Interp Training Schedules (Draft)

Upon announcement of the upcoming Interpretive Training dates, spots available for volunteers quickly filled up. That said, cancellations are possible, so if you would like to be included on the waiting list, please contact Marc_Blackburn (at) nps.gov

Please note that these are DRAFT schedules. Click to enlarge.

N2P Road Work Update, May 21

Work is scheduled Monday-Friday, approx. 7am-5:30pm
Expect 30 Minute Delays

Paradise area:
No work this Friday 5/22
Trench in Paradise parking lot will not be paved this weekend, just compacted.
Trenching crews will continue to work downhill starting again on Tuesday.


Other work:
Tucci starts work in Kautz Creek area on Tuesday 5/26.
Tucci will mobilize equipment and materials into the Park this week.
Next week Tucci will install logs at the Nisqually Entrance.
Next week Tucci will do some spot milling between Nisqually Entrance and Longmire.
The week of June 1, Tucci will begin paving between Nisqually Entrance and Longmire.

Thank you Cascade Designs, Boy Scouts, Mount Rainier National Park Associates, and Spring Opening volunteers!

MRNPA hard at work at Narada Falls

At least four major volunteer projects have gone on in the park over the past several days, so I think we can safely say that the summer volunteer season has begun!

On Saturday, the Mount Rainier National Park Associates were here working on the trail at Narada Falls. The weather was cool and cloudy, but that's perfect weather for the kind of hard work they do, and the trail looks fantastic. Mark your calendars now--the next MRNPA project will be June 13. The location is yet to be determined, but you can learn more and contact the group to sign on through their website, MRNPA.org.

A few volunteers also showed up to help us with spring trail opening at Paradise. This is a critical job, as already there is bare ground melting out around the Jackson Visitor Center! Volunteers help mark trails and make them safe. We have two people on the calendar for next weekend already, with room for several more, so if you're interested in joining us, send a note to MORA_Meadow_Rovers (at) nps.gov.

A group of about a dozen Boy Scouts from the Lakewood area joined us on Saturday and spent seven hours working with Trails Supervisor James Montgomery to rebuild foot bridge abutments on the Wonderland Trail near Cougar Rock. Troop leader Bret Buck reports that "the project was challenging physically and mentally for our young leaders... All in all it was an inspiring weekend!"

Cascade Designs in the Longmire Volunteer Campground

Yesterday, a group of employees from Cascade Designs (the parent company of MSR and Thermarest, among others) showed up to camp in the drizzle at the Longmire Volunteer Campground. Forty-one people from all over the country and all over the world (I talked with people from New Hampshire, Maine, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and Thailand) put in a couple of hours work cleaning up storm debris from the winter, including trees that had fallen through campsites; filling in potholes with gravel; and restoring areas disturbed during the removal of old concrete picnic table frames. The campground is now in ship-shape form for summer!

We're grateful for all of our volunteers, and look forward to more success stories like these as the summer progresses!

Interpretive Training June 1-5 - DRAFT

Interpretive training begins on June 1, and volunteers are welcome to attend (space permitting) A draft schedule has been drawn up and is posted here. Please note that this is a DRAFT and is subject to change (any inconsistencies will be remedied).

If you wish to attend any of these sessions, please RSVP to Marc_Blackburn (at) nps.gov
If you need to camp, contact Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov

Monday, June 1
Facilitators: Curt Jacquot, Casey Overturf

8:30 - Welcome Chief of Interpretation
9:00 - Intros & activities
10:00 - Park Tour & discussion
(----) - Lunch
5:00 - End of day

Tuesday, June 2
Facilitators - Curt Jacquot and others

8:30 - Welcome & announcements
8:40 - Interludes intro (Curt Jacquot, Casey Overturf)
8:50 - Team mission & vision statement (Curt Jacquot, Scott Coombs)
10:15 - Break
10:30 - History of Interpretation (Curt)
12:30 - Lunch & paperwork (Barry Fraissinet)
1:30 - Intro to final assignment & District program schedules (Marc Blackburn & Curt)
1:45 - Intro to Interpretive models/program outlines (Curt & coaches)
2:00 - Demo talk (Marc)
2:30 - Significance statements & Park themes (Casey)
2:50 - Break
3:00 - Tangibles, Intangibles, Universals (Dave Oleson)
3:45 - Break
3:50 - Emotional & intellectual connections demo (Greg Reed)
4:40 - Coaching/prep/Q&A
5:00 - End of day

