A sunny winter day on Mount Rainier is Paradise on ice

Here's a great article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, written by Rebecca Agiewich, who volunteers at our Climber Information Center during the summer:

"With a little education and a lot of common sense, your winter outings at the park probably will be some of the most memorable of your life. From Paradise, not only do you get monstrous close-ups of Rainier, you also can drink in the jagged, snow-covered spine of the Tatoosh Range to the south (those pointy peaks and broad saddles are also part of the park). Climb just a little higher and you can survey a veritable who's who of Northwest volcanoes, including mounts Hood, Adams and St. Helens...."

You're Invited: Taking the Parks by Storm!

Community Support for Restoring Washington's Treasures

A series of storms battered the Pacific Northwest during the fall and winter of 2006 and 2007, bringing major flooding, hurricane-force winds and heavy snows. Washington’s national parks - Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades - were severely impacted.

The Northwest Storm Recovery Coalition is sponsoring "Taking the Parks by Storm: Community Support for Restoring Washington's Treasures" on Monday, March 17, 2008, to bring members of Congress and representatives from the three parks together to describe the storms' impacts, the current state of repairs at the parks, and how upcoming visits to the park may be affected. Also, this event will provide attendees an opportunity to ask questions, visit with representatives from each park to learn about volunteer activities, and to find out how they can be further involved.

When:
Monday, March 17th, 6:30PM-8:30 PM

Where:
Seattle REI Flagship
222 Yale Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109

The Northwest Storm Recovery Coalition, which includes the National Parks Conservation Association, the Student Conservation Association, Washington’s National Park Fund, and Washington Trails Association, works to help support, repair, and restore affected parks and other public lands.

For more information, contact: David Graves at dgraves@npca.org or (206) 903-1444, x25.

Volunteer Opportunity: Pacific Crest Trail at Dewey Lakes

Here's one of the first concrete volunteer opportunities for the Mount Rainier vicinity to be advertised for the summer--in this case, by the Washington Trails Association. Visit their website for more details and to sign up:

July 19-26: Just south of Mount Rainier, on the Pacific Crest Trail. The Forest Service was so impressed with the bridge that we built here last summer that they have something else for us to build. Dewey Lakes make a perfect campsite for a weeklong vacation. Lots of places to roam, although beware of the elk that may want to join you. The project is puncheon building(elevated wooden walkway) and trail restoration. Novice carpenters and neophyte trail workers are encouraged. SPACES REMAINING:8 (as of 3/12/08)

National Park Storm Damage: Get your voice heard

From the Washington Trails Association's "Signposts" blog:

"As I make my rounds in Olympia and Washington DC on behalf of our members, I'm frequently asked about the state of our National Parks and Forests in the wake of the 2006 and 2007 storms. It's difficult to convey what happened on those parks in a few words, but I always try to pass on the fact that Mount Rainier, in particular, has benefited from a groundswell of public support in the form of advocacy, coordination and sweat equity. On Monday evening, March 17, you'll have the opportunity to learn more about what happened, what's been done and how to help more. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to make your voice heard by some of the people who have the power to preserve our parks and forests for the long term. I urge you to take advantage of that opportunity...."

Mount Rainier Storm Recovery effort honored

Here's a short article about our Cooperative Conservation Award in The News Tribune. (Update: Here's a more complete article.)

Also, in my e-mail in-box today, this note from Chris Jarvi, NPS Associate Director of Partnerships and Visitor Experience:

"I want to congratulate you once again for a job very well done. I know that an award of this importance is given only when there is a strong team effort on the part of everyone involved with the volunteer program. Therefore, the success and the accolades are deservedly shared by everyone with a part in making the program a success. You and your team make us all very proud because of this national recognition.

"I hope to see you at the awards ceremony in Washington DC on April 21st. Again, my sincere congratulations on a job well done."

Status of volunteer positions for 2008

I've been getting quite a few inquiries about volunteer opportunities for this summer, so here's a quick summary of where we stand and how to find further information.

SCA Internships: If you're looking for full-time volunteer positions, we have several currently advertised through the Student Conservation Association. You'll find a complete listing of these positions (usually 12 weeks in length) on SCA's website.

Full-time and Long-term Assignments: We also have several other long-term positions that are not being advertised through SCA. Some of these positions are full-time--Campground Hosts, for instance, or Curatorial Assistants. Others are "long-term" in the sense that we're looking for someone who can return repeatedly, but who wouldn't live full-time on-site here in the park. Our Meadow Rovers are a good example of these positions. You'll find these posted on our NPS website, and you can apply directly online.

Coming Soon: If you don't see a position that interests you, keep an eye on both of the aforementioned websites, because other positions will get posted as we continue planning for our summer programs. We're considering some very exciting new opportunities, including amphibian surveys, soundscape monitoring, and historic structure restoration.

General Volunteer Opportunities: In addition, you can apply for a "general volunteer opportunity," or send me an e-mail, if you'd like to be considered for potential future positions. Note, however, that only a very small percentage of people who apply in this way end up getting hired as volunteers. You're much more likely to end up with a good volunteer assignment if you apply directly to something we're recruiting for.

Our Mailing List: You can also just send me an e-mail and ask to be put on our volunteer program mailing list, to be notified when new opportunities become available.

Blog Notices: Keep an eye on this website, too. I try to post notices about new volunteer positions here when they become available.

