Max and Jonny
My first “real” job was working on a trail crew out of Tucson, AZ. After hearing about Hotshots it became my dream job for about 10 years before finally getting on Globe Hotshots in 2015. During these 10 years I loved working on the mountain for the Pikes Peak Cog railroad as a section crew worker while getting experience with the Manitou Springs Volunteer Fire Department on the side. I also worked as a wrangler for 2 summers taking people on horseback rides, worked in a custom metal fabrication shop, two different tree companies and as a lifeguard for a couple years. I worked on a contract fire engine in Oregon in 2013 and then in Gunnison on a Forest Service fire engine for 1 season. I spent 6 seasons on Globe Hotshots(2015-2018, 2020-2021). In 2019 I was a tree worker for the Sequoia NP, cutting hazard trees in the National Park.
I moved away from the forest service for many reasons. One of the reasons is because I saw a much greater benefit to prevention than what the FS focuses on(I think they’re getting better). The foundation to prevention of course is maintaining a healthy forest and landscape surrounding communities and homes. Healthy forests are naturally resistant to extreme fire behavior and enjoyable to be in.
Hi there , I’m Jonny . I’ve spent the majority of my years working , wondering, wandering , and marveling at the forests and deserts of the American west. I spent years as a fishing guide , an outdoor leadership professional, a wildland firefighter, and a timber faller . I started down the forestry path in 2003 as a wildland firefighter in Oregon, from there I worked several seasons in Alaska as a firefighter, and then a decade stint as a sawyer and saw-boss with the San Juan interagency Hotshot crew out of Durango Colorado. And, finally as a veterans fire crew liaison out of the Dolores ranger district , on the San Juan NF. I spent a total of 17 seasons as a wildland firefighter before I started the journey that I’m still on today . My favorite things in the world are being a dad and a husband , a friend , a human companion to my dog, fishing, archery hunting for elk, and hangin out and cuttin timber ( and lots of brush,) with Max. I feel like I don’t deserve the life I have.
Max, Scotty, Jonny, Sunny and AJ at a campground hazard tree removal job on the Mogollon Rim in AZ, ‘23. We’re not always fortunate to have Scotty and A.J.’s company, but sometimes they join in.
Jonny, Scotty, Ryan and Kenny cutting some trees out of a California Campground. 2022
Max, Scotty, Kenny, and Ryan getting off the ol’ Missoura River to cut 13 acres of trees for the Army Corp of Engineers. 2023
Our boat ride was a little more controlled than the Josie Wales version.