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!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Mount Rainier National Park Volunteer Newsletter: August 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Volunteers Leading the Star Party and Night Skies Program
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/
Friday, August 28, 2009
J-VIPA Arrives at Mount Rainier
Here at Mount Rainier National Park, we are pleased to welcome back for several weeks the Japanese Volunteers-in-Parks Associates from Waseda University in Tokyo. This is the 16th year of partnership between the J-VIPA program and Mount Rainier National Park and every year we mark our calender in anticipation.
As some of you may already know, Mount Rainier National Park has a special relationship with Japan. We are the sister mountain to Mount Fuji, and every year we play host this remarkable program, bridging both geographical and cultural divides.
Every year, the J-VIPA participants work on a particular project around the park, last year it was a bio-toilet for backcountry use. This year the J-VIP's are helping to build an accessible trailhead at Paradise. A sorely needed amenity.
They arrived at Sea-Tac on Saturday the 22nd, but I only managed to make it up to Paradise to see their work on Thursday. Working with maintenance,the progress they've made is amazing. For these volunteers to come thousands of miles and create something that will last far longer than their stay is really quite a cool way of experiencing the place you travel. We all like to leave little reminders that we came.
This Sunday, I'm joining the J-VIP's and their host families as we head out to Safeco Field for day at an Mariners Game. This is something that speaks across culture, baseball is as big in Japan as it is here in the U.S. Plenty of pictures will be forthcoming. And encourage anyone planning to visit Paradise soon to go and admire the J-VIP's (and Maintenance's) handiwork. I'll be sure to keep everyone updated.
Well, that's about it, so I'll simply say ではまたあとで.
おやすみなさい
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Groups needed for native planting in September and October
One of our best opportunities for group volunteering at Mount Rainier National Park is now on the calendar!
September 20
September 26
September 27
October 3
October 4
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Volunteer Adventures of the Past Two Weeks
On Friday, July 10, a group from the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium came down to the park and participated in an Amphibian Survey at Frog Heaven, led by SCA Intern Caitlin Kenny. Scouring the swampy land, they carefully counted the number of adult and juvenile frogs and recorded the number and size of egg masses. The even managed to find a couple of salamanders. Sounds like important work. I'm still waiting to receive pictures from one of the chaperone's with the group, but when I do I'll be sure to post them.
And I can't forget those dedicated volunteers who fought tooth and nail for parking on Saturday, July 11 and Saturday, July 18 to participate in the revegiation project at Paradise. I was up there with them on July 11th, and remain ever impressed by their enthisuiam in the face of t...soil. They were working alongside our Conservation Leadership Core friends from the SCA. I managed to snag a few pictures of the group digging away.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Group and individual service projects are now available!
Mount Rainier National Park is now at full summer staff, and we're ready for your group volunteer project! If you're a member of an employee organization, a civic service group, a boy scout troop, a youth group, or a garden club and would like to spend a day or a weekend working in partnership with us to protect your national park, now is the time to give us a call.
We now have projects ready to go in the following areas:
- Trail maintenance: Spend a day brushing trails, setting water bars, and repairing erosion. We'll provide the tools and the project leader, you provide the muscle! Trail work is needed near Longmire and Paradise, on the Wonderland Trail, at Carbon River, along the Westside Road, and at Glacier Basin. We can work with groups of any size, though larger groups will likely be broken into smaller groups (of ten or less each), under the leadership of our trail crews and our summer Trails Volunteer Coordinator, Colum Lang. This opportunity is appropriate for older teens and adults.
- Revegetation: Help us restore the beautiful subalpine meadows at Paradise! Two major revegetation weekends are already on our calendar and coming up quickly, July 11-12 and July 18-19. 56,000 plants need to be put into the ground in very short order! Other project dates are available throughout the summer and early fall. This project is perfect for large groups of all ages.
- Seed Collection and Exotic Plant Removal: In addition to putting plants into the ground, we also need to pull out the plants that don't belong: oxeye daisies, non-native thistles, knotweed, and other plants that displace the beautiful flowers and grasses that ought to be here. In addition, as the native plants reach maturity, we need to collect their seeds to grow in the greenhouse for future planting. These projects are perfect for small groups! Seed collection is best for adults, but kids are perfect for yanking weeds.
