Fee is $40 for Mountaineers members, $60 for non-members. Participants must supply their own backpacking gear and food. Registration closes on March 20.
Showing posts with label Mountaineers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mountaineers. Show all posts
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Leave No Trace Trainer Course
Fee is $40 for Mountaineers members, $60 for non-members. Participants must supply their own backpacking gear and food. Registration closes on March 20.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Reminder: Volunteer Brunch this Saturday!
In case you don't yet have it on your calendar, this is just a reminder that the annual Volunteer Brunch is coming up this Saturday, May 11, from 9 to 11 am at the newly remodeled Tacoma Mountaineers' Program Center. This event is for both returning volunteers and those who are interested in learning more about the park and its volunteer program. Get reacquainted with old friends after the long winter, and learn about all the new things going on up on The Mountain this year! Bring your favorite potluck dish to share. Beverages and place settings will be furnished by the hosts. The address is 2302 North 30th St. Tacoma WA 98403. See you there!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Annual Volunteer Breakfast is next week!
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| If the presentation is boring, you can step outside and enjoy the view! |
From Amy Mann at the Tacoma Mountaineers:
The Tacoma Branch Hiking/Backpacking Committee invites you to join Mount Rainier National Park staff at the park's Community Building at Longmire at 10:00 a.m. on May 5, 2012 for our annual spring brunch!
This event is a great way to kick off the volunteer season for 2012. Meet old friends, make new ones, and most important, learn about everything that's going on at Mount Rainier and its volunteer program. If you've been a volunteer before, come learn what's new. If you've never volunteered, come learn about the many opportunities available for people of all ages and interests.
The annual volunteer brunch is usually sponsored by the Meadow Rover program and held at the Tacoma Mountaineers Clubhouse. However, the building is being remodeled this year, so this time we're holding the event in the park itself.
Volunteers (and potential volunteers) who attend this event will be granted free admission to the park. Please RSVP to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov so that we can give a list of names to the rangers at the entrance station.
The brunch is "potluck," so please bring a dish to share. We'll gather at 10:00, eat at 10:30, and have a short presentation at 11:00 about park news and our plans for the upcoming super season. All are welcome! After the program, stick around to chat with the rangers and other volunteers, or spend the day in the park.
The Community Building is located across the historic suspension bridge from Longmire.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Leave No Trace Collaborates with Paradise
As reported in the Olympian this past Sunday (May 22nd) , The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has selected Mount Rainier National Park’s Paradise Area as a Leave No Trace Hot Spot. The Hot Spots program, in its second year, raises awareness about natural areas around the country facing the threat of irreversible environmental damage. As part of the initiative, Leave Not Trace works with volunteers, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies to reduce the effect of recreational activities in the selected areas.
As a part of this program, Leave No Trace training will be provided for key park staff and volunteers, signs will be created to convey minimal impact information, and consultation will be provided on the best management practices for minimizing the effects in the Paradise area.
There are two upcoming meetings for those who are interested in a general overview of the program:
June 27: Mountaineers Program Center, 7700 Sand Point Way N.E. , Seattle, 7-9 p.m.
June 28: REI store, 222 Yale Ave. N., Seattle, 6:30-8 p.m.Read more:
Monday, December 28, 2009
Spring Meadow Rover Breakfast set for May 8
From Amy Mann, here's the first notice for our Spring Meadow Rover Potluck, a tradition started a few years ago by some of the park's Meadow Rover volunteers. It's not too early to put this on your calendar! It's a great event for meeting other volunteers, catching up with old friends after the long winter, or learning about the park's volunteer (and specifically meadow rover) programs if you're new.
May 8, Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Potluck Brunch hosted by the Tacoma Branch Hiking & Backpacking Committee and the Mount Rainier Volunteers-in-Park (VIPs), at the Tacoma Mountaineers clubhouse, 2302 N. 30th Street, Tacoma, WA 98403. All Mountaineers members, as well as non-members, are welcome to attend this event to find out about volunteering at Mount Rainier National Park and to help the Park VIPs kick off the 2009 Meadow Roving season. There are a number of Tacoma Mountaineers who volunteer at Sunrise during the summer, as well as other Mountaineers who volunteer at Paradise and in the backcountry on a year-round basis. Opportunities at the Park abound - check out the volunteer opportunities listed on the Park website, www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/volunteer.htm, and at the VIP blog at rainiervolunteers.blogspot.com. It's a terrific "job"! If you have just a couple of days a month (weekends or weekdays) there is something for you to do at Mount Rainier National Park. If you've done all the trail maintenance and rebuilding that your body can handle, meadow roving might be just the ticket to get you out and let you give something back to the Park.
