Mount Rainier Volunteers

Updated Procession Route

2012-01-09T17:14:00.000-08:00

The route of Margaret Anderson's procession tomorrow has been changed. Here is the updated route (turn by turn directions can also be found at The News Tribune):

View Larger Map

This will be the last update on this blog before the Memorial Service; however, keep an eye on the Employee Blog in case there are any other last-minute notices.

Protocols for ceremonial events

2012-01-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

The protocols for when and how to wear a hat (including a volunteer ball cap), how and when to salute, etc. have been posted on the Employee Blog. If you will be attending the ceremony, please review these protocols in advance. They will be reviewed in person, as well, at the 12:00 briefing for NPS employees in the Memorial Auditorium.

Shuttle Bus Update - Highly Encouraged for Traveling to Memorial Service RSVP by 2:00

2012-01-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

From the Memorial Service planning team:

We are strongly encouraging employees to ride the shuttle bus to Pacific Lutheran University. The shuttle bus will have a police escort and will arrive at the auditorium before the procession. Since the bus is arriving before the procession, employees will be able to attend processional ceremonies, including multi-agency pipe bands, rifle team, and mounted patrol. It is expected that traffic will be difficult to maneuver, especially around the time the processional will arrive. Additionally, parking may be full early. Due to these factors, please consider riding the bus--it will reduce additional stress during this emotional event.

Response to the shuttle buses has been low, and we may cancel buses if more employees do not choose to ride. Please contact us immediately if you are planning to ride. Remember, family members and friends are also welcome and encouraged to ride the shuttle.

The shuttle bus for employees will be meeting at 7:00 am and leaving at 7:15 am from the Eatonville Baptist Church to the memorial.

Please contact us: MountRainierInfo@gmail.com

or

360-569-6592 (Brandi's line)

We also need to know the amount of people who will be traveling with you and a phone you can be reached from.

The church is located about 3 miles off of Hwy 7/Mountain Highway. Take the Eatonville Hwy West exit. The driveway to the church is on the right just as you go down the hill and enter the town limits. [Here's a link to a map.]

The bus will be leaving Pacific Lutheran University at 5:00 pm to return to the Eatonville Baptist Church.

Volunteers: Please RSVP if you plan to attend the Memorial

2012-01-09T12:43:00.000-08:00

I've posted this before, but it's gotten buried in the flurry of other information, so just a reminder: if you plan to attend the Memorial Service tomorrow as a Mount Rainier National Park volunteer, please RSVP to MountRainierInfo@gmail.com. Let us know if you're attending with any family members. That will give us a better sense of how many seats to reserve. Thanks!

For clarity, we will only have room in the Olson Auditorium for staff (including volunteers) and their partners or family members. Members of the public who are not family members of active employees/volunteers will be directed to overflow seating.

Volunteer Q&A for Memorial Service

2012-01-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

I received an e-mail this morning asking for specific information on uniforms and other logistics as they apply to volunteers. It's timely and relevant, so I'll post the questions and responses for everyone here:

Q: Should we wear our green volunteer cap?
A: Yes. If the uniform you wear while volunteering includes a hat with a volunteer patch on it, please wear it.
Q: If a volunteer does not have a long sleeve shirt, can he/she wear a short sleeve shirt?
A: Yes. If you have both, please wear long sleeves. If you only have a summer (short sleeve) uniform shirt, it's fine to wear that.
Q: Can we wear some layer like dark turtle neck shirt under the volunteer shirt? With short sleeve volunteer shirt?
A: Yes. Dark layers that match the uniform shirt may be worn underneath either the long-sleeve or short-sleeve shirt for warmth.
Q: Can we wear fleece/softshell jackets with sewed-on volunteer patch that we wear during cool weather? If yes, does the color of the jacket matter?
A: It will probably be too warm in the auditorium for fleece or jackets, and uniformed paid employees will not be wearing outerwear. Jackets of any color should only be worn if you do not own a long-sleeved volunteer shirt, your jacket is lightweight and appropriate for an indoor setting, and you feel that it looks nicer than the alternative. Use your own judgment.
Q: How about footwear? Dressy street shoes or field boots (clean)?
A: Dressy street shoes are preferable if you have them available. Clean field boots are appropriate only if you do not own dress shoes and your field boots look nicer than the alternative.
Q: Who are considered current MORA volunteers?
A: Our volunteers range from current, full-time, and long-term to those who came up for a single visit several years ago as part of a larger group. All are part of our extended "family," and everyone's contribution is deeply appreciated, however small, but lines do need to be drawn due to limited space. If you're a current, recurring volunteer (i.e. you've participated several times in the past year), you're welcome to join us. If not, we'd appreciate it if you'd defer to others. A good guideline is this: if you can promptly name your supervisor at the park, and if they would readily recognize you on sight, you should consider yourself invited.
Q: Is the 12:00 pm briefing for Mount Rainier National Park employees and their immediate families for current paid employees only?
A: The briefing includes everyone who will be seated in the Mount Rainier employees section in the first tier of seats in the auditorium. This includes both paid employees and active volunteers, as well as their families.

Thanks for the questions, and if you have others, feel free to give me a call or drop me a note. I'll be in my office at 360-569-6567 until approximately 4:30 this afternoon.

Memorial Service details including seating arrangements

2012-01-09T11:15:00.001-08:00

A lot of employees, including volunteers, have had questions about seating at Margaret Anderson's Memorial Service tomorrow. Here's the scoop:

Due to limited seating capacity, Olson Auditorium will be reserved for those directly related to Margaret's family or work. This includes the following groups:

Margaret and Eric's family
Dignitaries
Mount Rainier National Park employees (including volunteers) and their families
Other National Park Service employees (including off-duty seasonal employees)
Affected park visitors (e.g. those involved in the lockdown at Paradise)
Pierce County police and fire
Law enforcement and fire personnel
Representatives from state parks and other federal agencies

Members of the general public will be directed to three overflow areas, two of them on the PLU campus, the third being Rainier View Christian Church, 12305 Spanaway Loop Rd S, Tacoma.

Mount Rainier National Park employees (including volunteers) and family will be seated in the first tier of seats next to the stage, with other National Park Service employees in the second set of seats on risers behind them. Only about 300 seats are available specifically for Mount Rainier National Park staff in the first tier of seats. Numbers in excess of that will be seated at the front of the general NPS contingent in the second tier.

Because space is so limited, we are asking all employees to make sure that those who knew Margaret and her family, or those who were directly involved in the events of last week, have priority in the first tier of seats. Thank you for your cooperation.

Mount Rainier National Park staff should meet at 11:00 a.m. in the Memorial Gymnasium, just east of Olson Auditorium, for a briefing prior to the Memorial Service. We will then be seated as a group just before the service begins. The service is expected to last about an hour and a half, and will be followed by an additional 15-20 minutes of Last Honors which will take place outside the auditorium but which we expect to stream on live video to screens inside the auditorium. Audience members will be dismissed following the Last Honors.

NPS employees are invited to a reception after the ceremony at the Norwegian Heritage Center, a short walk from Olson Auditorium.

For those who are unable to attend, the Memorial Service will be broadcast live on the Internet by Northwest Cable News (NWCN) at http://www.nwcn.com/and KING 5 at http://www.king5.com/. NWCN will be broadcasting live to areas of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska.

Bussing available to Anderson Memorial -- RSVP ASAP

2012-01-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

I just learned at this morning's briefing that shuttles will be available for employees (including volunteers and family members) to get to the Memorial Service at Pacific Lutheran University tomorrow. Employees are asked to RSVP by 11am (which is only 20 minutes away as I write this, so just do so ASAP) to indicate whether you would like to take advantage of the shuttle service.

RSVP either by e-mail to MountRainierInfo@gmail.com or by phone to Brandi Stewart at 360-569-6592.

Complicating matters is that as of this writing the pickup locations and times have not been confirmed, although tentatively there will be a shuttle leaving from the Eatonville Baptist Church in Eatonville at 9:30 a.m. Additional stops and shuttles will be added as needed, so when you RSVP, let us know how many are coming and where you'd like to be picked up. We'll accommodate as best we can, and confirm pickup times and locations later this afternoon. Watch the employee blog for the most up to date details: http://moraemployees.blogspot.com/.

The shuttle will hopefully arrive in time for Margaret's processional, but in any case will be there in time for the employee briefing at noon in the Memorial Gymnasium. Watch for a separate blog post momentarily with those details. The shuttle will return after the NPS reception, which will follow the Memorial; that timing is also yet to be determined.

If you do not ride the shuttle, parking is being reserved for NPS employees in the Ivy lot just south of the Memorial Gymnasium and southeast of Olson Auditorium. Space is limited, so please carpool.

Occupy Paradise

2012-01-08T16:18:00.001-08:00

Here's a set of photos from our first day back open yesterday. Lots of volunteers helping out, both at the Longmire Museum and at Paradise.

"Reflection, seeds of recovery at Mount Rainier"

2012-01-08T16:11:00.001-08:00

Volunteers are featured significantly in a multi-page set of articles in The News Tribune today.

Allan and Rose Evans, park volunteers from Graham, met Anderson shortly after she was hired in 2008. “We want to be here,” Rose Evans said. “I think being here honors her.”

National Park Service workers from as far away as Georgia helped run the park, and local volunteers chipped in. Tacoma Mountain Rescue stationed two climbers at Camp Muir and another team in Longmire to respond to search-and-rescue situations. “This place is sacred to a lot of people,” said Scott Schissel, a Tacoma Mountain Rescue volunteer headed to Camp Muir. “It doesn’t matter if you are a climber, a hiker or just somebody who wants to visit a national park; it’s pretty devastating to think something like this could happen in such a pristine and hallowed place.”

Briefing, reception, and parking for Mount Rainier employees

2012-01-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

This update for "Current Mount Rainier Employees" is on the Mount Rainier Employee blog:

Prior to Margaret's memorial service there will be a special briefing for Mount Rainier National Park employees and their immediate families at 12 noon. This briefing is for current employees only. The 12 noon briefing will take place at the Memorial Gym (close to the Olson Auditorium where the service will take place). The doors to that facility should be open by 11:00am.

Following the memorial service all National Park Service employees, past MORA seasonals, and current MORA volunteers are invited to a reception in the Norwegian Heritage Center.

I realize that first paragraph is a bit ambiguous with respect to volunteers. I'll try to get some clarification tomorrow.Also:

We are highly encouraging everyone to carpool to the memorial service on Tuesday. Parking is going to be tight. Mount Rainier National Park employees are to park in the Ivy parking lot at PLU.

A campus map can be found here online or here in PDF format. The Ivy lot is bottom center in both maps, just east of the track and tennis courts.

Ranger Margaret Anderson Memorial Procession

2012-01-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

January 9 update: THIS ROUTE HAS BEEN CHANGED. Click here for the update.

For those wish to watch the procession for Margaret Anderson on Tuesday, it will begin at the Lakewood Fire Station 21 at 9:30 a.m. and proceed to Pacific Lutheran University, arriving about 10:00 a.m. Here is the route:

View Larger Map

Details on when and where employees attending the Memorial should gather, including volunteers, will be released shortly -- hopefully tomorrow (Sunday). I'm taking my first day off tomorrow since the incident, but if I hear word, I'll post it here -- otherwise, look for it Monday morning. You can also keep an eye on the employee blog at MORAemployees.blogspot.com.

Please also remember to RSVP to MountRainierInfo@gmail.com if you plan to attend the service, so that we can be sure to set aside enough chairs. If you've already responded to my work e-mail address, I've forwarded those responses to the planning team.

"Mount Rainier reopens after fatal ranger shooting"

2012-01-07T20:28:00.000-08:00

From MyNorthwest.com:

"Rangers and volunteers somberly embraced as Mount Rainier National Park reopened to the public Saturday.... 'This is a place to come to be happy,' Allan Evans, a park volunteer from Graham, Wash., said after hugging a ranger who was on duty when Anderson was killed. 'This is what this park is about. This is the first stop to trying to get everything as whole as can be.'"

Nicely said.

Plans set for Margaret Anderson's Memorial Service

2012-01-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

At 1:00pm on Tuesday, January 10, dozens of Mount Rainier National Park employees, volunteers, and family members will gather at Olson Auditorium at Pacific Lutheran University to honor the life of their friend and colleague, Margaret Anderson. An Incident Management Team has been working hard this week to choose and prepare this venue for the thousands of people from other agencies and the public who are expected to attend, and it seems like there are at least a dozen issues to solve for each of those thousands of guests. More questions are resolved every day. Here is what we know so far, and what we don't yet but hope to pass on to you soon:

Where, when, and whom
The public service will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 in Olson Auditorium at Pacific Lutheran University. The auditorium holds about 3,000 people and we expect more than that, so there will be "overflows to our overflows," in the words of our team leader. We will not limit attendance; it is "come one, come all."

Representatives from dozens of agencies will be present, including, of course, the National Park Service and Mount Rainier National Park in particular. All employees, including volunteers, who wish to attend are encouraged to do so.

Should I RSVP?
Employees should RSVP through their supervisor so that we know how many seats to reserve. Volunteers should RSVP by e-mail either to Volunteer Program Manager Kevin Bacher or to the e-mail address that has been set up for this incident, MountRainierInfo@gmail.com. Let us know, too, if you'll be accompanied by a spouse or partner.

The Uniform of the Day
Our goal is to have as many employees in uniform as possible, to honor Margaret. Here are the protocols for various types of employees, including volunteers:

Uniformed Employees: The uniform of the day will be the winter service dress uniform (“Class A”) and felt hat, including dress coat (Ike jacket) and tie if available. Employees who do not have a complete Class A uniform may wear their nicest winter uniform. If a uniform is being worn, do not wear any non-uniform items, i.e. blue jeans with park shirt, non uniform hat, belts, shoes, etc.
Non-Uniformed Employees: Please wear nice formal clothing, just as you would for any similar event. If you own a nametag, please wear it.
Volunteers: Volunteers may wear their normal standard VIP uniform. If you have a nametag, please wear it.
Seasonal employees not currently working: Please wear a complete winter uniform including nametag and felt hat, even if you do not have a badge. If you do not own a winter uniform, please wear a complete summer uniform including nametag and straw hat.

How can I help?

We are looking for individuals who are willing to help with a long list of tasks ranging from picking people up at the airport to serving as ushers. Most tasks will still allow for attendance at the Memorial Service if you choose to do so. If you'd like to help, please call 360-569-6515 or -6701 and leave your name and contact information. Identify yourself as an employee or volunteer, and indicate whether you have an NPS or volunteer uniform to wear. Certain jobs, but not all, will be given in preference to those wearing NPS uniforms. We'll pass your offer of help to those who are planning the Memorial Service.

Will the Memorial be televised?

Yes, but the details are still being worked out. We're also trying to arrange for a live "Telnet" broadcast for those in other national parks around the country who are interested in watching.

Will the park remain open?

Yes, at least as far as Longmire. Assistance has been requested from other National Parks to keep open the entrance station, Longmire Museum, park roads, and other services. If you're already a volunteer and would like to help, please contact your regular supervisor to make the offer.

Will employees and volunteers have preferential seating?
Yes, but the details of who will sit where are still being worked out. I'll pass them on as soon as they're available. Please RSVP, as described above, so that we know how many seats to reserve.

Where and when should we show up?
Those details are still being worked out. However, expect to be asked to arrive well in advance of the 1:00 ceremony, in order to receive instructions on where to sit and how to participate in the service.

What will the ceremony include?
Those details are still being planned. The ceremony will follow traditions long established for honoring law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty, but will also include elements that honor Margaret's life and the things that were important to her, including her faith.

I've heard you're looking for photographs?
That's true. We're looking for photos to include in a slide show about Margaret during the service. If you have images to contribute, please send them, as soon as possible, to MountRainierInfo@gmail.com.

What route will the procession follow, and who will be included?
The procession will begin at Mountain View Funeral Home in Lakewood and end at PLU; however, the route and nature of the entourage are still being planned.

Where can I get more information?
Watch this blog, of course; but there are also several other places to find out about upcoming events, network with others, and even leave messages of remembrance. Here's as complete a list as I'm aware of at this time. Most of these sources are not maintained by the National Park Service.

Employee information blog: MORAemployees.blogspot.com.
Employee phone line: Dial 360-569-2211, then 9, for updated employee information.
Quick updates via e-mail or text message: Follow the links under Margaret's photo on the park's Intranet page (only available within the park's network) to sign up for these alerts.
Email address for questions, condolences, photos, and offers of help: MountRainierInfo@gmail.com.
Facebook Memorial Page: In Memory of NPS Ranger Margaret Anderson.
Officer Down Memorial Page: Margaret's page is here.
Mountain View Funeral Home: Messages of condolence may be left here.
Margaret Anderson Memorial Page: http://margaretandersonmemorialpage.weebly.com/index.html.
Donations: make contributions for the Anderson family in person at any Key Bank branch, or mail them to the Margaret Anderson Donation Fund at P.O. Box 159, Eatonville, Washington 98328.
Letters to the family: Notes and letters may be sent to the family c/o Superintendent, Mount Rainier National Park, 55210 238th Ave E, Ashford, WA 9804.
Food donations: At Eric's request, offers of food should be coordinated through the Eatonville Fire Department. The contact person at the Fire Department is Mark Quirie at 360-832-6931.
Candlelight vigil: There will be a Candlelight Vigil for Margaret on Sunday, January 8 at 5pm at the Eatonville Early Learning Center (Yellow Daycare), at 560 Center Street E, Eatonville, WA 98328.
Resources for dealing with your grief: All employees, including volunteers, are welcome to take advantage of our Critical Incident Stress Management Team. The team is available in the Tahoma Woods housing area's community room and Longmire employee lounge from 2-4 pm every day. You may also join us every week day, at least for the time being, for employee meetings at 9am at the Education Center at Tahoma Woods.
[Added 6:30 pm:] Donations to the National Park Foundation in Margaret's name may be made here.

Park to reopen with major assistance of volunteers

2012-01-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

With our full-time staff still grieving the loss of our friend and colleague Margaret Anderson, we will lean heavily on both volunteers and NPS employees detailed temporarily from other national parks. You'll see a lot of volunteer uniforms at the Jackson Visitor Center and out on the trails. Please thank them for their service if you encounter them, and thank you for your service if you're one of them.

Events have moved rapidly this week, though it hasn't always seemed so from the outside. It's taken a while to nail down the details of our reopening plan, and for the Memorial Service next Tuesday, simply because there are an extraordinary number of details to resolve. For the reopening, at least, we're ready, and for the Memorial, we will be soon. Here's a complete summary of what to expect tomorrow; I'll post details about the Memorial next:

Reopening
The park will reopen officially at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, Saturday January 7.

Visitor Services
All services that visitors could normally expect in the park, with the exception of the sledding hill (AKA "snow play"), will be up and running. The Longmire Museum and Jackson Visitor Center will have normal hours of operation, the National Park Inn will reopen, the gift shop and snack bar at the visitor center will be operational, and public snowshoe walks will go out as usual. The sledding hill will remain closed because we don't have enough staff back on duty to groom it and keep it safe.

Memorial Sites
The makeshift memorial of flowers and candles at the Nisqually Entrance will remain, and people who wish to do so may drop tokens of sympathy off there. However, to prevent a bottleneck at the entrance station, we will encourage visitors to bring items further into the park, to either the porch of the Wilderness Information Center (WIC) at Longmire (the large historic "Administration Building" behind the flagpole, across the road from the Longmire Museum); or to the Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise. All three locations, as well as the National Park Inn, will also have a poster board with photos and text about Margaret.

News Media
Local media are expected (and welcome) at our reopening. We will have Public Information Officers (PIOs) at the park entrance, at Longmire, and at Paradise. Employees and volunteers who are contacted by reporters are welcome to speak to them if they feel comfortable doing so, or to politely decline and refer the reporters to one of our PIOs if they do not, or if they get any questions they can't answer.

Volunteers
Volunteers who would be coming up to the park to work anyway are encouraged to continue doing so. Because the coordinator of our Nordic Patrol is currently unavailable, that program is temporarily suspended, at least officially, for this weekend; however, "snow rovers" are welcome to don their volunteer uniforms and come up to help. Please check in at the Longmire Museum at 8:45 a.m. for a special briefing on what to expect and how to answer questions about Margaret.

Thank you all, and have a safe and happy day on The Mountain.

RIP Margaret Anderson

2012-01-04T18:13:00.000-08:00

As all of you will understand, the past week has been insanely hectic.

I fell behind on this blog during the month of December, working hard to meet deadlines for writing grant proposals that were due mid-month. After that, I took a wonderful two weeks off with my family.

