Crater Lake National Park

The soothing serenity of this place is almost ominous. We entered the park in the middle of the night during a snowfall - something very common in one of the nation's snowiest places (822 inches of snow during 1948-49). After driving through 12 foot high walls of shoveled snow, we eventually made our way to a dead end at the Crater Lake Lodge where we found the park empty and dark except for the warm oasis of the 24-hour bathrooms. From a twilight visit and the blind sense of vastness to the early morning trek through knee-deep snow, the deepest lake in the U.S. (1,949 feet deep and formed after the collapse of the volcanic Mt. Mazama) never failed to amaze. A caldera filled with only direct precipitation, Crater Lake is as blue and clear as it is deep. Except for the formations of Wizard Island and the Phantom Ship, it is a mirror. We only found a few pieces of trash, but it could have all been covered by snow. Read more about this water bowl here: http://www.nps.gov/crla/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 5 pieces

Description: corners of plastic candy bar wrappers

Dates visited: March 29-30, 2009

Trash Collected from March 19-29

315 Pounds

Collected in: Point Reyes National Seashore, Highways 1 and 101, Redwood National and State Parks

Details on Weigh-in #5 (in lbs):
20, 17.5, 14, 25, 21, 20.5, 25, 24, 21, 22, 18, 35, 16, and 28 (tire) - Jedidiah Smith Redwood State Park
+
1 - Redwood National Park
+
7 - Point Reyes National Seashore and Highways 1 and 101
=
315 lbs

Redwood National and State Parks

Tall trees...we could leave it at that. The coastal redwoods, kin to the giant sequoias of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, are the tallest living species on the planet. Reaching as high as 379 feet, it is like sitting in an Imax theater. This park was established with the pen of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 after intense advocacy to "save the trees" (and found its first fan, coincidentally, in Lady Bird Johnson who after a tour in 1969 during the dedication ceremony became the namesake for one of its most famous groves). It was formed from land purchased to protect these giant wonders and because of this is scattered along the northern coast of California, pieced together as a semi-continuous forest. We spent two days making our way from groves in both the national park and the state parks. It was during our second day that we ran across our largest trash find yet - over 300 pounds of wet clothes, a tire, and water hose, in Jedidiah Smith Redwood State Park - a sad site of what seemed to be a garage sale dumped over the side of Howland Hill Road. After an hour or so of collecting this eye sore, we continued our journey of amazement through this eerie place (did you know that the Ewoks, of Star Wars fame, who lived on the forest moon of Endor actually just lived in the Redwood forest?; signs even suggest that the Ewoks have a neighbor - Big Foot). Read more about the trees, and not Big Foot or Ewoks, here: http://www.nps.gov/redw/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 440 pieces

Description: corners of plastic wrappers, cigarette butts, bags of wet used clothes, tire, and water hose

Dates visited: March 28-29, 2009

California Highway 1 and U.S. Route 101

Not many highways can surpass being mere corridors between point A and point B to become actual site-seeing destinations themselves. A few on our list are the Autobahn (because you can go whatever speed you like), Route 66 (the most famous American highway), Highway 61 (visited or revisited), and the Pig Trail (Arkansas Highway 23). And now added to that list are California's Highway 1 and the entire Pacific-coast-hugging U.S. Route 101. We ventured on and off of these two roads for almost half of our trip and when we got a chance hopped out to pick up roadside trash. From the CA1's Pacific Coast Highway and Big Sur coastline National Scenic Byway to U.S. Route 101's path from the redwoods, through the foggy Oregon coast, and all the way to Washington's Puget Sound, this thoroughfare does not lack adventure. To learn more about these kings of the roads, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Route_1 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_101

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: included in numbers for adjacent parks

Description: N/A

Dates visited: March 17 to April 7, 2009

Point Reyes National Seashore

Where can you find dairy cows, oyster farms, mule deer, a whole host of birds, lighthouses, and high winds all in one place? At Point Reyes National Seashore. This peninsula, found right along the San Andreas fault line, hosts over 71,000 acres of protected grasslands, forest, and shoreline mixed with private land used for raising dairy cows and oysters. On the drive in, we passed dozens of birdwatchers standing silent over their telescoped lenses near the tide pools. Once in the park, we ventured to the most outer point and, just like the trash we found in the low-lying brush, fell victim to the high winds near the Point Reyes Lighthouse. What's best about this living museum of the Pacific coast is that it is merely an hour and half from the exciting neighborhoods of San Francisco. To learn more about one of the handful of national seashores, visit: http://www.nps.gov/pore/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 35 pieces