Bring something yummy to share for brunch. We'll plan to start serving food at 9:30 a.m. Doors will be open by 8:00 a.m. if you want to come early to slip your treat into the oven to heat it up. Coffee, tea, juice, tableware will be provided. Questions or for directions, contact Carol Berry, busbuster@aol.com, 253-845-9297, Amy Mann, agmann@comcast.net, 253-759-2796, or Martha Scoville, garyandmartha@harbornet.com, 253-752-5014.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Potluck Brunch for volunteers May 9, hosted by the Mountaineers
From Meadow Rover Amy Mann, here's an update on our annual Volunteer Breakfast:
The date of our Spring Potluck Brunch is approaching. Time to catch up with each other and to kick off the 2009 Meadow Roving Season! The date is Saturday, May 9, at The Mountaineers Tacoma clubhouse. We'll plan to start serving food at 9:30 a.m.
The menu is potluck - bring whatever you think would be fun. Coffee, tea, juice and tableware will be provided. Last year the food was great and, of course, bountiful--why should this year be any different!
We'll be there to open the doors at 8:00 a.m. and could use some help setting up tables and chairs. There are two ovens and a microwave if you have something that needs to be heated up.
We hope you will join us and will pass the word along to any other volunteers we missed and to anyone who is interested in finding out how much fun we have volunteering at MRNP. This is a great recruiting opportunity--what better advertisement than a room full of people having fun!
And, of course, all Park employees who can get away are welcome to attend.
Below is the notice that has been running on The Mountaineers website and may well run in the Tacoma newspaper. Let us know if you will be joining us so we know how many tables to set up.
Looking forward to seeing you on May 9th!
Potluck Brunch hosted by the Mountaineers Tacoma Branch Hiking & Backpacking Committee and the Mt. Rainier Volunteers In the Park (VIPs), at the Tacoma clubhouse, 2302 N. 30th Street, Tacoma, WA 98403. All are welcome to attend this event to find out about volunteering at Mt. Rainier National Park and to help the Park VIP's kick off the 2009 Meadow Roving season. There are a number of Tacoma Mountaineers who volunteer at Sunrise during the summer, as well as other Mountaineers who volunteer at Paradise and in the backcountry on a year round basis. Opportunities at the Park abound - check out the volunteer opportunities listed on the Park website, http://www.nps.gov/mora/supportyourpark/volunteer.htm. It's a terrific job! If you have just a couple of days a month (weekends or weekdays) there is something for you to do at MRNP. If you've done all the trail maintenance and rebuilding that your body can handle, meadow roving might be just the ticket to get you out and let you give something back to the Park. Bring something yummy to share for brunch. We'll plan to start serving food at 9:30 a.m. Doors will be open by 8:00 a.m. if you want to come early to slip your treat into the oven to heat it up. Coffee, tea, juice, tableware will be provided. Questions or for directions, contact Amy Mann, agmann@comcast.net, 253-759-2796 or Carol Berry, busbuster@ao.com, 253-845-9297.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
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.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
A Congressional Commendation
I just got a copy of this from Sean Smith at the National Parks Conservation Association. Apparently, Congressman Dave Reichert read a commendation of our volunteer program into the Congressional Record! Here's the complete text:
THE 2008 COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION AWARD
HON. DAVID G. REICHERT OF WASHINGTON
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, April 17, 2008Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate Mount Rainier National Park, the Student Conservation Association, SCA, the Washington’s Trails Association, WTA, the National Parks Conservation Association, NPCA, Washington’s National Park Fund, and The Mountaineers for being awarded the 2008 Cooperative Conservation Award, CCA, from the Department of the Interior. The CCA is the Department of Interior’s highest award presented to private citizens and organizational partners who support the agency’s mission and demonstrate significant contributions to its programs.
