Elwha River Trail Blazer

Blue Warriors! We are looking for TWELVE (12) experienced, fit and outdoor enthusiasts to join our National Parks Conservation Association's colleagues to tackle an important project for our national park. Are you one of the "Dirty Dozen?" THE CHALLENGE: There is a pressing need to help advance restoration of the upper Elwha River, a world class river recovery project following the removal a few years ago of the last dam (Glines Canyon) in this watershed at Olympic National Park. Salmon are already passing through the area to reclaim their habitat denied them nearly a century ago. But securing that habitat depends upon the success of new plantings along the uncovered former reservoir bottom. The Elwha is seeing lots of new visitors, even now with the road partially washed out by the newly freed river. This popularity has begun to result in numerous “social trails” where visitors have randomly walked around the restoration area, potentially threatening the growth of new plantings. Our mission will be to clearly define a preferred hiking route up the old reservoir bottom to connect with a parallel forest trail. This will create a family-friendly loop trail for future visitors to enjoy while they avoid important restoration plantings and monitoring sites. NPS staff will flag the desired route. Our work will include collecting wood from the nearby area to mark the path, and in some locations properly terracing a trail along the slopes. This will be one of our more challenging projects because it requires walking in along a trail around the washout, then up the paved and dirt road to the old reservoir site. We’ll need to carry in our own personal gear for the day – outdoor clothes, water, lunch, work gloves – and then walk out when the job is done, a 6 miles roundtrip plus working along with another mile or so of trail route. The grades are easy to moderate, but be prepared for some distance walking. This project will add a crucial missing link to the trail network now in place and will help secure the success of upper Elwha revegetation and habitat restoration in the largest watershed in the park. And now is the time to do it before the road reopens and even more people come to visit the area. https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/leader-of-revegetation-effort-revels-in-growth-on-the-elwha-river/ SCOPE OF OPERATIONS: AT 0900, Saturday, 08SEP18 Volunteers will meet at parking lot up Olympic Hot Springs Road in Elwha River valley inside park boundary (where the road is blocked). We will hike 3 miles up the trail and closed a road to Glines Canyon dam site (and back), then along former reservoir bottom up to a mile or so (and back). Must carry personal clothing, lunch, and water for the day. Be prepared for hot/sunny or cool/wet conditions – it’s the Olympics! So… raincoat, warm layer, sunhat, and sunglasses, work gloves if you have them (otherwise they’ll be provided). This project is about defining a hiking trail to avoid restoration plantings and routes subject to erosion; NPS will flag the desired route; volunteers will mark the route with wood harvested from the immediate area; some shovel/pick work for terracing new trail may be needed. Work involved is carrying river drift wood to mark trails, some shoveling in dirt river banks, carrying needed tools along new trail (NPS will bring tools – picks, shovels – to the work site). Volunteers walk in and back; NPS gets any needed materials and tools to the site. Target will be 20 volunteers total from NPCA and The Mission Continues (12 total), with 4-5 NPS staff for support and direction. Superintendent Sarah Creachbaum has invited everyone to a BBQ at her house on Saturday night. NOTE: free camping and park admission is available on Friday and Saturday night in the park near Port Angeles for project volunteers

Type

Support Event

What To Wear

Self-sustained packing of rain gear, warm layers, extra socks, hat, sunglasses, excellent hiking boots (waterproof preferred),

What to Bring

Enough food and water for the day (tent and additional meals for those who decide to camp overnight) - Water purification system - Personal Tent - Work Gloves

Inclement Weather

Pack to anticipate wet and slippery conditions