September is still trail maintenance month for WTA

Autumn is definitely setting in in the mountains, with cool nights and lots of amber grasses in the landscape. Still, the days are sunny and beautiful with blue skies, and the Washington Trails Association is still busy maintaining trails at Mount Rainier National Park! If you're looking for a late-season volunteer project, check out the full list of WTA projects at http://www.wta.org/volunteer/trail-work-parties, and look for the ones labeled Mount Rainier. This month's work is scheduled for the gorgeous Skyline Trail at Paradise.

A reminder, too: Saturday September 27 will be National Public Lands Day, so mark that on your calendar and plan to come out and help! We'll be doing multiple trail projects in the Paradise area on that date.

The Toadlets are Coming! The Toadlets are Coming!

Toad tadpoles will be emerging from Tipsoo Lake as toadlets within the next 1-2 weeks.  Volunteers are needed to help protect the small amphibians and to educate the public. This is important throughout the week, but especially on the busier weekends. I will be getting more information from Scott Anderson one of our amphibian biologists to pass on to the volunteers so you are better informed, but if you are interested, please let me know via mora_meadow_rovers@nps.gov.  Radios will be placed at White River for use along this rove.   

Also, after the Sunrise Visitor Center closes on September 21^st, the radios will be housed at the White River WIC until the 9^th of October.  Rovers are always needed until the snow flies (or road closes, or WIC is closed)!  Let me know, and I will reserve the radios.

Please be sure to send me your thoughts and issues encountered while roving.  What would you do to better protect or beautiful park?  What worked well for you this summer?  What frustrated you?  All this information will be presented to the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, and the department heads.  E-mails are fine, attach photos to help explain your problem if you have them.   

Lastly, I would like to give Lynn a giant thank-you for all her work this summer.  She has made operations at Sunrise run smoothly and been a tremendous help to me.  Thanks so much Lynn.

Maureen McLean

Coordinator MORA Meadow Rovers

Thanks for the great trails!

Our Superintendent, Randy King, received this e-mail from a grateful visitor, and asked that I pass it along. Thank you, trail volunteers!!!

Date: Tue, Sep 2, 2014 at 2:24 PM
Subject: From NPS.gov: The Wonderland Trail

Mailing Address:
lake orion, mi 48361

I just backpacked the Wonderland Trail and I wanted to send my sincere thanks to all the workers and trail crews and volunteers who have done such an amazing job of trail design, work and maintenance. I do a lot of volunteer trail work and what I saw was some of the best and most comprehensive trails and bridges and rock creations I've ever experienced. Please send my thanks for a job so very well done!

Litter pickers still needed this Saturday

Still looking for something to do for this year's National Day of Service? Looking for a way to get community service hours for high school? Consider joining our roadside cleanup team for a few hours this Saturday, September 6! Mount Rainier Volunteers have adopted the piece of highway that runs past park headquarters between Ashford and Elbe, and three times a year, dedicated volunteers walk the two-mile stretch to keep it clean.

If you'd like to join us, don't delay: read our earlier post for details about how to sign up. There's a quick on-line orientation you'll need to complete, and then you'll be ready to go!

Urgently Needed! Fair Volunteers!

Volunteers! I have received word from Jim Ross that out booth at the Washington State Fair still has several vacancies! If you can help out on any of the following shifts, please let Jim know as quickly as possible. Contact him at Jim_Ross(at)nps.gov

Please note that shift times vary for weekdays vs. weekends!

Snowshoe Track (***** indicates URGENT!)
Friday, Sept. 12 (two volunteers) - noon-3:00 PM and 3:00-6:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 13 - 3:00-6:00 PM
*****Sunday, Sept. 14 (two volunteers) - noon-3:00 PM
*****Friday, Sept. 19 (two volunteers) - 3:00-6:00 PM
Friday, Sept. 19 - noon-3:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 20 - noon-3:00 PM

Booth
Friday, Sept. 5 (two volunteers) - 10 AM-1:30 PM and 1:30-5:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 6 (two volunteers) - 10 AM-1:30 PM and 1:30-5:00 PM
Sunday, Sept. 7 (two volunteers) - 10 AM-1:30 PM and 1:30-5:00 PM
Tuesday, Sept. 9 - 2:30-5:30 PM
Wednesday, Sept. 10 - 2:30-5:30 PM
Friday, Sept. 12 (two volunteers) - 10 AM-1:30 PM and 1:30-5:00 PM
Saturday, Sept. 13 - 1:30-5:00 PM
Sunday, Sept. 14 (two volunteers) - 10 AM-1:30 PM and 1:30-5:00 PM
Tuesday, Sept. 15 (two volunteers) - 11 AM-2:30 PM and 2:30-5:30 PM
Thursday, Sept. 18 - 11 AM-2:30 PM
Friday, Sept. 19 - 10 AM-1:30 PM
Saturday, Sept. 20 - (two volunteers) - 10 AM-1:30 PM and 1:30-5:00 PM
Sunday, Sept. 21 - 1:30-5:00 PM

Roving Roving Roving Keep the Meadow Rovers Roving

Can you believe that summer is almost over?  Nights are much cooler here on the

Mountain.  There is a crispness to the air each morning as I begin to walk the trails.  However, meadow roving does not end with the Labor Day weekend.  We will continue roving until the snow sets in or mid-October...whichever comes first!  So come up and enjoy the changing seasons.  Pick some huckleberries along with the bears – they will share!