The award was given to the coalition for their outstanding efforts in rebuilding damaged trails, campgrounds and other facilities at Mount Rainier following the disastrous floods and windstorms during the winter of 2006. The coalition named their efforts the Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative and enlisted the help of more than 700 people from all over the country to rebuild and solidify some of the most beautiful trails, campgrounds and habitats in the country. The work they did was truly remarkable. Their dedication is appreciated by residents of the Pacific Northwest and the residents of the Eighth District, the district I represent.
The work by the coalition, along with countless volunteers, will be enjoyed for years to come by the thousands of visitors to Mount Rainier. With all the coalition has accomplished, their efforts continue by expanding their reach outside Mount Rainier to other areas in Washington State affected by extreme weather utilizing the success of their Mount Rainier Model. Again, congratulations the SCA, the WTA, the NPCA, Washington’s National Park Fund and The Mountaineers for their dedication to the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest and urge them to continue in their efforts.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Coalition of Mount Rainier partners receives National Cooperative Conservation Award
A partnership among Mount Rainier National Park, the Student Conservation Association (SCA), the Washington’s Trails Association (WTA), the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), Washington’s National Park Fund, and The Mountaineers has won the 2008 Cooperative Conservation Award from the Department of the Interior, Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga announced today. The ongoing partnership supports public volunteer efforts to rebuild damaged trails, campgrounds, and other facilities at Mount Rainier following the devastating floods and windstorms of November and December 2006.
The Cooperative Conservation Award is Interior’s highest award presented to private citizens and organizational partners who support the agency’s mission and demonstrate significant contributions to its programs. Secretary of the Interior Kempthorne will present the award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on April 21, 2008.
“This award justly recognizes the commitment of our partners, and the critical role they played in our flood recovery efforts,” said Uberuaga. “It also acknowledges the huge number of deeply committed individuals and community groups who worked through those partnerships to support the park.”
Twenty other partnerships will be recognized nationwide, including four others with the National Park Service. The Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative is the only program to be honored from the state of Washington.
The Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative, led by the Student Conservation Association, worked with park supervisors to identify and prepare recovery projects, placed a 14-member Conservation Corps within the park, and recruited and led additional teams of public volunteers. More than 700 people from all over the country participated, rebuilding the Wonderland Trail, restoring habitats, campgrounds and historic structures, carrying supplies to backcountry project locations, patrolling trails and assisting park visitors. The recovery initiative was part of a larger volunteer effort involving 1,724 people who contributed 84,038 hours of service at Mount Rainier National Park in 2007, an effort valued at almost $1.6 million.
“SCA is honored to share in this award and pleased to serve Mount Rainier National Park,” said SCA Regional Vice President Jay A. Satz. “We are further gratified by the tremendous volunteer support provided by so many organizations and individuals. Together, we succeeded in meeting the urgent needs of this iconic park and created a new model for collaborative conservation.”
The five non-profit award winners also formed the Northwest Parks and Public Lands Storm Recovery Coalition after the 2006 floods, to support recovery efforts by sharing resources and coordinating efforts among its member organizations. Their contributions to Mount Rainier’s recovery were significant. Through a grant from Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), WTA recruited and led 275 volunteers on trail construction projects around the park. NPCA led efforts to generate public and political support for the park’s recovery efforts, and took the lead in organizing major events like National Trails Day and National Public Lands Day. The Fund provided substantial financial support for the partnership with SCA and coordinated fundraising efforts. The Mountaineers committed their large membership and historical standing in the community.
“NPCA is flattered to share this award with our coalition members,” said Sean Smith, NPCA’s Regional Director. “Yet, it truly belongs to the thousands of people who volunteered to contact their elected officials, donate money and supplies, and repair and restore the damage.”
The Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative, with all of its groundbreaking partnerships, will continue in 2008. Flood recovery efforts are ongoing, and volunteers continue to play important roles in the day-to-day protection of park resources and service to park visitors. SCA and the Coalition continue to help through recruitment of volunteer, financial, and political support. Following this winter’s devastating storms on the Olympic Peninsula, they have expanded their mission to support recovery efforts throughout the region, following the model so successfully pioneered at Mount Rainier.
For further information about Mount Rainier National Park’s volunteer program, including ways to get involved in the coming year and links to partner websites, visit the park’s homepage at ww.nps.gov/mora or this volunteer program blog.
