The National Parks: America's Best Idea

Tomorrow night, KCTS TV (Channel 9) will air the first of a two-part series called National Parks: Northwest Stories. The two 30-minute features (the second will be aired next week) will focus on Mount Rainier and other Washington national parks, including the role of volunteers in Mount Rainier's flood recovery efforts over the past few years:

KCTS 9 shares stories from the National Parks in Washington State. From the magnificent peaks and glaciers of the North Cascades, to the dense rainforests of the Olympics, to the awe-inspiring and iconic Mount Rainier, we take you deep into our National Parks, bringing you stories of the land, and the people who have dedicated their lives to preserving these "sublime wonderlands" that belong to all of us.

The films will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Friday September 18 and 25.

These features add a local angle to the "Big Event" coming up a week from Sunday (8:00 September 27), the new documentary by Ken Burns entitled The National Parks: America's Best Idea. This 12-hour, six-episode series will focus on the people who made the National Parks what they are today:

Filmed over the course of more than six years at some of nature's most spectacular locales — from Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska — The National Parks: America's Best Idea is nonetheless a story of people: people from every conceivable background — rich and poor; famous and unknown; soldiers and scientists; natives and newcomers; idealists, artists and entrepreneurs; people who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy. It is a story full of struggle and conflict, high ideals and crass opportunism, stirring adventure and enduring inspiration - set against the most breathtaking backdrops imaginable.

If you love the national parks, this is must-see TV!

For a special 45-minute preview of the Ken Burns film, plus a showing of the KCTS specials, join us for National Public Lands Day on Saturday September 26. Meet at Longmire at 9:00am with water, lunch, and work clothes, and be prepared to work on trail maintenance, native plant revegetation, and historic campground restoration for the day. Gather at the historic Community Building afterward for pizza and movies. Then watch the Ken Burns series with pride, knowing that you--you!--are one of the special people Burns is talking about when he tells stories of those who have worked to protect some of the most extraordinary places in the world!

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY 2009

Plans are still being finalized for National Public Lands Day, but this is one event that you'll want to be sure to have on your personal calendar!

This year we'll be working on a variety of projects including trail maintenance and construction, native planting, and campground restoration. All ages and abilities are welcome, though some projects will require more physical ability than others. Bring gloves, boots, sunscreen, water, and a lunch, and gather in front of the Transportation Exhibit next to the National Park Inn at 9am on Saturday September 26. We'll work till mid-afternoon and then gather at the park's Community Building for a preview showing of 45 minutes of footage from the upcoming Ken Burns documentary on the National Parks. Details on the timing will be forthcoming.

In addition to projects out of Longmire, the Washington Trails Association will be leading a trail construction project on the Glacier Basin Trail in the northeast corner of the park, out of White River Campground. Visit their website for more information or to sign up for this specific event.

Mount Rainier, of course, will not be the only national park sponsoring volunteer projects on National Public Lands Day. If you don't live near Mount Rainier, visit the "America's Best Idea" page on the National Park Service website for information about projects near you. They even feature a photo of Student Conservation Association volunteers working at Mount Rainier last year!

Mount Rainier's National Public Lands Day project is its biggest volunteer event of the year, and is presented in cooperation with the Student Conservation Association, Washington Trails Association, National Parks Conservation Association, and Washington's National Park Fund. Come join our team to help protect the natural and cultural treasures of Mount Rainier National Park!

For more information about visiting either individually or as a group, contact Kevin Bacher at 360-569-2211 ext. 3385, or write to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. See you here!

Ken Burns discusses National Parks on KUOW

In case you missed it, the featured guest on KUOW's Weekday radio show this morning was Ken Burns, who is previewing his new documentary about the National Parks this evening at Benaroya Hall. It's an interesting listen, which you can hear in streaming media or download to your computer or MP3 player on the KUOW website.

I'm listening to the MP3 myself as I write this. What great ideas! "The National Parks are the Declaration of Independence applied to the landscape..." This is going to be one fascinating documentary.

