodgings.

Afternoon: Airport shuttle departs at 12 noon.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Brunch