Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Photo courtesy of Jon Epstein

Can you say "S-N-O-W?" Nordic Patrol's Jon Epstein trekked out to reset poles at Paradise. He's shown here at the Deadhorse Creek bridge. In Jon's words, "If you look to the far right of the photo you can see a small group of poles barely sticking out where they identify the bridge.  Had we not reset them this weekend they would have been lost for most of the winter."

The forecast is for snow to continue throughout the week, becoming heavy at times. If you go out, be prepared for winter conditions.

Seasonal -and Permanent- Greetings!

Photo by Kevin Bacher

The highly capable and eminently professional staff of the Volunteer Program would like to wish you and your families the best of the season. Now, let it snow!

Mark Your Calendars - 2016 Fee Free Days Have Been Announced!

Every Kid in a Park - Seattle Kick Off Event

Did you know that every single fourth grader can get a pass for free entry to any National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  That is millions of acres of federal land, just waiting to be explored by the fourth graders of this country (and their families, of course), for free! 

In the first year of this inititive, President Barack Obama has said:

"Because no matter who you are, no matter where you live, our parks, our monuments, our lands, our waters - these places are your birthright as Americans."

But maybe you aren't a fourth grader, reading this blog.  Parents can help their children get this pass by completing a short task together at www.everykidinapark.gov, printing out a temporary pass, and then exchanging it at any fee station of federal lands, including here at Mount Rainier National Park.

Are you a teacher of fourth graders?  Do you work at a camp or outdoor education center for fourth graders?  Sunday school?  Boy Scouts?  Girl Scouts?  A home-school leader?  Do you lead an after school program?  If you are an educator of fourth graders, then you can also create a lesson that touches on a few outlined topics, and you can hand out passes to any fourth graders that complete the lesson!  More information for educators can be found at www.everykidinapark.gov/get-your-pass/educator .

 

In September, Mount Rainier National Park, Klondike Goldrush National Park, Olympic National Park, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, Islandwood and Washington Trails Association all held activities for a number of fourth graders from around the Seattle Area, issuing over 50 passes to very eager fourth graders!

You can get YOUR pass here (assuming that you are in fourth grade): www.everykidinapark.gov

Calling All Volunteers with a Name Tag!

Do you have a bronze name tag from your time volunteering at Mount Rainier National Park?  Have you put in over 100 hours of volunteer time?  Do you volunteer on the front lines, behind a visitor's center desk, in a wilderness information center, out meadow roving or patrolling the back country, or many other jobs where a name tag is a crucial part of your uniform?  Were you an active volunteer in 2015 and will you be an active volunteer in 2016?  If so, then this post is for you!

Just imagine this, shinier, and in pin form.

As you may already (hopefully) know, 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.  To help spread the news, we have ordered a limited number of 2016 Centennial pins to share with those volunteers who interact with the public on a regular basis.  You may have seen these pins on NPS Staff, centered just above their name tags, and they are an official part of the 2016 uniform for staff and volunteers. 

These pins do look best centered above the official NPS name tag, but if you don't have a name tag, don't you fret!  They are available for purchase at http://www.arrowheadstore.com/.  Since the volunteer program has a limited number of these pins, we only have enough for one pin per volunteer who meets the above criteria. 

So, if you have been an active volunteer in the past year and you are looking to continue volunteering throughout the winter or even next summer, with a name tag, please contact Ian at ian_harvey@partner.nps.gov and he will get your pin out to you as soon as possible!  In your email, please include your mailing address, if you would like to have your pin shipped to you!