On the morning of New Year's Day, one of our law enforcement rangers, Margaret Anderson, someone many of our volunteers know well as a colleague, was murdered during a traffic stop near Paradise. Other rangers were shot at and narrowly escaped injury and death. The gunman fled, armed, on foot through the snow. The Jackson Visitor Center at Paradise was locked down, and 125 visitors plus more than a dozen NPS and Guest Services employees, including three volunteers, were essentially trapped for 15 hours until they were able to be evacuated under cover of darkness in the middle of the night. The park was closed to the public. A massive manhunt began, involving multiple agencies including the Pierce County Sheriff's department, FBI, Washington State Patrol, US Forest Service, and several others--more than 200 people all told. About 24 hours after the shooting, the body of the shooter was discovered facedown in the Paradise River above Narada Falls.

As of this writing, the park is still closed, and will not reopen until Saturday, January 7. Park staff are devastated by Margaret's death, and it will take time to rebuild enough law enforcement, visitor center, general maintenance, and snow plow staff to reopen. Three national-level NPS teams are on hand to help out.

A memorial service will be held for Margaret on Tuesday the 10th at Pacific Lutheran University. A candlelight vigil is being organized by community members at the Eatonville Early Learning Center at 5:00pm on Sunday the 8th. Our public information teams are busy making sure that a significant amount of the media focus is on Margaret and her family, with tributes to her character and heroism, and her passions for service, the natural world, and Mount Rainier.

All of this is preamble to say that volunteers have played, and will continue to play, a vital role in this incident and its aftermath.

Volunteer Ed Hunds stands watch at the JVC.

On a typical weekend, volunteers are an important part of our team at Paradise. On New Year's Day, volunteer Ed Hunds was working at the Jackson Visitor Center, and Jim and Carol Miltimore were patroling trails. When the visitor center went into lockdown, Ed and Carol helped coral visitors and keep them occupied. They helped other staff members with Junior Ranger programs and kept people informed as best they could. Jim headed up the mountain to round up people who were out skiing and snowshoeing. They shared a traumatic experience with their NPS colleagues and with total strangers.

The manhunt and aftermath have not involved many volunteers per se, mostly because such an intense operation tends to rely primarily on those who are most deeply embedded in the agency and therefore already have the resources and connections necessary to act. The Incident Management Team is highly trained and, frankly, amazing in their ability to step in and work with a grieving family, arrange law enforcement honors for Margaret's body, arrange a memorial service for several thousand people, and other otherwise-impossible tasks.

Volunteer John McCarthy tells visitors at the Nisqually
Entrance that the park is closed.

This is not to say that volunteers have been forgotten -- far from it. Volunteers have been and continue to be welcome at the daily staff briefings at 9am at the Education Center. Resources for park staff are also available to volunteers to help deal with the trauma of this event. Volunteers are at the forefront of discussions about employees to include in the memorial service, and details about their role will be forthcoming on this blog site and by other methods. And volunteers will play a role in the park's reopening. Volunteers will help staff visitor centers and, as we get back up to speed, resume regular services like ski patrol.

This is a time when a member of our National Park Service family has been claimed by the most brutal and unfair violence. Our NPS family includes many, many volunteers, and I want to make sure all of you know that you're considered part of us. The best way to honor Margaret and her passion for Mount Rainier is to restore the Mountain to its proper role as a place of refuge and strength, both for the larger community and for us.

We will never be the same. Margaret will always be part of our history. But we can heal, with time, and our Mountain can help. Thank you all for your role.

Resources:

Employee blog: http://MORAemployees.blogspot.com
Officer Down Memorial Page: http://www.odmp.org/

An unofficial memorial page, not associated with NPS, has been set up on Facebook -- search for Margaret Anderson.

Donations (in lieu of flowers) can be made for the Anderson family, including her husband Eric and her two daughters, at any Key Bank. Checks may be mailed to P.O. Box 159, Eatonville, WA 98328.

Letters of condolence can be sent c/o Superintendent, Mount Rainier National Park, 55210 238th Ave E, Ashford, WA 98304. E-mails can be sent to MountRainierInfo [at] gmail.com.

Adendum (January 6, 2012):

Since this entry was written, I've learned of several other volunteers who were in the park on New Year's day. These include Bill Marsh, who sprang into action rounding up spplies for law enforcement officers and served as a liason for emergency and law enforcement vehicles from other agencies arriving in the park. Carol Berry assisted visitors at Longmire who were turned around by the incident. And Evan Escamilla, whose name many of you will recognize as our 2010 summer Volunteer Coordinator, assisted at the Jackson Visitor Center after he and a friend had spent New Year's Eve at Camp Muir. Thank you to all who helped out.

New webcam at Longmire!

2011-11-22T08:54:00.001-08:00

At long last, our webcam at Longmire has gone live! We now have six webcams at Paradise, for goodness sake, and a summer webcam at Camp Muir, so it was high time we got one at Longmire. The camera is located in the conference room on the second floor of our administration building, just two doors down from my office, so you can now see roughly the same view I have out my office window, looking across the grounds to the Longmire Museum and the road leading up from the Nisqually Entrance, with the National Park Inn hidden behind the trees in the distance. Watch for school groups gathering at the beginning of the Trail of the Shadows. In the summer, look for shuttle buses arriving to take visitors up to Paradise. This time of year, you might see people building snowmen in front of the administration building. Enjoy the show!

The above is Longmire. Here, just for comparison, is the view from the visitor center at Paradise:

And from Camp Muir (don't expect anyone to go up and defog the camera lens until spring):

Snow Rover training scheduled

2011-11-18T16:18:00.001-08:00

From West District Interpreter Lee Snook:

Winter is on its way -- or is it here?! There are already several inches of snow on the ground at Longmire. As the fall colors give way to the white of snow some think it’s time to hang up the boots and wait for melt out next year, but many of you know this is when the fun really begins. The winter wonderland of Paradise opens a whole new set of recreational opportunities and special ways to explore the mountain. This means we still need volunteer rovers! With the ever-changing weather conditions in the winter, having rovers on the trails talking to visitors, answering questions and providing staff with trail updates is just as important as having them out there in the summer.

Snow Rovers assist in a variety of ways. Besides making contacts with visitors and assessing conditions, rovers can also help by resetting wands on marked trails, check in with winter campers, assist with snowshoe programs and snow play, relay information about wildlife, as well as staff the visitor center desk.

If you love snowshoeing or skiing or you just love being on the mountain and want to help out, we will be holding a Snow Rover training on December 10th at the Longmire Community building. Training will include how to snow rove safely as well as Leave No Trace principles. We will send out the day’s agenda by early December. Please RSVP to the email below.

If you have questions feel free to email the rover coordinators Curt Jacquot and Bill Marsh at MORA_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov.

Volunteer Opportunities for 2012!

2011-11-18T11:35:00.001-08:00

I've just completed an exhaustive review and update of our complete listing of volunteer opportunities. Follow the link at the top of the page for the very latest information on our plans for volunteer day-projects, long-term volunteer opportunities, and full-time positions and internships. Opportunities exist for both individuals and groups. With a few exceptions (e.g. Campground Hosts), most are not yet hiring for next summer, and many have not even advertised their positions yet, or decided whether they will have the resources to do so. But this will give you a good guide to what positions we've hired in the past, and what we might anticipate hiring in the future.

It's never too soon to inquire about volunteer opportunities, so browse through the list, find something that touches your interests, and follow the directions to either apply or contact the appropriate supervisor to express your interest! You can also follow this blog, our Twitter feed, or our Facebook page, or contact me, Volunteer Program Manager Kevin Bacher, and ask to be added to our mailing list for updates monthly during the summer and intermittently through the winter.

Speaking of winter: One of the most common questions asked of me this time of year is, how can I volunteer during the winter? The truth is, not many opportunities are available when trails and plants are buried by snow--that is, from November through May or June in most parts of the park. But options are available:

Nordic Patrol. We work in partnership with the Washington Ski Touring Club to provide ski patrol services at Paradise, including marking trail routes and assisting visitors. This requires a very dedicated and spirited kind of volunteer, but those who contribute provide an invaluable service. People interested in this opportunity should contact WSTC directly at http://www.wstc.org/, as we work with the group, not with individuals. If you have questions about ski patrol at Mount Rainier, contact Daniel Camiccia at 360-569-6652.
Visitor center and snowshoe walks. Most of the work in our visitor centers, and on the trails leading snowshoe walks, is done by our permanent and seasonal staff. However, there are always busy times like the Christmas holidays when we're short staffed and welcome the help of volunteers. Anyone interested in these opportunities should contact us well in advance of the winter season so that they can participate in our winter seasonal training in early December. In other words, if you're interested this year, now is the time to contact our West District Interpreter, Lee Snook, to express your interest. Her number is 360-569-6576.
Greenhouse assistance. Our greenhouse is active throughout the slow months, and we're always open to working with volunteers who are willing to commit to coming out on a regular basis to help us weed, pot, and care for our plants, most of which will be used on revegetation projects during the summer. We especially need help in the spring as we're gearing up for the season. For more information, see our listing on volunteer.gov, or contact Josh Drown at 360-569-6766.
Curatorial library. Brooke Childrey, our museum curator, works with many volunteers to sort and store our archives, photos, and historic artifacts collections. Our full-time curator positions are filled for this winter already, but there may still be possibilities for the right person to help with special projects on an intermittent basis. Call Brooke at 360-569-6784.
Education program. Our curriculum-based education program works with many school groups in the spring and fall, and also has a number of curriculum-development projects underway. We have a full staff on board for the winter, but individuals with education experience can often help out. For more information, contact Fawn Bauer at 360-569-6591.
Lower elevation opportunities. While we're under heavy snow for half the year, many of our partners work at lower elevation under the snowline. Consider volunteering with them through the winter! The Washington Trails Association, for example, has a long list of volunteer projects. Olympic National Park has land as low as sea level, and their annual Coast Cleanup is legendary. Check out the website of Washington's National Park Fund and the National Parks Conservation Association to learn about opportunities to contribute financially or through advocacy. You can also find great opportunities throughout the region on the websites volunteer.gov/gov and serve.gov.

There are lots of ways to get involved in your public lands, any time of the year. Wherever you contribute, thanks for your time!

Annual Activity and Expense Report

2011-10-31T15:36:00.000-07:00

Here, at last, are the statistics for this year's volunteer program. Total volunteers are 1,728, and volunteer hours are 74,504. This is 514 more hours than last year, and 288 fewer volunteers. Based on estimates of volunteer value from Independent Sector, our volunteer contribute roughly $1.6 million worth of service to Mount Rainier National Park.

The largest reductions in our numbers of volunteers were in the revegetation program, which had more than 300 fewer volunteers, and our WTA partnership, which lagged behind last year's record numbers by about 80 people (but still contributed 448). The reveg numbers were down due to a few large school groups not returning this year. Not sure if this is because these schools are taking fewer field trips in general, or because our Sunrise reveg site is much less convenient than the one at Paradise had been -- I suspect more of the latter than the former.

The reductions were partially made up for by increases in other areas, including archeology, Meadow Rovers, Citizen Science, and Boy Scouts. More analysis to come!

Meanwhile, here are the details:

Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Volunteers In Parks

Annual Activity and Expense Report

Mount Rainier National Park

Report Date: Oct 31, 2011

Fiscal Year: 2011

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Volunteer Coordinator and Park Information
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Total Volunteers: 1,728
Alpha Code: MORA
VIP Coordinator: Kevin Bacher
VIP Coordinator Phone: 360-569-2211
Coordinator Email: kevin_bacher@nps.gov

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Volunteer hours by category:
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Administration: 43.00
Campground Host: 2,549.00
Cultural Resource Management: 6,817.00
General Management: 3,936.00
Interpretation: 13,682.00
Maintenance: 2,246.00
Natural Resource Management: 9,163.00
Protection/Operations/Law Enforcement: 35,395.00
Training: 673.00

[Total hours: 74,504.00] [Last year: 73,990]

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Program costs by category:
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Housing: $ 4,691.00
Meals: $ 1,210.00
Recognition/Award: $ 422.00
Supplies: $ 12,085.00
Training: $ 375.00
Transportation: $ 2,377.00
Uniforms: $ 4,585.00

[Total costs: $ 25,745.00]

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Volunteer Program Highlight
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Our program continues to grow, with new projects taking the place of completed ones. The Glacier Basin Trail was rebuilt after 3 years of work. Our partnership with the Washington Trails Association brought in 448 people, many of whom are now regular volunteers. A hundred Boy Scouts worked on 3 days of projects in August. Scout participation was up in general, with troops helping with trails, revegetation, and citizen science. Park programs worked with youth interns from SCA, the Geologic Society, and The Evergreen State College to complete a transportation study, a historic architecture study, stream surveys, and a parkwide safety review. Thirty members of SCA's Community Program in Seattle helped with trail projects. Central Washington University contributed 2560 hours of archeology. This was also an opportunity for citizen science, as park visitors were invited to help on the dig site. Other citizen science volunteers surveyed amphibians and butterflies and led activities for Keep Wildlife Wild day. Our Meadow Rover program turned in record hours thanks to 2 full-time coordinators, despite a late spring meltout. Overall, volunteer hours were up, but volunteer numbers were down. The largest single reason was a reduction of more than 300 participants in our revegetation program, due to the completion of an easily accessible project at Paradise that had previously brought in large numbers of school volunteers. The new work site, at Sunrise, is much more remote.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Training
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

How many people at the park require VIP Program Management Training: 12

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Optional Information Regarding Housing VIPs and Campground Hosts
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Number of Campground Hosts: 5
Number of VIPs housed in Permanent Structures: 57
Number of VIPs housed in Trailers: 7
Trailer Pads for Volunteers: 5

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Other Information
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Number of SCAs: 41
SCA Hours: 8,203
Number of Artists in Parks: 0
Artist in Parks Hours: 0
Number of International VIPs: 9
International VIPS Hours: 720
Number of Volunteer Senior Ranger Corps: 0
Volunteer Senior Ranger Corps Hours: 0
Number of Boy Scouts: 168
Boy Scout Hours: 1,173
Number of Girls Scouts: 10
Girl Scout Hours: 30
Number of Wounded Warriors: 0
Wounded Warriors Hours: 0

Miltimores featured on REI blog

2011-09-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) has just featured two of our volunteers, Jim and Carol Miltimore, on their blog! It's a very comprehensive article for which they actually sent a reporter out to do an interview and take pictures of them at work on the Mountain.

If you've ever wondered how wide a range of volunteer opportunities are available at Mount Rainier, this article will give you a sense for it -- because the Miltimores have participated in just about everything, from sorting historic photos to packing human waste out from backcountry campsites ("It's not as bad as it sounds," says Carol)!

Read the whole article here on the REI Blog.

Photos from National Public Lands Day

2011-09-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

THANK YOU to everyone for another successful National Public Lands Day! We're still compiling the statistics, but it looks like about a hundred people helped out with trail maintenance and revegetation at White River Campground and Sunrise. The day was warm, breezy, and partly cloudy, about as good as anyone could hope to expect at the end of September at 6,000 feet! The Glacier Basin Rededication went smoothly, with special guest appearances by Carl Fabiani, retired trails foreman; Alan Carter Mortimer, Field Director of the Washington Trails Association (WTA); Liz Reynolds, Mayor of Enumclaw; and a lot of enthusiastic volunteers. Special thanks, also, to the National Parks Conservation Association for helping to sponsor the event (and bringing coffee), and to WTA for leading projects and bringing cookies for the after-party!

The photos above and below are only three of 120 you can enjoy on my Flickr photo site. We'd love to see your pictures and hear your stories, too!

Elizabeth (above) and Clara (below) help with the revegetation project at Sunrise on National Public Lands Day.

Presidential Proclamation -- National Public Lands Day

2011-09-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For immediate release September 22, 2011

Presidential Proclamation -- National Public Lands Day

National Public Lands Day, 2011

- - - - - - -

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

     At the dawn of the 20th century, President Theodore Roosevelt embarked on a tour of the American West that forever changed our Nation's relationship with the outdoors. His visits to Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and other natural wonders instilled in him a commitment to conservation, and they motivated him to designate millions of acres of protected land. Today, our public lands system is a model of conservation and an important resource for clean energy, grazing, and recreation ‑‑ vital economic engines in both rural and urban communities.

     On National Public Lands Day, we take time to appreciate our parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, and other public spaces, and we recommit to protecting and restoring them for future generations. This year, thousands of dedicated volunteers will continue a proud American tradition by conserving and restoring our public lands with local projects across our Nation [including at Mount Rainier National Park]. Americans will restore hiking trails, remove invasive plant species, clean lakes, and pick up litter in city parks. Through their service, families and children will find opportunities for outdoor activity on the millions of acres of national forests, parks, and trails.

     To maintain our environmental heritage and build a responsive conservation and recreation agenda, my Administration launched the America's Great Outdoors Initiative last year. We met with thousands of Americans in listening sessions across our country, and compiled the results of this national conversation in the report, America's Great Outdoors: A Promise to Future Generations. To act on these findings, we are undertaking projects in collaboration with State, local, and tribal governments to responsibly steward the lands that belong to all Americans. First Lady Michelle Obama also joined in support of getting Americans outside when the Let's Move! initiative, in coordination with the Department of the Interior, launched Let's Move Outside! to help families exercise in the great outdoors.

     Countless Americans have experienced the same awe and wonder that President Roosevelt felt on his westward journey. By joining in this legacy of conservation, Americans young and old protect not only our lands, but also the promise that future generations will be able to carry forward the spirit of adventure that lies at the heart of our Nation.

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 24, 2011, as National Public Lands Day. I encourage all Americans to participate in a day of public service for our lands.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty‑second day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

MRNPA's Final Work Party for 2011 - October 1st!

2011-09-20T15:58:00.001-07:00

Greetings,

The last Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party for 2011 will be on Saturday, October 1st. We will be working on the Rain Forest Loop Trail at the Carbon River entrance. I am told we will be doing maintenance on the trail tread and possibly some repair of the wooden bridges. As always, volunteers should bring a lunch and plenty of fluids to drink, work gloves, safety glasses, a hard hat if they have one, and a full set of rain gear. October is frequently rainy, so bring some dry clothes too.

We will meet at between 8:30 and 9:00 AM, and be ready to go to work by 9:00 AM.

If you plan to attend this work party, please sign up at www.mrnpa.org and tell me that you are coming, how many volunteers you are bringing with you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for us all. If you have a hard hat that you will be wearing, please tell me that too.

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 both a hard hat and safety glasses. People not working with or near an 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.

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.

If you are not able to attend the MRNPA work party on October 1st, but are interested in volunteering at Mount Rainier National Park, please take a look at the following message from Mount Rainier National Park concerning National Public Lands Day on September 24th. That may interest you.

John TitlandVolunteer CoordinatorMount Rainier National Park Associates

Volunteers will work on trails, planting, and rededication of Glacier Basin Trail at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 24

2011-09-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier National Park News Release
September 19, 2011
For Immediate Release
Kevin Bacher, Volunteer and Outreach Program Manager
360-569-6567, Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov

Volunteers will work on trails, planting, and rededication of Glacier Basin Trail at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 24 – Entrance fees to be waived

On National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 24, 2011, more than a hundred volunteers will assemble at Mount Rainier National Park to plant native plants, maintain trails, and rededicate the Glacier Basin Trail after four summers of repairs. The work day will cap a highly successful season during which about 2,000 people have contributed to the protection of Mount Rainier’s natural and cultural treasures and helped serve its visitors.

National Public Lands Day is an annual celebration of public involvement in the stewardship of America’s national, state, and local parks and forests. More than 120,000 individuals are expected to participate in events all over the country. In recognition of this, entrance fees will be waived at all national parks for the day. Volunteers will receive an additional coupon for free admission on a day of their choice.

Members of the public are invited to join in the day’s work. The National Parks Conservation Association and the Washington Trails Association will help coordinate the event and lead volunteer projects. Participants may register at the event, or pre-register by e-mailing Mariely Lemagne at mlemagne@npca.org.

National Public Lands Day volunteers will sign in at the amphitheater in White River Campground, in the northeast corner of Mount Rainier National Park, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Travelers should note that the Stevens Canyon Road in the park is closed due to construction. The White River Campground can be reached via State Highways 410 or 123.

At 9:00 a.m., the Glacier Basin Trail will be rededicated in a short ceremony recognizing the many groups and individuals who contributed to the project. The popular trail was devastated by flooding in November 2006, and would have taken many times as long to rebuild without help from the public, said Kevin Bacher, Volunteer Program Manager at Mount Rainier. “The Glacier Basin Trail is a perfect example of the power of partnerships,” said Bacher. “On our own, we can slowly chip away at a project. But together, we can move mountains.”

In addition to National Park Service crews, participants in the reconstruction have included Alpine Ascents International; Boy Scout troops 224, 436, the Pacific Harbors Council, and T’kope Kwiskwis Lodge 502; EarthCorps; the Northwest Youth Corps; Recreational Equipment, Inc.; sailors from the USS Henry M. Jackson; and the Washington Conservation Corps. The Washington Trails Association leads about 500 volunteers per year in the park, many of them at Glacier Basin, and continues to be an invaluable partner in trail maintenance. Interns and Seattle-based youth crews from the Student Conservation Association work throughout the park on projects including volunteer coordination. The Mount Rainier National Park Associates coordinate volunteer projects every month throughout the summer.

