National Park Rangers Say "Take a Hike" and "Help a Trail" for National Trails Day

Release Date:  June 1, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Kevin Bacher, Volunteer Program Manager, 360-569-6567

 

JOIN PARK RANGERS FOR SPECIAL CENTENNIAL TRAILS DAY EVENTS

The National Park Service invites park lovers to visit Mount Rainier National Park this Saturday, June 4 to celebrate National Trails Day and participate in stewardship events that also honor the National Park Service’s centennial.

Winter snow accumulations have started melting out along lower elevation trails, but snow continues to cover high elevation areas of the park. For information about the park’s trails and a summary of current conditions, visit our wilderness camping and hiking page at www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/wilderness-camping-and-hiking.htm.

If you venture into the park’s backcountry this summer, be prepared for more difficult than usual conditions. As a result of winter storms, trail crews are finding that an exceptional number of trail bridges and foot logs have been washed away. Additionally, winter storms blew down a large number of trees over trails park-wide, with many root ends blocking entire trail widths. Conditions will improve as trail crews restore trails and bridges, but the work will require a considerable amount of time because of the extent of the damage. Visitors are cautioned to use good judgement in determining whether their planned route is safe under existing conditions. Of note: Due to winter damage the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail footbridge is unsafe for passage.

People can assist the park by volunteering in two ways:

·         On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 3-5, the Washington Trails Association (WTA) will lead trail maintenance work parties out of the White River Campground. Work crews will meet at 8:30 a.m., and those who wish to participate should sign up in advance by visiting www.wta.org and selecting the “Volunteer” tab. WTA will continue to lead volunteer trail maintenance parties every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through September. Sign up at wta.org. 

·         On Saturday June 4, volunteers will be doing restoration work in the Longmire Stewardship Campground. The work involves cleaning up and rehabilitating campsites damaged by a windstorm last November and is suitable for all ages. Participants should RSVP to Kevin Bacher at 360-569-6567 or Kevin_Bacher [at] nps.gov.

National Trails Day is a celebration of America’s extensive public trail system, and occurs annually on the first Saturday in June. National Trails Day is an opportunity to participate in trail-based events and activities that celebrate the importance of trails with friends, families, and communities.

To celebrate the centennial, the National Park Service is inviting all generations to discover or rediscover the special places that belong to all Americans. The National Park Service is challenging everyone to “Find Your Park” with creative events and activities throughout 2016. For more information visit: FindYourPark.com.

www.nps.gov 

Park information, announcements, and the Mount Rainier webcams are posted on the park’s official website, nps.gov/mora.

·         Get additional information and updates by joining the Mount Rainier community on Facebook: facebook.com/MountRainierNPS

·         Find out breaking news and road status updates through Mount Rainier’s Twitter feed:

twitter.com/MountRainierNPS

·         Explore the park and behind-the-scenes operations with our videos on YouTube:

youtube.com/MountRainierNPS

·         Share your own photos of Mount Rainier with other visitors in the Mount Rainier Flickr group:

flickr.com/groups/MountRainierNPS

About the National Park Service- More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 409 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.

Storm damage in the Longmire Stewardship Campground

Tuesday's wind and rain storm played havoc with the Longmire Stewardship Campground, blowing down 65 -- yes, 65 -- trees. Rangers spent Wednesday assessing the damage and Thursday beginning the long process of cleaning it up, starting with simply removing fallen trees from access roads, including the road to our water treatment plant and back gate. A lot more work remains to be done with the help of volunteers, probably next spring.

Here are some photos of the damage as it's being sorted out on Thursday afternoon. I'm extremely grateful to the maintenance rangers for their hard work on behalf of our volunteers and partners! As you can see, we have much to do, but we were also extremely lucky. It could have been a lot worse.

The middle bathroom is being renovated, and thankfully
was not damaged.

The southern end of the employee hookup sites sustained a lot
of damage. Fortunately no one was staying here at the time.

Our carpenters are in the process of building a picnic shelter
for volunteers and partners to use. It was undamaged.

A closer view of the picnic shelter in progress.

A panoramic view of fallen trees mid-campground.
Click for a larger view.

Maintenance worker Tom Moore works on clearing fallen
trees from the platform tent loop.

The southern end of the platform tent loop sustained more
damage than anywhere else.

Fallen trees at the southwest end of
the campground.

Jackstraws, with one to three foot diameter straws.

Tom Moore wrestles with fallen trees.

Group site A, at the southern end of the campground.
Amazingly, our beautiful new picnic tables sustained
only the most minor of damage. None were hit directly.

Mid-campground, just north of the shower building.

Some places are a real mess...

At the southern end of the employee area, as viewed from
the east side of the campground.

Immediately behind the Community Building.

This photo perfectly illustrates how lucky we were. This
tree missed the fire box (with its brand new roof installed
by volunteers this August) and fire hydrant by six inches.

