Web-savvy park ranger turns spotlight on wilderness
For ranger Miranda LeConte, interacting with people is her favorite part of the job. Photo/Provided
By Sammy Caiola, Sacramento Bee
Miranda Leconte can’t stand litterers. She’s irked by backpackers who camp in Desolation Wilderness without permits, and she’s got a lot to say to people who build fires there, despite the many warnings that it’s forbidden.
If she sounds like a stickler it’s because she is, but for good reason – it’s her job. The 23-year-old Camino native just finished her first season as a U.S. Forest Service ranger, patrolling the 64,000 breathtaking acres of Desolation Wilderness area near Lake Tahoe and teaching people how to keep it clean.
Her environmental conservation crusade, much of which she documents on social media, has garnered the attention of 17,000 Instagram followers and some major outdoor gear companies. When she’s not out maintaining trails or restocking permit boxes, she’s most likely blogging about her work or striking a mountaintop pose for the camera.