Wednesday, June 3
Facilitators - Various

8:30 - Welcome & announcements
8:40 - Themes (Curt & Casey)
10:30 - Break
10:20 (sic) - Goals/objectives (Scott Coombs)
11:00 - Demo program (video or live talk and discussion - Marc)
11:30 - Lunch
12:00 - Coaching/prep session
12:30 - Interpretive techniques (Benjamin, Anne, Curt, Casey)
2:00 - Break
2:15 - Questioning techniques (Casey)
2:45 - Introduction & conclusions (Marc)
3:30 - Coaching/prep session
4:10 - Knowledge of the Audience (Marc Blackburn)
5:00 - End of day

Thursday, June 4
Facilitators - Various

8:30 - Welcome & announcements
8:40 - Public speaking (Marc Blackburn)
9:10 - Junior Ranger programs & involving children (Fawn Bauer & staff)
11:10 - Break
11:15 - Putting It All Together, part 1 (Dave Oleson)
12:00 - Lunch
12:30 - Putting It All Together, part 2 (demo - Dave Oleson)
1:15 - Coaching/peer coaching (Curt)
2:15 - Citizen Ranger Program & activity (Curt)
3:30 - Coaching/prep session
4:00 - Interpreting Controversial Issues (Marc & Greg)
4:40 - Coaching/prep/Q&A
5:00 - End of day

Friday, June 5
Facilitators - Various

8:30 - Returnees - Quicktime or paperwork (Field office); New people - Demo (Gas station)
9:45 - Welcome & announcements
9:55 - Sample Evening Program & discussion (Casey)
10:55 - Break
11:05 - Informal Interpretation, part 1 (demos, Casey & Marc)
12:00 - Lunch
12:30 - Informal Interpretation, part  (staff demos, Casey & Marc)
12:15 (sic) - Topic speaker - Climbing or Wilderness or Operations
1:00 - Working the information desk professionally (Casey)
1:45 - Performance Evaluations (Marc)
2:15 - Break
2:30 - Safety for interpreters (Curt, Marc, Casey)
3:15 - Uniforms (Greg Reed)
3:40 - Coaching/prep
4:00 - End of week - Group activity - Field trip proposals (Curt)
5:00 - End of day

May Newsletter

Volunteer Brunch Tomorrow!
Volunteers and potential volunteers! We would like to remind you to join us for the annual Volunteer Brunch this Saturday, May 16th! It will be held at the Mountaineers Clubhouse in Tacoma, 2302 N 30th St. Kevin Bacher and Crow Vecchio will be on hand to answer all those burning questions you've been wanting to ask, and will update you on all the things happening in the park this summer. If you can, please bring a breakfast/brunch dish to share.

Meadow Rover and MeadoWatch Training now June 13-14
Meadow Rover/Meadow Watch training dates and locations have been finalized, and are different than the tentative dates advertised last month. On Saturday, June 13th, MeadoWatch training will start at 10:30 AM to be followed by Meadow Rover training at 12:30 PM. Advanced Meadow Rover training will be held on Sunday June 14th from 9 AM - 3:30 PM. These trainings will all be conducted in the Longmire Community Building. Please join us there!

Welcome Back, Maureen McLean! Meadow Roving has already begun
The inimitable Maureen McLean rejoins us this season as Meadow Rover Manager. Ah, yes... those of you who have worked with her know exactly what I mean! And Rovers, she wants you to know that your services will be much in demand almost immediately. The number of visitors to our fragile meadows will be increasing rapidly as the little lingering snow disappears. Maureen has quite a summer ahead of her, so please join me in welcoming her back! Contact Maureen_McLean (at) nps.gov.

Spring Opening Starting now!
Spring Trail Opening is a huge task which involvs marking and maintaining trail locations by installing ropes and wands and shoveling steps to keep visitors on established routes and preventing meadow damage. Work parties will leave the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in May and June (and maybe longer). Note that this is different (and more strenuous) duty than Meadow Roving. Contact Maureen_McLean (at) nps.gov to sign up to help!