Volunteer group needed for Longmire Campground shutdown

Volunteers take down platform tents in 2014

Summer 2015 is now history, and as we ease into autumn, one task remains for the volunteer program: namely, shutting down the Longmire Stewardship Campground for the winter. This task involves taking down our five platform tents and hanging them to dry; storing their poles and cots in our warehouse; propping up the platforms under tarps for the winter; and generally cleaning up the campground from any litter, storm debris, or campfire residue left over from the summer. The whole task can easily be done with a dozen people in half a day, and is suitable for adults and/or teens.

If you're part of a group this size and are looking for a way to volunteer, contact us and let us know! Our schedule is flexible, though the sooner we get this done the better, as autumn will only get wetter as time goes by. Please call Kevin Bacher, Volunteer Program Manager, at 360-569-6567, or write to Kevin_Bacher [at] nps.gov.

Park-wide Fire Ban In Effect

New this afternoon:

"There is a parkwide fire ban in effect due to ongoing drought conditions and a red flag warning for the Mount Rainier area. Cooking by propane and white gas stoves and charcoal is permitted."

This ban affects all campgrounds in the park, including the Longmire Volunteer Campground.

Fires limited in the Longmire Volunteer Campground

The fire ring north of Site 13, built by volunteers last fall,
will be further improved as a community fire ring.

If you've been up to the Longmire Volunteer Campground recently, you've noticed that fire grates and concrete fire pads have been removed throughout the campground. This is a decision by park management intended to reduce smoke and improve air quality. Campground regulations are being updated to reflect the new policy, which involves the following points:

• Fires are permitted only in established fire grates and fire rings.
• Self-contained cook stoves are permitted.
• Building new fire rings is not permitted.

Campground users will find a working fire grate in site number 6, and a second fire grate will be installed soon by park maintenance. A group fire grate will also be installed in site 13. These will be the only sites with facilities for campfires.

Site 6 has also been improved for wheelchair accessibility. It may be reserved like any other site in the campground, but with the caveat that those without mobility challenges need to defer to those who need the accessibility the site provides.

A community fire ring has been built and is already in use near site 13, and will be further improved soon by park maintenance with bench seating around it. This fire ring will be shared by everyone in the campground. Another fire ring is being built near the Community Building and will be used by both campers and residents. Campers are encouraged to gather at these sites and get to know their fellow campers.

For cooking food, volunteers should plan to bring self-contained camp stoves instead of firewood.

The revised campground regulations will be posted here as soon as they are updated.

Thank you Cascade Designs, Boy Scouts, Mount Rainier National Park Associates, and Spring Opening volunteers!

MRNPA hard at work at Narada Falls

At least four major volunteer projects have gone on in the park over the past several days, so I think we can safely say that the summer volunteer season has begun!

On Saturday, the Mount Rainier National Park Associates were here working on the trail at Narada Falls. The weather was cool and cloudy, but that's perfect weather for the kind of hard work they do, and the trail looks fantastic. Mark your calendars now--the next MRNPA project will be June 13. The location is yet to be determined, but you can learn more and contact the group to sign on through their website, MRNPA.org.

A few volunteers also showed up to help us with spring trail opening at Paradise. This is a critical job, as already there is bare ground melting out around the Jackson Visitor Center! Volunteers help mark trails and make them safe. We have two people on the calendar for next weekend already, with room for several more, so if you're interested in joining us, send a note to MORA_Meadow_Rovers (at) nps.gov.

A group of about a dozen Boy Scouts from the Lakewood area joined us on Saturday and spent seven hours working with Trails Supervisor James Montgomery to rebuild foot bridge abutments on the Wonderland Trail near Cougar Rock. Troop leader Bret Buck reports that "the project was challenging physically and mentally for our young leaders... All in all it was an inspiring weekend!"

Cascade Designs in the Longmire Volunteer Campground

Yesterday, a group of employees from Cascade Designs (the parent company of MSR and Thermarest, among others) showed up to camp in the drizzle at the Longmire Volunteer Campground. Forty-one people from all over the country and all over the world (I talked with people from New Hampshire, Maine, Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and Thailand) put in a couple of hours work cleaning up storm debris from the winter, including trees that had fallen through campsites; filling in potholes with gravel; and restoring areas disturbed during the removal of old concrete picnic table frames. The campground is now in ship-shape form for summer!

We're grateful for all of our volunteers, and look forward to more success stories like these as the summer progresses!

Seeking hosts for the Longmire Stewardship Campground

I just discovered that, due to a typo, our advertisement for campground host volunteers at the Longmire Stewardship Campground has not been visible on volunteer.gov. While we do have some applicants on file from our other campgrounds, I could use a few more applicants to choose from, and who have applied specifically for this job.

The full listing and online application is at http://www.volunteer.gov/results.cfm?ID=9361, and is reproduced here:

---

Mount Rainier National Park's volunteer program is seeking an individual, a couple, or multiple individuals in sequence to serve for five months (or a portion thereof) as the manager of the Longmire Campground.

The historic Longmire Campground was closed to use by the general public almost forty years ago. Since then, many of its trails and facilities have gradually disappeared under a sea of moss, with the exception of a dozen sites that were restored for use by seasonal employees living in RVs. In 2007, full-scale restoration efforts began, with the help of volunteers under the direction of the Mount Rainier Recovery Corps, as part of recovery efforts following flood damage in November of 2006. The campground now has two dozen rough individual campsites and two group sites, though few picnic tables or fire pits. Five platform tent sites have been built, though the tents themselves must be taken down and put into storage during the winter months. A bath house has been built with three shower units, one of them handicap-accessible.

