Help clean up Yosemite National Park during ‘Yosemite Facelift,’ Sept. 23-27

Among the wild creatures roaming the trails and roadways of Yosemite National Park are a whole bunch of litterbugs, unfortunately. And in 2008, volunteers with the annual “Yosemite Facelift” cleanup event proved it, by helping in the picking up of 41,631 pounds of trash.

Following the crowds of summer, you can bet there is refuse aplenty to fetch from nature this year too. To assist in their intensive park-cleanup efforts, the Yosemite Climbing Assn. invites you, to lend a hand in the “Yosemite Facelift” on Sept. 23-27.

The areas of planned coverage include the park’s roadways, river corridor, trails, parking areas, campgrounds, climbing areas and lodging areas.

For your time and energy, you’ll get not only the satisfaction of helping to keep this national treasure clean, but you’ll also receive free park admission and possibly a free campsite (details below). Each volunteer will also receive a raffle ticket for each day they participate, and various prizes will be raffled off at 5 p.m. daily during the event.

You’re not required to sweat and toil the entire day. “Some participants are here to work hard all day; others are visiting to enjoy the park, and we ask them to bring a bag and spend some time cleaning up the area they are enjoying,” said Ken Yager of the Yosemite Climbing Assn. “We also have some special projects that we take on.”

When/Where: At 8 a.m. or after, Sept. 23-27, pick up your trash bags and litter sticks at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center in Yosemite Village. There is no pre-registration for the cleanup. You’ll be asked to return your trash bag by 5 p.m. for weighing.

Other details: At whichever park entrance you use, let the ranger know you are there for the “Facelift<” and you will receive free admission to the park.

Limited free camping is available for cleanup participants, but all camping on the Valley floor is now full, unless any cancellations arise, according to Yager. As of this morning, there were still a few openings farther away at the park’s Crane Flat Campground, he said. If you’re interested, e-mail YCA@inreach.com with your name and dates needed.

Contact: Yosemite Climbing Assn.

— Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

Photo: Metal and debris found during a recent cleanup, and then recycled, at Yosemite National Park. Credit: Yosemite Climbing Assn.

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 21, 2009 at 1:39 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under California, Eco-Travel, Family & Kids, National Parks, Outdoors & Adventure, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.