- Campground Restoration: We've made dramatic progress toward restoring the historic Longmire Campground for use by volunteers. Already, we have about 30 sites roughed-out, in addition to eight platform tents and a shower building. More work needs to be done, however! Site improvement remains, including lining trails and campsites with river rocks, scattering windfall, excavating historic rockworks from the moss, and replacing picnic tables. These projects are perfect for families of all ages.
- Special Projects: In addition to the major categories listed above, consider choosing from one of the special, one-time projects on our work list. Join us for Keep Wildlife Wild Weekend, for example, on July 25! Other projects include removal of old telephone cables from wilderness areas along the Ohanapecosh River; improvement of our new properties along the Carbon River; construction of picnic tables; and cleanup of roadside debris on Forest Service land adjacent to the park. Have other ideas? Let us know--we'd love to work with you!
- Consider Camping Out: As you plan your trip to Mount Rainier, consider the option of camping with your group in the Longmire Campground. We have individual and group campsites ready for you to use, along with platform tents and a bath house with hot showers that are available only to volunteers. A group fire ring provides a perfect spot for your group to relax either before or after your project. All of these services are offered free as part of your service experience!
What About Individuals?
Lots of opportunities are available for individuals as well. Start by reviewing the options on our volunteer calendar at the top of this page. Click on any opportunity to learn more and to sign up online. Here are some of the options currently available:- Join our scheduled revegetation weekends and help us plant 56,000 seedlings at Paradise!
- Sign up to help us Keep Wildlife Wild and gather observations about habituated wildlife.
- Join a trail crew sponsored by the Washington Trails Association, and help rebuild the Glacier Basin Trail, destroyed by flooding in 2006.
- Participate in a work crew organized by the Mount Rainier National Park Associates, visiting monthly throughout the summer to help with trail work and revegetation.
- If you'd like to contribute on an ongoing basis, become a Meadow Rover, a historic interpreter, or a member of our Citizen Science Team. Our new Citizen Science Coordinator, Caitlin Kenney, will be sending out a schedule for training and research projects within the next week or two.
- Individuals are welcome to help with our park seed collection, revegetation, exotic plant removal, and greenhouse rangers. Drop us a note any time and we'll put you in touch with our new Plant Ecology Volunteer Coordinator, Sarah Rosenthal, who will help you to coordinate your schedule with theirs. Or, if you have trade skills, especially carpentry, we'll connect you with our maintenance and carpentry rangers and put you to work helping to restore historic structures and rebuild backcountry cabins!
- Join us any time for drop-in historic restoration work in the Longmire Campground--just let us know when you're coming and we'll put you to work!
- Finally, mark National Public Lands Day on your calendar, September 26: A full day of projects of all kinds that will wrap up another successful season of volunteer partnerships at Mount Rainier National Park!
Give us a call or send us a note
There are no shortage of opportunities for both individuals and groups. Contact us any time to become one of our valuable partners. Call Kevin Bacher or Nick Abel at 360-569-2211 ext. 3385, or send an e-mail to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. See you out on the trails!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Reminder: volunteers and groups needed to help with revegetation at Paradise
Just to keep this volunteer opportunity front-and-center, here's a reminder that we're looking for individuals and groups to help plant 56,000 plants at Paradise on the weekends of July 11-12 and 18-19. We already have a couple of groups signed up to help out, but there are still loads of plants that need to be put into the ground by someone! If you're interested, volunteers can sign up through the links on the earlier blog post; groups can contact me to make arrangements at 360-569-2211 ext. 3385 or kevin_bacher@nps.gov.
Monday, May 18, 2009
CITO Pictures and Conclusion
It's Official: The Cache-In-Trash-Out event last Saturday was a huge success. More than a dozen Geocachers came and helped set-up nine platform tent, dig out a path to the accessible bathrooms, and clean and paint the accessible bathroom stall. With these tents up, housing volunteers will be that much easier in the future. This was the first big volunteer event of the summer, so it was great to see such a turnout. Just looks at the hard work and happy faces. I hear Geocachers have a term "First To Find", so in a way, they were the "First To Find" volunteering this summer.
So again, Kevin and I want to thank everyone that came out and give you a big round of applause. If you want to know more about the event and see some cool pictures you can check out this link for info and this link for photos.
So have a good week, a great Memorial Day, and come volunteer again soon.