These restored campsites and facilities are now available for the exclusive use of volunteers and other park partners. The campground manager sought by this announcement will be responsible for the following duties:

• Opening the campground in the spring, including cleaning up winter storm debris, rebuilding the platform tents, and assisting with dewinterization of the bath house.
• Coordinating use of the campground by volunteers, including scheduling the use of campsites and welcoming and assisting volunteers as they come and go.
• General upkeep and maintenance of the campground throughout the summer, including working with maintenance staff to keep the bath houses clean and well-stocked.
• Continuing the campground's historic restoration, including helping maintenance staff to remove deteriorating picnic tables and fire grates, and build and install new ones.
• Preparing the campground for winter, including taking down the platform tents and putting them into storage.
• Leading volunteers on campground-related projects, including any or all of the above-listed tasks.
• Assisting with other volunteer-related duties as available and interested, including data entry, correspondence, and coordination of volunteer events.

Housing for this position may be in one of the campground's employee RV spaces, which includes water and electrical hookups. An RV will be required. A separate vehicle is also recommended for trips to town. Alternatively, an apartment is available adjacent to the campground for those who prefer it or do not have an RV. The person selected for this position will generally be on duty Thursday through Monday, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, though this schedule may vary. A background check may be required.

The campground host's apartment or RV site and hookups will be provided at no cost. Pets are permitted for full-time RV residents in the Longmire Campground if they are indoor pets and not kenneled outside.

---

I need hosts from mid-May through the end of September, though I will consider multiple partial seasons to fill that span of time (and last year's hosts may return for part of the season). Actual time working will vary according to how busy the campground is. There will be stretches when the campground is only partially occupied, and duties may be completed in a few hours. At other times, the campground will be completely full, with people checking in at all hours. (There are a few very large groups already scheduled to use the campground this summer.) The work will average out to about 32-40 hours per week. A small per diem is available, if needed, to defray living expenses.

Please share this job announcement with anyone who may be interested, and direct any questions to me at Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov. I will be filling the position no later than April 24.

Volunteers will work on trails and campground restoration at Mount Rainier on National Public Lands Day, September 27; Entrance fees waived

Mount Rainier National Park will celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, September 27, 2014, with several volunteer projects open to public participation. The work day caps a busy summer in which nearly 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 170,000 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 will help coordinate registration for the event beginning at 8:00 a.m. at Longmire, six miles inside the southwest entrance to the park. After a brief welcome at 9:00, participants will divide into work groups. The Washington Trails Association and Park Service crew leaders will lead trail maintenance projects at Paradise, while other crews will winterize a campground at Longmire that is used by volunteers, school groups, and other park partners. Trail work is suitable for ages 16 and up, while campground maintenance is good for all ages. Additional projects may be added as well.


Another project, revegetating a former campground near Sunrise, will put a small number of volunteers to work on the east side of the national park. Volunteers interested in planting should meet crew leaders in front of the Sunrise Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. and plan for a mile-long hike to the project location. This project can only accept about a dozen volunteers. Please RSVP to Kevin Bacher at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov. Volunteers should come prepared for cool, wet weather, with warm clothing, rain gear, sturdy footwear, and gloves. Knee pads are also recommended for planting. If the weather is nice, sunglasses, sunscreen, and hats are recommended. Volunteers should also bring water, snacks, and a lunch.


Free camping at the Longmire Campground is available both the day before and after National Public Lands Day for event participants. Kevin Bacher at Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov to reserve a campsite.


Volunteers at Mount Rainier National Park maintain trails, patrol park roads and wilderness areas, assist and educate visitors, conduct research as citizen scientists, and plant native plants. Last year, 1,784 volunteers contributed 62,736 hours of service, an effort valued at $1.4 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 -

National Trails Day - Longmire Campground Volunteer Event

Starting in 2009, Volunteer Program Manager Kevin Bacher (an avid geocacher) has hosted an annual "spring cleaning" of the Longmire Stewardship Campground, supported largely by members of the geocaching community and their friends. This year, we have a much larger project on the roster, so we are reaching out to all our volunteers, inviting them (YOU!) to join us in celebrating National Trails Day by helping with the construction of 15 old-style wooden picnic tables and erection of the platform tents.

We will meet at the campground hosts' residence at the back of the Community Building at the north end of the Longmire Campground at 9:30 AM on Saturday, June 7. To find the project location, turn at the Longmire Museum and drive across the historic wooden suspension bridge. The Community Building will be on your left, approximately two-tenths of a mile from the bridge. There is plenty of parking out front. 

Camping is available at Longmire at no charge for volunteers, and if we get the platform tents built, you'll even be able to rest off the cold ground! Tents and small RVs (ideally 24 feet max) are also welcome. There are no hookups, but we'll have access to hot showers in the bath house. Please RSVP to kevin_bacher@nps.gov if you plan to camp, and let us know what kind of site you need. Entrance fees will be waived for volunteers participating on this project.