Description: corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, cigarette butts, and some unknown dead sea plant

Dates visited: March 26, 2009

Trash Collected from March 12-19

7 Pounds

Collected in: Big Sur Coastline, Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is the premier National Park in the United States and one of the favorites of famed naturalist John Muir (see the California quarter). Famous for the tallest waterfall in North America, Yosemite Falls, and gigantic granite monoliths, Half Dome and El Capitan - there is no shortage of beauty to see here. Because these sites are easily accessible, it attracts millions of visitors each year. We collected trash on separate hikes to different waterfalls and at the parking lots nearby the trailheads. To learn more about this must-see park, visit: http://www.nps.gov/yose/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 295 pieces

Description: plastic straws, ABC gum, loose paper, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 18-19, 2009

Big Sur Coastline

Big Sur is where the ocean crashes into the coastal mountains and Highway 1 winds around each steep cliff edge bringing home the grandeur and severity of it all. The landscape switches from the vastness of the Pacific and the setting sun to the calmness of the trees and streams that flow into it all. Bixby Bridge is the most famous of the concrete bridges that dot Highway 1 and a perfect example of how opposites attract, adding a man-made quality to this natural landscape. We picked up trash on a unmarked hike/climb down to the beach underneath Bixby Bridge and at different viewpoints along the coast and throughout Los Padres National Forest and other surrounding protected areas. To learn more about this legendary coastline, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Sur

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 95 pieces

Description: plastic bottles, broken glass, beer cans, plastic bags, concrete bag, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 17-18, 2009

Trash Collected from March 8-12

6 Pounds

Collected in: Red Rocks National Conservation Area, Death Valley National Park, Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Park, and Kings Canyon National Park

Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park

These twin parks boast something found nowhere else in the world - the Giant Sequoias. They only grow on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada in California and really live up to their name as the world's largest trees. The deep snow we encountered upon entering only accentuate the enormous trunks and red spongy bark of these trees. Though two main roads taking hikers deep into the parks were closed for winter, we found a lot of trash at the campsites in which we stayed. Our hikes took us through idyllic meadows guarded by these giants. To learn more about these old red trees, visit: http://www.nps.gov/seki/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 290 pieces

Description: two hubcaps (from the same car), plastic bottles, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, chip bags, plastic bags, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 10-12, 2009

Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument

We entered these forests of giant trees and picked up trash on our way through the southern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and along the Kern River. Most of the trash we collected was in parking lots and on the side of the road. To learn more, visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sequoia/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 45 pieces

Description: cardboard box, plastic bag, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 10, 2009

Death Valley National Park

Not entirely dead, this park is the largest in the lower 48 and encompasses more than just the famously named valley. It is considered a winter park since the climate is too hot for most visitors in the summer and required us to change into some cooler clothes. The park features the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, Badwater, at 282 feet below sea level, sand dunes, marble canyons and much more. The hikes we took were mostly short and sweet and though this park is enormous, we did not find too much trash. To learn more about the hottest and driest place in the United States, visit: http://www.nps.gov/deva/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 30 pieces

Description: corners of plastic candy bar wrappers and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 9-10, 2009

Red Rocks National Conservation Area

Red Rocks is an oasis in a city of lights. Whether you intend to do some serious climbing or just plan on hiking, the short drive from Las Vegas is well worth the trouble. We squeezed our way through the Black Corridor to the Hunter S. Thompson Dome, finding the bulk of the trash at the trailhead. To read more about this climber's paradise, visit: http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock_nca.html

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 25 pieces

Description: popsicle containers, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 8, 2009

Trash Collected from March 1-8

3.5 Pounds

Collected in: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument, Zion National Park, and Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

We escaped to this bizarre yet beautiful park after several days in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. It is a desert and normal but for the piles of rocks and twisted almost-broken arms of the Joshua Trees. We ventured in and around this park for hours, hopping from rock to rock (sometimes sliding down fatal edges), bouldering away from the crowds, and just relaxing. The trash we collected consisted of several broken bottles, most likely shattered glass from the shattered dreams arriving from only two hours away. Our first evening was spent over a good meal at the Crossroads restaurant and the next late into the night with an eclectic group of California transplants. With its central location to L.A. and other metropolitan regions and the availability of rocks for all levels of climbers, Joshua Tree National Park is a popular destination. To learn more about this rock world, visit: http://www.nps.gov/jotr/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 200 pieces

