It’s officially September now, which means a few things: end-of-summer BBQ’s, boxed wine, and back-to-school deals on things not related at all to school.
On a more serious note, September 2017 marks the end of my season as a Park Ranger at Mt. Rainier National Park and the beginning of my final year as an undergraduate at Lewis & Clark College. So I’ve decided to write a little something to sum this summer up, just like last season. It’s absolutely mind-blowing that three months have passed in the blink of an eye since I’ve donned the ubiquitous ranger flat-hat and raised the flag at the Paradise Visitor Center for the first time. Now, I’m on my final days here in the old growth groves and subalpine meadows of Mt. Rainier – my last day is in three days and school begins the day after.
Stepping into the world of Mt. Rainier National Park back in May was like entering Narnia; enormous hemlock and douglas firs covered by a dazzling assortment of lichens and mosses, salamanders and newts living their quiet lives hidden in shaded streams and creeks, powerful and roaring glacier-fed riviers, towering lava ridges dotted with columnar jointing giving hints to the park’s eventful geologic history, and set in the epi-center of this vast swath of land is the ever-present mountain itself – all 14,410 ft of it.
But beyond the magnificence of waking up each morning on the grounds of this pacific northwest paradise, my three months here have given me other things. Back in March, I had surgery for a seriously fractured ankle that left me suddenly jobless for the summer (field-work and broken ankles don’t mix well). Mt. Rainier was a wonderful place to nurture my injury. Our small government village of Longmire here in the park hosts a close-knit community of seasonals, and from this community I’ve made many close friends – indeed, it is this circle of absolutely killer co-workers and friends that has made my season here at Rainier one of the best out of my 5 seasons working for parks and forests. For this, I am truly truly grateful.
I worked many hours to make sure that visitors were enjoying a safe and fun visit to the park. As a team, we staffed the visitor center front desk, responded to search-and-rescue missions, developed and presented over 40 ranger programs, and handled animal-visitor encounters. Our team of front-line rangers was the face of Mt. Rainier this summer, and I couldn’t be more proud of helping the countless families and visitors create meaningful experiences and connections to this park. If I were to list all the things we did this season as rangers though, I’d be here all day!
This summer has been hands-down my favorite, and it’s all thanks to the many people – friends, family, professors, bosses, co-workers, and strangers – that I even had this great opportunity. So on that note, I’d like to give some shout-outs to my boss Marc Blackburn for taking me on this summer, my Mt. Rainier co-workers and friends Logan Wegemeyer, Jason Gross, Katie Karnes, Tina Seeger, Taylor Jurado, Brian Powers, Nora-Rose Hencir, Rachel Jantzi, Grant Smith, Scott McLean, Steve Redman, and Cassie Absher for the killer memories and adventures, my housemates Josh and Matt for our non-stop party house, my family for being my family, and my professors Jessica Kleiss, Jim Proctor, Liz Safran, Atsuko Kurogi, and Paulette Bierzychudek for the inspiration, guidance, support, and care you’ve provided us LC kids!
As I watch my final sunsets at Rainier, I’m brimming with the joy and memories from this summer. Whether I like it or not, the time is here to get back to business and finish my final year at Lewis & Clark, and I’m positive that this new school year will be just as memorable as my time at Rainier.
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