Wanted: Campground Host for VIP Campground

Although we have hired campground hosts for the Longmire Volunteer Campground for the first half of the summer, they have other obligations which prevent them from staying on past July 22. We are looking for someone to fill this position through late September.

Hosts coordinate the use of 31 tent sites, 2 group sites, and half a dozen Park-provided platform tents. They take reservations and assign campsites, and make sure guests are aware of campground regulations, ensuring that they comply with the rules while making sure everyone feels welcomed and supported. Duties include dealing with challenges as they come up (illegal campers, people who've lost their keys, loose dogs and so on), maintaining, cleaning and restocking a comfort station with three showers, and assigning/retrieving keys from campers, as well as keeping the campground free of camping litter.

If you are interested in being a Longmire campground host, please contact Kevin Bacher directly at 360-569-6567 for more information or drop a note to Kevin_Bacher@NPS.gov.

Longmire Campground Projects - Summer 2014

As posted last fall, the Volunteer Program received a $9,500 grant from Washington's National Park Fund and a $10,000 grant from Keep America Beautiful to enhance the historic Longmire Campground for volunteers and other groups. JVIPA built 10 picnic tables in August, but our plans to build more in October were put off by the notorious government shutdown. This spring, we plan to build twenty more tables and install a yet-to-be-determined number of new fire grates. In addition, we've located the historic group fire ring for the campground and are making plans to relocate and rebuild it with volunteer help. Watch the blog and newsletter for announcements of these projects and their dates! As well as offering provisions for camping space to VIP and educational groups, the Park is talking with tribal members about opportunities to use the campground occasionally, here in the landscape with which they have such deep cultural ties.

MRNPA Work Party and Potluck

The August Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party will be on Saturday,  August 10th, just a little over 3 weeks away.  Traditionally, following every August work party, MRNPA volunteers are invited to assemble in a nearby campground for some relaxed time together, a potluck dinner, and an evening sitting around the campfire in the company of friends.

This year, the August work party is planned for the Longmire/Paradise area (the exact location will be announced later), and the potluck will take place on the evening of the 10th in the Longmire Volunteer campground. The group campsite has been reserved for MRNPA volunteers for both Friday and Saturday nights, so bring your tent and sleeping bag if you'd like to spend the weekend. Restrooms and showers are available for use by volunteers. If you have other commitments and can't stay for the whole weekend, just come up for the day.

If you plan to attend this work party on August 10, please reply to John Titland at volunteer@mrnpa.org and let him know how many volunteers you expect to accompany you and which nights (if any) you plan to camp. Toasted marshmallows, anyone?

Stick Pickers!

Storm debris has been accumulating in the Longmire campground for many years, and the customary means of disposal (dispersal) had proven to be less than effective. A ring of downed limbs and branches was building up behind the campsites faster than Nature could accommodate. Last year, two teams worked to bring the debris forward where it was hoped crews could be brought in to load it into drop boxes for removal, or alternately, that it could be chipped and distributed into the campground environment.

For the last two weekends, Volunteers have been hard at work clearing away the piles created by last year's work parties. On June 8, geocachers participated in their annual "CITO" event at the campground, and today (June 15), another team of nine individual volunteers gathered near the platform tents at 9:30 for a second assault. Four hours later, two 15-yard drop boxes had been filled to capacity, accounting for approximately 75% of the debris.

In another move to alleviate the problem of debris accumulation, volunteers and paid employees staying in the campground have been given permission to utilize wood from the piles for campfires. Some larger pieces have been stacked at various convenient locations. Please note that gathering of other wood in the campground is still prohibited! You may only use the wood which has been piled or stacked by the work crews.

Crow's personal gratitude as well as the Park's goes out to all the hard-working folks who have pitched in (literally!) on this project. Longmire Campground is now a much more pleasant environment, thanks to you!

Chris Maser - "Forest Ecology"

Chris Maser's "Forest Ecology" talk has been rescheduled for June 20th.
The time: 8:30 until noon.
The place: Longmire Community Building.

Feel free to join us! The presentation will include a walk around the Longmire Volunteer Campground.

Campground Cleanup, Part Deux!

Good news, for those of you who missed the sunshine and camaraderie this past weekend -- we have confirmed a second weekend project to continue cleaning up storm debris in the Longmire Campground!

We will plan to begin work at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 15, meeting at the Longmire Community Building. (Turn past the old stone-foundation Administration Building at Longmire -- the one with the flagpole in front -- and cross the Nisqually River on the suspension bridge. The Community Building is a few hundred yard further along the river.)

The rumor about this project has spread, so we already have several individuals and families that are interested in joining us. If you'd like to do so as well, please RSVP to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov or 360-569-6567. Also let us know whether you plan to camp. We can provide free campsites and access to the shower building. We also now have five platform tents set up that could be used, each with two cots. The campsites will hold RVs up to about 25' in length.