The Mount Rainier Recovery Initiative: One of our most successful programs last year was through our partnership with the Student Conservation Association. We will again offer many such opportunities this year, from trail reconstruction and meadow repair to wilderness cleanup and historic campground restoration. Like last year, these opportunities will be posted on SCA's Mount Rainier Recovery calendar. We'll start posting new projects by early May. (Most places in the park aren't snow-free until June or even July!) These projects will last anywhere from one day to a full week. Some will suitable for families while others won't, so read the job descriptions carefully.

Group projects: If you're part of an organized group and would like to come volunteer together, contact us and we'll try to connect you up with a good project! We already have numerous groups on our calendar for this summer. Jill Baum (360-569-2211 ext. 3414) is usually our Project Manager for such events, but she's out on vacation for most of the month of March (in New Zealand, the lucky bum!), so in the meantime, give me a call at extension 3385 or drop me an e-mail.

Washington Trails Association: Like last year, you'll also have lots of opportunities this year to do trail work through WTA, who has assigned a full-time trails manager to organize projects in the park. Check out their website for a full list of opportunities, which are generally posted about six weeks out and fill up rapidly.

Other partners: The National Parks Conservation Association also has volunteer opportunities occastionally that support Washington's national parks--either on-the-ground work, or letter writing campaigns. Washington's National Park Fund coordinates fundraising on behalf of the parks. The Mountaineers organize recreational and educational trips to national parks and other public lands. Visit the Northwest Parks and Public Lands Storm Recovery Coalition's blog for more information.

I hope that gives you a few ideas about how to keep busy this spring and summer!

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-

Land deal preserves entrance corridor to Mount Rainier National Park

From the National Parks Traveler website:

"If you've ever entered Mount Rainier National Park's Nisqually Entrance via Ashford, Washington, you're well aware of the long corridor of trees you pass through. Now, thanks to the Nisqually Land Trust, you don't have to worry about those trees being reduced to stumps...."

The Nisqually Land Trust is a non-profit group whose members have invested hundreds of hours of volunteer time on a project that will provide direct benefits to Mount Rainier National Park and its visitors.

Update: Here's a more extensive article, with a map, in the Tacoma News Tribune.

Tough hike

Meanwhile, back in the real world, this activity report from one of our volunteers patroling the Carbon River corner of the park--a typical day in the forest for such volunteers:

Activity Report, Saturday, March 8, 2008, Green Lake

It’s still a tough hike to Green Lake. Conditions will vary depending on surface temperature, of course, and today the snow was mostly firm enough to support me without snowshoes. I carried them to GL and back today. Of course when that’s the case the surface can be slippery. That’s the tradeoff. I love my Yaktrac’s.

I cleared 5 inches of snow and ice from the foot bridge. There is at least 3 feet of snow in GL pass. Currently the snow level places the hiker around 4-1/2 feet above footbridge level. I cut in and compacted some steps down to the footbridge on both sides. They probably won’t last very long, though.

There’s another old growth down a short distance above the other one. Both are on the switchbacks above RF. This one you can crawl under, but I still need to cut the switchback in order to get around the other. Lots of smaller trees are down, including one at the RF overlook and one on the spur to the overlook. Also, there’s more debris on trail than I can remember from past years.

Only one set of prints made it to GL recently. He lost the trail below GL pass but managed to find the pass and re-set. Somehow he made it over the OG. Don’t know how; it’s chest high, on a 15 degree angle and slippery.

Snow begins shortly after the washout and builds to around 1-1/2 feet at GLTH. In a few places it has melted along the edge of the road so that you can avoid it. Otherwise it’s an ankle tester.

Plenty of visitors today, and some new tracks after mine on the lower part of GL trail, but I didn’t see the visitors. Probably just too much work for them.

George Coulbourn

Blogging from San Francisco

I'm back in San Francisco this week, helping to present volunteer program training at Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This is a training exercise as well, as we'll be offering the same training at Mount Rainier at the end of May (on the 28th and 29th). Unfortunately, I've secumbed to a virus of some kind, and have spent the second day of training laid up in bed feeling miserable while the others in our group meet on the waterfront near Fort Point, with a magnificent view of the Golden Gate Bridge under sunny skies and 65 degree temperatures! Oh well.

Tomorrow evening I head home... but first, my fellow volunteer program managers and I will spend the morning reviewing applications for Special Project Funding in support of volunteer programs throughout the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service. There are some very creative ideas out there--community VIP coordinators, oral history projects, paleontology interns, tribal partnerships--as well as a lot of well-deserving everyday needs--radios, rain gear, fleece vests, and backpacks. I look forward to reading through the proposals. From here, our top 10 projects will go to the national level, where some of them will hopefully get funded. The rest will return to our region, and we'll fund as many of the ones that are left as we can. Ultimately, we're talking about $158,102 for 30 projects in our region, any one of which would provide tremendous benefits for our parks through partnerships with volunteers. It's too bad we can't fund them all!

Mean- while, I'm working on a press release about our Cooper- ative Conser- vation Award; writing grant proposals; and working with my SCA counterpart, Jill Baum, to plan this summer's volunteer program. We have the first draft of a training schedule, so that should be ready to release soon. We've lined up funding and made job offers for ten Conservation Corps members who will work with supervisors throughout the park to organize volunteer projects. We're beginning to put together a calendar of activities for the summer--that should be ready to release soon, too. And we're already getting lots of calls and e-mails from people anxious to put those projects on their calendars. We'll try to get specifics to you as soon as possible. We appreciate your support!