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The Trip

Olympic National Park in northwestern Washington State has been designated as both an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage site. These designations acknowledge the valuable diversity of the park's natural wonders. This area is home to freshwater and saltwater beaches, rivers and lakes, mountains and glaciers, valley streams and waterfalls, rare old-growth temperate rain forests, and hot springs. This unique park provides habitat to Roosevelt Elk, black bear, mountain goats, and countless other wildlife. The park encompasses two parts of the Olympic Peninsula -- the interior mountains and the coastal strip -- and is 95 percent designated wilderness.

More than 3,500 miles of rivers and streams connect the mountains, forest, and sea of Olympic National Park. For millennia the Elwha River, the largest watershed in the park, ran free and provided habitat for a rich wildlife community, including hundreds of thousands of fish. When two dams (Elwha and Glines Canyon) were built on the lower river in the early 1900s to produce hydroelectric power, the rich habitat of the valley was altered. When legal challenges to dam licensing arose in the 1980s, Congress settled the issue by passing the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act in 1992. Years of research revealed that dam removal is the only way to mend the valley's ecological health, including restoring the salmon runs. In September of 2011 the dam removal began after generations of discussions and studies. The freeing of the Elwha is the largest dam removal in U.S. National Park history. Salmon, wildlife, and vegetation that were once part of the free-flowing Elwha River will now start on a long journey of restoration.

The Project

Have you ever wanted to camp in the backcountry in Olympic National Park and help restore a wilderness area while only backpacking two miles? Then this is the service trip for you.

Our work project will be helping to restore the Boulder Creek Campground area to a wilderness camp by planting native plants. Boulder Creek is located on the western side of the Elwha Valley drainage. The campground was developed by the CCC in the early 1900s along with a paved road to the near by Olympic Hot Springs. The paved road has been removed and the campground is being restored as a Wilderness camp area. We will be working with National Park staff to replant native plants, heather, partridge foot, huckleberry, sedges and grasses that have been grown in the park greenhouses. The project will involve preparing the soil, mulching, planting, and watering the new plants.

We will be working under the supervision of National Park staff who will provide the work training, tools, and safety training for the restoration project. We will work four full days.

Itinerary

We will meet for our trip at Heart of the Hills, a front-country campground in the park near Port Angeles, on Saturday, September 8th in the late afternoon. It's here that we'll also camp for the first two nights of our trip. On Sunday, we will day hike as an introduction to the beautiful park. On Monday, we will drive to the nearby Elwha Valley, meet park rangers, and backpack in two miles to our wilderness work camp at Boulder Creek, where we will stay the rest of our week. We will be working four full days, but we're lucky to have a nature cure for any aching muscles nearby -- daily soaking in the hot springs is a possibility! We will have a free day off on Wednesday to hike, explore the area, rest, or soak in the hot springs. The trip will end after breakfast on Saturday, September 15th.

Getting There

Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula is the closest town and is about a 20-minute drive to the Heart of the Hills campground. The nearest large airport is Seattle-Tacoma, across Puget Sound from the Olympic Peninsula. SeaTac airport is approximately three hours by car from Port Angeles. Those arriving by car may use ferries from the Seattle area or from Victoria, British Columbia. Commercial shuttle services may also be taken from SeaTac airport to Port Angeles. A small airport in Port Angeles has regular connections to SeaTac. A local taxi is available to take you from Port Angeles to our camp. Carpooling/ridesharing is also encouraged. The trip leader will send all participants a list of others coming on the outing, along with their contact information so that they may form carpools or make other arrangements to travel together and thereby reduce costs.

Accommodations and Food

We will be tent camping in a National Park Wilderness Campground. Boulder Creek campground is located up the Elwha Valley near the Olympic Hot Springs. The campground has outhouses and water in the nearby creeks. After our first two nights in the front country we will backpack into our base camp. You will need to have a backpack and be able to carry your personal gear that you need for the week. The two-mile trail is a well maintained and located at the end of the Hot Springs Road. The weather in early September is usually warm and dry, but we need to be prepared for all kinds of weather.

All meals and snacks are included in the trip fee, beginning with dinner on day one and ending with breakfast on day eight. Trip menu planning considers that there is no refrigeration and food must be protected from the animals in provided bear vaults. We provide healthy, nutritious, vegetarian-friendly meals with a small amount of meat, along with dairy and soy products that are added to ensure proper protein. Come with the attitude that camp food is part of the adventure!

We have a group commissary, with everyone taking turns in food preparation. Before applying for the trip, people with food allergies and/or strong food preferences must contact the cook to see if accommodations are possible.

Trip Difficulty

We will be doing moderate physical labor, sometimes involving walking over uneven terrain. The work will include digging, lifting, and bending. You must also be able to carry your personal gear in your backpack the two miles to our wilderness base camp. You must be in good physical condition to enjoy this trip. A regular exercise program will help you prepare for the work.

Equipment and Clothing

The NPS will provide the tools for the work project. You will need a tent with a full rain fly, ground cloth, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. In addition to your regular camping gear, come prepared to work with sturdy boots, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and work gloves. You will also need a day pack to carry your lunch, water, raingear, sunscreen, and any other things you will need for the day. We will provide the food and the necessary commissary for cooking.

A full list of needed equipment will be sent to you after you've been accepted onto the trip. If you have questions please contact the trip leader.

References

Maps:

• National Geographic Map: Trails Illustrated Map #216, Olympic National Park
• Olympic National Park-National Park Service

Books:

• Crane, Jeff, Finding the River: An Environmental History of the Elwha.
• Warren, Henry C., Olympic: The Story Behind the Scenery.
• Wood, Robert L., The Land that Slept Late.
• McNulty, Tim: Olympic National Park - A Natural History.
• Romano, Craig: Day Hiking, Olympic Peninsula.

Websites:

• www.seattletimes.com/elwha
• www.nps.gov/olym
• http://www.nps.gov/olym/photosmultimedia/elwha-river-webcams.htm

Conservation

The Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers and aided by a salaried staff, and encourages grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding, advocacy, and participation in the goals of the Club.

In the Olympic Park area harvesting of old-growth and surrounding forests has sparked controversy throughout the Pacific Northwest. Other issues are saving the salmon, and dam removal on the rivers. All are complex issues, involving jobs and the clash between traditional ways of life and ecosystem protection for many species, including endangered mammals and birds.

The Elwha is the Olympic Peninsula's largest watershed, and prior to the construction of two dams in the early 1900s, was known for its impressive salmon returns. Today, the Elwha River is the site of one of the largest ecosystem restoration projects in National Park Service history. Removal of two dams on the Elwha River will being the restoration of the river to its natural free-flowing state, allowing all five species of Pacific salmon and other anadromous fish to once again reach habitat and spawning grounds.

Trip Price

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Staff

Leader:

Ann Daigle has led outings for many years in the Northwest, Southwest and Rocky Mountains. Leading several trips a year, she is an avid hiker and backpacker and loves sharing her passion of the wilderness trails with all who will join her. Ann and her family live in the Pacific Northwest on a small ranch. When not on the trails she spends her time out of doors caring for their many adopted animal pets, trails, and gardens. Please contact her if you have questions about this trip at:

E-mail: jjanro@comcast.net

Cook:

Jann Brown, who lives in Portland, Oregon, is an experienced camper and hiker and enjoys traveling and many outdoor activities. She has led or cooked on service trips in a variety of places in California, Oregon, and Nevada as well as Wyoming.

E-mail: brownjann@hotmail.com

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Wilderness Manners