Our project will involve cleaning up winter storm debris -- we began the process this past weekend, but there are still sites and stretches of the campground road on the back of the loop that need to be cleaned up -- and gathering existing piles of storm debris to dispose of in a large bin for removal to a more appropriate site. We have wheelbarrows, rakes, and brooms. We have a small supply of gloves, but recommend bringing your own if you have them. Be sure to bring water, snacks, and a lunch as well. We'll work until the drop box is full, or until you all run out of steam!

See you there!

Tents Up!

A hard-working batch of geocachers and Mount Rainier Volunteers gathered together today in the Longmire Campground for the annual spring cleanup and installation of five platform tents which serve as temporary housing for volunteers throughout the summer months. The event was officially billed at Geocaching.com as a "CITO" (Cache In, Trash Out) and was the seventh annual gathering of this type at this location. The work went smoothly. Participants ranged in age from pre-school kids to senior citizens, each contributing their best efforts to the project. Go, Volunteers!

The Volunteer Program is hoping to enlist a second cleanup team to remove storm debris next weekend. Stay tuned to this blog for updates, and if you're interested in participating, please contact Kevin via Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov for more details.

Longmire Campground opening tomorrow -- both geocachers and non-geocachers are welcome!

"Mostly sunny, freezing level near 13,500 feet." That's the weather forecast for tomorrow in Mount Rainier National Park! If you're looking for something worthwhile to do on a gorgeous day, consider joining us for our annual Longmire Campground Opening volunteer project. We'll be setting up platform tents and picking up storm debris that has accumulated in the campsites over the winter. It's fun, low-key work, and only takes a couple of hours; by lunch time, we'll be ready to sit in the sun and eat our picnics along the Nisqually River.

As is our tradition, this year's campground opening is sponsored by local geocachers. However, the project is not limited to geocachers. And, it's also a great opportunity to find out about geocaching if you've been curious!

For more information, visit the geocache page for this event here. RSVP by sending an e-mail to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov, or just show up at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 8. For those of you without GPS units, meet at the Longmire Campground. Enter Mount Rainier National Park by the southwest (Nisqually) entrance -- let the rangers at the gate know you're volunteering so that they don't charge you a fee -- and drive six miles to Longmire. Turn right just past the National Park Inn and follow the road marked "dead end" until it crosses a suspension bridge. A few hundred yards further you'll come to a small building and parking lot. Park there and follow the campground loop counter-clockwise to meet up with the volunteer team.

If you'd like to extend your weekend, consider camping in the Longmire Campground after your work day. Camping is free for working volunteers, and volunteers have access to the only public showers in the park!

We hope to see you there!

Longmire Campground Cleanup Event

Many of our Volunteers take advantage of the privilege of staying in the historic Longmire Campground while they're working on projects in the Park. Some come in motorhomes and campers. Others "rough it" in tents for a weekend or a week, depending on their assignments, but every winter brings down a new carpet of limbs, twigs and fir needles which need to be cleaned up before the campground officially opens.

For the last six years, members of Geocaching.com have contributed their efforts in tidying up for the June opening, and various other groups have pitched in later in the year, creating piles which now need to be consolidated for removal by maintenance crews. In addition, there is last winter's shed of branches to gather and rake up, and the platform tents need to be erected. Lots of work for many hands!

We're asking you to help! The date is June 8. The time is 9 AM. There will be a break for bring-your-own lunch, fun and games after the event, and of course there's the opportunity to socialize with your friends. Bring your own gloves, and keep an eye on the weather report to determine appropriate clothing. Please join us. RSVP to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov or to Crow at Petrina_Vecchio@partner.nps.gov.

And just a reminder: we still need Volunteers to help clean up winter's deposits in the Longmire housing area on Tuesday, May 28. Event begins at 9 AM. RSVP to Crow if you'd like to participate.

Wanted: Longmire Volunteer Campground Manager

Boy Scout volunteers hard at work cleaning up
storm debris in the Longmire Volunteer Campground

With summer fast approaching, we are still searching for the right individual or couple to serve as our next Campground Manager at the Longmire Volunteer Campground. It's a unique position -- part campground host, part docent, part project crew leader, part volunteer coordinator -- and it requires a unique person to fill the role.

Specifically, we're looking for someone to live in our volunteer campground in their RV and coordinate the use of 31 tent sites, 2 group places, and several platform tents. You'll be taking reservations and assigning campsites, making sure guests are aware of campground regulations and in compliance with them, and making sure everyone feels welcomed and supported. You'll deal with challenges as they come up -- illegal campers, people who've lost their keys, loose dogs, and periodic reports of gunfire echoing up the canyon from Forest Service land outside the park. You'll maintain, clean, and supply a comfort station with three showers, and assign and retrieve keys from campers. You'll make sure that campsites are kept clean and inviting for the next guest.

The Longmire Campground is a historic site dating back to the 1930s, so its spaces are small, limiting RVs, including yours, to 24 feet in length. It contains 16 sites with hookups, including yours, which are used by park staff, concession employees, and full-time volunteers. The remaining sites -- the ones you'll be coordinating -- have no hookups.