Part-time Campground Hosts Needed throughout the Summer
We're still looking for people to host volunteers at the Longmire Campground this summer. If you can help, even a few weekends, check out a calendar listing the dates we need help on our blog.

Interpretive Training June 1-12
If you regularly encounter visitors in your volunteer activities or even if you would just like to learn more about interpretation, volunteers will be welcomed at our annual Interpretive Training sessions during the first two weeks of June. A detailed schedule will be posted later, but we anticipate interpretive presentation training from June 1-5 and 12; history and cultural resource training on June 8; the ever-popular geologic history of Mount Rainier as presented by Tom Sisson on June 9; a geology field trip on June 10; and ecology training on June 11. Due to limited transportation resources, participants of the field trip may need to carpool among themselves. If you are interested in attending any of the sessions, please RSVP to Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov.

Washington Trails Association Work Begins June 5
Are you interested in trail maintenance? If so, you may want to sign up for one of the Washington Trails Association (WTA) work parties. WTA will be working in the Park every weekend (Friday-Sunday) starting June 5. Sign up as soon as projects are posted at http://www.wta.org/volunteer/trail-work-parties.

Mount Rainier National Park Associates: Next Project June 13
Mount Rainier National Park Associates (MRNPA) hosts monthly volunteer projects throughout the Park: trail maintenance on June 13 and August 15; invasive species removal on July 11; revegetation planting on September 12. Visit their website at mrnpa.org to learn more, or contact John Titland at volunteer (at) mrnpa.org.

Geocachers Kick Off the NPS Centennial June 13
Every year, local geocaching enthusiasts gather at the Longmire Campground for a "Cache In, Trash Out" volunteer event. Despite the name, the project usually involves setting up wall tents and helping with general maintenance in the campground and, occasionally, elsewhere in the park. This year's event will be followed by the kickoff of a two-year GeoTour sponsored by Visit Rainier in Ashford. Visit http://coord.info/GC5TFR7 and http://coord.info/GC5T8CD to learn more -- and note that you don't have to be a geocacher (yet) to participate in either event!

For a broader scope of volunteer activites for the summer months, please see our earlier blog post. There are dozens of ways you can take an active role in keeping Mount Rainier National Park the best place to visit in the Pacific Northwest!

Part-time hosts needed at Longmire Volunteer Campground

Longmire Campground Host
Calendar (click to enlarge)

With summer nearly upon us, we have still not been able to find a full-time host for the Longmire Volunteer Campground. We are pleased to have the help of Al Lynch, who hails from east of the mountains, and who will be joining us for up to seven weekends throughout the summer. That still leaves twelve weekends, plus some weekdays when large volunteer groups are scheduled.

If you're looking for a good volunteer project that can be done out of your RV or campsite, consider signing up as a campground host! Longmire Campground Host duties include:

• Welcoming volunteers to the campground and directing them to their campsites;
• Checking out keys to the bathroom/shower building;
• Cleaning the showers once a week;
• General maintenance around the campground;
• Site security and emergency response; and
• Helping with volunteer projects in the campground.

The linked calendar will show you the dates currently available. Dates marked in green are currently covered -- thank you, Al! The dates marked in yellow are weekends when hosts are needed, as well as week days when groups are schedule. Dates in white are less critical; however, volunteers come and go throughout the summer, so hosts are welcome any and all days of the week. The more dates we can fill in, the better our volunteers will be served!

Note: I am still also open to hiring a full-time campground host for all or part of the season! If you'd like to serve for an extended period, including dates currently marked in green on the calendar, let me know and let's discuss the options.

If you'd like to help out, please contact me ASAP by e-mail at Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov, or by telephone at 360-569-6567.

N2P Road Construction Begins May 18

The next phase of construction on the Nisqually-to-Paradise Road is slated to begin on Monday, May 18. Per the preliminary outline:

     Work will begin at Paradise and head downhill.
     Work will take place between 7am and 5:30pm.
     Trucks will be hauling materials over Stevens Canyon Road.
     Ricksecker Point will be closed to the public except for a short section at the lower west end.

