The first Mount Rainier National Park Associates trails work party for the season will be Saturday. Volunteers will be working on the Trail of the Shadows at Longmire.
Participants should meet in the parking lot at Longmire, near the museum and across from the Wilderness Information Center, at about 8:30 a.m. and be ready to move out by 9 a.m.
If you are planning to attend, be prepared for a short hike to the work site. Volunteers should bring a lunch and plenty of fluids to drink, work gloves and safety glasses and a full set of rain gear. Even in late April, it is common to have rain or wet snow falling at Mount Rainier, so bring some warm clothing too.
The group also reminds volunteers of its rule for trail work. Anyone using an aggressive tool – such as a Pulaski, ax or shovel, and anyone working near them – is required to wear a hard hat and safety glasses. People working with or near less aggressive tools are not required, but will be encouraged to wear a hard hat. If you own a hard hat, bring it. If you do not have a hard hat, the group has hard hats for the day.
Wearing safety glasses also is encouraged at all times.
If you plan to attend the trails work party, send an email to John Titland, the group’s volunteer coordinator, at volunteer@mrnpa.org. The email should indicate the number of volunteers expected to accompany you. Titland needs an estimate of the number of volunteers so park staff members can be sure to have enough tools for all.
ANNUAL VOLUNTEER LUNCH
Mount Rainier National Park will hold its annual lunch for volunteers at 10 a.m. May 5 at the Community Building at Longmire.
The event is a kickoff to the volunteer season and is a chance to learn about everything that’s going on at Mount Rainier and its volunteer program. If you’ve been a volunteer before, you can learn what’s new for this year. If you’ve never volunteered, this is a good time to learn about the many opportunities available for people of all ages and interests.
Volunteers and potential volunteers who attend this event will be granted free admission to the park. Sign up by sending an email to Kevin_Bacher@nps.gov so he can prepare a list of names to give to the rangers at the entrance station.
The brunch is potluck, so attendees are asked to bring a dish to share. People will gather at 10 a.m., eat at 10:30 a.m. and have a short presentation at 11 a.m. about park news and plans for the upcoming supper season.
Afterward, you can 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.
AVALANCHE COURSE
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle is hosting an event for the Friends of Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center from 2-3 p.m. Saturday. The program will be on avalanche awareness.
Admission is free. The park is at 319 2nd Ave. S. For more information, call 206-220-4238.
Tune in to parks
If you can’t make it to a national park during National Park Week, tune into Planet Green, Monday-Friday at 8 p.m. The channel will be airing different shows focusing on national parks.
The shows offer insider tips and little-known facts to help plan your next visit to a national park. Here is the rundown of shows:
Monday: “Fearless Planet” looks at Grand Canyon National Park.
Tuesday: “National Parks: Extreme Maintenance”
Wednesday: “Secrets of Hawaii’s National Parks”
Thursdays: “Wonders of America’s National Park”
Friday: “Secrets of Denali National Park”
In Tacoma, the programs can be found on Comcast’s Channel 201 or Click’s Channel 222.
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