Description: plastic bottles, glass bottles, orange peels, broken glass, cool whip container, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 6-8, 2009

Zion National Park

This truly is the promise land. And we were lucky enough to again enter a national park as the sun was setting during our drive from the east entrance of Zion to the south entrance and our campsite. Before setting up the tent and filling our water bottles, we collected trash from the parking lot at the visitors center. In the morning we quickly packed up and drove the 4 miles to the Riverside Walk, a 1 mile trail along the Virgin River. This trail was fairly clean, with much of the concentration of trash in and around the parking lot and trail entrance. This river allows the plush landscape of Zion to grow in a desert climate and is what forms this canyon of sandstone thrones. After our walk/drive through the canyon, we scaled our way up Angel's Landing, a 2.5 mile climb to the top of Zion offering views of the valley from all angles. Across a spine of rocks, we gathered trash that had collected along the brush, most likely dropped by eager hikers who could not retrieve their litter because of the steep drop-offs. The abundance of plant life keeps the trash closer to the trails, highlighting the carelessness of some but also making our job easier. To learn more about Utah's first national park, visit: http://www.nps.gov/zion/index.htm

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 175 pieces

Description: plastic bottles, coke cans, a plastic bag, ABC gum, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 1-2, 2009

Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument

A visit to the last mapped area of the continental U.S. will leave you with an idea of a color palette for your next painting. Meshed between a few national parks and national recreation areas, Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument is from another world. Stop by the Bureau of Land Management Visitors Center and learn about the history of dinosaurs and the number of fossils scattered throughout this area surrounding the Escalante River. We barely scratched the surface of this 1.9 million acres of land and thus only found a couple pieces of trash. We took a hike to the toadstools, which reminded us of the Valley of the Moon in the Andes of Argentina, when traveling from the Grand Canyon to Zion. And over a month later we passed through the northern parts of the staircase on our way from Arches to Bryce Canyon and stopped to see the Escalante River flowing by. To learn more about our nation's last protected area, visit: http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/grand_staircase-escalante.html

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 10 pieces

Description: tissue paper, plastic bottle, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers and cigarette butt

Dates visited: March 1, 2009 and April 15, 2009

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

We spent a short time in and around the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, as it is mainly a summer hot spot because of the activities on the dam-created Lake Powell. But the town of Page, Arizona, was a perfect stop over on our way from the Grand Canyon to Zion National Park. While here, we took two hikes - both short in distance but littered with a fair share of waste. The first was to the edge of a 1,000-foot drop-off at the panorama of Horseshoe Bend and the second was to a view of the Glen Canyon Dam, one of many along the mighty Colorado River - a river that seems to connect more protected areas in this nation than almost anywhere else. To read more about this water and rock wonderland, visit: http://www.nps.gov/glca/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 30 pieces

Description: tissue paper, chapstick container, coke cans, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers and cigarette butts

Dates visited: March 1, 2009

Trash Collected from February 25-March 1

5 Pounds

Collected in: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, and Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

We arrived at this majestic and massive canyon at sunset on its 90th anniversary. After two days of hiking and camping in and around this sometimes vertigo-inducing site, we left worn and ready to return. On our first morning, we hiked up and down the Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point, covering a total of 12 miles. We followed that up the next day with 6 miles on the South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton Point. Both trails are frequented by visitors on a daily basis and so had some trash, especially in and around the marked rest stops. We have found so far that when there are camping sites within a park (and thus longer term visitors, and also more visitors), there is a greater chance that wind or loose hands may cause some trash to get away. However, the Grand Canyon is still a very clean place. Read more about the layers of this landscape here: www.nps.gov/grca/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 150 pieces

Description: pieces of rebar, two plastic bottles, corners of plastic candy bar wrappers, and cigarette butts

Dates visited: February 26-28, 2009

Wupatki National Monument

A nice drive with several stops along the way with beautiful vistas and opportunities to visit buildings from a pueblo from this land's past. This drive is a continuation from Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and both of these can be seen in an afternoon. The trash we collected here was mostly along the roadway but some in and around the ruins - still a very clean park. Read more about those who were here before at: www.nps.gov/wupa/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 12 pieces

