Storm Damage In Longmire Campground

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Yesterday's storm resulted in a temporary closure of the Park, and while most of us were home watching the gauges on the Nisqually, Cowlitz and Carbon Rivers, havoc was being wreaked by high winds in the forests. Longmire Stewardship Campground was hit hard, dozens of trees snapped off or toppled across the loop road. Campsites are filled with the debris of broken branches.

As shown in the second image, Park personnel were out assessing the damage this afternoon. Crews were already at work removing the trees obstructing the campground roads.

Campground cleanup is an issue we deal with every spring, but seldom is it of this magnitude. This year, the call for volunteers will be "all hands on deck!"

 

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Appropriate Use of the Volunteer Campground

I have been asked to remind our volunteers that the privilege of camping in the Longmire Stewardship Campground is limited to those persons who are registered with the volunteer program and are actively engaged in volunteer activities. The only exception to this rule is if a spouse accompanies a volunteer who is serving. If volunteers wish to bring extended family or friends to the Mountain, they should make arrangements to stay in one of the public campgrounds.

Longmire Campground Improvements

What's new in the Longmire Stewardship Campground? For starters, we've refurbished a number of campsites by gravelling tent pads and pull-ins and adding picnic tables built in the old CCC style. New fire pits have been installed at selected locations, including one specifically designed to be ADA-accessible. The group site has also been improved, with benches arranged so that volunteers can gather and socialize around a common fire. The rocks lining many pathways have been reset to better define the routes to the comfort stations, and much of the debris has been removed.

What plans do we have for the future? The middle comfort station will be restored and a picnic shelter will be built just north of the group site. Both projects should be completed by the end of the season and will be ready for use by volunteers next year.

Sites are available to volunteers who are actively working in the Park and should be reserved at least two weeks in advance of your anticipated tour of duty. You may specify which site you'd prefer, but remember that the best ones fill up fast! Platform tents are also available if you would prefer to camp off the ground. Contact Kevin_Bacher (at) nps.gov for more information.

The Many Aspects of Volunteering

We often receive inquiries which say simply, "I want to volunteer at Mount Rainier National Park," and while it's wonderful to hear from people who want to participate, volunteer opportunities are as diverse as the people who apply. It is helpful if potential volunteers categorize their areas of interest. Here are just a few ways our volunteers serve the Park, selected from field projects done in 2014. (Uncredited NPS photos: Kevin Bacher)

NPS photo: Curt Jacquot

NPS photo: Lou Whiteaker

Photo: Ed Hunds

NPS photo: Crow Vecchio

Photo: Kathleen Bogaards

Of course these aren't the only ways you can volunteer. When you contact us, be sure to list your specialties and interests so we can find the right place for you!

The Safety Committee Opposes Speeding!

People driving too fast continues to be a problem in the Longmire Campground despite several Park-wide emails asking people to slow down. The matter came before the Safety Committee today, and members were asked to carry the message to their various Divisions. Additionally, volunteers who use the campground are requested to make a note of speeders' license numbers and vehicle descriptions, especially if the speeder is piloting a Park vehicle. If speeding continues to be an issue, warnings or citations may be issued.

Crow Vecchio
Safety Committee Member

Campground Cleanup Crew

If you are camping in the Longmire Stewardship Campground, you can thank the Webelos of Troop 850 and their parents for helping clean up the winter storm debris. The seven young men shown in this photo alongside Volunteer Coordinator Crow Vecchio and Campground Hosts Jim and Lorraine Cherry were as hard-working, enthusiastic batch of workers as anyone could want. Armed with only with rakes and spirit, they gathered downed branches from around the platform tent sites and carried them far, far away into the forest, distributing them as Nature would have done. It was my pleasure to work with these young gentlemen who, to everyone's delight, presented several humorous skits after their duties were completed.