John Muir, 100 Years on Skis, and Ken Burns: Three upcoming events

John Muir in Seattle
One last reminder! The National Parks Conservation Association is hosting a very special event tomorrow, Thursday, March 19. John Muir, the father of the modern conservation movement, is coming to Seattle. Lee Stetson is an actor who has portrayed John Muir for years at Yosemite National Park and around the country. On Thursday, March 19th, he will be visiting Seattle’s Town Hall to present The Spirit of John Muir. This show is a fun romp through some of the very best of Muir's grand, thrilling adventures in his beloved western wilderness. The show includes Muir's encounters with a mighty Yosemite earthquake, dangerous Alaskan ice crevasses, snow blindness, and much more - all liberally salted with Muir's wilderness philosophy. Doors open at 6:00 PM; Show starts at 6:30PM. The presentation will be at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street). Tickets purchased today will be $7.00 plus applicable fees at:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/53650. Tickets purchased at the door will be $10.00. Cash or check only please.

A Centennial of Skiing
Acting Superintendent Randy King passes this along from Lowell Skoog, chairman of the Mountaineers History Committee in Seattle:

...For several years I've been working on a book about the history of backcountry skiing in Washington. Through my research I've become aware of a seminal event in Northwest skiing that occurred 100 years ago this month. It was a ski outing to Longmire by a group of professional people from Seattle and Tacoma. They included several prominent U.W. professors and the mayor of Tacoma. Prof. Milnor Roberts, the organizer, wrote an article about the trip for the 1909 National Geographic Magazine called "A Wonderland of Glaciers and Snow." Because of this important article, I think of this event as the birth of recreational skiing in Washington. A few weeks ago I started organizing an informal celebration of this event to take place at Paradise on Sunday, March 22. The celebration would be a gathering of backcountry skiers, perhaps a brief commemorative ceremony, and (weather permitting) a short tour to Sluiskin Falls, the high-point of the 1909 party's ski ventures. I'm planning to wear old-fashioned clothing and ski gear, and I'm hoping a few others will as well. I don't know how many people will come, but I imagine there may be ten to twenty of us. Our tentative plan is to meet at the Paradise visitor center after the road from Longmire opens in the morning. So far, the organization has taken place on the Turns-All-Year skiers' website, on the following thread:

http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=12431.0

This thread includes a few photos, background information, and the complete text of the 1909 National Geographic article. I've also been in touch with Craig Hill of the Tacoma News Tribune and I believe the paper will be running a story about this. I'm writing to let you know about this event and to invite you and any park staff who may be interested to join us on Sunday, March 22. I'm not expecting a big to-do -- just a light-hearted gathering of skiers to celebrate a unique date in the local history of our sport. I would be delighted to meet you or any of your staff there.

Best regards,

Lowell Skoog
lowell.skoog@alpenglow.org
206-525-6083

Ken Burns Preview
And finally, a very special invitation to our staff (including volunteers) and supporters, from Acting Superintendent Randy King and North Cascades Superintendent Chip Jenkins:

You, your family and friends are invited to attend a Monday, April 20 preview of the 6-part, 12-hour documentary on the National Park System that will air on PBS in late September, entitled The National Parks: America's Best Idea. Noted film makers Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan will speak and show a preview of their new film in Seattle. This is part of a series of events around the country intended to build public awareness and excitement about the forthcoming PBS documentary series, and about the national parks. If you make the trip to Seattle, you will find the event enjoyable and the film inspirational.

Download a flier from the National Parks Conservation Association and KCTS announcing the event, which will be held at 7pm at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. The event is free, though to help manage participation free tickets are required and available through: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/60143.

This is an opportunity for park staff, partners, friends and key opinion makers to get a chance to see previews as well as to hear from and talk with the film makers and author of the companion book. The goal is to have 1,5000 attend, so please share the information.

More information on the upcoming documentary can be found here.

Want a more personal introduction to the documentary? Consider joining Washington's National Park Fund for a preview of the preview, if you will, on Sunday, April 19. The evening's emcee will be Phil Ershler, world-renowned mountaineer and director of International Mountain Guides. The special presentation will be held in Seattle's Magnuson Park with a Northwest-themed dinner. Hear the latest news from the Superintendents of Mount Rainier, North Cascades and Olympic National Parks; celebrate successful 2008 projects; and learn about new initiatives for 2009. The evening will conclude with a "Fund a Project" Auction, all benefiting Washington's national parks. Visit The Fund's website for more information.