Please take extra precautions to ensure the safety of workers and other drivers.

This week, expect minor delays as surveyors and flaggers will be in the road collecting measurements. 

Trail Help Needed Fri/Sat/Sun

Help is needed on short notice to place wrought iron candy canes and ropes to guide visitors along the trails---and keep them off the vegetation. We have been blessed with at least one trail crew member every day of the week. So far they have done an amazing job roping off the rapidly emerging meadows. They are also placing the railings on the Myrtle Falls bridge.

I will be coordinating the work party lists so if you are available, send your info to my NPS address...Maureen_McLean@nps.gov. Place "Trail Crew" in the subject line and give me the day you will work. Work parties will meet at the Muir Steps at 9 a.m. each day. Safety issues and work plans will be discussed then. This will be more strenuous work than Meadow Roving! 

I will be working Saturday at the JVC and Sunday roving at Paradise.  Come help with trail work or join me roving the meadows.

Maureen McLean
Coordinator MORA Meadow Rovers

Volunteers: Have You Seen a Fox?

Researchers monitoring the Cascade Red Fox den camera at Paradise report that it has shown no activity over the winter. In fact, fox activity is down from prior years. If you have seen a Cascade Fox at Paradise or any other location, please contact Roger_Andrascik(at)nps.gov. If possible, include location, date and time of day in your report.

It's Mad, It's May, The Mountain is Out...Ranger Maureen is Back (updated)

Rise and shine Meadow Rovers!  Summer is just around the corner though with the low snow pack on the mountain, it is already here!  I will be back in the office the week of May 17^th organizing our training and summer program. 

Returning volunteers will be needed almost immediately. As the weekend weather improves, the number of visitors will be increasing. The lack of snow means the meadows are already in jeopardy with bare spots expanding daily.  Rovers are needed at the trailheads to advise hikers, stop sleds before they go up the hill, and encourage visitors to let the flowers grow. As in the past, let me know via the e-mail mora_meadow_rovers@nps.gov when you plan to come.

New Volunteer Position with Trail Crew

On a positive note, trails division has assigned crew members to Paradise. They have already placed rope trail guides along much of the lower trails and are GPSing the trails under snow. At least one crew member will be at Paradise on weekends to rope off the hot spots before they are damaged. They will be asking volunteers to help with placing the wrought iron candy canes and rope. This will be separate from meadow roving and require some muscle. A separate job description will be written for this work. Helpers are to meet any Friday, Saturday, or Sunday at 9:00 a.m. at the Muir Steps. A safety discussion and the days plan will be given before work will start. I know it is short notice, but they will be working this weekend Friday May 8^th thru 10^th. For now, just be there by 9. As I have more information, I will give you contact directions.

Meadow Rover Training Days – Changed

Due to a scheduling conflict, the training days for Meadow Watch, and new and returning Meadow Rovers has been changed.

June 13^th – 10:30 to 12:00 Longmire Community Center - Meadow Watch

          Meadow Watch is a Citizen Scientist project sponsored by University of Washington. For more info, contact Anna Wilson at mwatch@uw.edu. (times and e-mail corrected)

June 13^th – 12:30 to 5:30 Longmire Community – New Meadow Rovers

June 14^th – 9 to 3:30 Longmire Community Center – Returning Meadow Rovers

As in the past, camping will be available in the Longmire campground. I will start taking reservations when I am on board the week of May 17^th.

I am looking forward to seeing my old friends and meeting new ones.  See you soon on the mountain.

Maureen McLean

Coordinator Mount Rainier Meadow Rovers

Maureen_McLean@nps.gov

360-569-6582

MRNPA - May 16th Project Update

The location and details for Saturday's MRNPA project have been announced!

The group will be working on the trails at Narada Falls repairing winter damage and improving the trail tread.

If you would like to join the work party, please contact Volunteer Coordinator John Titland at volunteer(at)mrnpa.org to let him know that you are coming.

Bring a lunch and full rain gear, and gather in the Narada Falls parking lot at 8:30-9:00 AM.  Departure to the work site will be at 9:00 AM sharp.

Thank you for your public service!