The campground was closed to public use in the late 1960s, and was resurrected in 2007 for use by volunteers, education groups, and other working park partners. Its picnic tables are begged and borrowed, and its fire grates are 50 years old. With the help of grant money from Washington's National Park Fund and Glad®, we're planning to purchase and build or install new tables and grates this summer. You'll be helping to coordinate and lead these efforts, as well as other volunteer groups that help open the campground in the spring (cleaning up storm debris and setting up platform tents) and close it down in the fall.

Like any campground host position, it's a full-time, 40-hour-a-week job, with flexible hours, since you'll need to be on call whenever volunteers arrive or need assistance. Reimbursement is available for living expenses. The season begins approximately June 1 and runs through the end of September.

If you're interested, don't delay -- fill out an application today at volunteer.gov! You can also contact me directly to express interest in the position, at 360-569-6567 or Kevin_Bacher [at] NPS.gov.

Mount Rainier August Volunteer Newsletter

August Mount Rainier Volunteer Newsletter

What this Newsletter Covers:

a.      Volunteer Picnic Potlucks!

b.      MRNPA Trail Work Party and Potluck

c.       WTA Comet Falls Wrap Up

d.      Longmire Volunteer Campground Reminder

e.      Ongoing Glacier Survey Volunteer Opportunities

f.        Puyallup Fair: Volunteers Needed

g.      Shadows of the Past: Come and enjoy, come and Volunteer!

h.      Keep Wildlife Wild Volunteer Opportunity

i.        NEW Meadow Rover Training Announced!

j.        Cascades Butterfly Project seeks butterflies, volunteers

Volunteer Picnic Potlucks!

It is that time of year again to come together and celebrate the hard work and dedication of our excellent volunteers! We will be having, for the first year ever, two volunteer potlucks to accommodate the East siders and west siders. This Saturday, August 11^th, we will be having our West side potluck picnic at the Longmire Community Building starting at 4:00 pm. Some beverages will be provided. Bring a dish to share. Earlier in the day, you will have the chance to volunteer with MRNPA or WTA on their work parties, so sign up soon! If you have any questions about the west side potluck picnic, please direct them to Carrie Anders at Carrie_Anders@partner.nps.gov.

Next weekend, on Sunday, August 19^th, the East side volunteers will be having their picnic potluck at the Sunrise Picnic Area in the northwest corner. It will go from 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Bring with you a buddy, a beverage, a grill item or a dish to share! We are in need of a grill or two. If you are able to contribute or have any questions, please contact Gayle Eads at gayle.s.eads@gmail.com, our East Side Meadow Rover Lead.

This is a chance to recognize what a huge impact our volunteers have at Rainier. Come support your fellow volunteers and celebrate your accomplishments this year!

MRNPA Trail Work Party and Potluck!

Mount Rainier National Park Associates will be having a trail work party this Saturday, August 11^th. We will be working on the Twin Firs Trail. 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, email John Titland and tell him that you are coming and how many volunteers you are bringing with you.  He needs 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 him that too.

Following the work party MRNPA volunteers are invited to assemble in the Longmire VIP campground (not the Cougar Rock campground) to relax and socialize, followed by a potluck dinner, and an evening spent sitting around the campfire.  It's a fun event, so plan on staying (at least for a little while) and getting to better know some of the volunteers you have been working with.  

 

Overnight camping is available both Friday night, August 10th, and Saturday night, August 11th at the Longmire VIP campground.  Camping is free for MRNPA volunteers. If you plan to camp either or both nights, please tell him the nights you intend to camp when you email him telling him that you are coming to the work party.  He needs to assure that we have sufficient tent sites reserved.

 

Sunday, the 12th, we will try to do a short hike together.

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 tool 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, 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 eye glasses do not.

 

John Titland
Volunteer Coordinator
Mount Rainier National Park Associates

volunteer@MRNPA.org

Washington Trails Associates last weekend at Comet Falls!

WTA has been working for weeks on the Comet Falls Trail to help be able to safely open it to park visitors. They have done a tremendous job on this trail! So far, they have fixed areas with extensive exposed roots by building new turnpike and crib steps, and have been building a rock wall to stabilize the trail. They have worked to reroute around the wash out on the trail and things are really looking great!

This weekend, August 10th through the 12th, will be WTA’s last weekend on the Comet Falls Trail before moving on to a new project. Go to the WTA website, www.wta.org, to find out more about the trail work parties and to sign up for this weekends group! Be a part of the fantastic team that has worked to make Comet Falls a safer, exciting hike for our visitors!

A reminder about the Longmire Campground!

Volunteers, remember that the Longmire Campground is open to you on the day before and day of your volunteer projects in the park! You may make reservations through your direct park supervisor or by emailing me (Carrie_Anders@partner.nps.gov) with your project information, how many will be camping and if you will be in tents or an RV. Your reservation will be confirmed, and upon arrival at the Longmire Campground, our host, Jean Millan, will assign you your camp site!

There are some differences in rules between the Volunteer campground and the other campgrounds in the park. Pets are not allowed to stay in the tent camping area at Longmire. They are allowed to be in the employee residence (RV) sites, but must remain on a leash when outdoors, stay in the camper at night, and no pet food is permitted outside the camper.  If you have any questions or concerns about Longmire campground rules, please do not hesitate to ask!