If you are wishing to camp at Longmire, please make those reservations through my e-mail (Maureen_McLean@nps.gov) or mora_meadow_rovers@nps.gov.   The meadow rover e-mail gets checked by others on my off days and may get a faster response!

Please do not call the Campground Host directly as she needs to receive the requests from the supervisors.

As I begin to write my end of season report, I would like to share your input with the Park Supervisors.  I would ask that you take some time to think about what went well roving, what issues you may have had, and what areas management needs to address.  We have definitely seen deterioration of some areas at Paradise and are looking for ideas to ameliorate the problem. Your ideas for improvements will be passed on to those making planning and resource decisions over the winter for next summer.  Please give me the good and the bad. If you have pictures you wish to share, send those too.

I am wishing you a glorious fall with a long a wonderful “Indian Summer”.

Maureen McLean

Coordinator MORA Meadow Rovers

360-569-6582

Meadow Rovers and First Responders

I received this report Sunday from Meadow Rover Ed Hunds. It illustrates well the importance of our Meadow Rover volunteers as first responders not only to threats to our beautiful mountain gardens from off-trail tramplers, but also to incidents of public safety. Great work, Ed, Dan, and Brian!

Kevin,

Saturday I was working Paradise and I stationed myself by Glacier Vista. Most of the afternoon I spent assisting visitors, keeping them on the trail and off a snow patch that was attracting them off the trail.

Later that afternoon I was told that a small boy had injured himself at the snow patch. When I arrived I learned that an 8 year boy had fallen through the snow patch and landed hard on rocks below and sustained bruises to his ribs, shoulder and face. What the visitors couldn’t see (including me) was that the snow patch was mostly hollow and the snow was 3-4 feet about the ground.

I radioed for EMS, and a short time later, a few minutes apart two other rovers (Dan Purnell and Brian Carpenter) magically appeared to offer their assistance. Dan had even snagged a mountain guide along the way and brought him down to assist.

It was reassuring to know that other rovers quickly responded and were available to provide assistance. Fortunately the boy was able to walk out on his own.

Ed

Lantern Bearers Still Needed!

Reminder;  Our once a year (or two) production of the Shadows of the Past living history program is tomorrow (Saturday the 23rd).  Lantern lit, ranger-led walks depart from in front of the National Park Inn at Longmire at 8:30 PM, 8:50 PM, 9:10 PM, and 9:30 PM. The walk travels about 3/4th mile and lasts about 80 minutes.

We are still looking for lantern carriers to assist with the program. Please sign up at the following link if you can help. Lantern carriers are invited to join the cast and crew at the administration building after the last walk for a special dessert.

Sign up link: http://doodle.com/esukx55dzpxtyxy6

Please let me know if you have any questions or answers.

 

- Curt Jacquot

Get Your 15 Minutes Of Fame!

Good People,

Monday is Founder's Day. To celebrate and launch the new NPS Centennial Logo, the Service is seeking and will be posting photos of people posing with a sign of our new centennial logo. It would be great to share photos of people all over the park. Here is what to do:

1. Print out the sign (enlarge appropriately).

2. Assemble your NPS peeps.

3. Instructions from WASO: Snap an engaging or silly photo of you and your colleagues (including partners and volunteers, if you’d like) holding the birthday sign in a nice setting at your park and/or the places you work. Please make sure that people can read the sign in the photo. If you are outside and you are in uniform, please wear your hat!

4. Email your pic to kristyn_loving@nps.gov by 0800 on Monday morning.

We will share as many photos as we can.

Lantern Bearers needed for Shadows of the Past

Hi there!  We are looking for lantern carriers to help with our Shadows of the Past program on the evening of August 23 at Longmire.  There are four walks leaving from in front of the National Park Inn at Longmire between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM. The walks last about 90 minutes. We need at least three or four carriers per walk. Those carrying a lantern spread out during the walk and then move to illuminate the speakers from below during stops.  There will be a volunteer sign-up form to "John Hancock" before you start that night.

Those who help with a lantern do not need to buy a ticket!!! Ok, so no one has to buy a ticket. But, lantern carriers do get to join the cast and world famous director (me) for some of Virinda Longmire's "rolly pollys" right after the program at the Longmire Administration building.

 Sign-up via the doodle link below.  If you have any questions or answers please let me know.

Link: http://doodle.com/esukx55dzpxtyxy6

 

- Curt Jacquot