Dear Team Rainier,

"Public service is a calling…It embodies our sense of shared values and reflects our drive to serve a cause beyond our own—to give back to our nation, leave our mark and nudge history forward. There is no greater opportunity to help more people or to make a bigger difference." - President Obama

This is Public Service Recognition Week; the president spoke those words in acknowledgement of the value, importance and purpose of the work that you do to serve the our parks, our public and our country.

I, too, thank you.

-Randy

Superintendent
Mount Rainier National Park

Volunteer Opportunties for summer 2015 (Updated)

If you're looking for ways to volunteer at Mount Rainier National Park, there are still abundant opportunities available! All but one of our full-time positions have been filled, as of this writing, but short-term and recurring options are possible almost every weekend. Here's a quick summary:

Longmire Campground Manager: Full Time, May 22-September 28 or a portion thereof. Serve as a host at the Longmire Volunteer Campground, making reservations, checking campers in and out, performing general maintenance and cleaning, and helping with volunteer projects. Housing options include an RV site with hookups, or an apartment adjacent to the campground. Apply at Volunteer.gov or contact Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov.

Campground Opening: Options are available for small groups to help with general campground opening and maintenance next week only at Cougar Rock and Ohanapecosh Campground, May 11-15. Contact Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov ASAP if you're interested.

Mount Rainier National Park Associates: Our community partner is hosting volunteer projects monthly throughout the summer: trail maintenance on May 16, June 13, and August 15; invasive species removal on July 11; and revegetation planting on September 12. Visit their website at mrnpa.org to learn more, or contact volunteer (at) mrnpa.org.

Trail Maintenance: The Washington Trails Association will be leading trail maintenance projects throughout the summer, on every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from June 6 through September 6.  Visit their website at wta.org to learn more and to sign up for an upcoming project. (Note that they usually don't post projects until they're within about three weeks out, but projects will be occurring every weekend.) WTA also has limited space in week-long volunteer vacations throughout the summer.

Spring Trail Opening: Getting trails open every spring is a huge task that involves marking the proper trail location with wands, ropes, and shoveled steps, and maintaining the route as it melts out. This keeps people hiking over the snow in the same place that the trail will be when the snow melts, and reduces damage to the underlying meadows. We're still working out details of the program this year, but if you're interested in participating, send a note to Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov.

Meadow Rovers: Meadow Roving is one of our most popular recurring volunteer opportunities. Hike the trails above Paradise and Sunrise, assist visitors, and educate them about the importance of staying on the trails, not feeding the wildlife, and being prepared for changing conditions. Set your own schedule in coordination with our Meadow Rover Manager, and come up as often as you like. Group training will most likely be held on June 13 (note that this is a change from earlier announcements), and individual training will be available throughout the season. Apply at volunteer.gov, or send questions to MORA_Meadow_Rovers (at) nps.gov.


MeadoWatch: Contribute to research as a Citizen Scientist! Trained volunteers coordinate their schedules with our MeadoWatch manager to hike transects at Paradise and White River, observing which flowers are in bloom or gone to seed, to help scientists map out trends in response to changing climate. Find out more at meadowatch.org, and sign up there to attend training either at the University of Washington on May 16 June 10 (updated) or at Mount Rainier National Park on June 13. Questions can be sent to mwatch (at) uw.edu.

Amphibian Surveys: Another Citizen Science opportunity takes out deep into Mount Rainier's backcountry to survey frogs, salamanders, and aquatic insects, providing park scientists with baseline data and population trends over time. Training will be offered in late June or early July, and you can sign up then for trips throughout the summer. To get on our mailing list for more information as the season approaches, sign up at volunteer.gov or send an e-mail to Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov.


Cascades Butterfly Survey: Our third Citizen Science program takes out out on trails throughout the Cascades, between Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks, to collect and identify butterflies. Learn more about the program, its training dates, and research locations, at their Yahoo group at groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/cascadesbutterfly/info; or get on their mailing list by filling out an application at volunteer.gov or sending a note to Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov.


Greenhouse: Volunteers help at Mount Rainier's greenhouse by potting, repotting, and weeding plants throughout the summer. Because this is a delicate process that requires patience and precision, our staff request that you commit to a regular schedule of visits. Plants grown in the greenhouse are later planted in restoration plots around the mountain. Apply through volunteer.gov, or contact Josh_Drown (at) nps.gov with questions.