Description: paper receipt and cigarette butts

Date visited: Thursday, February 26, 2009

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

An amazing mixture of colors form this crater and the surrounding Bonito Lava Flow. A quick walk through this area will confirm the fact that the smaller the park, the lesser the amount of trash. What we picked up here was near the parking area. Read more about the seismic activity in this area here: www.nps.gov/sucr/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 3 pieces

Description: a lip balm container and cigarette butt

Date visited: Thursday, February 26, 2009

Montezuma Castle National Monument

This quaint cliff dwelling and the surrounding walk was absolutely clean. A wonderful start to our trip. Read more about this "high-rise apartment" here: www.nps.gov/moca/

Approximate trash/recyclables collected: 0 pieces

Date visited: Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Welcome!

We want to welcome everyone to our blog. We are excited to keep you updated about our travels and commitment to picking up trash along the way. To start things off we are going to copy the e-mail we sent to the National Park Service to inform them about our project and the dates we will be in their parks. If you have any questions or suggestions, please put them in the comments section. We will try and update this blog once a week, depending on internet availability. Also, please check out our other blog, www.goldrushof09.blogspot.com, to get greater insight into our trip.


To the National Park Service:

We are contacting your offices to inform your staffs about a project called Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Read: Taking Trash from the Trails to the Teachers.

We are dedicating our time to clean up the environment as we hike, climb, swim, walk, float, and bike the nation's local, state, and national parks and protected wildlife and recreation zones.

Through the Clinton Global Initiative University we have committed to collect at least 300 pounds of trash/recyclables and to speak to at least 15 classes of elementary school children, reaching at least 300 students, about our project.

Specific to the first part of our commitment, we will be collecting trash left from previous visitors as we enjoy these areas. After removing the refuse, we will weigh it towards our total and then place it in the correct recycling, compost, or waste bins. We will use parts of it to make art pieces to use during our demonstrations to local schools.

Specific to the second part of our commitment, we have designed a 20 minute presentation for local schools that will include interactive portions and a focus on their local environment. We will engage the students with questions about how they can participate by using the 3 R's and then be available for questions from the students about our commitment. Afterward, they will be able to follow our progress from a blog site highlighting the trash we have collected and places we have visited. This blog address is www.reducereuserecycleread.blogspot.com, and will be updated at least once a week.

We would like to inform you of our trip, and though it has already started, we look forward to working with your offices in the next several months. Below is a list of the parks we will visit and the tentative dates we plan to arrive.

Thank you for your time and any support you may offer. The greatest impact we hope to make is to educate others on how they can help positively affect our environment and to spark those individuals to incorporate similar service into their daily routines.

Sincerely,

Hunter & Haynes Riley


Park and Arrival Date

Wednesday, February 25th
Montezuma Castle National Monument

Thursday, February 26th
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument and Wupatki National Monument

Friday, February 27th
Grand Canyon National Park

Saturday, February 28th
Grand Canyon National Park

Sunday, March 1st
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument

Monday, March 2nd
Zion National Park

Friday, March 6th
Joshua Tree National Park

Saturday, March 7th
Joshua Tree National Park

Sunday, March 8th
Red Rocks National Conservation Area

Monday, March 9th
Death Valley National Park

Tuesday, March 10th
Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument, and Sequoia National Park

Wednesday, March 11th
Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park

Wednesday, March 18th
Los Padres National Forest

Thursday, March 19th
Yosemite National Park

Tuesday, March 24th
Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Thursday, March 26th
Point Reyes National Seashore

Sunday, March 29th
Redwood National and State Parks

Monday, March 30th
Crater Lake National Park

Wednesday, April 1st
Lewis and Clark National Historic Park

Friday, April 3rd
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Saturday, April 4th
Mount Rainier National Park

Monday, April 6th
Olympic National Park

Friday, April 10th
Banff National Park (Canada)

Saturday, April 11th
Glacier National Park

Wednesday, April 15th
Arches National Park

Thursday, April 16th
Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument

Friday, April 17th
Bryce Canyon National Park

Tuesday, May 19th
Badlands National Park

Wednesday, May 20th
Mount Rushmore National Monument and Devil’s Tower National Monument