After the dedication ceremony, volunteers of all ages will help with revegetation efforts at Sunrise and with several trail projects near White River Campground. Volunteers should come prepared for cool, wet weather, with warm clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear, and gloves. If the weather is nice, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats are recommended. Volunteers should also bring water, snacks, and a lunch. Volunteers will re-gather at the amphitheater in White River Campground at 3:30 p.m. for a more informal celebration, with refreshments provided by the Washington Trails Association.

In addition to trail maintenance, volunteers at Mount Rainier National Park patrol wilderness areas and climbing routes, assist and educate visitors, conduct research as citizen scientists, plant native plants, provide roadside assistance, and catalogue historic records. Last year, 2,016 volunteers contributed 73,990 hours of service, an effort valued at $1.54 million.

Information about Mount Rainier’s volunteer program, including a list of open positions, a calendar of activities, and pictures and videos of volunteers in action may be found on Mount Rainier National Park’s website at www.nps.gov/mora, or on its volunteer program blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com.

- NPS -

NPLD: An updated project list

2011-09-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

Have you signed up to attend National Public Lands Day and the Glacier Basin Trail rededication on Saturday, September 24? Lots of people have already done so, and it looks like it's going to be a great day of service! In case you forget the details, click here to read our original announcement, then RSVP as follows:

All volunteers should send a note to Mariely Lemagne at NPCA at mlemagne@npca.org. You may also register in person on the day of the event, but signing up ahead of time will help us with planning.
If you're planning to participate in the Washington Trails Association project (see the full list below), sign up on their website. Note that WTA will also be doing trail work on Friday the 23rd, and Sunday the 25th, so consider coming early or staying a day longer, and sign up for those dates too!
We've set aside a block of campsites at White River for volunteers to use on Friday and/or Saturday night. To ensure that we have enough sites set aside, if you plan to camp, please RSVP to Kevin Bacher at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. A block of sites (probably in "A" loop) will be reserved for our use.

Meanwhile, here (subject to change) are the projects currently on the docket for September 24th:

Revegetation: Restoration specialist Will Arnesen will be leading a large team of volunteers in restoring the site of the former drive-in campground at Sunrise. He can take a nearly unlimited number of volunteers of all ages.

Trail maintenance: Several trails projects will be happening at White River and Sunrise. Each is limited to about 12 people. These projects are most appropriate for adults or older children:

Wonderland Trail between White River and Sunrise, rebuilding turnpikes and tread repairs, two crews (Washington Trails Association and NPS).
Wonderland Trail between White River and Sunrise, brushing, NPS crew.
Sunrise Rim Trail, tread repair, NPS crew.
Wonderland Trail between Frozen Lake and the Northern Loop Junction, tread repair, NPS crew.

One final note: The National Public Lands Day organization and REI are sponsoring a "Volunteers in Action" photo contest, with a grand prize REI camping package worth $600. Check out the details ahead of time if you plan to participate, and download the photo release form linked to their contest rules. Images from Mount Rainier have won in the past!

We look forward to seeing you at White River Campground at 9:00 a.m. on September 24!

Mount Rainier National Park Volunteer Newsletter: September 2011

2011-09-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy summer here at Mount Rainier National Park and while the 2011 summer season may be winding down, there is still an array of volunteer opportunities happening due to the late season melt off. So be sure to mark your calendars and come enjoy what is shaping up to be an extended summer around here at Mount Rainier!

In the meantime, catch up on what we have been up to this past month with these headlines from the Mount Rainier National Park volunteer blog.

Mark Your Calendars: National Public Lands Day and Glacier Basin Trail Rededication on 9/24!
National Public Lands Day will be happening on Saturday, September 24th and we are pleased to announce that most the projects and celebration will occur on the East side of the park within the White River and Sunrise area. Special events and volunteer opportunities will include re-vegetation, trail maintenance projects along the Wonderland Trail, and a rededication ceremony for the now completed Glacier Basin Trail.

Student Conservation Association Crews are Hard at Work at Mount Rainier
SCA is a major partner of the National Park Service, and each year fields many individual interns and crews at Mount Rainier and other parks, who contribute thousands of hours of volunteer service in return for a small stipend and a fantastic summer experience. We've had a total of three Conservation Leadership Corps groups in the park this summer, funded by a grants from the Park Service's Youth Internship Program and the Student Conservation Association.

Japanese Volunteers Return for an 18th Year
Almost every year since 1993, students from Waseda University in Tokyo have been visiting Mount Rainier National Park through the Japan Volunteers-in-Parks Association (J-VIPA) to conduct volunteer projects. They typically stay for three weeks, live with host families in the local community, and get a lot of work done.

Keep up with current volunteer events, upcoming training opportunities, and the latest news by clicking on the calendar of activities at the top of this blog.

You will also find projects through the Washington Trails Association (WTA) and the Mount Rainier National Park Associates (MRNPA).

Washington Trails Association Projects

Contact WTA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

September 16, 17, & 18 – Wonderland Trail at Sunrise Trailhead
September 23, 24, & 25 – Wonderland Trail at White River Trailhead

Mount Rainier National Park Associates Projects

Contact MRNPA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

October 1 – Trail Maintenance at Carbon River

Event Volunteer Opportunities

September 24 – National Public Lands Day:

Every year on the last Saturday of September, Mount Rainier brings its summer volunteer program to a close with a massive volunteer day, offering volunteer opportunities throughout the park including trail maintenance and re-vegetation. This year’s event is taking shape on the east side of the park, with projects at Sunrise and White River. To learn more about these events please visit our blog or contact Kevin Bacher at (360) 569-6567 or kevin_bacher@nps.gov.

Group Projects

If you are a part of a group and/or organization that is looking for a project at the park we have several projects that require groups ranging in size from 5 to 100. Multi-day projects can use volunteers for a single day, or for several days at a stretch. Here are some options:
Native Plant Restoration:Our re-vegetation crews will be busy with drop in re-vegetation projects in the Sunrise are during the next two Saturdays (9/17 and 9/24).

Groups of almost unlimited size are welcome to help, either for single days or multiple day stretches. Contact Will Arnesen at 360-569-6762 to arrange a date for your group.

Individual Openings

Interested in volunteering for a longer period of time, or return regularly throughout the season to help with extended projects? We have many opportunities to choose from!

Follow these links for details and to apply for any project that interests you:

Meadow Rover: Help us protect the subalpine meadows above Paradise and Sunrise by patrolling trails and educating visitors about the importance of staying on trails.

Plant Propagation (Greenhouse Assistant): Help grow plants for transplanting in the subalpine meadows.

Citizen Science Team: Survey frogs, salamanders, and other species in the park's backcountry! Please note that Citizen Science projects have now ended for the 2011 season, please check back with us regarding future projects in spring 2012.

Resources

Besides the obvious benefits of volunteering at a National Park (time outdoors, meeting new people, sense of accomplishment), our volunteers get free entrance to the park on their days of service, as well as free use of the Longmire Campground (and the only campground showers within the park!).We are consistently updating our blog with all the latest information and opportunities to volunteer at Mount Rainier.

If you would like to get involved in any of the programs you have read about it this newsletter get in touch with either Patti Poulin (360.569.6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov) or Kevin Bacher (360.569.6567 or kevin_bacher@nps.gov).

Thank you for supporting Mount Rainier National Park and we look forward to working with you!

REI grant supports WTA which supports Mount Rainier National Park

2011-09-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Recreational Equipment, Inc. has awarded at $20,000 grant to the Washington Trails Association to support their trail maintenance program. Among many other places in Washington state, WTA leads regular volunteer projects on the trails at Mount Rainier National Park, so those efforts are indirectly supported by the grant. In fact, projects are coming up both this weekend and next that you can sign up for now! Last year, 529 WTA volunteers contributed 5,652 hours in the park. Thank you, REI, for your help!

Read all about it here.

Mark your calendars: National Public Lands Day and Glacier Basin Trail rededication on 9/24!

2011-09-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

WTA volunteers

It's time again for Mount Rainier National Park's biggest volunteer event of the year! Mark your calendars now and plan to join us on Saturday, September 24 for a combination event. First, we'll be rededicating the Glacier Basin Trail, which volunteers and park partners have helped rebuild over the past three summers following its destruction in the November 2006 flood. Then, we'll disperse for a variety of volunteer projects, including more trail maintenance and a major revegetation effort at Sunrise. Finally, anyone who's interested will re-gather at the White River Campground for snacks and a more informal celebration and sharing of stories about the Glacier Basin Trail reconstruction.

SCA's Conservation Leadership Corps

2011 statistics aren't in yet, but from 2008 through 2010, volunteers and youth organizations like the Washington Conservation Corps and Student Conservation Association contributed 49,497 hours of time on the Glacier Basin Trail, an effort worth almost $1.06 million based on current figures from Independent Sector. The work has been done by National Park Service trail crews, partner groups, community groups, and hundreds of individuals who have worked on the project through the Washington Trails Association. WTA volunteers alone contributed about 15,000 hours of service over the three year period. The Student Conservation Association has fielded more than 8,000 hours of trail teams, national crews, and members of their Community Programs, made up of high school students mostly from the Seattle area.

NPCA's registration booth

Other key partners on the project have included Alpine Ascents International; Boy Scout Troops 224 and 436, as well as the Pacific Harbors Council and the T'kope Kwiswis Lodge 502 in Seattle; EarthCorps; the Mount Rainier National Park Associates; the Northwest Youth Corps; REI Adventures; and soldiers from the U.S.S. Henry M. Jackson. About 500 volunteers worked on the project each year (with a lot of overlap from year to year).

All volunteers who contributed to the Glacier Basin Trail reconstruction are invited to return for the rededication, and stay for National Public Lands Day!

Revegetation volunteers at Sunrise

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will be returning again this year to help coordinate National Public Lands Day. Volunteers can choose from several projects. The National Park Service and WTA will both be leading trail maintenance projects on sections of the Wonderland Trail departing from White River Campground. Meanwhile, at Sunrise, Mount Rainier's restoration team will lead volunteers in replanting the old Sunrise Campground with native plants. For either project, volunteers should bring a lunch, snacks, water, layered clothing that you can get dirty in, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Bring your own gloves if you have a pair that works well for you. All ages are welcome! Other projects may be added between now and September 24th as well.

Registration for National Public Lands Day will be hosted by NPCA at the Amphitheater in White River Campground. Volunteers may choose to stay overnight for free in the campground the night before September 24th and/or the night after. Please RSVP with your intentions (see details below). WTA will be working on the Wonderland Trail again on Sunday, September 25th.

Event Details

WHAT: National Public Lands Day and Glacier Basin Trail Rededication

WHEN: Saturday, September 24, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
8:00 a.m. Event Registration
9:00 a.m. Glacier Basin trail dedication
10:00 a.m. Trail and meadow restoration
3:30 p.m. Informal gathering and celebration
WHERE: All events take place at, or depart from, White River Campground at Mount Rainier National Park. Click here for a map and directions. Stevens Canyon Road will be closed to the public that day due to road construction. Please enter the park via Highway 410 or 123.

RSVP: If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Mariely Lemagne at NPCA at mlemagne@npca.org. If you plan to camp overnight, please RSVP with those plans to Kevin Bacher at Mount Rainier National Park at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. If you wish to join a WTA work crew on Saturday or Sunday, please also register online at http://www.wta.org/volunteer/trail-work-parties.

OTHER INFO: Entry to all national park units will be free on National Public Lands Day! Volunteers who register at White River Campground will receive a coupon for free entrance to Mount Rainier National Park on a future date of your choosing. Please bring work gloves and dress appropriately for the weather and activity. Suncreen, hats, and raincoats are recommended. You will also want to bring your lunch and a water bottle to stay hydrated.

We hope you will join us for the Glacier Basin Trail rededication and National Public Lands Day!

Design VIP program produces video introduction to volunteering in the national parks

2011-09-09T11:29:00.000-07:00

One of the unique volunteer opportunities available at Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco is a program called "Design Volunteers in Parks,"an innovative program which works in collaboration with students from the Academy of Art University, R/GA, and Ex'pression College." The program helps students connect with the natural and cultural resources of their national parks while demonstrating skills in new media design in projects created for the National Park Service.

The DVIP program has just released this video introduction to volunteering in the national parks. It's a great video to share with anyone who might be considering becoming a volunteer!

DVIP: Volunteers In Parks Orientation Video from G Su on Vimeo.

Two winters ago, Three Moon Bay video company donated a similar production to Mount Rainier National Park, called "Mount Rainier National Park: the 21st Century Volunteer." Like the DVIP video, it focuses on our local park while conveying the message of volunteerism in national parks generally. That video occupies a permanent place at the bottom of this blog page, and a shorter, 30-second teaser featuring Shelton Johnson of Yosemite National Park is in the upper right. You can also enjoy all of our videos on our YouTube and Vimeo channels!

Third Annual Keep Wildlife Wild Event a Great Success!

2011-09-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

This year the volunteers for the third annual “Keep Wildlife Wild” event took a positive approach to educating visitors about the importance of not feeding the wildlife in the park.

Leading by example, 21 volunteers targeted picnic areas along the Nisqually and Steven’s Canyon corridors with brooms and dustpans to sweep up crumbs left by picnickers. They shooed deer from the roadsides to keep them safer from traffic and “well intentioned” feeding, as well as Townsend’s chipmunks, Douglas squirrels, Steller’s and grey jays, Clark’s nutcrackers, and ravens from their usual spots around picnickers. Uniformed in shirts with the “Keep Wildlife Wild” logo and the message PEOPLE≠FOOD, most volunteers took to the park’s free shuttle bus system to provide informative handouts and stickers to visitors along the stops of the bus route.

Many of the volunteers had backgrounds in teaching and outdoor stewardship. The group was made up of both new and returning participants whose dedication to wildlife protection and visitor education helped make the event a success.

Thanks go out to all who participated!

-Sarah Yates
Wildlife Biologist
Mount Rainier National Park

MRNPA Re-Vegetation Work Party - This Saturday (Sept. 10th)!

2011-09-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

The Mount Rainier National Park Associates annual meadow revegetation work party will take place at Sunrise this coming Saturday, September 10th. If plan on attending this work party and have not already contacted me, please contact MRNPA as soon as possible to let me that you are coming and the number of volunteers that you are bringing with you.

An update: My wife Jane and I were at Sunrise today. The sky was cloud free and the temperature was in the high 70s. The forecast is for this coming Saturday is for more of the same. So be sure to bring a sun hat, sunscreen, and plenty of fluids to drink.

Also noted: the wildflowers were putting on an amazing show of color for this late in the year. I don't think I have ever before seen so many flowers blooming at Sunrise.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

National Day of Service: Honoring the 10th Anniversary of 9/11

2011-09-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

This upcoming Sunday will mark the tenth anniversary of September 11th, a day that has left a mark within the hearts of all of us. In 2009 the National Day of Service and Remembrance was established in an effort to unite our nation. By encouraging Americans to participate in service and remembrance activities on the 9/11 anniversary, this special event aims to provide a productive and respectful way to honor those who perished while rekindling the spirit of unity and compassion that swept our nation after this tragic event.

In honor of 9/11 and to share in remembrance, Mount Rainier National Park in conjunction with community partners will be hosting a variety of service projects located throughout the park and open to volunteers of all ages.

Please consider joining us in remembrance this weekend by participating in one of the special projects listed below.

Saturday – September 10th

Mount Rainier National Park Associates

Project: Planting wildflower seedlings near Sunrise, working to convert a historic campground area back into alpine meadows.

Where: Meet at the Sunrise parking lot between 8:30 and 9:00am

For more information or to sign up for this project visit http://www.mrnpa.org/

Washington Trails Association

Project: Trail maintenance

Where: Wonderland Trail at Sunrise Trailhead

For more information or to sign up for this project visit http://www.wta.org/

Sunday – September 11th

Washington Trails Association

Project: Trail maintenance

Where: Wonderland Trail at Sunrise Trailhead

For more information or to sign up for this project visit http://www.wta.org/

Japanese volunteers return for 18th year

2011-09-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

Revegetation at Paradise
Photos by Kay Ishii

Almost every year since 1993, students from Waseda University in Tokyo have been visiting Mount Rainier National Park through the Japan Volunteers-in-Parks Association (J-VIPA) to conduct volunteer projects. They typically stay for three weeks, live with host families in the local community, and get a lot of work done.

This year, despite the major earthquake in Japan this winter, nine students have spent the past two weeks working on revegetation projects at Paradise and campground restoration at Ipsut Creek. They'll be here another week before returning home, helping to paint the park's newly acquired facilities at the Thompson Ranch near the Carbon River entrance.

Meanwhile, J-VIPA is deeply involved in recovery work in Japan. This year's group leader, Hitomi Saito, for example, who has been to Mount Rainier twice before, attended a memorial service in Sendai just days before flying to Washington. Read all about their efforts on their website: in Japanese (with bilingual earthquake reports in both English and Japanese), or via a Google translation. Members of the local Mount Rainier community had, as of April 30th, contributed almost $3,500 toward J-VIPA's work in Japan.

Next year will be J-VIPA's last work year at Mount Rainier -- not because they've given up on us, but because they're expanding their work to other national parks around the country. Over the past 18 years, more than 320 students have served at our park, many of them multiple times, and they've contributed more than 21,000 hours of effort worth an estimated $450,000 in today's dollars. More importantly, of course, they've also led to long and lasting friendships between people in two countries, and our lives have been enriched by their partnership.

Thank you to this year's students: Akiko Uemae, Kanako Itohara, Julia Martel, Chiaki Kusui, Hitomi Saito, Sachiyo Wakabayashi, Natsumi Yoshioka, Tatsuya Matsubayashi, and Kaoru Kajigayama!

For more photos of this year's crew in action, visit Kay Ishii's photo page on Picasa.

Only Three Time Slots Left at the Fair!

2011-09-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hi volunteers!

We've had a great response to our call for volunteers to staff the park's booth at the Puyallup Fair. In fact, it was so good we have only three shifts left to fill.

They are all evening shifts (5 PM to 8:30 PM). If you volunteer you will receive a parking pass and two admission passes. You can take a friend or significant other, do the fair during the day and finish off the day at our booth. What a deal.

The dates available are Tuesday the 13th, Friday the 16th, and Tuesday 20th. I do most of the evening shifts but the boss insists that I have two days off a week (Monday-Tuesdays) and I have to announce a football game on that Friday night.

If you would like to help out, please email me at jim_ross@nps.gov .

Jim Ross
Outreach Specialist

Miltimores featured on MSNBC.com

2011-08-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

This morning when I checked the news headlines on MSNBC, there in the travel section was an article about our own Jim and Carol Miltimore and their extraordinary contributions to Mount Rainier National Park! It wasn't a complete surprise, as I'd been interviewed a while back for the story (my "quote" in the article seems to have been embellished a bit, but at least it's still accurate).

My favorite quote from the piece: "Imagine the impact on the national deficit if every able-bodied man and women in America contributed on behalf of the federal government the way the Miltimores do for free. And they consider it their privilege." That pretty well sums up the attitude of all of our volunteers -- both those who, like the Miltimores, volunteer almost full-time in their retirement, and the individuals who squeeze in a few hours between jobs (or job hunting) and their kids' soccer practice. They all experience what Acting Superintendent Randy King says in the article: "It’s just a great way for people to give back. Volunteers form a deep connection to the land."

Check out the complete article on the MSNBC website.

Special Call for Volunteers

2011-08-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

To our great volunteers.

I'm in need of 5-10 volunteers for a 3 hour special project to get ready for the Puyallup Fair. The Northwest Outdoors Building (where Mount Rainier has its booth) will be filled with native plants this year. A nursery in Gig Harbor loans us the plants and transports them to the fair grounds. But we need some folks to place them throughout the building and to place bark around them.

When: Wednesday, September 7 from 10 AM to 1 PM
Where: The Northwest Outdoors Building at the Puyallup Fair (park in the blue lot, come in the blue gate and go left)

If you can help please let me know at jim_ross@nps.gov

There will be another opportunity to help on September 26th as we move the plants out. Same time.

Thanks,

Jim Ross Outreach Specialist
Mount Rainier National Park
360-569-6568

MRNPA Work Party - September 10th

2011-08-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Received from Mount Rainier National Park Associates. To learn more about MRNPA or to sign up for this event, please visit their website.

Greetings Alpine Gardeners and Trail Work Volunteers,

The annual Mount Rainier National Park Associates alpine gardening work party will be Saturday, September 10th. That is the Saturday following the Labor Day weekend. We will again be planting wildflower seedlings near Sunrise, working to convert a historic campground area back into alpine meadows.

On the morning of September 10th, we will meet in the Sunrise parking lot between 8:30 and 9:00 AM. As you arrive at Sunrise, Jane and I will be parked on the far left (south) side of the parking lot. Please check in with us as soon as you arrive. We need to get a count and the names of all our volunteers. There may be volunteers from other organizations milling about, so look for us at the green-gray Subaru Outback Wagon surrounded by people who look like they know what is going on,

Be prepared for almost any fall weather. In the past we have experienced everything from warm and sunny days to a driving blizzard. In addition to your sun hat, sunscreen, and your rain gear, bring a lunch, plenty of fluids to drink, gardening gloves, and a hand digging tool you like. If you have no gardening tools, the park can provide small hand tools. You will be working on your hands and knees to do the planting, so you may want to bring a pad for your knees too. The work site is about a mile from the parking lot so plan on carrying everything you need to and from the work site.

We normally work until at least 3 PM.

There is no charge for volunteers to enter the Park. When you enter at the White River Entrance, tell the gate attendant that you will be doing volunteer work on the meadow restoration project at Sunrise.

If you would like to camp for free at the White River Campground the evening prior to or the evening of the work party (or both evenings) contact Will Arneson at Will_Arnesen@nps.gov soon. For free camping, he must make the arrangements well in advance of the scheduled date.

If you plan to join MRNPA on Saturday, Sept 10th, for this alpine gardening work party, please reply to this email confirming that you are coming and indicating the number of volunteers that you will bringing with you.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

If you would like to volunteer to do planting at Mount Rainier but September 10th is not a convenient date, please consult the Mount Rainier website, http://www.nps.gov/mora/home.htm. Wildflower planting will be going on for several days.

Student Conservation Association crews are hard at work at Mount Rainier

2011-08-20T15:13:00.000-07:00

On August 18, Patti and I, along with Acting Superintendent Randy King, Trails Foreman Jim Ziolkowski, and Student Conservation Association (SCA) Vice President Jay Satz, got to spend a rare day out of the office and in the field--meeting, spending time with, and photographing two different crews from SCA at work in Mount Rainier National Park. One crew, SCA's Conservation Leadership Corps out of Seattle, was working on trail maintenance on the Wonderland Trail above Louise Lake, at the end of a fifteen day assignment that began building trail at Klapatche Park deep in Mount Rainier's backcountry. The other crew was filming youth activities in the park, including the CLC crew, as part of a larger project filming youth programs in national parks throughout the region.

SCA is a major partner of the National Park Service, and each year fields many individual interns and crews at Mount Rainier and other parks, who contribute thousands of hours of volunteer service in return for a small stipend and a fantastic summer experience. We've had a total of three Conservation Leadership Corps groups in the park this summer, funded by a grants from the Park Service's Youth Internship Program and the Student Conservation Association.

As anyone local could guess, this has not been the best summer for volunteer crews to work in warm, sunny conditions with great views of The Mountain. Thursday, however, was gorgeous and perfect for photography. Here are a few photographs from the day; enjoy the whole set on Flickr (or click here for a slide show). Thank you to everyone for all of your hard work!

Urgent Alert: 1-3 volunteers needed tomorrow

2011-08-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

Needed: At least 1, as many as 3, volunteers to help distribute information at the Nisqually Entrance tomorrow, Saturday August 20, about Washington's National Park Fund.

Purpose: The Fund is Mount Rainier National Park's most significant financial partner, raising private money to support all aspects of the park's operations. Projects this year include supporting our shuttle service, the volunteer program, the education program, and our community outreach program, and funding improvements to the Longmire Volunteer Campground, including the addition of picnic tables, fire rings, and a picnic shelter. By distributing Fund brochures on one of the busiest day at the park's entrance station, we hope to encourage all kinds of support through this important partnership. This is a high-impact opportunity for volunteers to make a real difference. See www.wnpf.org for details about the Fund and its activities at Mount Rainier and other Washington national parks.

What's involved: Volunteers will gather at the Nisqually Entrance at 10:30 for a briefing, then spend 11:00 to 3:00 talking with visitors as they wait in the line and handing out informational brochures. Our role will be purely informational, not solicitation.

What we need: Laurie Ward, Executive Director of the Fund, will be leading this effort. We need AT LEAST ONE MORE volunteer to confirm with us today in order to make this important project happen. Two volunteers would be better, three would be ideal.

How to get involved: As soon as possible, please contact Patti Poulin at 360-569-6588 or Patricia_Poulin@partner.nps.gov to confirm your participation.

Thank you all for your support!

Kevin Bacher

Volunteer and Outreach Program Manager

Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier's volunteer painter visits Alaska

2011-08-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

I've been getting periodic updates from Allan Dreyer, who many of you may know as a meadow rover and artist who has painted many pictures of Mount Rainier and donated several of them to park offices and local fundraisers. His notariety went to Alaska recently with one of our transferred employees, who arranged for Allan to fly up for a couple of months and paint for Becharof National Wildlife Refuge and Katmai National Park.

The photo above is of Allan finally getting a break in the weather to fly up and see some of the places he'd so far only known from pictures, including Mount Chiginigak and the Ukinrek Maars. He's been painting at easier-to-reach locations like Brooks Falls up till now.

Allan's trip to Alaska is part of a larger artist-in-residence program there. Former Rainier ranger Julia Pinnix, now at Bercharof, explains:

Our current office exhibit is a retired museum exhibit of Pacific salmon-- and while it is nice, it contains many photos which are irrelevant to our area. Our goal is to replace most of the exhibit with items that are relevant. This includes photographs and artwork. Allan is our first artist, and we've asked him to create two large paintings, one for Becharof NWR, and one for Alaska Peninsula NWR. I believe Katmai NP is interested in having an image of Brooks Camp, and another of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.

I have another volunteer coming, Tom Collopy of Homer, AK, overlapping with Allan. Tom will be taking photos of the villages near our refuges, both from the air and the ground, and we will assemble these in the office to remind us of our partners on the Peninsula.

Allan's "grand adventure" should last him a couple more weeks, and then he'll be home and ready to share his stories with us in person!

Volunteers survey butterflies at Mount Rainier and North Cascades

2011-08-18T11:01:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest challenges faced by natural resource managers is knowing what resources, exactly, they have to manage. How can you know, for example, whether your amphibian species are in decline, as they are so many places, unless you first find out which ones you have and then monitor their populations over time? Mount Rainier's Citizen Science program was created a few years ago to address this issue with the help of volunteers, and now a similar program is beginning to monitor butterflies.

Butterflies are a great species to study because they come in so many varieties, each focused on a particular niche in the ecosystem for feeding and reproducing. Jim Burnett explains on the National Parks Traveler website: "Subalpine meadows are projected to shrink dramatically due to the effects of climate change, but the rate and magnitude of this change are unknown. Butterflies make ideal indicator species because they are particularly sensitive to climatic changes, and are relatively easy to identify in the field by scientists and volunteers alike." They also capture the imagination as they flutter colorfully among the summer flowers.

Now, volunteers will conduct regular survey transects at four sites in Mount Rainier National Park, along with sites at North Cascades National Park and four other locations in the Cascade range, to determine which varieties of butterfly make these mountains their home, and whether each is increasing or decreasing in numbers. Like the amphibian surveys, it's a critical but time-intensive project that will take many years of dedicated study to complete, and one that would be impossible without the dedicated assistance of volunteers.

The "Cascades Butterfly Project" will engage volunteers to inventory butterflies and upload photos and locations onto the Butterflies and Moths of North America website. The volunteers will also note how many of each species of butterfly they see, and which flowers are blooming.
Training of volunteers took place on July 23 at Sauk Mountain and on August 13 at Mount Rainier, though the survey transect at Paradise was still under snow. Other areas included in the study include the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Okanagan-Wenatchee National Forest, Skagit Valley Provincial Park, and Manning Provincial Park.

Survey locations at Mount Rainier include Mazama Ridge, Naches Peak, Berkely Park, and Spray Park. Volunteers at North Cascades National Park will survey Maple and Easy Pass, and in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Yellow Aster Butte and Skyline Divide.

The National Park component of the butterfly survey project involves Wildlife Biologists Mason Reid, at Mount Rainier, and Bob Kuntz, at North Cacades, along with Botanists Lou Whiteaker and Mignonne Bivin. The monitoring program was developed by Dr. John McLaughlin, of Western Washington University, with help from teams of high school students from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry for two years of field testing. The program is modeled after a similar program in the Rocky Mountains, which has been monitoring butterflies for 14 years now and has contributed to a significant increase in the number of documented species in Rocky Mountain National Park. A preliminary survey of butterflies at Mount Rainier was completed in 2008 by Dr. Dana Garrigan of Carthage College, including a checklist of 65 species.
Volunteers are still being recruited for this long-term project. To join the Cascades Butterfly Project, contact Jeff Anderson, North Cascades Institute Science Coordinator, at jeff_anderson@ncascades.org or 206-526-2574. Download the project's Resource Brief here. You can also check out the Cascades Butterfly Project Group on Yahoo.

Performance Above And Beyond The Call Of Duty By Three Volunteer Meadow Rovers

2011-08-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to post this for a while now, and having just celebrated the exceptional work of volunteers in general at last weekend's annual volunteer picnic, it seems like a good time to pass this along.

Bill Marsh is our volunteer Meadow Rover Coordinator at Paradise. He sent me this note on July 25, commending the performance of three Meadow Rovers, Mike and Nancy Henderson and Karen Overturf. The letter is a long one, but it deserves to be shared in its entirety, because it represents the indomitable spirit of so many of our volunteers here at Mount Rainier National Park, and it reminds me why I'm so proud to be part of this program. Bill told his story in person at the picnic, and the park's Acting Superintendent, Randy King, has extended his personal thanks to everyone involved.

Dear Kevin,

I would like to know the Mount Rainier procedure for formally commending and recognizing an almost 'super human effort' performed by three outstanding Meadow Rovers today at Paradise! The Meadow Rovers' names are Mike and Nancy Henderson and Karen Overturf. I have already talked this over with Ranger Jacquot and he said that I should contact you directly and copy to Patricia and of course to him as well.

As you know our recent warm weather has not only finally started to melt things out, but it has brought the number of visitors to Paradise to its typical summertime 'sunny day' fever pitch. For some reason only a handful of rovers have been coming to the mountain this summer even though Ranger Jacquot has sent out emails to them requesting help. However, Mike, Nancy and Karen have already made multiple visits and performed in an outstanding manner mitigating several snow covered trail issues, providing safer passage along the trail for our visitors.

Having stated the above I now come to the heart of this email.....

Today, Sunday, July 24, 2011 at Paradise, I started the day with 6 Rovers including myself. One Rover had arrived early and had already headed out (9am) to Panorama Point before I had arrived (9:15). Yet another Rover arrived and headed out without checking in with me... Then Mike, Nancy and Karen arrived.

Our focus today was to be digging through three feet of ice/snow, covering the sets of stairs at the start of the Skyline Trail near the JVC at Paradise. We have literally been trying to complete that task for several days due to the hazardous conditions the ice/snow cover over the stairways has presented. This has been a very difficult area for many of our ill prepared visitors with their 'snow unfriendly' footwear.

I had already been working by myself for a couple of hours when Nancy, Mike and Karen arrived, just 'in the nick of time' I might add, to help. The only thing that allowed me to cut though the ice was a wildland firefighting Pulaski tool, so as one of the three started directing traffic around the 'construction zone,' the other two immediately jumped in and started moving the snow and ice as I cut through it. We had been at it for two hours, non-stop, when I overheard a call go out on my radio that a ranger had come upon an injured hiker, who had fallen and was down and unable to move due to an injured back near Marmot Hill, in the Glacier Vista area.

I would like to note at this point, that I was already aware of a very technical SAR operation ongoing high on the mountain, involving several climbing rangers. I also knew that the only two qualified climbing rangers were either assigned to parking lot duty or were resetting safety poles and lines along the snow banks above the parking lots in the Paradise area. The other 'mountain qualified' rangers were LE rangers who were very busy trying to deal with our many visitors and their vehicles coming to and from the mountain.

I would also like to note that I have over 35 years of professional, emergency services experience, as firefighter/paramedic, and as the chief of the largest Medic One program in King County. I am intimately knowledgeable with the Incident Command System and served as Incident Commander at several large scale incidents. I also have over 30 years of mountain rescue experience, including the positions of field and base operations leader. My reason for wanting to give you this additional information is that I wanted for you to be able to judge whether or not my experience level would allow me to make certain decisions, 'on my own,' based on my experience level and the ability to have situational awareness and multitask in times of emergency operations.

Having stated the above, I now arrive at the heart of this email...

I had prior knowledge of Nancy, Mike and Karen's physical fitness abilities, having worked with them before. So, I turned to them and said, "I can't direct you to do what I am about to ask of you, but would you be willing to assist the the carry-out of an injured hiker near Marmot Hill due to the resources already being stretched very thin?" Without hesitation, all three, almost in unison, said, "Absolutely!"

I then explained, in detail, what the mission might entail, in that they would be assisting qualified personnel already at the scene, and that they would be helping rangers move a litter up hill at a fairly good clip, as well as describing what carrying a loaded litter over snow and uneven terrain would entail. They, once again, without hesitation, and again in unison said, "Where do you want us to go!"

At this point, I contacted dispatch by radio and told them that I had three capable and willing volunteers available to help with the evacuation of the patient if needed. Dispatch contacted one of the LE climbing ranger supervisors via radio and advised her of our available personnel. The response was an immediate, "Yes!" She asked for our personnel to respond to the 'Old Station' to meet the climbing ranger. Mike, Nancy and Karen arrived there three minutes later. Within ten minutes 'our' three volunteers and the climbing ranger came flying by me with litter in hand. You might also like to know that the volunteers' ages ranged from fifties to sixties. And please remember what they had been doing, prior to heading up the hill, in the heat of the day.

The times elude me at the moment, but I would estimate that they were up and back down with the patient in approximately two to three hours! But the story does end here!

I asked all three of them individually how were they doing the first chance I had, expecting to hear... "EXHAUSTED!!!" But NO...all three said they felt great and actually thanked me for the opportunity to help!

At this point, I assisted with putting the patient in the ambulance and talked with the rangers involved to ask how 'our' personnel performed. To a person, they all said that they would have had a difficult time without the additional help and that our volunteers all performed in an exemplary manner, with enthusiasm and professionalism.

While I was talking to the rangers, I was assuming that Mike, Nancy and Karen would be either done for the day, or taking an extended break, which I told them they certainly could do, and I certainly expected.... but was I ever wrong! I turned around and what did I see... Mike, Nancy and Karen back at the ice pack on the stairs, chopping, shoveling, poling, roping away like nothing had happened!!!

Oh! But I am not done!!!

I rejoined them, told them how proud I was of them for their feat of strenuous heroism and volunteering to go in the first place. All three just brushed it off, as though it were just another day's work! We continued to work together with Mike and I pounding in metal poles on either side of the trail and fixing lines as we went. At about six o'clock Nancy came up to me and asked if I had ever had a chance to go out to check trail conditions to Myrtle Falls. She knew I had been wanting to do so all day, due to reported hazards on the trail. I said that I had not been able to break away. She then asked that if I didn't mind, that she and Karen would go out to the falls to check trail conditions and be back before seven to catch the shuttle's last ride down hill.

Needless to say, I almost fell over with amazement at what she had just asked permission to do, given the events and activities of the day. But, I could see her determination, so I said, "Sure, why not." In the meantime Mike and I continued our task at hand.

At a few minutes before seven, as promised, Nancy and Karen were back with a trail report. Unfortunately, I had been aware of the tragic traffic accident that prevented the shuttle being at the pick up point at 7. It was more like eight o'clock. I am aware of the time frame, because I was just leaving the JVC, having just briefed my supervisor, Ranger Jacquot. I wanted to be sure that he was made aware of all of the events of the day. I especially wanted to make him aware of the the 'super-human' efforts and actions of our three volunteers, who had gone far above and beyond the call of duty!

And now the finishing touch...

For the hour that Mike, Nancy and Karen had to wait for their ride down hill, did they sit idly by on the benches with the visitors that were also waiting to head down hill... NO!!! Mike and Nancy Henderson, along with fellow Rover Karen Overturf, spent the hour picking up trash around the JVC.

I can tell you right now Kevin, that in my humble opinion, these three individuals deserve to be recognized and rewarded, somehow, for their actions of this day, and that it should, again, in my humble opinion, come from several pay grades above mine and I hope you feel the same way and will pass this email right up and through the chain of command to the very top!

I would like to close by saying that, in all of my professional and volunteer experience, these three individuals stand shoulder to shoulder with highest ranks of the emergency services first responders who also performed in the same manner. 'Our' personnel have redefined the meaning and job description of what it means to be a "VOLUNTEER!" Their exemplary actions today should be the standard we should all aspire to attain. In addition, the Rangers and support staff should also be commended for their professional actions given the events of the day!

I would look forword to discussing this email further with you, at anytime.

Respectfully submitted,

Bill Marsh
Volunteer Meadow Rover Coordinator

VIP Carol Miltimore Reports on the Sunrise Archaeology Dig

2011-08-17T14:45:00.000-07:00

On August 3rd, Jim and I took advantage of the opportunity to experience archaeology excavation at the historic borrow pit in Sunrise area. The excavation was conducted by the CWU archaeology field school students under the direction of Dr. McCutcheon.

We started the visit with a tour of the site Dr. McCutcheon guided as he narrated an interesting history and background of the site. We saw the freshly excavated stratigraphic profile completed just the day before on the bank of the water-filled borrow pit.

The field school students found numerous artifacts including a large palm-size chert stone that appears to have been worked by human as they worked on the profile. Then we went to the excavation site the field school students just began excavation work that morning. Two days earlier they had to shovel snow off the area to prepare the site for excavation. The area has been surveyed to layout coordinates in order to map the overall site and lay out grids for excavation.

We first watched the students learn hands-on how archaeological excavation work are conducted. Students work on 1 meter x 1 meter grids in teams using trowels, scoops, buckets, standing sieves and record books. They scrape off an unique stratigraphic layer at a time (or constant depth) and sieve the excavated material. The stratigraphic layers are defined by historic geological events, such as volcanic eruptions, glacial events and lahars, and interludes between these geological events. They meticulously record data and observations for each layer level: depth from the reference point, the map of grid (soil color variation, location of tree roots, etc.), volume and type of material removed and sieved, any artifacts found as sieved.

After watching the student survey the site and work grids, they let us get our hands dirty sieving and working with a trowel and scoop. We excavating the layer less than 10 cm down into pit and the layer consisted of the salt-and-pepper looking stratigraphic layer called Mount St. Helens Wn, ash deposited by the Mount St. Helens eruption of 1480 A.D. and soil deposited since this eruption. So we were all excited when roars came from the sieving area telling us lythic pieces were found, one each from two of the grids. Not only that, one of the two was the grid I was helping excavate!

As you can see this is a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in archaeology, park history, Native American history, geology, and anyone who is just looking for a new adventure and experience. I hope many people, our VIPs and park including, take advantage of this opportunity and fill up the limited slots available. (For the west siders: Sunrise is melting out and brilliant blooming flowers are starting to spread from road edges into meadows.)

Carol Miltimore
East side Wilderness VIP

Opportunities are available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:00 am to 11:30 am during the first three weeks in August. The number of participants is limited each day to six people ages 16 and above. Reservations may be made in person at the Sunrise Visitor Center or by calling 360-663-2425.

Mount Rainier's RAVEN Program Receives Donation

2011-08-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

This season a generous donation was made by Mount Rainier National Park Associates to fund the lease during the summer 2011 season of a Ford pickup truck to be used for the Roadside Assistance Volunteers (RAVEN) program.

The RAVEN program operates June through August on the south side of the park assisting park visitors in need of help with their vehicles and providing traffic control during emergency operations and during times of heavy traffic congestion. Raven volunteers work 6-7 days a week. Last year park visitors avoided an estimated $52,000 in towing charges as result of receiving assistance from the Raven volunteers.

A donation was also made to the Restoration Program to purchase the parts to construct a portable misting system to be used at the greenhouse at Tahoma Woods.

At the greenhouse, native seeds and cuttings are propagated that are later planted in meadows that are being restored. The addition of a misting system to the greenhouse will increase the number of plants that can be propagated and having a portable system will allow greater flexibility of its use.

To read this original article visit Mount Rainier National Park Associate's website.

Mount Rainier National Park Volunteer Newsletter: August 2011

2011-08-16T14:24:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and despite the record setting snow level at Paradise, lower elevations are starting to melt out and volunteer project are in full swing throughout the park!

If you have not checked out Mount Rainier National Park’s Volunteer Blog recently, here are a few headlines that should not be missed!

We recently partnered with Scouts from ArrowCorps502, Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest, and Evergreen State College students to work on a variety of services projects. You can read more about this successful weeklong event by visiting our blog.

Trail work along Glacier Basin has come to a triumphant completion. A celebratory event to thank all the volunteers for their hard work along with a re-dedication of the trail is currently in the works, so stay tuned!

Keep up with current volunteer events, upcoming training opportunities, and the latest news by clicking on the calendar of activities at the top of this blog. You will also find projects through the Washington Trails Association (WTA) and the Mount Rainier National Park Associates (MRNPA). These two partner organizations schedule day long projects throughout the summer season.