Nisqually Glacier Survey Project is Ongoing!

If you are interested in getting out on the glaciers and surveying, the Nisqually Glacier Survey project is still looking for volunteers!

The main goal of this project is to identify the glacial flow velocity field of the Nisqually glacier. A major secondary goal is to isolate, to the extent possible, the approximate area of the lower Nisqually glacier that is flowing at a slower rate than the upper glacier. Past research has indicated that the Lower Nisqually typically moved approx. 0.6 m/day. However, measurements by Lead Climbing Ranger Stefan Lofgren during the glacier mass balance-monitoring project indicate that portions of the Lower Nisqually are now hardly moving, in the range of centimeters per day.

This is important because there is a possibility that stagnant ice (glacial ice that is no longer moving) may facilitate the development of glacial conditions that could allow for the storage of vast amounts of water that can be released catastrophically in the form of outburst floods.

This year the area set up by the 2011 glacial studies team will be re-surveyed. The surveying device used will be the Topcon GPT-3105W Total Station used last year. We will identify and survey suitable rocks at the beginning of the project, with as much overlap with last year’s rocks as possible. Ideally, the locations of said rocks will be resurveyed weekly or biweekly in order to ascertain changes in position due to glacial flow. At the end of the survey period, we should be able to utilize the relative motion of the rocks to characterize the velocity field of the glacier. At that point, we should be able to find areas that are not moving, or are moving abnormally slowly and contrast that with areas that are moving rapidly.

Ideally those helping with the survey will have waterproof sturdy boots, sunglasses with full coverage, a climbing helmet, an ice axe and crampons, as well as everything they require for a day trip (lunch, water, extra layers, sunscreen etc). That being said, crampons are unlikely to be required for the first several weeks and even after that if people do not have them, we can put them on a lower-elevation team. An ice axe and climbing helmet are highly recommended. Sturdy boots, sunglasses and sunscreen are not optional!

Volunteers need to be in good shape as they will be hiking all day and helping to carry survey equipment which is not exactly lightweight.

Volunteers are not required to have prior glacier experience, though having it is certainly a plus!

What the project manager needs to know from you if you are interested in participating in glacier surveys is the following information:

1.      When you are available, Thursdays are most often the survey days. 

2.       What is your glacier experience?

3.      Do you have glacier gear  (ice axe, crampons, helmet, climbing harness, stiff crampon-compatible boots, etc)?

 

If you are interested in volunteering with the glacier survey team this summer, please send the information listed above to Laura Walkup, the Project Manager.

Laura C. Walkup
Geology Technician
National Park Service
Mount Rainier National Park
Longmire, WA 98397

Office: 360-569-2211 ext.7003

laura_walkup@nps.gov

Puyallup Fair: Volunteering for the Mountain!

Top of Form Yes!  It's almost time to do the Puyallup.  This year's theme is "Get your happy on!"  Last year park staff and volunteers talked to more than 12,500 people and thousands more checked out our exhibits.   This year you have three opportunities to "Get Your Happy On!"   #1. Staffing the Mount Rainier Booth:   We would like to have two park people for each of the three 3 1/2-hour shifts a day (10 AM – 1:30 PM, 1:30 PM – 5 PM, 5 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.    The fair runs from September 7th through September 23rd.      #2. Staff the Snowshoe Walk:   On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Noon to 6 PM the NW Outdoors Building will be providing a snowshoe experience (mainly for kids but adults can try too).  We will have a trail of straw around the trees provided by the Christmas Tree Growers.  There will be two 3-hr shifts each day (12-3 and 3-6) and we need at least two people each shift.  Snowshoes are provided by GoPaw but the two elderly ladies that have done this in the past just can't do it anymore.  I volunteered our volunteers.  It will be a busy, but quick, three hours.  You will also receive a ticket and parking pass.   #3. Help set up and take down the plants:  We will have hundreds of native plants throughout the building to make it an outdoor experience.  These plants have to be placed the day before the fair and then removed the day after.  This is very labor intensive and the park's reveg crew will be helping but we could use some more volunteers. Plants will be moved in at 10 AM on Thursday, September 6th and removed at 10 AM on Monday, September 24th.  If enough folks show up we should be done by 1 PM.  If you would like to join this activity let me know and I'll send you location and parking information.  All you'll need are work gloves and a "grain" shovel if you have one.   As you can see, the park is an important part of the Northwest Outdoors Alliance.  Our exhibits will occupy one of the largest spaces in the building.   But the most important part is a real live person representing the park service, talking with all those enthusiastic fairgoers.   I hope you can help out.   You will have a great time at the fair and I look forward to hearing from you.   An email response would be best, since at this time of the year I’m seldom in the office.  Tell me what activity, date, and time shift would work for you.  Also please include your mailing address so I can mail you instructions, maps, and tickets.    Uniforms are not a requirement to volunteer, but if you have one you are expected to wear it. Volunteer hats will be available at the Mount Rainier booth.     Thanks, and we’ll see you at the fair.   Check out the web page.  http://www.thefair.com/puyallup-fair/things-to-do/nw-outdoors   Jim Ross Outreach Specialist Mount Rainier National Park jim_ross@nps.gov Bottom of Form

Volunteers needed for Shadows of the Past lantern carriers!

