NEWSFLASH! MEADOW ROVERS NEEDED UNTIL THE SNOW FLIES!

Steve Cart, VIP Meadow Rover at Sunrise

With the lack of snow predicted in the near future, the Sunrise Road will remain open until the 31st of October. Superintendent Randy King has asked that Meadow Rovers continue their expert services throughout the remainder of October at Sunrise and possibly even later at Paradise. However, there will be some changes from the normal summer Meadow Rover operations. As always we have your safety as our top priority along with the safety and enjoyment of visitors and the protection of our magnificent natural and cultural resources.


First, reservations must be made in advance through the mora_meadow_rovers@nps.gov e-mail. While we enjoy your drop-in presence in the summer, we need to coordinate with the Law Enforcement Rangers’ schedules. Most days, they will be your closest back-up. If for some reason no Law Enforcement Rangers are available on a given day, rovers will not be scheduled. Ian Harvey will be organizing your schedules with rangers after October 17 as Maureen will be on furlough. When you are scheduling a day, we highly encourage you to rove in pairs.


While you may feel as though you are the sole protector of the resource, your sole task during this extended season is to educate visitors. You are not Law Enforcement. If you are confronted with any situation involving a law enforcement issue, you are to immediately contact a Law Enforcement Ranger via Dispatch. You should never engage a visitor on a law enforcement issue.


Due to more limited back-up, we are asking our rovers to limit their roves to areas around the visitor centers and parking areas. Specific guidelines will be given below.


Sunrise Specifics


As you may know, the Sunrise Visitor Center has closed along with the Day Use Building. Utilities including water have also been turned off for the winter. Until October 12, the radios will be available at the White River Wilderness Information Center. After October 12, a lock box will be set up with a key for retrieving and returning radios. More information will be available as you schedule your roves.


In the Sunrise area, rovers are to limit their coverage to the Sourdough Ridge - Frozen Lake - Sunrise Campground – Visitor Center Parking Lot area. If, at any time, Law Enforcement is called beyond the Sunrise/White River Entrance, rovers should return to the Sunrise Parking Lot.


Note that potable water is no longer available at Sunrise. Please bring plenty of water with you as you rove.

Gwen Remmen, VIP Meadow Rover at Paradise
Photo by Ed Hunds

Paradise Specifics


Rovers are asked to limit their roves to within the Skyline Trail and Nisqually Vista Loops. If at any time Law Enforcement becomes unavailable, you need to return to base.


Limited housing will be available at Tahoma Woods if requests are made well in advance of the desired day. These requests must be made through the mora_meadow_rovers@nps.gov e-mail.


Weekdays after October 12:


Radios will be housed at the Longmire Museum which is open from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. Radios will need to be returned to Longmire before the museum closes. As the sun begins to set earlier each day, this should not be a problem! If you wish to rove later than 4:30, please make arrangements well in advance and, if staff is available, we will arrange for someone on a later shift to receive your radio.


Weekends after October 12:


The Jackson Visitor Center will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Normal radio checkout will follow the summer procedures. Radios must be back in the Rover Room before the 5:00 closing.


Again to all of you who have given your time this past year a giant thank you. For those of you able to continue, please remember your safety is our first priority. Be sure to keep your radio on at all times so you can hear Dispatch call you for any reason. Be wise, be careful, and have a wonderful day.