Revegetation: Join our restoration crews throughout the month of September to plant native plants in areas that require revegetation. A primary site will be in the meadows above Sunrise, but other locations may be visited as well. Put September 12 and 26 on your calendar for sure, but volunteers are welcome to join our crews on other dates by prior arrangement. Send inquiries to Julie_Hover (at) nps.gov.


Visitor Surveys: Every July, Mount Rainier National Park hands out visitor surveys to track how well we're doing at meeting visitor service needs. Volunteers help by taking four-hour shifts at locations throughout the park. It's an easy way to get involved for a single day and make a difference! Our survey schedule will be announced soon, so get on the mailing list by sending a note to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov.


4th of July Parade: Here's a fun one: help represent Mount Rainier National Park by marching in the annual Independence Day Parade in Eatonville, Washington, at noon on the 4th. Show your support! Contact Jim_Ross (at) nps.gov to volunteer.

Washington State Fair: Another way to represent Mount Rainier is to take a shift in our booth at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup. Volunteers are needed for 3-4 hour shifts throughout the run of the fair, September 11-27, and receive free entrance and parking in return for their contribution. Contact Jim_Ross (at) nps.gov to sign up.

Shadows of the Past: Our annual Living History program at Longmire will be the evening of Saturday, August 22. Volunteers are needed to carry lanterns, help with makeup, and even to portray characters from the park's past. If you're interested in participating, contact Curt_Jacquot (at) nps.gov to sign up.

National Public Lands Day: Our biggest volunteer day of the year happens on September 26. Volunteer projects will be available throughout the park; past events have included campground maintenance and construction, trail maintenance, revegetation, and wilderness cleanup. Watch our blog for details, or send a note to Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov to get on our mailing list!

Historic and Backcountry Maintenance: Do you have special skills, such as carpentry or historic restoration? Are you interested in spending a day in a beautiful setting, painting a historic cabin or fire lookout? Such opportunities are available intermittently throughout the summer. Contact Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov to express interest and get on our mailing list.

Winter Opportunities: Winter is a much slower time for volunteers, but if you enjoy skiing and snowshoeing, our Nordic Patrol and Snow Rover programs may be of interest. Visit the Washington Ski Touring Club at www.wstc.org to learn about Nordic Patrol, or send a note to Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov to get on the mailing list for next winter.

Full Time Positions Next Summer: Next year will bring a new set of full-time opportunities, including a wide range of internships through the Student Conservation Association and Geologic Society of America, campground host positions at all of our campgrounds, curatorial assistants, and patrol volunteers. Watch our volunteer job listings at http://www.nps.gov/mora/getinvolved/volunteer.htm!

Mailing list: If you'd like to receive notices in your mail box once a month during the summer, updating you about new opportunities, simply send a note to Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov!

Learn more in person: Attend our annual Volunteer Brunch at the Tacoma Mountaineers Clubhouse to talk to Volunteer Program Manager Kevin Bacher in person about volunteer opportunities!

Thank you, and we'll see you out on the trails!

WSTC Celebrates 20 Years!

Nordic Patrol, 2013

From Ranger Jeff Gardner:

Mount Rainier National Park would like to thank the 37 members of the Washington Ski Touring Club (WSTC) who served as the 2014/2015 Nordic Patrol for the Paradise area volunteering 810.5 hours of their time.  This year marked the twentieth anniversary of WSTC volunteering as the Paradise area Nordic Patrol.  

As taken from one of the original documents describing their duties: "Nordic Patrol will set and maintain trail marker poles and signs, assess avalanche conditions, discourage skiers from avalanche prone areas, put out wands, answer questions, assist in initial searches for lost parties, aid in transport of injured skiers and check overnight permits."  Their role hasn't change much in the past twenty years, but they are still having a huge impact. 

Nordic Patrol, 1999

Anyone who has come across a member of the Nordic Patrol has found a warm smile and an informative volunteer who is ready to help them in a time of need.

If you are interested in joining Nordic Patrol for the 2015/2016 season, contact Washington Ski Touring Club (WSTC) through their web page.