For further information about our partners, please visit:
Student Conservation Association: http://www.thesca.org/
NW Parks & Public Lands Storm Recovery Coalition: nwstormrecoverycoalition.blogspot.com
National Parks Conservation Association: http://www.npca.org/
Washington Trails Association: http://www.wta.org/
Washington’s National Park Fund: http://www.wnpf.org/
The Mountaineers: http://www.mountaineers.org/
-NPS-
Friday, October 12, 2007
Congressman Recognizes Volunteers at National Public Lands Day
Congressman Dicks with the Northwest Storm Recovery Coalition. From left to right: Sean Smith (NPCA), Shane Farnor (NPCA), Gina Ottoboni (The Mountaineers), David Graves (NPCA), Congressman Norm Dicks, Lauren Braden (Washington Trails Association), Eleanor Kittelson (Washington's National Park Fund), Dave Uberguaga (superintendent), Jay Satz (SCA), and Kevin Bacher (volunteer program manager). NPS photo.
National Public Lands Day had a little more meaning than usual this year at Mount Rainier, as the park continues to recover from the devastating flooding that occurred in November 2006, when 18 inches of rain fell in 36 hours and closed the park for six months.
Recovery efforts at Mount Rainier have made tremendous headway thanks to the help of over 1,500 volunteers in 2007 (a park record) and the assistance of Northwest Storm Recovery Coalition partners.
Congressman Norm Dicks (WA), who serves as chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, visited the park on Saturday, September 29th, for the third time since the flood, thanking volunteers, energizing staff, and crediting the volunteers and park service for the tremendous work that have occurred in the park’s flood recovery efforts.
Volunteers have made a huge contribution to Mount Rainier’s recovery by contributing 70,000 hours to the park this year, at a value of over $1.3 million. Congressman Dicks applauded volunteer activities at the park as a way to encourage young people to get outdoors and into parks and wilderness areas.For more information, please visit www.nps.gov/mora or contact Alison Bullock, public information officer, Mount Rainier National Park, at 360-569-2211 x2336.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Field Notes
Registration for National Public Lands Day is up to around 80 people--not bad for still being 10 days out! There's lots of room for more, so remember to sign up here, either for a work project, or for the evening barbecue and celebration, or both.- Thank you to all of our sponsors! Numerous local businesses are helping us make National Public Lands Day exceptional. Partners so far include the Student Conservation Association, National Parks Conservation Association, Washington's National Park Fund, Washington Trails Association, Mountaineers, REI, Mount Rainier Guest Services, International Mountain Guides, Ranger Doug's Enterprises, Starbucks, HSBC Bank, Nature Valley, Glacier Water Company, PCC Natural Markets, and Columbia Crest School.
- Documented volunteers numbers are now up to 1,529 individuals who have contributed 56,773 hours of service. (Why do I keep saying "documented hours?" Many volunteers are still working, and won't turn in their hours till next month. Some have yet to turn in their records for August. Some turn in their hours in one lump sum at the end of the year. A few have to be reminded a time or two before their numbers come in. So, the total will definitely be higher... but we're already more than 600 individuals, and almost 13,000 hours, over last year's totals through September 30!)
- Statistics quantifying the work we've done are hard to track. For instance, I asked Trails Foreman Carl Fabiani a few days ago, "how many miles of trail have we repaired this year?" He looked at me quizically and said, "260?" Every trail in the park has had work this year, though obviously, some more than others. SCA's Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative, alone, has documented 31,970 feet of brushing... 59,560 feet of raking... 2,410 feet of tread repaired... 7,328 feet of side ditches cleared... 1,127 drains cleared... 8 retaining walls constructed... more than 104 stumps pulled... 23,157 invasive plants pulled... and 222 road culverts cleared. What do these numbers really mean? I have no idea. But they certainly sound impressive.
- Speaking of accomplishments, here's a (very) preliminary summary of our volunteer program's highlights this year.
- In the larger context, here's a PowerPoint presentation about Mount Rainier's flood recovery efforts, including the work completed by both park staff and volunteers. (Warning: It's 26.2 megabytes in size.)
- And finally, for those of you planning to join our end-of-season projects on National Public Lands Day, here's a little teaser of something you might see on the trail that day... it's just one of many surprises that we have planned throughout the day for those who participate. See you there!
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