Trails Work Party April 30th

From John Titland of the Mount Rainier National Park Associates, one of our most dependable volunteer partner groups:

Greetings,

The first Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party for 2011 will be on Saturday, April 30th. That's the Saturday after next. The project will be to work on the Boundary Trail which begins right at the Carbon River entrance. We will meet at the Carbon River entrance station at about 8:30 AM and be ready to move out by 9:00 AM.

Be prepared for uphill hike to the work site. As always, bring your lunch and plenty of fluids to drink, work gloves and safety glasses, and a full set of rain gear. During April it is common to have rain or wet snow falling, so bring some warm clothing too.

If you plan to attend this April 30th trails work party and have not yet contacted me, please write to volunteer@mount-rainier.org indicating that you are coming and give me the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for us all.

There are safety equipment requirements for all MRNPA trail work volunteers. (These rules apply to all trail workers.) Anyone using an aggressive tool - like a Pulaski, ax, shovel, etc. - or anyone working near them - is required to wear a hard hat and safety glasses. People working with or near a less aggressive tools are not required (but will be encouraged) to wear a hard hat. If you own a hard hat that you can wear, please bring it. If you do not have a hard hat, we have hard hats that we loan for the day the day.

Wearing safety glasses is encouraged at all times. Not all safety glasses are comfortable for everyone and some will not fit over eye glasses. Because of cleanliness issues, some people don't like wearing safety glasses that have been worn by other people. For these reasons, and probably many others, please purchase (acquire, find, dig-up, whatever) a pair of personal safety glasses that you will wear. The local hardware store is a good place to start shopping. A serviceable pair or safety glasses will cost about $10. And be advised that shatterproof eye glasses do not meet the requirement for safety glasses. Safety glasses all have side protection which eyeglasses do not.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates