On May 19 th , 2012 MRNPA volunteers worked on the Boundary Trail at the Carbon River Entrance. The Boundary Trail begins at the back of the Rainforest Nature Trail loop and climbs steeply to Alki Crest. It is a popular early season hike because it is usually snow free and climbs steeply enough to be a good conditioning hike. Until about 5 years ago the Boundary Trail had not been maintained and consequently it needs maintenance and repair in many places.
The project for MRNPA volunteers was to remove downed trees, old rotten wood, and soil that blocked two different switchbacks, re-establish the correct trail alignments, and to reconstruct the trail tread at the switchbacks. The work location was approximately three quarters of a mile uphill from the trailhead.
A crew of eleven MRNPA volunteers and one Mount Rainier trail crew member, James Montgomery, split up and attacked the two trail blockages, cutting, digging, dragging, and pitching tons of wood and dirt. By lunch time everyone was please by the progress being made. After lunch the clearing was completed and rebuilding the trail began. By 3 PM the two projects were complete, and the difference between before and after was spectacular. (See the photos below.)
If you are looking for a good early season conditioning hike, take a trip up the Boundary Trail at the Carbon River Entrance, and see the great work that the Mount Rainier trail crew, and volunteers from Mount Rainier National Park Associates and Washington Trails Association have done in repairing this old trail and making it safe and usable for park visitors.
Greetings,
The next Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party will be on this coming Saturday, May 19th. I just got the word from my NPS trail crew contact that we will be working to repair some switchbacks on the Boundary Trails at Carbon River. The work site is about 3/4 mile from the road so be prepared for a short, uphill hike. And be sure to bring your rain gear. This beautiful weather can't last!
We will meet at the Carbon River Entrance. Plan to arrive about 8:30 AM and be ready to move out by 9:00 AM. I expect we will be back at the road by 3:30 PM.
If you plan to attend and have not yet contacted me, please reply to this email to indicate that you are coming and to tell me how many volunteers you are bringing with you.
John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates
PREVIOUS MESSAGE
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/.
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!
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
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
My first time on a trail work party was everything a guy could hope for in a day out on the mountain's trails. After an exciting trek up the dirt road, leaving the Saturday's sunny weather behind for the chilly snow covered Boundary Trail near Mowich Lake. A great group of dedicated volunteers kept everyone's spirit up with their good sense of humor and delicious cookies while being pelted by the occasional snow bomb from the tree branches high above.
One of our most dedicated partners, the Mount Rainier National Park Associates, will be leading their first volunteer project in the park this weekend, on Saturday April 24. John Titland, volunteer coordinator for the group, writes that they will be working on the Boundary Trail, which begins at the Carbon River entrance, meeting at 8:30 a.m. "Be prepared for an uphill hike to the work site," he says, and "as always, bring your lunch and plenty of fluids to drink, work gloves, and a full set of rain gear."
If you plan to attend the April 24th trails work party and have not yet contacted John, please do so right away at volunteer@mount-rainier.org indicating that you are coming and letting him know the number of volunteers you expect to accompany you. He needs an estimate of the number of volunteers so that Park staff can be sure to have enough tools for everyone.
The Mount Rainier National Park Associates leads projects monthly throughout the summer, so if this project doesn't work out, mark your calendars for the others. Upcoming projects include May 22 (trails); June 12 (trails); July 10 (exotics removal or alpine gardening); August 7 (trails, with a campout); September 11 (revegetation); and October 2 (trails).
Find out more about MRNPA, check out photos and stories from past projects, and contact the group to sign up for any project through their website at http://www.mount-rainier.org/. You can also search our blog for past stories and photos about their work. The Associates are a great group to be a part of, and dedicated partners to Mount Rainier, and we're grateful for their support!