Washington Trails Association Projects

Contact WTA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

August 5, 6, & 7 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
August 12, 13, & 14 – WTA Trail Work Party at Crystal Peak Trail
August 19, 20, & 21 – WTA Trail Work Party at Crystal Peak Trail
August 26, 27, & 28 – WTA Trail Work Party at Huckleberry Creek Trail
September 2, 3, & 4 – WTA Trail Work Party at Huckleberry Creek Trail

Additional projects will be added to WTA’s calendar on a weekly basis throughout the summer. Most projects happen on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day.

Mount Rainier National Park Associates Projects

Contact MRNPA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

August 13 – Trail Maintenance/Campout
September 10 – Re-vegetation
October 1 – Project TBD

Event Volunteer Opportunities

September 9 – 25 – Puyallup Fair

It's almost time to do the Puyallup. This year's theme is "Make Your Escape."

Last year park staff and volunteers talked to over 10,700 people. That averages out to 1 new contact every minute of our 17 days at the fair. In addition thousands more took time to look at our exhibits. We hope to do even better this year.

The Northwest Outdoors Alliance is working hard to make our building space more open and inviting. It will have hundreds of native plants throughout the building to make it an outdoor experience. The park is teaming with the Pierce County Stream Team to put in a small water feature between our two spaces.

The park will occupy a prominent place. Our 10’ x 30’ space will have two exhibits, one will try to answer the question "What can you see at Mount Rainier when you can't see Mount Rainier," and another one features the 93 miles of the Wonderland Trail. We’ll have our traditional "paws and poop" display and kids will be able to make bookmarks. But the most important part is a real live person representing the park service, talking with all those enthusiastic fairgoers.

The fair runs from September 9th through September 25th. We would like to have at least one park person for each of the three 3 1/2-hour shifts a day (10:00 AM – 1:30 PM, 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM). You will receive a ticket for admission to the fair and a parking pass (together worth $20-22). You can experience the fair before and/or after your shift.

For more information on volunteering please contact Jim Ross at 360-569-6568 or jim_ross@nps.gov.

September 24 – National Public Lands Day:

Every year on the last Saturday of September, Mount Rainier brings its summer volunteer program to a close with a massive volunteer day, offering volunteer opportunities throughout the park including trail maintenance and re-vegetation. This year’s event is taking shape on the EAST side of the park, with projects at Sunrise and White River. Watch the blog for details further details coming soon!

Group Projects

If you are a part of a group and/or organization that is looking for a project at the park we have several projects that require groups ranging in size from 5 to 100. Multi-day projects can use volunteers for a single day, or for several days at a stretch. Here are some options:

Native Plant Restoration:

Our re-vegetation crews will be busy in late summer and early fall planting native plants at locations in both Paradise and Sunrise. Groups of almost unlimited size are welcome to help, either for single days or multiple day stretches. Contact Will Arnesen at 360-569-6762 to arrange a date for your group.

Attractants Assessment:

Mount Rainier National Park wants to evaluate its efforts at keeping human attractants away from wildlife. Annually, crews walk through the campgrounds of the park and document use of the campsites and whether items of concern (e.g. coolers, dishes, etc.) are left out where wildlife can get to them.

By monitoring campgrounds, we can see how effective our educational efforts are, and where we might improve our attractant management program.Volunteers are needed to walk through the campgrounds, documenting whether each campsite is used, and what types, if any, of attractants may be left unsecured from wildlife access.

The volunteer would complete specific data forms, and would have the option of providing an educational message if contacted. Each of the four campgrounds (Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh, White River, Mowich Lake) need surveying on a periodic (e.g. monthly) basis, July to Sept. One person can survey a campground in a couple of hours, but working in pairs or small groups might be preferred. For more information please contact Mason Reid at 360-569-6771 or Mason_Reid@nps.gov.

Washington’s National Park Fund Information Distribution:

Mount Rainier National Park and Washington's National Park Fund are looking for three good volunteers to help distribute information about the Fund at the Nisqually Entrance for four hours on Saturday, August 20.The volunteers will talk to visitors as their cars wait in line at the entrance during the peak 11am to 3pm period, hand out brochures about the Fund and its activities, and answer questions. They will meet at 10:30am for a brief training and safety orientation.

If enough volunteers sign up, we may also distribute information on the following day, Sunday the 21st.

For more information you may visit our recent blog post or to sign up for this project, please contact Laurie Ward at 253-566-4644 or laurie@wnpf.org

Nisqually Glacier Monitoring:

We are finally getting to the point on the Nisqually Glacier where we’ll be able to see some rocks or other stuff on the surface to survey!

We’re hoping to get a pretty large area of rocks surveyed in order to determine the extents of stagnating ice on the lower glacier. This will involve using a Total Station to survey in individual rocks on the glacier over the course of several weeks. We will hopefully have between 2 and 3 teams combing the Nisqually Glacier surveying in rocks. Each team will also GPS and photograph the rocks in order to get relative positions so they can be resurveyed.

Survey Dates: Thursday, August 18; Thursday August 25;Thursday, September 1; andThursday, September 8.(Possibly one other day in September, to be determined.

There may also be another day down the road where we’ll have surveys.

Do you have glacier hiking/climbing skills and have personal gear necessary for the trip?

We have a limited amount of equipment (crampons, helmets, ice axes, etc) for the excursion, but not enough to supply everyone.

For more information or to volunteer please contact Scott Beason, Park Geologist, at 360-569-6781 or scott_beason@nps.gov.

More projects are in the works, so even if you don't see something of interest to you here, give us a call (360-569-6588) and let us connect your group with a project that will make a real difference at Mount Rainier National Park!

Individual Openings

Interested in volunteering for a longer period of time, or return regularly throughout the summer to help with extended projects? We have many opportunities to choose from! Follow these links for details and to apply for any project that interests you:

Meadow Rover: Help us protect the subalpine meadows above Paradise and Sunrise by patrolling trails and educating visitors about the importance of staying on trails.

Plant Propagation (Greenhouse Assistant): Help grow plants for transplanting in the subalpine meadows.

Citizen Science Team: Survey frogs, salamanders, and other species in the park's backcountry!

Resources

Besides the obvious benefits of volunteering at a National Park (time outdoors, meeting new people, sense of accomplishment), our volunteers get free entrance to the park on their days of service, as well as free use of the Longmire Campground (and the only campground showers within the park!).

We are consistently updating our blog with all the latest information and opportunities to volunteer at Mount Rainier.

If you would like to get involved in any of the programs you have read about it this newsletter get in touch with either Patti Poulin (360.569.6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov) or Kevin Bacher (360.569.6567 or kevin_bacher@nps.gov).

Thank you for supporting Mount Rainier National Park and we look forward to working with you this summer!

Soliciting help for the Nisqually Glacier Survey later this month

2011-08-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

I received the following e-mail from Scott Beason, Mount Rainier's geologist, this week. He's looking for help surveying the Nisqually Glacier, and is open to volunteer assistance. If you're interested, contact him at the e-mail address or phone number below. Note that this is arduous work, suitable only for those in excellent physical condition--but it's also a cool opportunity (no pun intended)!

Hello Everyone!

I think we’re finally getting to the point on the Nisqually Glacier where we’ll be able to see some rocks or other stuff on the surface to survey! We’re hoping to get a pretty large area of rocks surveyed in order to determine the extents of stagnating ice on the lower glacier. This will involve using a Total Station to survey in individual rocks on the glacier over the course of several weeks. We will hopefully have between 2 and 3 teams combing the Nisqually Glacier surveying in rocks. Each team will also GPS and photograph the rocks in order to get relative positions so they can be resurveyed.

At this point, I am seeking the following information:

1) Are you able/willing to help out on the following dates:

Thursday, August 18;
Thursday August 25;
Thursday, September 1; and
Thursday, September 8.
(Possibly one other day in September, to be determined)

There may also be another day down the road where we’ll have surveys. I think the first 2 surveys will be the most important in determining the initial surface velocities.

2) Do you have glacier hiking/climbing skills and have personal gear necessary for the trip?

We have a limited amount of equipment (crampons, helmets, ice axes, etc) for the excursion, but not enough to supply everyone.

3) Do you know others that may be interested in helping?

Please let me know if you are willing/interested in helping… this isn’t really a funded project for us, but it’s definitely important and will be a cornerstone for future delineation of ice extents at Mount Rainier. If you can forward this on to anyone I may have forgotten who you think might want to help, I would sincerely appreciate it.

Thanks again for all the help!

Scott Beason
Park Geologist
Mount Rainier National Park
360-569-6781
Scott_Beason@nps.gov

Volunteers needed to distribute Washington's National Park Fund information at Nisqually gate

2011-08-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier National Park and Washington's National Park Fund are looking for three good volunteers to help distribute information about the Fund at the Nisqually Entrance for four hours on Saturday, August 20.

The volunteers will talk to visitors as their cars wait in line at the entrance during the peak 11am to 3pm period, hand out brochures about the Fund and its activities, and answer questions. They will meet at 10:30am for a brief training and safety orientation.

Laurie Ward, Executive Director of the Fund, explains that "No solicitations will take place....Just friendly outreach with offers of information."

If enough volunteers sign up, we may also distribute information on the following day, Sunday the 21st.

To sign up for this project, please contact Laurie Ward at 253-566-4644 or laurie@wnpf.org

Make Your Escape ... to the Puyallup Fair!

2011-08-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

It's almost time to do the Puyallup Fair. This year's theme is "Make Your Escape!"

Last year park staff and volunteers talked to over 10,700 people. That averages out to 1 new contact every minute of our 17 days at the fair. In addition thousands more took time to look at our exhibits. We hope to do even better this year.

The Northwest Outdoors Alliance is working hard to make our building space more open and inviting. It will have hundreds of native plants throughout the building to make it an outdoor experience. The park is teaming with the Pierce County Stream Team to put in a small water feature between our two spaces.

The park will occupy a prominent place. Our 10’ x 30’ space will have two exhibits, one will try to answer the question "What can you see at Mount Rainier when you can't see Mount Rainier," and another one features the 93 miles of the Wonderland Trail. We’ll have our traditional "paws and poop" display and kids will be able to make bookmarks. But the most important part is a real live person representing the park service, talking with all those enthusiastic fairgoers.

This is where you come in! The fair runs from September 9th through September 25th. We would like to have park volunteers for each of the three 3 1/2-hour shifts a day (10:00 AM – 1:30 PM, 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM). You will receive a ticket for admission to the fair and a parking pass (together worth $21-23). You can experience the fair before and/or after your shift.

Ready to make your escape? Contact Jim Ross at 360-569-6568 or Jim_Ross@nps.gov for more information or to sign up as a volunteer!

Photos from ArrowCorps

2011-08-12T12:28:00.000-07:00

I've finally sorted through all my photos from the ArrowCorps 502 Boy Scouts project last week. The Scouts accomplished amazing things in their four projects, two within Mount Rainier National Park and two in the adjacent Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest! We're still assessing the accomplishments and the number of hours of volunteer time contributed, but you can see in the photos just what an amazing program this was.

The above slide show is only a small taste of the full set of photos, which can be viewed on Flickr. Enjoy the photos, and we look forward to working with the T'kope Kwiskwis Lodge of the Boy Scouts again soon!

Volunteer Cascades Butterfly Project Training Happening This Weekend!

2011-08-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

The Cascades Butterfly Project needs you!

Get out into the beautiful mountains of North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and help wildlife biologists identify and count alpine butterflies.

Mark your calendars for volunteer training:

When: Saturday, August 13th - 9am to 3pm

Where: Paradise Jackson Visitor Center

Participants will learn more about the project and the ecology of Cascades butterflies. The trainings will have two components: an hour-long classroom session, followed by a longer afternoon field excursion where we will practice field ID and scientific research protocols in subalpine meadows.

Volunteer training is highly recommended, but not mandatory for participation in the project.

You may read more about this exciting project by visiting the original post on our blog.

MRNPA Volunteer Work Party - August 13th

2011-08-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party is Saturday, August 13th. That's 12 days away . If you plan to attend and have not yet contacted John yet, please visit http://mrnpa.org/workprojectdetails.php to sign up and let him how many volunteers you are bringing with you.

Following the work party, there will have a potluck dinner in the Longmire Campground. Even if you do not plan to camp overnight, please consider joining us for the potluck dinner. This is the one time each year we get together and have time to socialize.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

Annual Volunteer Appreciation Potluck - August 13th!

2011-08-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

The Annual Volunteer Appreciation Potluck
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Gather at the Longmire Community Building at 4 PM

Volunteers you've worked hard all year long. You’ve spent thousands of hours on your feet, sometimes on your hands and knees, through meadows, forests, rain, snow, occasionally sunshine and all on your free time. Now it's time to pat each other on the back, swap stories, and celebrate all your work over the past year.

Join your fellow volunteers in celebration at the Longmire Community Building. Please bring a dish to share this is not a requirement for attendance). Utensils and plates will be provided.

We also hope to put together a slide show presentation to highlight all the accomplishments of our fantastic VIPs since last August and we would love to include some of YOUR best photos showing your volunteer experiences at Mount Rainier. Please send them to Jim Ross (Jim_Ross@nps.gov).

Paradise Melt-Out Starts, Meadow Rovers Take Action

2011-08-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

The snow has started to melt off the meadows of Paradise and that means it is time for the Meadow Rovers to get out and educate Mount Rainier National Park visitors on how to protect the fragile flowering plants that will soon appear. I arrived at Paradise for my first meadow roving experience of the season on Thursday July 28, after slowly driving my way up from the Nisqually entrance and weaving through some of the 800 bicyclists participating in the Ride Around Mount Rainier (RAMROD) event.

In the Paradise parking lot, I could clearly see the Mountain surrounded by crystal clear blue skies and temperatures in the upper sixties as hundreds of visitors milled about and ventured out onto the snow that starts a few yards from the parking lot.

I headed out on the Skyline Trail for an aerobic workout up to Glacier Vista. The trail, marked with bamboo wands, is snow covered the entire way except for the steep stone steps located a quarter mile above Alta Vista. Along the way I stopped and talked to several groups of visitors that asked for advice on how far they could safely go up the trail. Near Glacier Vista, several large rocks have melted out and made a great location to sit and talk to climbers making their way down from Camp Muir or day hikers debating a further climb up to Panorama Point.

Heading back down to the Jackson Visitor Center, I encountered Meadow Rovers Judy and John Bernard rerouting the Skyline Trail on the steep section just above the Snow Play area. Judy was busily moving wands away from a section of trail where hikers had stomped through the snow and exposed the vegetation below, while John stood several yards below her directing a long line of visitors onto the new route away from the sensitive plants.

In the parking lot, I ran into Bill Marsh, the new Volunteer Meadow Rover Coordinator. Bill works four days a week in the Park and lives in his RV down at the Longmire Volunteer Campground. Bill told me that the Park could really use the Meadow Rovers now and that he has been primarily focused on protecting the plants right by the parking lot at Paradise as the snow melts back away from the pavement. Bill and others have used metal fence posts and rope to mark off areas to keep visitors off the plants. With the warm mid- summer temperatures, Bill expects more rapid melt out and a need for even more Meadow Rovers to come up to the meadows. Any help you can provide during melt-out would be much appreciated in the next few weeks.

After lunch, I drove down the valley road past Reflection and Louise Lakes to the Bench Lake trail head at the request of one of the Park’s Rangers. I hiked the 1.2 mile trail up to the upper end of Snow Lake located below Unicorn Peak. Adjacent to the first few 100 yards of trail, a carpet of white avalanche lilies line both sides of the trail. The trail is snow free except for the last 500 yards long the creek that leads to the upper lake basin.

I met several families with small children along the trail and handed out “Don’t Be a Meadow Stomper, Stay on Trails” buttons. Everyone I encountered was well behaved and I had no issues with people wandering off the trails. The Bench/Snow Lake trail is a much more relaxed and less hectic place to Meadow Rove than the area just above the Paradise Parking Lot and I was glad a Ranger had asked me to check out this trail.

The Melt-Out has started, so don’t hesitate and come on up to the Park to help out with Meadow Roving.

Phil Hertzog, Meadow Rover

Star Party and Night Skies Program at Paradise

2011-08-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier National Park News Release
August 2, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Curt Jacquot, 360-569-6577, email: curt_jacquot@nps.gov

Star Party and Night Skies Program at Paradise: 9:00 PM, Friday August 5, 2011

Families and individuals of all ages are invited to the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park for a special program on Friday, August 5. The event starts at 9:00 PM in the lobby of the Paradise Inn with a short presentation about the National Park Service “Night Skies” program. The National Park Service has come to embrace night skies as one of the many scenic vistas the agency is a steward of. It is essential to keeping a park whole and touches on almost every aspect that is important to us - from sustainability to stargazers, and animals to ancient ruins.

At 9:45 PM there will be outdoor star gazing in front of the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center with Tacoma Astronomical Society (TAS) volunteers and their telescopes. Astronomy Society volunteers will also assist with special children's astronomy activities. All ages will be able to make astronomy devices called "star finders."

If weather makes star gazing difficult, the party will move inside the Paradise Inn lobby for a 45-minute film about the Milky Way galaxy.

Night Sky viewing at the park through Labor Day Visitors are also invited to join Mount Rainier volunteer astronomer-interpreter Don West-Wilke for night sky viewing Thursdays through Sundays through Labor Day. Don and his unique telescope will help visitors see the night sky (weather permitting) beginning at 10 PM at the following park locations:

Thursdays: Longmire Plaza in front of the National Park Inn

Fridays: Plaza in front of the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center

Saturdays: Plaza in front of the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center

Sundays: Backbone Ridge pull-out along Steven's Canyon Road

Mondays: Plaza in front of the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center

If you have questions please contact Park Ranger Curt Jacquot at (360) 569-2211, extension 6577. Information about the Tacoma Astronomy Society is found online at: http://www.tas-online.org/

General park information is available at www.nps.gov/mora or by calling 360-569-2211.

Tools in the ground: ArrowCorps 502 begins!

2011-08-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

Two years after the idea was first proposed to us here at Mount Rainier National Park by advisors of the T'kope Kwiskwis Lodge of the Boy Scouts of America, "ArrowCorps 502" is officially off and running!

The program takes its name from the "Order of the Arrow," the Boy Scouts' leadership corps who have planned and coordinated the project from its inception; from a similar project called ArrowCorps5 that occurred on several National Forest sites back in 2008; and from the Seattle-based group's Lodge number, 502.

As described in a press release last week, nearly a hundred Boy Scouts from all over the country have converged on Camp Sheppard, just north of Mount Rainier National Park, in preparation for three intensive days of volunteering. As I write this, crews are preparing to begin work tomorrow at Government Meadows, Silver Creek, and Crystal Mountain in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, and at Crystal Lake and Ipsut Creek in Mount Rainier National Park.

I had the opportunity last evening to join the group at Camp Sheppard for their official opening ceremony. Already the boys had spent the day planning, gathering and learning to use tools, conducting safety briefings, and learning first aid and Leave No Trace techniques. When Acting Superintendent Randy King, Seasonal Volunteer Coordinator Patti Poulin, and I arrived, they were preparing for dinner. And while those camped at Ipsut Creek this week will be eating camp rations, back at base camp the fare was more generous: salmon and wild rice with corn on the cob and salad, tasty enough to be worth the drive all the way from our offices on the south side of the Mountain.

After dinner, we adjourned to the amphitheater for speeches and "shows." Arrow Corps member Ian Bellows emceed the event, beginning with the lowering of the flag for the evening, welcomes by Randy King and myself, and the presentation of a letter of support from Congressman Dave Reichert, who was unable to attend in person due to pressing business in the other Washington. Congressman Reichert also sent a flag that had been raised over the U.S. Capitol in honor of ArrowCorps, and which will be flown throughout this week at Camp Sheppard. After the speeches, the ArrowCorps "Show Team" presented several short videos, introducing us to Mount Rainier National Park and the history of Boy Scout volunteer projects in the National Parks, and summarizing the work that had been done up to that point. A final video, called "Why You? Why Now?" left us all with a challenge to go out and make a difference.

Congressman Dave Reichert sent a
special welcome and a flag flown over
the U.S. Capitol.

A special camera and video crew will be traveling around the park over the next few days to document the work in the field, and Friday evening the Corps will re-gather at Camp Sheppard for a celebration of the week's work, including another feast and another presentation of images and video gathered along the trail.

We left for home at 9:00, tired but excited by the spirit and enthusiasm we'd seen, and impressed by the level of organization. Most of the work on ArrowCorps 502 has been done by youth members of the Order of the Arrow, led by Evan Skandalis, Matt Allyn, and Ian Bellows. They and their crews represent the next generation of stewards of our national parks and other public lands--and by all indications, those resources are in good hands.

Patti, Randy, and I will be visiting crews in the field throughout this week, and hope to post more images and status reports on this blog along the way, so come back for updates. You can also check out the ArrowCorps website at http://www.arrowcorps502.org/.

