Largest Volunteer Clean Up At A National Park Coming To Yosemite
Yosemite, CA – Yosemite climbers and others are about to kick off this year’s edition of what rangers say is the largest organized volunteer clean-up in any national park.
In fact, Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Climbing Association officials share that the invitation is still open for folks to come out and be part of the 16th Annual Facelift, an extensive parkwide effort held following the busy tourist season.
The annual event officially leads off with an evening reception on tomorrow as it will be the last Tuesday of September when things traditionally get underway. Then from Wednesday through next Monday, participants will be focusing on gathering and removing trash and debris from all around the park; including roadways, river corridors, trails, and climbing routes as well as in parking, camping, and lodging areas.
Last year, 3,334 Yosemite Facelift volunteers logging a total of 11,700 hours collected and removed 14,126 pounds of trash and debris, more than half of which was small and micro trash.
Anyone interested may sign up at the booth in front of the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Wednesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Sunday, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. There will also be a second check-in station at Tuolumne Meadows Store that in operation Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. both days.
All volunteers must sign up at one of the booths before participating in the clean-up. At those locations, they will meet up with crew leaders who will organize work groups and hand out trash bags, gloves, and litter sticks. Trash must be returned to the booths each day by the registration area’s closing time to be weighed and sorted. At the end of the day, volunteers are invited to participate in nightly gear raffles and engaging evening programs.
As in tandem, the park will also be celebrating National Public Lands Day this Saturday, officials are waiving entrance fees on Saturday. There is also a Yosemite Volunteer Awards Ceremony planned that day at 4 p.m. in front of the Valley Visitor Center.
Initiated back in 2004 and still sponsored by the Yosemite Climbing Association, the Yosemite Facelift is intended to encourage climbers and other visitors to clean up the park at the end of the busy summer season. For more information and a schedule of events, click here.
