During our work restoring the Rainforest Loop Trail off of the Carbon River Road last year, it became apparent that the Park needed a means of transporting large logs to be used as stringers in the boardwalk sections of the trail (that didn't involve 6-8 people with straps attempting to negotiate the cosiderably uneven terrain). One of our volunteers, Tom, worked with the trails crew to design and build this log hauler to take on that job. This new tool will help to free up volunteers to work on other parts of the trail and make transporting those large logs safer. 

We also had the opportunity to donate funds to the Law Enforcement for the much needed enhancements to the snowmobile trailer for the East side of the Park. These upgrades allow for safer loading and unloading of snowmobiles, additional storage systems for tools and safety equipment, and the installation of a system to charge and maintain snowmobile batteries during the off-season in order to reduce the need to replace dead batteries.

More recently, MRNPA provided funding to purchase three radio units (radio, antenna, battery, clamshell, and charger) to be used specifically by volunteer Meadow Rovers at the Paradise and Sunrise visitor areas at Mt Rainier. The three radio units replaced three older radio units that were no longer functional. Radios are an integral part of the Meadow Rover’s gear and provide communications in emergency situations, missing person events, wildlife interactions, and general communications for visitor and employee safety.

​MRNPA donated seed funds to WWC so they could apply for a grant to support a trail crew at Mount Rainier.  WCC used the grant money to pay for a crew of 6 people (one WCC Washington State employee supervisor and 5 AmeriCorps “volunteers”) who worked a total of 12 weeks over a period of two years doing trail construction and maintenance totally within Mount Rainier National Park. The grant was titled the Vanishing Trails Initiative, Project 14-1882, and was conducted during the 2016-2017 seasons.

In addition to trail maintenance and work parties during the year, MRNPA has the privilege of providing funding to various projects within the Park.  This year we were able to assist the rangers by providing the Mount Rainier Nordic Patrol with funding for  new vests.  In addition to being practical for the Nordic Patrol on the Mountain, they are very visible and make the Patrol more accessible to the public.  Shown is the Nordic Patrol sporting their new vests during a 2016 training session.

MRNPA donated funds to purchase a West district search and rescue (SAR)/mass casualty trailer, similar in scope to the Eastside SAR Trailer donation of 2008.  This trailer allows all the SAR equipment to be quickly transported to the needed location by simply attaching the trailer to the back of almost any ranger’s truck.

A donation was made to fund the lease during the summer 2011 season of a Ford pickup truck to be used for the Roadside Assistance for Visitors in Need (RAVN) program. The RAVN program operates June through August on the south side of the park assisting park visitors in need of help with their vehicles and providing traffic control during emergency operations and during times of heavy traffic congestion. RAVN volunteers work 6-7 days a week. In 2015 park visitors avoided an estimated $52,000 in towing charges as result of receiving assistance from the RAVN volunteers.

A donation was also made to the Restoration Program to purchase the parts to construct a portable misting system to be used in the greenhouse at Tahoma Woods. At the greenhouse, native seeds and cuttings are propagated that are later planted in meadows that are being restored. The addition of a misting system to the greenhouse will increase the number of plants that can be propagated and having a portable system will allow greater flexibility of its use.

A donation was made for the purchase of crushed rock, and dirt and stone tread mixture used for repairing and maintaining various sections of the Wonderland Trail.

A donation was made for the purchase of cedar logs which were used to replace old and unsafe fencing along the trail between the Narada Falls parking lot and the falls overlook. This new fencing was installed as part of rehabilitating this section of trail that receives high use by park visitors. A small amount of this donation was also used to buy tread materials for this section of trail.

A donation was made for the purchase of building materials used to repair damage and correct drainage problems at the historic backcountry shelter at Indian Bar on the Wonderland Trail. Subsequently this donation was matched by the federal government through a program called NPS CENTENNIAL PROJECT. This program is no longer operating.

A donation was made for the purchase of a utility trailer, including hangers, racks, and fittings, which is used by the NPS rangers on the east and north sides of the park to store search and rescue equipment as one mobile package. This trailer allows all the SAR equipment to be quickly transported to the needed location by simply attaching the trailer to the back of almost any ranger’s truck.

​A donation was made for the purchase of building materials which were used during the renovation of the historic fire lookout located on Fremont Peak near Sunrise.

​A donation was made for the purchase of equipment and materials which were used at the greenhouse at Tahoma Woods and on site at the former Sunrise campground for the ongoing effort to re-establish meadows of native plants at this former campground.

A donation was made for the purchase of dirt and stone trail tread mixture which was used to repair badly eroded sections of the trail in Grand Park.