New Volunteer Training Date for the Cascade Butterfly Project

2011-07-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Cascades Butterfly Project needs you!

Get out into the beautiful mountains of North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and help wildlife biologists identify and count alpine butterflies.

Mark your calendars for volunteer training:

When: Saturday, August 13th - 9am to 3pm

Where: Paradise Jackson Visitor Center

Participants will learn more about the project and the ecology of Cascades butterflies. The trainings will have two components: an hour-long classroom session, followed by a longer afternoon field excursion where we will practice field ID and scientific research protocols in subalpine meadows.

Volunteer training is highly recommended, but not mandatory for participation in the project.

You may read more about this exciting project by visiting the original post on our blog.

Boy Scouts’ ArrowCorps Volunteer Project Planned for Mount Rainier National Park and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

2011-07-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier National Park News Release
July 27, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Kevin Bacher (NPS), Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov, 360.569.6567
Denny Couglin (USFS), dcoughlin@fs.fed.us, 360.802.5311
Darla Sklar (BSA), dsklar@seattlebsa.org, 206.902.2353

On Sunday, July 31, about 100 Scouts from across the nation will arrive at Camp Sheppard to kick off ArrowCorps502, a service learning program developed by the Boy Scouts of America’s Chief Seattle Council, T’Kope Kwiskwis Lodge, in partnership with Mount Rainier National Park and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Scouts of ArrowCorps502 will begin their week on Monday, August 1, with onsite Leave No Trace education before dispersing to their work locations within the shadow of Mount Rainier. Service projects within Mount Rainier National Park will focus on trail building and maintenance along the Crystal Lakes Trail in the Sunrise area, as well as converting the Ipsut Creek Campground to a backcountry campsite along the Carbon River. After three days of work participants will return to Camp Sheppard on Friday, August 5, for a closing jamboree.

In addition to giving volunteer service in Mount Rainier National Park and the surrounding National Forest, the goal of ArrowCorps502 is to provide participants with the opportunity to build their leadership experience, cultivate lifelong friendships, and enjoy firsthand the power and beauty of the mountain.

“We’re looking forward to seeing this program happen,” said Kevin Bacher, Volunteer and Outreach Program Manager at Mount Rainier National Park. “We’ve been working with Scouts from the Order of the Arrow for two years now, and they’ve done a fantastic job of putting this very complex program together.”

Randy King, Acting Superintendent at Mount Rainier National Park, said he looks forward to continue working with the Chief Seattle Council in the future. “We’ve built a good foundation for this to become a recurring partnership,” he said. “It’s exciting and important to see young people playing an active role in the stewardship of their national park.”

ArrowCorps502 is a partnership between the Boy Scouts of America and the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service. Students from The Evergreen State College will also assist with the program. The project is sponsored by grants from the Boy Scouts of America and the National Park Service’s Volunteers-in-Parks program, with significant contributions from REI, Inc. and Home Depot.

For more information regarding ArrowCorps502 or to follow daily updates during this highly anticipated event please visit http://www.arrowcorps502.org/ and RainierVolunteers.blogspot.com/.

Cascade Butterfly Project Volunteer Training POSTPONED

2011-07-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

As you may have read on our blog this week, the Cascade Butterfly Project is seeking volunteers to work within Mount Rainier National Park!

Unfotunately due to a lingering heavy snowpack, the intial training (originally schedule for Thursday, July 28th) has been postponed. A new date volunteer training date is in the works though, so stay tuned to the Mount Rainier National Park blog!

In the meantime you may learn more about this exciting project by visiting http://www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/upload/2011-07-12-Butterfly-NOCA-Resource-Brief-2011_v2.pdf.

You may also contact Jeff Anderson at 206-526-2574 (jeff_anderson@ncascades.org) or Mason Reid at 360-569-6771 (mason_reid@nps.gov).

Opportunity to Experience Sunrise Archaeology Dig

2011-07-27T08:51:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier has been used by Native American people for thousands of years. To better document the mountain’s archaeological record, Mount Rainier National Park is working with Central Washington University’s archaeology field school. Under the direction of Dr. Patrick McCutcheon, the field school will be conducting an excavation in the Sunrise area to improve our understanding of the long-term human use of Mount Rainier’s higher elevation landscapes.

Volunteers will get a guided tour of the site and have the opportunity to shadow a field school student working on the excavation. Volunteers will join in the daily operations, assisting with sieving excavated sediments, carrying soil and measuring sediment volume. Participants will also have the opportunity to discover and learn about the artifacts and their uses.

Opportunities are available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:00 am to 11:30 am during the first three weeks in August. The number of participants is limited each day to six people ages 16 and above. Reservations may be made in person at the Sunrise Visitor Center or by calling 360-663-2425.

Volunteers Needed for the Cascade Butterfly Project

2011-07-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Cascades Butterfly Project needs you! Get out into the beautiful mountains of North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and help wildlife biologists identify and count alpine butterflies.

Alpine meadows in these two National Parks are expected to shrink dramatically due to the effects of climate change, but as of now, the rate and magnitude of this change is unknown. Butterflies make ideal indicator species because they are particularly sensitive to climatic changes, and are relatively easy to identify in the field by scientists and volunteers alike. So come for a hike in some of the Northwest’s most scenic alpine meadows and help contribute to this important research!

Volunteer Training:

We will be holding a volunteer training in which participants will learn more about the project and the ecology of Cascades butterflies. The trainings will have two components: an hour-long classroom session, followed by a longer afternoon field excursion where we will practice field ID and scientific research protocols in subalpine meadows.

Volunteer training is highly recommended, but not mandatory for participation in the project.

THIS TRAINING HAS BEEN POSTPONED - A NEW DATE WILL BE POSTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

July 28, 2011- Mt. Rainier National Park
Training will run from 9:00am to 3:00pm
Paradise Jackson Visitor Center

For more information please visit http://www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/upload/2011-07-12-Butterfly-NOCA-Resource-Brief-2011_v2.pdfor contact Mason Reid at 360-569-6771 or mason_reid@nps.gov

Keep Wildlife Wild - Saturday, August 6th

2011-07-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

Keep Wildlife Wild Event Information

Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild Day August 6th, from 9 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in an effort to educate visitors on wildlife and the impacts we have on them. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild.
The day will be celebrated with a number of short educational programs in the Paradise area. Interpretive rangers and biologists will present talks on native wildlife throughout the day. Activities will be provided for children to explore the interesting world of wildlife through artistic expression.

In the morning at the Paradise Inn, U.S. Forest Service research biologist Keith Aubry will present his findings on The Cascade Red Fox: Washington’s Unique and Little-known Carnivore.
Throughout the day Officer Bruce Richards from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will demonstrate black bear conflict management as a handler for the Karelian Bear Dog Program.

A morning and afternoon Bird Tour will be guided by Mount Rainier’s spotted owl crew leader Keith Bagnall to identify the human impacts to the birds of the Paradise area. Sturdy footwear is recommended.

Interpretive Teacher Ranger Kirsten Anderson will give an educational presentation on the wildlife of the Park.

Former Chief Naturalist and local wildlife artist Dale Thompson will be painting in the lobby of the Paradise Inn and sharing his stories and experiences of responsible wildlife viewing.

An educational display by Mount Rainier’s Wildlife Biologist Ellen Myers and wildlife themed craft activities hosted by the Education Department will be available for children.

Volunteers are still needed for this event. For more information or to sign up please contact Sarah Yates, Wildlife Department. 360-569-6774.

Volunteers Leading the Star Party and Night Skies Program

2011-07-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to learn more about the stars that blanket our night sky? Volunteers from the Tacoma Astronomy Society will be hosting a Star Party and Night Skies Program this Friday, July 22nd!

Read the official NPS press release listed below for more information.

Star Party and Night Skies Program

Where: Paradise

When: 9:00 PM, Friday July 22, 2011

Families and individuals of all ages are invited to the Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park for a special program on Friday, July 22.. The event starts at 9:00 PM in the lobby of the Paradise Inn with a short presentation about the National Park Service “Night Skies” program. The National Park Service has come to embrace night skies as one of the many scenic vistas the agency is a steward of. It is essential to keeping a park whole and touches on almost every aspect that is important to us - from sustainability to stargazers, and animals to ancient ruins.

At 9:45 PM there will be outdoor star gazing in front of the Paradise Jackson Visitor Center with Tacoma Astronomical Society (TAS) volunteers and their telescopes. Astronomy Society volunteers will also assist with special children's astronomy activities. All ages will be able to make astronomy devices called "star finders."

If weather makes star gazing difficult, the party will move inside the Paradise Inn lobby for star finder making and a 45-minute film about the Milky Way galaxy.

If you have questions please contact Park Ranger Curt Jacquot at (360) 569-2211, extension 6577.

Information about the Tacoma Astronomy Society is found online at: http://www.tas-online.org/

MRNPA Trail Work Party - August 13th

2011-07-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party will be Saturday, August 13th. We will be working in the Longmire area, possibly on the Wonderland Trail north of Longmire or possibly on the Comet Falls Trail. The exact location will be determined some time closer to the August 13th date. Regardless of the work location, we will meet at the upper end of the Longmire parking lot, near the museum, at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning, and be ready to move out at 9:00 AM.

Bring work gloves, a hard hat if you have one, safety glasses, full rain gear (you never know if you will need it), your lunch, and PLENTY of fluids to drink.

If you plan to attend this work party, please reply to this email and tell me that you are coming, how many volunteers you are bringing with you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for us all. If you have a hard hat you will be wearing, please tell me that too.

The August work party is always followed by a potluck dinner in the campground and an overnight camp for those who wish to stay. It's a fun event, so plan on staying for potluck dinner even if you don't want to camp. Sunday we try to do a short hike together.

We have a reservations for the group campsites at the Longmire VIP campground (not the Cougar Rock campground) for both Friday night, August 12th, and Saturday night, August 13th. The camping is free for MRNPA volunteers. We will also hold the potluck dinner at the Longmire VIP Campground. If you are going to camp either or both nights, also please tell me the nights you intend to camp when you when you reply to this email telling me that you are coming. I need to assure that we have sufficient tent sites reserved.

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.

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.

For more details abou this event or to RSVP for this visit http://mrnpa.org/workprojectdetails.php.

Sincerely,
John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

Mount Rainier National Park Volunteer Newsletter: July 2011

2011-07-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Summer is here at Mount Rainier National Park and volunteer projects are starting kicking off as the snow continues to rapidly melt away. No matter what type of volunteering you are interested in, long term vs. short term, individual or group, backcountry or front country, we have many opportunities for you to help protect the beautiful natural and cultural resources of Mount Rainier National Park and to help serve its visitors.

Along with a multitude of volunteer projects happening this summer, we have many partner projects in the works as well. You can read more about upcoming events and projects Mount Rainier National Park’s Volunteer Blog.

Check out the link at the top of this blog for a calendar of activities and full details on our summer volunteer schedule, including upcoming training opportunities.

In addition, the Washington Trails Association (WTA) and the Mount Rainier National Park Associates (MRNPA) are two partner organizations that schedule day long projects and even week long vacations.

Annual Volunteer Potluck

When: August 13th (Saturday) at 4pm

Where: Longmire Community Building

Please plan on bringing a dish to share to the Longmire Community Building August 13th, 2011 at 4:00pm. Utencils and plates will be provided.

We will also be putting together a slide show presentation to highlight all the accomplishments of our fantastic VIPs since last August and we would love to include some of YOUR best photos showing your volunteer experiences at Mount Rainier. Please send them to Jim Ross (Jim_Ross@nps.gov).

Washington Trails Association Projects

Contact WTA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

July 1 - WTA Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 2 – WTA Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 3 – WTA Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 8 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 9 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 10 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 15 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 16 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 17 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 22 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 23 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail
July 24 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin Trail

Additional projects will be added to WTA’s calendar on a weekly basis throughout the summer. Most projects happen on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day.

Mount Rainier National Park Associates Projects

Contact MRNPA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

August 13 – Trail Maintenance/Campout
September 10 – Re-vegetation
October 1 – Project TBD

Event Volunteer Opportunities

We have several dates scheduled for drop-in projects, with more being planned:

August 6 – Keep Wildlife Wild:

Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild event on August 6th in an effort to educate visitors on their impacts on wildlife. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild.

Volunteers are needed to hand out information on wildlife feeding and patrol areas of high visitor use. Volunteers will be asked to man kiosks in groups while talking to visitors and providing information on park wildlife and the dangers of wildlife feeding. Additionally, volunteers will be asked to haze animals that are approaching visitors to beg for food. Active hazing will keep wildlife from obtaining food and set an example for those people who may be tempted to feed.
More information on the “Keep Wildlife Wild” program can be found at http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/keep-wildlife-wild.htm.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Sarah Yates at 360-569-6774, Sarah_Yates@nps.gov.

September 24 – National Public Lands Day:

Every year on the last Saturday of September, Mount Rainier brings its summer volunteer program to a close with a massive volunteer day, offering volunteer opportunities throughout the park including trail maintenance and re-vegetation. Watch the blog for further announcements, but put the date on your calendar!

Group Projects

If you are a part of a group and/or organization that is looking for a project at the park we have several projects that require groups ranging in size from 5 to 100. Multi-day projects can use volunteers for a single day, or for several days at a stretch.

Here are some options:

Native Plant Restoration:

Our re-vegetation crews will be welcoming drop in volunteers at the old Sunrise campground on September 10th and 17th. Groups of almost unlimited size are welcome to help, either for single days or multiple day stretches. Contact Will Arnesen at 360-569-6762 to arrange a date for your group.

Longmire Campground Setup:

The historic Longmire Campground is in full swing for the season. An unexpected delay kept us from setting up the infamous platform tents earlier last month, but now we are ready! We need an enthusiastic group of volunteers to spend half a day setting up the canvas tents. For more information contact Patti Poulin at 360-569-6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov.

Attractants Assessment:

Mount Rainier National Park wants to evaluate its efforts at keeping human attractants away from wildlife. Annually, crews walk through the campgrounds of the park and document use of the campsites and whether items of concern (e.g. coolers, dishes, etc.) are left out where wildlife can get to them. By monitoring campgrounds, we can see how effective our educational efforts are, and where we might improve our attractant management program.Volunteers are needed to walk through the campgrounds, documenting whether each campsite is used, and what types, if any, of attractants may be left unsecured from wildlife access. The volunteer would complete specific data forms, and would have the option of providing an educational message if contacted.

Each of the four campgrounds (Cougar Rock, Ohanapecosh, White River, Mowich Lake) need surveying on a periodic (e.g. monthly) basis, July to Sept. One person can survey a campground in a couple of hours, but working in pairs or small groups might be preferred. For more information please contact Mason Reid at 360-569-6771 or Mason_Reid@nps.gov.

More projects are in the works, so even if you don't see something of interest to you here, give us a call (360-569-6588) and let us connect your group with a project that will make a real difference at Mount Rainier National Park!

Individual Openings

Interested in volunteering for a longer period of time, or return regularly throughout the summer to help with extended projects? We have many opportunities to choose from! Follow these links for details and to apply for any project that interests you:

Meadow Rover: Help us protect the subalpine meadows above Paradise and Sunrise by patrolling trails and educating visitors about the importance of staying on trails.

Plant Propagation (Greenhouse Assistant): Help grow plants for transplanting in the subalpine meadows.

Citizen Science Team: Survey frogs, salamanders, and other species in the park's backcountry!

Resources

Besides the obvious benefits of volunteering at a National Park (time outdoors, meeting new people, sense of accomplishment), our volunteers get free entrance to the park on their days of service, as well as free use of the Longmire Campground (and its showers!).

We are consistently updating our blog with all the latest information and opportunities to volunteer at Mount Rainier. If you would like to get involved in any of the programs you have read about it this newsletter get in touch with either Patti Poulin (360.569.6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov) or Kevin Bacher (360.569.6567 or kevin_bacher@nps.gov).

Thanks for your support of Mount Rainier and we look forward to working with you this summer!

Sunrise Meadow Rovers Update

2011-07-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

The Sunrise Visitor Center opened on July 8th with an impressive set of new exhibits and building improvements. The official Opening is Thursday, July 14th.

In the Sunrise area, meltout has started and the first pasqueflowers and glacier lilies are blooming. What a treat !!

Ten experienced Meadow Rovers marked trails and made contact with about 150 visitors this past weekend. New Meadow Rovers are expected July 16th and 17th. I hope to pair them up with some experienced Rovers for their initial day. Park attendance will increase as the snow melts and more flowers bloom, so make plans to ROVE the Mountain soon.

Gayle Eads [Sunrise computers currently down, so to contact me phone the Visitor Center: 360-569-6585] - Meadow Rover Coordinator, Sunrise

Volunteers represent Mount Rainier in 4th of July Parade

2011-07-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

This 4th of July, seven volunteers and family members joined six rangers to represent Mount Rainier National Park in the Eatonville Independence Day parade. Along with Lee Snook, Jim and Kevin Ross, Kevin Bacher, Dave Uberuaga, and Randy King, participants included Meadow Rovers Ed Hunds and Allan Dreyer; Dave's wife Barbara; Randy's wife Sally; and junior rangers Kate, Daniel, and Christian.

Besides showing pride for the park on a day when The Mountain was gloriously visible, this year's group also carried banners on both sides of a park patrol vehicle wishing Dave and Barbara Uberuaga farewell as they move later this month "from the top of The Mountain to the bottom of The Canyon." Uberuaga has been selected as the new superintendent of Grand Canyon National Park.

Thank you to everyone who came out to represent Mount Rainier's role in the community!

More photos from the parade can be seen here.

The 3rd Annual Keep Wildlife Wild - Volunteers Needed!

2011-07-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild event on August 6th in an effort to educate visitors on their impacts on wildlife. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild.

Volunteers are needed to hand out information on wildlife feeding and patrol areas of high visitor use. Volunteers will be asked to man kiosks in groups while talking to visitors and providing information on park wildlife and the dangers of wildlife feeding. Additionally, volunteers will be asked to haze animals that are approaching visitors to beg for food. Active hazing will keep wildlife from obtaining food and set an example for those people who may be tempted to feed.An orientation will be provided the morning of the event and a review of the day will follow with pizza.

Volunteers will be provided a T-shirt and hat to wear, and camping may be available for either Friday or Saturday nights with prior notice.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Sarah Yates at 360-569-6774, Sarah_Yates@nps.gov.

More information on the “Keep Wildlife Wild” program can be found at http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/keep-wildlife-wild.htm.

MRNPA Exotic Plant Removal Work Party - July 9th

2011-06-29T15:50:00.000-07:00

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates work party will be Saturday, July 9th. The group will be working with Will Arneson's Ecological Restoration crew doing exotic plant removal (weeding). The project is to work along the Westside Road removing non-native plants that are invading the areas adjacent to roadway. The work area will be along the 3.5 miles of the Westside Road, from the Nisqually Road junction to the end at the Fish Creek parking lot.

To participate there is no need to know much about native plants. Will and his crew will teach you which plants to remove, and they will be able to identify for you all the native plants in the area. The Westside Road is not heavily traveled, so vehicle traffic will not be a problem. There will be no heavy tools (like shovels and pulaskis) to carry and work with. Because the group will be working along the road, you will not need to carry your pack. Packs will be transported to the lunch site.

Things you should bring are work gloves, a small digging tool like a hand trowel or your favorite gardening tool, your lunch, plenty of fluids to drink, and a full set of rain gear. Considering how this year has progressed so far, a warm jacket would be good to include. If you have a reflective safety vest, bring that too. All participants will be required to wear safety vests because we will be working along a road that is open to vehicle traffic.

Everyone will meet at 8:30 AM at the junction of the Westside Road and the Nisqually Road. (That is about a mile just inside the Nisqually Entrance to the park). Be ready to go to work by about 9:00 AM and expect to finish about 3:00 PM. Tell the ranger as you enter the park that you will be working on a volunteer project and you will be admitted to the park for free.

If you would like to camp for free in the park before or after (or both) participating in this work party, camping is available at the Longmire VIP campground. To camp for free you will need to make camping reservations by contacting Will Arneson at Will_Arnesen@nps.gov or by phone at 360-569-6762.

If you plan to attend this work party please fill out a Mount Rainier National Park Associates volunteer form indicating that you are coming and include the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. An estimate for the number of volunteers so that the Park can be sure to have enough tools for everyone.

For more information visit www.mrnpa.org or contact John Titland (MRNPA's Volunteer Coordinator) at volunteer@mrnpa.org.

Annual Volunteer Potluck

2011-06-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

Annual Volunteer Potluck
August 13th
4:00pm
Longmire Community Building

You've worked hard all year long volunteering thousands of hours on your feet, sometimes on your hands and knees, through meadows, forests, rain, snow, occasionally sunshine and all on your free time. Now it's time to pat each other on the back, swap stories, and celebrate all your work over the past year.

Please plan on bringing a dish to share to the Longmire Community Building August 13th, 2011 at 4:00pm. Utencils and plates will be provided.

