Alpine Kicks Ash at the Annual USFS Smokejumper Rookie Camp - By Samantha Schmidt

Every spring more than 200 smokejumpers come to Missoula, Montana, from all over the nation to train for the upcoming firefighting season. This also happens to be a super important time of year because rookie camp gets underway wherein these brave, fit, mentally tough, and highly skilled young women and men get introduced to the world of smokejumping. 

Rookie camp is certainly not fun and games. Rather, there are a number of challenges these rookies must face including  an 85 pound pack test, a 24 hour line dig, and many other difficult hurdles.  

Alpine Physical Therapy is honored to be a part of this event. Like any professional athlete, these wildland firefighters must make sure their bodies hold up during preseason, that they get pushed enough to produce change, and ultimately that they are fully prepared to be 110% for their first season as smokejumpers with the United States Forest Service.  Leah Verstegeen, MS, DPT, and Sam Schmidt, MPT, were on site to provide education on injury prevention, safety performance, and proper warm ups and cool downs last week and the for the next three weeks.  

Alpine PT is dedicated to empowering these tremendous individuals whose most important piece of equipment is their body and their ability to achieve maximal performance.  It's your job, your body, OUR BUSINESS!