YOU are invited to celebrate the August birthday of the National Park Service!  On the evening of August 18th West District Interpretation is presenting the Shadows of the Past living history program. Lantern-lighted, ranger-led walks depart from in front of the National Park Inn every 20 minutes between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM.

The approximately 80-minute program tells the story of the beginning of Mount Rainier National Park and the National Park Service. Meet people who explored, settled, developed, climbed, and protected Mount Rainier more than 90 years ago as they emerge from the darkness along the Trail of the Shadows.

The program will be held rain or shine. Bring a warm jacket, insect repellent, a flashlight, and wear sturdy shoes. This interpretive program is free and open to all. No  RSVP is required.

Volunteers are needed to carry lanterns that light the way and illuminate the characters when they talk. If you can help with this task please email seasonal volunteer coordinator Carrie Anders: carrie_anders@partner.nps.gov.

There will be four walks and we need up to eight volunteers (2 per lantern). Walks are planned to leave from in front of the National Park Inn at 8:30 PM, 8:50 PM, 9:10 PM, and 9:30 PM. If you are game to carry a lantern, please let Carrie know your top two walk choices.  She will confirm your participation. Volunteer lantern carriers will need to meet 15 minutes before their scheduled walk at the picnic tables by the General Store.  Our Lantern Guru, Alan Parsons, will be there to give you your lantern.  He will also provide tips for carrying the lantern and effectively illuminating the trail and characters. New Shadows of the Past volunteers will need to sign a volunteer agreement form.

Please contact Carrie if you have any questions or are interested! Thank you in advance!

Keep Wildlife Wild Volunteers Needed!

Saturday August 18^th will be a great opportunity to volunteer in the park. Not only do we have the Shadows of the Past opportunity, but it is also the return of the Keep Wildlife Wild program. We are in need of volunteers to work with the wildlife crew up at the Paradise Visitors Center. It will be from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. Please contact Carrie Anders at Carrie_Anders@partner.nps.gov if you are interested or have more questions. We hope you can recognize the importance of this program to the wildlife in our beautiful park and can contribute your time to informing the public of the importance of keeping our wildlife wild! 

New Meadow Rover Training This Weekend and Through the Summer Season!

The Meadow Rover program will be providing trainings through the end of the summer season on a variety of topics of interest to meadow rovers and other volunteers.

They plan to have training sessions every Saturday at the same time (10 AM to 11:30 AM) and location (Longmire Community Building) as follows:

8/11/2012 - 'The New Ten Essentials' - Ed Hunds, Experienced Meadow Rover, Wilderness Preparedness Expert

8/18/2012 - 'Staying Found' - Judy Kennedy, Experienced Meadow Rover, Backcountry Expert, Interpretive Ranger

8/25/2012 - 'The Roll of the Meadow Rover during Search and Rescue Operations (SARs) - Rangers Jordan Mammel and/or Ben Guttridge

9/1/2012 - 'Nature Photography, Tips for the Visitor, General Nature Photographic Techniques, Photographic Trail/Meadow Damage Documentation' - Gary Ouellette, Experienced Meadow Rover, Professional Photographer

The first of these trainings will be providing an expanded training session on the 'New Ten Essentials' from 10AM to 11:30AM on Saturday, August 11, 2012 at the Longmire Community Building.  Ed Hunds, experienced Meadow Rover and Wilderness Preparedness Expert will be the course instructor.  (RSVP required please, no later than Wednesday, August 15, 2012 to eugene_marsh@partner.nps.gov.)

Cascades Butterfly Project seeks volunteers to seek butterflies!

If you’re out hiking this summer and come across a group of people walking slowly along a trail with butterfly nets, they’re probably part of the Cascades Butterfly Project! This group is tracking butterfly populations as a means of monitoring climate and ecosystem changes at Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks. They’re still looking for volunteers to help, and have several project dates still coming up on this year’s calendar! Here’s an update from project leader Michelle Toshack about their day above Berkeley Park on August 2nd:

“What a great trip to Mount Rainier! Wildflowers were blooming beautifully (at Naches Loop and Berkeley Park anyway) and butterflies were truly on the wing. Thank you to the ten excellent volunteers who helped with the project. We saw the following butterflies:

Milbert's Tortoiseshell
Anna's Blue
Silvery Blue
Boisduval's Blue
Edith's Checkerspot
Northern Checkerspot
Clodius Parnassian
Arctic Fritillary
“As a reminder, Melanie Weiss (volunteer field lead) will be at Sunrise (Berkeley Park) on August 17th and is looking for volunteers to accompany her. Please email me at michelle_toshack [at] nps.gov if interested. There will be one more chance to volunteer at Mt. Rainier from August 27-30.”

Read more about the program on their Yahoo Group at http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/cascadesbutterfly/