We will also be putting together a slide show presentation to highlight all the accomplishments of our fantastic VIPs since last August and we would love to include some of YOUR best photos showing your volunteer experiences at Mount Rainier. Please send them to Jim Ross (Jim_Ross@nps.gov).

Full Time VIP Opportunity for Summer 2011

2011-06-24T16:35:00.001-07:00

We are pleased to announce a full time VIP opportunity for Summer 2011.

This position is slated to begin on or around July 6th, 2011.

Please note that due to the impending start date all applications received by end of day Tuesday June 28th will be given preference.

Position: Visitor Use Study

Duration: July – September 2011

Internship Description:

The purpose of this internship is to collect information as part of a study to help Mount Rainier National Park staff manage visitor use and transportation in a manner that protects park resources and the quality of visitor experiences. The study will be conducted in the Nisqually Corridor and includes three interrelated components: 1) observation of visitor use on trails in Paradise Meadow and the Comet Falls Trail; 2) visitor surveys to assess the effects of crowding, resource impacts, and transportation conditions on the quality of visitor experiences in the park; and 3) transportation-related data collection. Together, the three study components will help park managers better understand connections among transportation conditions, park resource conditions, and the quality of visitor experiences.

Internship Tasks:

Multiple interns are needed to conduct several complimentary tasks, including:

(1) Visitor Use Counts on Hiking Trails :

a. This task involves observing and recording information about the number and types of visitors using trails in Paradise Meadow and the Comet Falls Trail.

(2) Visitor Surveys on Hiking Trails and at Popular Park Destinations:

a. This task involves administering surveys to park visitors, including the use of photo simulations to understand the effects of crowding and transportation conditions on the quality of visitor experiences.

(3) Parking Surveys at Trailheads and Popular Park Destinations :

a. This task involves recording information about the number, types, and duration of parked vehicles at key visitor destinations and parking areas in the Nisqually Corridor.

(4) Vehicle Traffic Observations at Paradise Intersections :

a. This task involves observing and recording with a handheld data collection instrument the number and direction of travel of vehicles that pass through two key intersections at Paradise.

Desired Skills and Abilities:

a. Ability to work independently and in settings with limited contact with other people.

b. Ability to interact professionally and comfortably with the public (e.g., to administer visitor surveys and collect other information from park visitors).

c. High degree of personal accountability to ensure timely, systematic, and consistent conduct of data collection tasks.

d. Attention to details and a good sense of quality control in the data collection process.

e. Good note taking skills, particularly to document unusual or unexpected circumstances that can affect data collection tasks.

f. Aptitude for/ability to learn how to work with electronic data collection devices (e.g., infrared trail counters, Palm Pilots, GPS-units, etc.).

g. Ability to hike up to 3 miles (one-way) on varied and often steep terrain.

h. Ability to travel on foot over flat to moderate terrain (e.g., Paradise parking areas) for an 8-10 hour period to conduct parking surveys.

i. Previous experience with data collection or other aspects of scientific studies is desirable, but not necessary.

Dates and Duration:

The internship period will be 9-10 weeks in duration, starting approximately July 6, 2011 and ending approximately September 15, 2011. Please note – due to the type of work (visitor use), interns will be required to work every single weekend day (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) and some days during the week. In other words – days off will be taken on weekdays.

Compensation:

§ Interns will earn a stipend for the 9-10 week period.

§ Housing and transportation will be provided for interns while they are working in the park. Interns may want to have their own transportation for personal travel on days off.

§ Interns are responsible for travel to and from the park at the beginning and end of the internship.

Application Process:

Interested applicants should send a current resume and 1-2 page statement of interest containing at least the following information:

§ Relevant experience, research, or courses taken (if any) related to this research opportunity

§ Why you are interested in this research opportunity

§ How this research opportunity relates to your career goals/interests

§ Three professional references

Please forward all application materials to:

Brett Kiser

bkiser@rsginc.com

Meadow Rover Training

2011-06-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Meadow Rover training is happening this weekend!

Training Times and Locations

New Meadow Rover Training , Saturday, June 25
For those who have not attended a Meadow Rover Training

Location: Mount Rainier National Park Tahoma Woods Education Center (Between Ashford and Elbe)

Time: 9:30 AM -4:30 PM

Experienced Meadow Rover Training , Sunday, June 26

Location: Tacoma Mountaineers Clubhouse: 2302 North 30th Street, Tacoma WA 98403
The clubhouse is at the corner of North 30th & Carr Streets, in Old Town Tacoma.

Time: 10 AM - 4 PM

If you plan to attend either training please RSVP to MORA_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov

2011 Eatonville Fourth of July Parade

2011-06-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

The snow is starting to melt away and summer is starting to make an appearance! Once again we will be walking in the Eatonville Parade and would love to have all of our wonderful volunteers walk with us waving and spreading goodwill.

Each year we ask staff and volunteers to join in and represent Mount Rainier NP in the Eatonville 4th of July parade. Dave U. has been there almost every year walking, waving, and shaking hands.

This year he gets to ride. We want to honor Dave at this year's parade. So he (and hopefully Barbara) will have the seat(s) of honor. We need others to walk along and show our thanks for his service here and support for his move to Grand Canyon.

The parade starts at Noon and usually takes less than an hour. We meet on Penn Ave. a block up from the high school between 11:30 and 11:45. You can just show up on the 4th or email Jim Ross (Jim_Ross@nps.gov) and let him know that you will be coming.

If you work in uniform please wear it. If not, dress for the occasion (patriotic).

Longmire VIP Campground Update

2011-06-17T12:45:00.001-07:00

After a prodcutive spring clean up with CITO (Cache In Trash Out)this past Saturday (June 11th), the Longmire VIP Campground is cleaned up and ready for VIP tent and trail campers!

Just a head's up though, we currently do not have any platform tent sites available due to unexpected equipment difficulties. We do, however, hope to have them up and ready for people within the coming weeks.

A big thank you to CITO for sprucing up the campground!

If you would like to make a campsite reservation pleast contact Patti Poulin at 360-569-6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov. Also, a quick reminder to please check in with Jean and Harry, our Longmire Campground Hosts, upon arrival.

MRNPA Exotic Plant Removal Party Happening July 9th

2011-06-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates work party will be Saturday, July 9th.

They will be working with Will Arneson's Ecological Restoration crew doing exotic plant removal (weeding). The project is to work along the Westside Road removing non-native plants that are invading the areas adjacent to roadway. The work area will be along the 3.5 miles of the Westside Road, from the Nisqually Road junction to the end at the Fish Creek parking lot.

To participate there is no need to know much about native plants. Will and his crew will teach you which plants to remove, and they will be able to identify for you all the native plants in the area. The Westside Road is not heavily traveled, so vehicle traffic will not be a problem. There will be no heavy tools (like shovels and pulaskis) to carry and work with. Because we will working along the road, you will not need to carry your pack. We will get the packs transported to the lunch site.

Things you should bring are work gloves, a small digging tool like a hand trowel or your favorite gardening tool, your lunch, plenty of fluids to drink, and a full set of rain gear. Considering how this year has progressed so far, a warm jacket would be good to include. If you have a reflective safety vest, bring that too. We will be required to wear safety vests because we will be working along a road that is open to vehicle traffic.

Everyone will meet at 8:30 AM at the junction of the Westside Road and the Nisqually Road. (That is about a mile just inside the Nisqually Entrance to the park). Be ready to go to work by about 9:00 AM and expect to finish about 3:00 PM. Tell the ranger as you enter the park that you will be working on a volunteer project and you will be admitted to the park for free.

If you plan to attend the this work party, please complete a volunteer form at http://mrnpa.org/workprojectdetails.php or email John Titland (MRNPA's Volunteer Coordinator) at volunteer@mount-rainier.org.

If you would like to camp for free in the park before or after (or both) participating in this work party, camping is available at the Longmire VIP campground. To camp for free you will need to make camping reservations by contacting Will Arneson at Will_Arnesen@nps.gov or by phone at 360-569-6762.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

MRNPA Location Change for June 11th Work Party

2011-06-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

The monthly MRNPA trail work party will be happening Saturday, June 11th. This time they will be working on the Twin Firs Trail, near Longmire, rather than the trails on the east side that were in the original plan.

The group will meet at the Longmire parking lot, near the museum, between 8:30 and 9:00 and will carpool to the site. The work begins right at the road, so there will be no need to hike to the site.

For more information or to RSVP please visit http://mrnpa.org/workprojectdetails.php.

Employee Safety Handbook posted

2011-06-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

Whenever you take on a volunteer project at Mount Rainier National Park, your highest priority should always be safety. Your position description, supervision, training, and daily orientation should all address any hazards you might encounter on your job, with instructions for how to reduce risk to yourself and those around you. Make sure this is the case with every job you do for us! And if it's not safe, don't do it!

A good first step to ensure your safety is review Mount Rainier's 2011 Employee Safety Handbook. This document lays out our policies and procedures regarding safety, and is good information for any employee to know, including volunteer employees.

For future reference, a link to the Safety Handbook will occupy a prominent place in the list of resources in the right-hand column of this blog.

Happy reading, and be safe out there!

Kevin Bacher
Volunteer and Outreach Program Manager

Evergreen State College Students Dig Cougar Rock Campground

2011-06-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

If you haven’t already heard, or read on the Mount Rainier National Park website, the current heavy snowpack has caused a delay in the opening Cougar Rock Campground. Lucky for us we have an awesome staff and dedicated volunteers from The Evergreen State College working side by side with shovels in hand to get the campground open by Friday, June 3rd.

With up to three feet of snow still sitting in some areas of the campground and rain falling from the sky, thirty (plus) students have enthusiastically spent the past two days digging out campsites within the campground. This is the first of several projects this group will be dedicating volunteer time towards this upcoming summer.

A big thank you for all of your hard work this week and we look forward to working with you throughout the season!

Calling All Characters!

2011-06-02T13:28:00.000-07:00

Ever wish for the simpler days? Does today’s fast pace and impersonal electronic age have you down? Well, Mount Rainier National Park is partnering with Evergreen State College and they are looking to take visitors Back In Time with your help!

This summer we need local volunteers who are passionate about the park, history, and people, and who have a penchant for dressing up, to join us for some fun. We need people to fill a variety of roles to bring history to life this summer for our Shadows of the Past living history programs at Longmire.

Volunteers are needed for the following:

Characters – Have a flair for the dramatic? Ever wanted to wear a fake beard and talk with a Scottish brogue? We need people to fill a variety of roles from Mount Rainier’s history, memorizing scripts and portraying characters in at least one Shadows of the Past programs.

Guides – Do you like to answer questions and “play follow the leader”? Guides are needed to lead visitors through the Shadows of the Past program by memorizing a script and monitoring the group. We also need guides to introduce vignettes and answer visitor questions.

Lantern Bearers – Want to be involved, but want to stay behind the scenes? Lantern bearers are needed for Shadows of the Past programs to illuminate the path for visitors and the characters during the program.

Mark your calendars!

Shadows of the Past performances will be held the evenings of August 13th and 27th. Dress rehearsal date TBA.

For more information on the program or any of the positions listed please contact Kevin Bacher at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov or 360.569.6567 or Patti Poulin at Patricia_Poulin@partner.nps.gov or 360.569.6588.

Mount Rainier National Park Volunteer Newsletter: June 2011

2011-06-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is just around the corner and we are getting excited for all the projects that will be taking place in the park this season!

No matter what type of volunteering you are interested in, long term vs. short term, individual or group, backcountry or front country, we have many opportunities for you to help protect the beautiful natural and cultural resources of Mount Rainier National Park and to help serve its visitors.

Check out our calendar of activities for more details on our summer volunteer schedule and upcoming training opportunities.

In addition, the Washington Trails Association (WTA) and the Mount Rainier National Park Associates (MRNPA) are two partner organizations that schedule day long projects and even week long vacations.

Washington Trails Association Projects

Contact WTA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

May 28 - June 4 - WTA Volunteer Vacation at West Boundary Trail

June 3 – WTA Work Party at West Boundary Trail

June 4 – 11 – WTA Volunteer Vacation at West Boundary Trail

June 10 – WTA Trail Work Party at West Boundary Trail

June 11 – WTA Trail Work Party at West Boundary Trail

June 12 – WTA Trail Work Party at West Boundary Trail

June 17 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin

June 18 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin

June 19 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier

June 24 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin

June 25 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin

June 26 – WTA Trail Work Party at Glacier Basin

September 3 -10 – WTA Volunteer Vacation at Carbon River

Additional projects will be added to WTA’s calendar on a weekly basis throughout the summer. Most projects happen on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Labor Day.

Mount Rainier National Park Associates Projects

Contact MRNPA through their website for details and to register for these projects:

June 11 - Trail Maintenance

July 9 – De-vegetation

August 13 – Trail Maintenance/Campout

September 10 – Re-vegetation

October 1 – Project TBD

Training Opportunities

Keep an eye out for details about these training courses, and how to register for them, on this blog

May 31 - June 4 – Seasonal Interpreter’s Training Week 1

June 8 - 11 - Seasonal Interpreter's Training Week 2

June 25 - Meadow Rover Training

June 26 – Advanced Meadow Rover Training

Special Event Volunteer Opportunities

We have several dates are on the calendar for drop-in projects, with more being planned.

July 4 - Independence Parade: Every year Mount Rainier National Park marches in the Eatonville 4th of July Parade, and volunteers are eagerly sought to represent the park. Come in uniform and walk with our team! Contact Jim Ross at Jim_Ross@nps.gov or (360) 569-6568 to sign up.

August 6 – Keep Wildlife Wild: Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild event on August 6th in an effort to educate visitors on their impacts on wildlife. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild. Volunteers are needed to hand out information on wildlife feeding and patrol areas of high visitor use.

More information on the “Keep Wildlife Wild” program can be found at http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/keep-wildlife-wild.htm.
If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Sarah Yates at 360-569-6774, Sarah_Yates@nps.gov.

September 24 – National Public Lands Day: Every year on the last Saturday of September, Mount Rainier brings its summer volunteer program to a close with a massive volunteer day, offering volunteer opportunities throughout the park including trail maintenance and re-vegetation. Watch the blog for further announcements, but put the date on your calendar!

Group Projects

If you are a part of a group and/or organization that is looking for a project at the park we have several projects that require groups ranging in size from 5 to 100. Multi-day projects can use volunteers for a single day, or for several days at a stretch. Here are some options:

Sunrise Snow Shoveling

Every year, volunteers help us dig out fire hydrants, rock walls, steps, pathways, and other facilities that mechanical snow removal equipment can't get to safely. It's a fun way to spend a day in the snow at Sunrise, before the area is open to the public! We have both weekday and weekend options are available (with a crew leader provided by our volunteer program). Dates are flexible in mid June. Contact Dale Harvard at 360-569-6728.

Trail Maintenance

Our trail crews will be building and maintaining trails all summer long, and are always happy for help from volunteer groups. Call Trails Volunteer Coordinator Melody Abel at 360-569-6632 to set up a date and location for a project that meets your needs any time during the summer. Note: Trail work is strenuous and may require many miles of hiking. We are typically able to work with volunteers ay through mid-September.

Native Plant Restoration

Our re-vegetation crews will be busy in late summer and early fall planting native plants at locations in both Paradise and Sunrise. Groups of almost unlimited size are welcome to help, either for single days or multiple day stretches. Contact Will Arnesen at 360-569-6762 to arrange a date for your group.

More projects are in the works, so even if you don't see something of interest to you here, give us a call (360-569-6567) and let us connect your group with a project that will make a real difference at Mount Rainier National Park!

Individual Openings

Would you like to volunteer for a longer period of time, or return regularly throughout the summer to help with an extended projects? We have many opportunities to choose from! Follow these links for details and to apply for any project that interests you:

Meadow Rover: Help us protect the subalpine meadows above Paradise and Sunrise by patrolling trails and educating visitors about the importance of staying on trails.

Plant Propagation (Greenhouse Assistant): Help grow plants for transplanting in the subalpine meadows.

Shadows of the Past: Help bring the history of Mount Rainier to life by acting out a part in our living history program at Longmire, or guide visitors down the enchanted Trail of the Shadows by lantern-light! Tentative program dates are August 13 and 27.

Citizen Science Team: Survey frogs, salamanders, and other species in the park's backcountry!

Resources

Besides the obvious benefits of volunteering at a National Park (time outdoors, meeting new people, sense of accomplishment), our volunteers get free entrance to the park on their days of service, as well as free use of the Longmire Campground (and its showers!).

We are always updating our blog with all the latest information and opportunities to volunteer at Mount Rainier. If you would like to get involved in any of the programs you have read about it this newsletter get in touch with either Kevin Bacher (360.569.6567 or kevin_bacher@nps.gov) or Patti Poulin (360.569.6588 or patricia_poulin@partner.nps.gov).

Thank you for your support of Mount Rainier, and we look forward to working with you this summer!

Dave Uberuaga Takes On Grand Canyon National Park

2011-06-01T13:27:00.000-07:00

After career of 27 years at Mount Rainier National Park, Dave Uberuaga will be leaving to become the superintendent at Grand Canyon National Park. Uberuaga was informed early yesterday that he had been selected to take over the second most visited park in the nation.

"It was not an easy decision," Uberuaga said. He started at Mount Rainier in July 1984 and has served as superintendent since November 2002.

The reaction among those connected to Mount Rainier, including our very own Volunteer Program Manager Kevin Bacher, has been universal in high praise for Uberuaga.

“He’s been a passionate advocate for the park and a visionary leader through some very challenging times,” Kevin stated to The News Tribune.

“Among many other things, he has supported wholeheartedly a transformation of the volunteer program at Mount Rainier, making it a key partner of the park’s mission and integrated into every part of park operations. "

To read more, visit The News Tribune article published June 1st.

Leave No Trace Collaborates with Paradise

2011-05-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

As reported in the Olympian this past Sunday (May 22nd) , The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has selected Mount Rainier National Park’s Paradise Area as a Leave No Trace Hot Spot. The Hot Spots program, in its second year, raises awareness about natural areas around the country facing the threat of irreversible environmental damage. As part of the initiative, Leave Not Trace works with volunteers, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies to reduce the effect of recreational activities in the selected areas.

As a part of this program, Leave No Trace training will be provided for key park staff and volunteers, signs will be created to convey minimal impact information, and consultation will be provided on the best management practices for minimizing the effects in the Paradise area.

There are two upcoming meetings for those who are interested in a general overview of the program:

June 27: Mountaineers Program Center, 7700 Sand Point Way N.E. , Seattle, 7-9 p.m.

June 28: REI store, 222 Yale Ave. N., Seattle, 6:30-8 p.m.Read more:

3rd Annual Keep Wildlife Wild - Volunteers Needed!

2011-05-26T12:39:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier National Park will host its third annual Keep Wildlife Wild event on August 6th in an effort to educate visitors on their impacts on wildlife. The day will focus on wildlife protection and education to keep Mount Rainier’s wildlife wild.

Volunteers are needed to hand out information on wildlife feeding and patrol areas of high visitor use. Volunteers will be asked to man kiosks in groups while talking to visitors and providing information on park wildlife and the dangers of wildlife feeding. Additionally, volunteers will be asked to haze animals that are approaching visitors to beg for food. Active hazing will keep wildlife from obtaining food and set an example for those people who may be tempted to feed.

An orientation will be provided the morning of the event and a review of the day will follow with pizza. Volunteers will be provided a T-shirt and hat to wear, and camping may be available for either Friday or Saturday nights with prior notice.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Sarah Yates at 360-569-6774, Sarah_Yates@nps.gov.

More information on the “Keep Wildlife Wild” program can be found at http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/keep-wildlife-wild.htm.

MRNPA Trail Work Party - June 11th

2011-05-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party will be on Saturday, June 11th. That's only a little over 2 weeks away!

At this time MRNPA does not yet know where they will be working. It will be either the Glacier Basin Trail above the White River Campground or again at the Boundary Trail at the Carbon River Entrance of Mt. Rainier National Park. The deciding factor will be the amount of snow on the Glacier Basin Trail. Volunteers will be informed as soon as John Titland, MRNPA's volunteer coordinator has a solid answer.

Either way the group will be meeting at 8:30 AM on Saturday morning and will be ready to move out by 9:00 AM. There will be a short hike to the work site. As always bring safety glasses, work gloves, your lunch, plenty of fluids to drink, and full rain gear. Also bring a safety helmet (a hard hat) if you have one.

If you plan to attend this June 11th trails work party, please email John at volunteer@mount-rainier.org to indicate that you are coming and how many volunteers other volunteers may be accompanying you. John needs an estimate of the number of volunteers to that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for everyone.

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. 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.

For more information regarding this working party or about MRNPA (Mt. Rainier National Park Associates) please visit http://mrnpa.org/.

