Youth Program

Deep in the trees of Glacier National Park, tucked near the stillness of Kintla Lake, my youth expedition crew and I spent a week doing what some might call simple work—building a fence. But this wasn’t just any fence. It was one forged from fallen tree trunks, sweat, teamwork, and a whole lot of "type 2 fun."

Type 2 fun is something I’d never heard of before this summer with Montana Conservation Corps. It’s the kind of fun that doesn’t always feel like fun in the moment. It’s the sore shoulders, the muddy boots, the shared glances that say "This is hard... but we’ve got this." But later—once the fence is up and the work is done—those memories become the sweetest ones.

The process was raw and real. We hoisted massive, splintered logs—sometimes five of us to one trunk—into the bed of the truck. From there, we stripped the bark by hand, revealing the golden grain underneath. And then came the puzzle: fitting each log into place to create something functional, sustainable, and protective for the land. We problem-solved, laughed, got frustrated, and cheered each other on. Slowly, the fence took shape.

But the bigger transformation wasn’t just in the landscape, it was in us. That first car ride up to the site was quiet and slightly awkward, as they often are when a crew is still learning each other’s rhythms. But by the end of the project, we were family. Building that fence bonded us in a way I never expected. MCC has shown me that hard work, shared goals, and a little discomfort can be the foundation of a lasting connection.

I came to MCC wanting to give back to the land. What I didn’t realize was how much it would give back to me. There’s something deeply healing about working in nature, shoulder to shoulder with people who start as strangers and end as lifelong friends. I’ll carry these memories with me long after the summer ends.