MRNPA – Trail Work Party at Carbon River

2011-05-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, May 21st, I was fortunate enough to join in on my first Trail Work Party with the dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers from MRNPA. Rainclouds lingered overhead as I drove into the Carbon River entrance of Mt. Rainier National Park. Exiting the car, I was immediately welcomed by John Titland, Mt. Rainier National Park Associate’s volunteer coordinator. As we shook hands I could not help but admire his heavy duty rain coveralls. Not more than fifteen minutes later I started feeling the damp air cutting through my lightweight (not so heavy duty) rain shell. A rookie when it comes to living in Washington, I quickly realized I still have a lot to learn!

All week I had been anxiously awaiting this day and was ready get some dirt under my fingernails. After a very lively safety talk, then meet and greet we headed up the West Boundary Trail to start moving rocks, building steps, and level out some steep stretches at the beginning of the trail.

Although rain clouds continued to threaten us throughout the day everyone managed to avoid being soaked. Laughter could be heard up and down the trail throughout the day and I did not see a single person without a smile on their face, even when digging out rocks that seemly grew in size once unearthed! The work day (or party, rather) flew by and although there is still much work left to be done, seeing the fruits of our labor over the one-mile stretch was beyond gratifying.

The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates trail work party happens Saturday, June 11th. At this time the project location has yet to be determined, but you can check http://mrnpa.org/workprojects.php for up-to-date information and to join in on the party!

New phone numbers; welcome to Patti Poulin!

2011-05-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier National Park has just gone "live" with a brand new phone system, which provides direct-dial phone numbers to most individuals and offices in the park but means that most of the park's old phone numbers will soon become obsolete. There will be a month-long grace period during which old phone extensions will transfer automatically to the new numbers, but after that, you'll need to know the new number.

Mount Rainier's main phone number, 360-569-2211, will not change, and you will still be able to search for an employee by name when you call that number. If you're volunteering in the park, check with your supervisor to find out their new phone number. Here are a few other numbers you might want to keep track of (all begin with 360-569-):

-6571 Jackson Visitor Center (Paradise)
-6575 Longmire Museum
-6581 Ohanapecosh Visitor Center
-6600 Park dispatch
-6670 White River Ranger Station
360-829-9639 Carbon River Ranger Station

-6567 Kevin Bacher, Volunteer Program Manager
-6588 Patti Poulin, Volunteer Coordinator Intern

"Patti Poulin" is a new name for most of you--so please join me in welcoming our brand new summer Volunteer Coordinator Intern, here through the Student Conservation Association! Patti fills the role that Evan Escamilla was in last summer, and will be helping to coordinate volunteer projects throughout the summer. She comes to us most recently from the non-profit Ouray Ice Park, and has previous experience with the Bureau of Land Management in Tucson, The Nature Conservancy, the YMCA, and Outward Bound. If you're in Longmire, stop in and say hello!

Join a trails project this Saturday, May 21!

2011-05-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

The second Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party for 2011 will be on Saturday, May 21st. That's less a week away. The project will again 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.

As always, bring your lunch and plenty of fluids to drink, work gloves and safety glasses, and a full set of rain gear, and some warm clothing too.

If you plan to attend this May 21st trails work party, please send an email ASAP 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.

If you are not able to attend a MRNPA work party, but are interested in volunteering at Mount Rainier National Park, please take a look at the Mount Rainier "Volunteers in the Park" website for other volunteer opportunities that may interest you at http://www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/vip-positions.htm.

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

Meadow Rover and Interpretation training scheduled

2011-04-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

Dear Meadow Rovers:

Spring is on its way and we are looking ahead to a busy summer. We want to make you aware of some training opportunities that will be taking place in June. Our seasonal training will happen on May 31-June 4 and June 8-June 10. The first week will be for the interpretive staff and for those volunteers that will be presenting programs. The second week we will be bringing in subject matter experts and is open to all that are interested in attending. The training schedule will be sent out once it has been finalized.

Training for Meadow Rovers will also take place in June. We will be doing things a little differently by having training for new meadow rovers on Saturday, June 25 in the park. Meadow Rovers that have not attended training in the past are also invited. An agenda will be sent out with a request to RSVP.

Specialized training for experienced meadow rovers will take place on Sunday, June 26. We are currently looking to have this training take place at the Mountaineers’ facility in Tacoma. We will be bringing in a representative from Leave No Trace to talk about the concepts of minimal impact to the resources and how to share that information with visitors. Once the agenda has been developed we will send it out asking you to RSVP as we will be limited to 40 people.

As we look ahead, we would like to begin offering more specialized training for returning meadow rovers. If you have any suggests for topics and/or types of training you feel would be beneficial please email Mora_Meadow_Rovers@nps.gov. Please put “Training” in the subject line. We will use your ideas as we plan for trainings in the future.

Stay tuned for more information on the June trainings.

- Christine Czazasty
East District Interpreter

Trails Work Party April 30th

2011-04-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

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

Meadow Rover Brunch set for May 7

2011-04-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

From Meadow Rover volunteer and Tacoma Mountaineers member Amy Mann:

May 7, Sat., 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Potluck Brunch hosted by the Tacoma Branch Hiking & Backpacking Committee and the Mt. Rainier Volunteers In the Park (VIPs), at the Tacoma clubhouse, 2302 N. 30th Street, Tacoma, WA 98403. All Mountaineers members, as well as Non-Members, are welcome to attend this event to find out about volunteering at Mount Rainier National Park and to help the Park VIPs kick off the 2011 Meadow Roving season. There are a number of Tacoma Mountaineers who volunteer at Sunrise during the summer, as well as other Mountaineers who volunteer at Paradise and in the backcountry on a year-round basis.

Opportunities at the Park abound - check out the volunteer opportunities listed on the Park website, http://www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/volunteer.htm, and at the VIP blog http://rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com/. It's a terrific job! If you have just a couple of days a month (weekends or weekdays) there is something for you to do at MRNP. If you've done all the trail maintenance and rebuilding that your body can handle, meadow roving might be just the ticket to get you out and let you give something back to the Park.

Bring something yummy to share for brunch. We'll plan to start serving food at 9:30 a.m. Doors will be open by 8:00 a.m. if you want to come early to slip your treat into the oven to heat it up. Coffee, tea, juice, tableware will be provided. Questions or for directions, contact Carol Berry, busbuster@aol.com, 253-845-9297, Amy Mann, agmann@comcast.net, 253-759-2796, or Martha Scoville, garyandmartha@harbornet.com, 253-752-5014.

[This is an annual event and always fun. Check out our previous blog entries for more information. - Ed.]

New features added to blog!

2011-04-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to call your attention to two new features now available on the volunteer blog. No fooling!

Share entries on Facebook or other social media.Look for the icons below each blog post. To share any story on Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz, your own Blogspot, or by e-mail, just choose the relevant icon and click away.

Looks like this:
Follow the blog by e-mail.
Now, keeping up with the latest news is as simple as entering your e-mail address into the box in the right-hand column. Then, every time a new entry is posted, it will be sent automatically to your mailbox.

Looks like this:

Enjoy the new features!

Japan Relief Coming from Mount Rainier

2011-03-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

Eatonville's Dispatch News published an article this week on the Japan Volunteers-in-Parks Association (J-VIPA), which has sent student volunteers to Mount Rainier from Waseda University in Tokyo for seventeen years, contributing thousands of hours of volunteer service to the park. This summer, several members of the Mount Rainier National Park staff, on their own time, are planning to travel to Japan to return the favor. Read all about it on the Dispatch website:

http://dispatchnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=6&SubSectionID=6&ArticleID=3501

Volunteer Program Highlight: Citizen Science

2011-03-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've been responding to volunteer inquiries this week, including several questions about our Citizen Science program. This is a program we're very proud of, because it provides opportunities for anyone to participate in a direct and meaningful way in the understanding and protection of the natural resources of Mount Rainier. Here's the draft letter I put together to send out to those who are interested. If this sounds interesting to you, then submit an application and join our team -- we'd love to work with you this summer!

Thank you for your interest in the Citizen Science program at Mount Rainier National Park! Every year, teams of volunteers help us survey amphibian species, locate vernal pools, monitor wilderness soundscapes, and assist with other science projects throughout the park. These efforts greatly enhance our understanding of Mount Rainier’s natural ecosystems and allow us to track changes over time. We are better able to protect the park’s resources with these data, but we would not have the staff to compile it without the help of volunteers.

Every summer, we hire an intern, usually through the Student Conservation Association, to coordinate the Citizen Science program. Because most of the locations we survey are at high elevations, and usually buried by deep snow until July, our intern usually comes on duty at the beginning of that month. One of their first tasks is to organize training for the summer’s volunteers and to schedule research outings for the months of July, August, September, and early October. Some are day-long trips in easily accessible areas of the park, while others may be multiple-day ventures into remote settings.

If you’re interested in participating in the Citizen Science program, you may fill out an application online at http://www.volunteer.gov/gov/results.cfm?ID=9535. It may seem like a long wait from that time until you hear back from anyone, but please be patient; you can expect to hear from us by mid July with word on whether you’ve been accepted as a member of our team, along with a schedule of training and potential outings for the summer. In the meantime, feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or to confirm the status of your application.

Note that no previous scientific experience is required to volunteer as a Citizen Scientist, as training will be provided. However, the work is physically strenuous, and often involves crosscountry travel and/or overnight stays in remote parts of Mount Rainier National Park. Survey equipment will be provided, but you’ll need to provide your own camping equipment for the overnight trips. Previous backpacking experience is strongly recommended.

Thanks again for your interest in being a Citizen Scientist at Mount Rainier! We look forward to working with you this summer.

Kevin Bacher
Volunteer and Outreach Program Manager
360-569-2211 ext. 3385

Mount Rainier National Park Associates schedules first work party of 2011 for April 30

2011-03-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

I received this notice from John Titland, of the Mount Rainier National Park Associates. MRNPA leads a monthly project throughout the summer and has done so for many years, so they're a great way to get involved as a volunteer!

Future events (mark your calendars!) are tentatively scheduled on:
April 30
May 21
June 11
July 9
August 13
September 10
October 1

Greetings,

The first Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party for 2011 will be Saturday, April 30th. I know that is a full month away, but this early reminder to get the trail work party on your schedule can't hurt. Right now I know we will be working at Carbon River. The project options are either to work on the Boundary Trail, which starts right at the Carbon River Entrance, or the Green River Trail, which will involve a hike up past the washout to get to the trailhead. Either way, expect some hiking to get to the work site.

As always, you should bring work gloves, safety glasses, a hard hat if you have one, your lunch, fluids to drink, some warm clothing and full rain gear. This early in the season it is not unusual for there to be some snow on the ground or falling from the sky.

If you plan to attend this work party please reply to this email indicating that you are coming and giving me the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. I need an estimate of the number of volunteers so that the Park can be sure to have enough tools for us all.

I know this may be too early to decide if you will join the MRNPA work party on April 30th, but if you are considering attending I would also like to hear from you. I will send a reminder email about a week prior to April 30th when you can tell me your final decision.

For volunteers under 18 years of age, the National Park Service requires a parent or guardian sign a consent form, which we have copies available at the work party.

There are safety gear rules 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, will be required to wear a hard hat and safety glasses. People working with or near less aggressive tools will not be required (but will be encouraged) to wear a hard hat. Wearing safety glasses will be encouraged at all times. At this time we do not have a clear idea of how many volunteers will need hard hats or how many hard hats will be provided by the park. If you own a hard hat, please bring it along. We have a supply of hard hats for those volunteers who do not have one.

Safety glasses are a different issue! 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 if you need a new pair. 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

Eyes in the sky

2011-03-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

Meadow Rover Dennis Berry sent this to me a few days ago, captured from one of our web cameras at Paradise about 5:45 pm on March 19. Great timing! Thanks for sharing it, Dennis.

In case you don't recognize it, that's a red fox mid-photo...

ArrowCorps 502 - The Ultimate Adventure

2011-02-28T07:31:00.000-08:00

We're getting excited about a unique partnership coming up this summer--ArrowCorps 502, which will bring as many as 502 Boy Scouts, mostly members of the elite Order of the Arrow, to Mount Rainier and its neighboring National Forests for a week of training and service in early August. On February 15, several members of the group joined us at park headquarters to fill us in on the plans and answer questions. Park staff are busy putting together projects for the young men to complete, and helping with logistics.

ArrowCorps 502 is a concept based on "ArrowCorps 5," a nationwide volunteer project a few years ago that brought thousands of Scouts to five different National Forest sites. ArrowCorps 502 is organized by the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts, local T'Kope Kwiskwis Lodge number 502, and the Order of the Arrow. About half of the young people being recruited for the project will work in Mount Rainier National Park, based out of Camp Sheppard north of the park, the Longmire Volunteer Campground, Ipsut Creek Campground, and possibly Round Pass. The other half will work on trail and road projects in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Gifford Pinchot National Forests.

The Scouts have spent a year and a half now planning for this project, including participating in recent National Public Lands Days and other volunteer efforts at Mount Rainier.

Here's a great video put together by the Scouts themselves that captures well the energy behind this effort:

Here's the press release that went out a few weeks ago. Watch this blog for more information as the July 31 kickoff of ArrowCorps 502 approaches!

ArrowCorps502- The Ultimate Adventure (Seattle, WA, 02/14/11)—

"The goal of the project," said Evan Skandalis, ArrowCorps502 Chairman, "is to invite hundreds of Scouts, Scouters, and Arrowmen from all over the country to spend a week in Mt. Rainier National Park. It‟s a great way to get people to „pay it forward‟ and give back to one of our iconic National Parks."
The Order of the Arrow is the National Honor Society of the Boy Scouts of America. The local branch of the Order of the Arrow is T‟Kope Kwiskwis Lodge #502. The organization is known nationally for its mission of community service and focus on outdoor adventure. Uniquely, the programs in the Order are planned and executed almost entirely by youth members.

The Chief Seattle Council serves over 35,000 youth and registered adult volunteer members each year and encompasses five counties: King, Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap and North Mason.

Please contact Darla Sklar for more information and/or to participate in this incredible conservation project. Scouts are available for interviews. ArrowCorps502 is a weeklong conservation project at Mt. Rainier National Park, sponsored by Chief Seattle Council and the T‟Kope Kwiskwis Lodge of the Order of the Arrow. From July 31st through August 6th Scouts and volunteers from all over the country will rebuild campsites, blaze trail, clear invasive species, and leave a legacy that will last generations. The program is open to any Scout, Scouter, Venturer, or Sea Scout. There will also be a one-day Cub Scout program. This summer, adventure calls. Will you answer?

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WTA Advertises 2011 Volunteer Vacations

2011-02-16T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's only February, and it was snowing outside my window this morning, but the Washington Trails Association is already planning for summer! The calendar of Volunteer Vacations is posted on their website, and they're filling up rapidly.

If you've considered visiting Mount Rainier on your summer vacation and spending a week doing something worthwhile -- building and repairing trails in some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth -- sign up now before it's too late! WTA provides crew leaders, food, and tools; you provide the sweat; and we provide the scenery!

Three volunteer vacations will be within Mount Rainier National Park:
Carbon River - May 28-June 4
Carbon River - June 4-June 11
Carbon River - September 3-10

See you on the trail!

Seeking experienced Meadow Rovers to serve as summer program assistants at Sunrise and Paradise

2011-02-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

From East District Interpreter Christine Czazasty:

Dear Meadow Rovers,

We are looking forward to summer! It will be a fun and busy season at the park, especially as the Sunrise visitor center opens with new exhibits. We are looking for experienced Meadow Rovers to help out as a Meadow Rover Program Assistant four days a week at Paradise and at Sunrise. Two positions are available. Duties include helping to oversee the Meadow Rover program, mentoring and training new Meadow Rovers, and assisting at the Visitor Center information desk.

We are looking for one person on the Sunrise area from June 30 through September 5. Housing will be provided in the South Blockhouse dorm. You would have your own bedroom with shared kitchen, living room and bath.

At Paradise we are looking for someone June through August. The season is somewhat flexible since we could use help with melt-out as well. An RV pad or shared housing is available in Longmire or Tahoma Woods.

If you are interested in the Sunrise position please contact Christine Czazasty (360-569-6047 phone or email christine_czazasty@nps.gov).

For the Paradise position please contact Curt Jacquot at 360-569-2211 x 6426 or email curt_jacquot@nps.gov.

Please respond by March 31, 2011.

Volunteer conducts safety research for Mount Rainier National Park

2011-02-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

Some of you who are on our volunteer rolls may be receiving a letter or e-mail from Laura Rickard, asking for your help with a survey about safety issues at Mount Rainier. If you receive such a letter, I encourage you to participate--the survey is not only approved by us, it will provide us with invaluable information to help us identify places where we can improve our ability to work safely with both staff and visitors.

This is a great example of a partnership between a university research program--in this, a graduate research project at Cornell University--and the National Park Service, faciliated by the volunteer program and supported by our close partner, the Student Conservation Association. It's literally a win-win-win situation. Thank you, Laura, for your work on our behalf!

Similar research partnerships have been done in recent years in our biology and geomorphology programs.

Here's the letter Laura sent last week, introducing herself to the park community:

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the Mount Rainier National Park community. I am a graduate student at Cornell University working as a Student Conservation Association (SCA) intern at MORA [Mount Rainier] this winter/spring; if I haven’t met you already--either in the last few days, or when I was here in Summer 2009-- I hope to do so soon.

Because you have worked as employees and volunteers at MORA, I believe you have a unique and important perspective to share. Therefore, I’d like to invite you to take part in an online survey about visitor safety. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to these questions, and your responses will be kept confidential. Your comments will inform my research at Cornell, as well as help to provide NPS with feedback on how to address visitor safety issues in the future.

In the next few weeks, you will be receiving an email invitation to access the survey. You may skip questions that you do not wish to answer, or discontinue participation at any time with no effect. (You can also fill out some questions, and then return to the survey at a later point). I estimate that the survey will take about 20 minutes to complete. Once you finish, you’ll have the option of entering into a drawing for a gift certificate to REI.

Two other parts of my research deserve mention. First, I will be contacting some of you in the next few weeks to ask you to participate in an interview, also relating to safety in the park. Second, you may see me at Paradise or the Carbon River area speaking with visitors, whom I will be recruiting to take a similar online survey.

If you have any questions or comments about any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to interacting with you all in the next few months!

Best wishes,

Laura Rickard
Cornell University

2nd Annual NW National Park Family Day

2011-02-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

Visitors to Mount Rainier's booth in 2010

Here's a great opportunity for families in the Seattle area. I participated last year, and we had booths from all the local national parks, environmental organizations, and youth organizations, with lots of great activities for families and kids. Put it on your calendar!

Our own calendar is beginning to take shape, so stop by and check out what's planned.

June 25th, 2011- SAVE THE DATE!

The Mountaineers Program Center

Magnuson Park - Seattle, WA

The National Park Service and National Parks Conservation Association will host the 2nd Annual NW National Park Family Day on Saturday, June 25th at the Mountaineers Program Center in Magnuson Park from 10am-4pm.

Northwest National Park Family Day—“Bringing the Parks to the People” is a free, family-friendly event filled with fun activities geared toward children and those unfamiliar with national parks of the Northwest, outdoor activities and conservation in general.

Our goals for the event are to expose lower income and diverse communities to our national parks, outdoor activities, and environmental stewardship opportunities, to educate youth on employment opportunities within our National Park System, and to inspire children and adults to get outdoors and learn about the natural, cultural and historical treasures found within our National Parks. The event will also provide visibility for NPS, NPCA, and all of our partner groups attending the event.

Last year, we had nearly 1,000 participants, volunteers, and staff in attendance, including 30 on-site groups providing activities, demonstrations, and information for children and adults. Our goal is to reach 2,000-2,500 participants this year and with the support of The Mountaineers, REI, NPS, Discover Your Northwest, NPCA, KCTS, and YOU we know we can achieve this goal!

Former Recovery Corps leader now working with Artists as First Responders in Peru

2011-02-07T12:07:00.000-08:00

Hanna O'Connell helps with
Wonderland Trail restoration in 2007

I have a number of Google news alerts set up, including, of course, one that looks for a combination of the terms "volunteer" and "Mount Rainier." I get a lot of notices about volunteers in Mount Rainier, Maryland, and my own blog posts turn up frequently, but I also occasionally come across news about alumni of our volunteer program and the things they've gone on to do elsewhere in the world.

Such in the case with this pair of articles on the website of the "Scene" newspaper in Wisconsin, featuring our own Hanna O'Connell, one of the crew leaders for our Student Conservation Association-led Mount Rainier Recovery Corps back in 2007. Hanna is now working on a degree in International Relations at the University of Wisconsin, but has not given up her passion for volunteer work; she's now working with an organization called Artists as First Responders, helping with flood recovery efforts in Peru. It's not clear from the articles, but it sounds like she might be one of the founders of the group.

It sounds like wonderful and compassionate work, and all of Hanna's old friends here at Mount Rainier wish her well. Follow these links to learn more about what she's up to:

Artists as First Responders born from trip to Peru
Hanna in Peru: Back to the Sacred Valley
Artists as First Responders (A1R)