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Contact: Tracy Swartout, 360-569-6502
On Saturday, August 10, 2019 Mount Rainier National Park celebrated the re-dedication of a historic cabin in the Longmire National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) to be used as housing for Search and Rescue staff, made possible by grants and donations for historic preservation.
In 2016, Mount Rainier was one of 20 National Parks competing for grant funding from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Partners in Preservation: National Parks campaign, which awarded $2 million in funding to projects across the country. Designated as a National Historic Landmark District (NHLD), Mount Rainier has the most complete example of early National Park Service (NPS) master planning and features nationally-significant examples of the “Rustic Style” architecture. The cabin selected in the park’s Longmire area was constructed by the CCC in the 1930s, and had fallen into disrepair. This project restored it for use as a Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteer bunkhouse.
Mount Rainier National Park receives nearly two million visitors annually. As a result, park staff and volunteers respond to over 50 SAR incidents and over one hundred emergency medical events across the park. Intense visitation combined with the remoteness of the park and the frequency of SARs, leads to challenges with housing volunteers during searches. This cabin will improve the park’s ability to house volunteer staff to support an intense workload, and improve conditions for staff as well as outcomes for visitors who may require medical or SAR support.
Washington's National Park Fund (WNPF) is an organization whose mission is to support all three National Parks in Washington State, and who served to provide additional funding from REI and private donors to complete the preservation work. Laurie Ward, WNPF Executive Director, stated that WNPF was honored to be a part of building support for this important preservation project. “Mount Rainier National Park’s search and rescue rangers do so much with so little. During their missions, they often rely on volunteers from local Mountain Rescue teams to assist. This project will have a direct impact on those who serve injured or lost visitors.”
Photos of the event can be found here.
In 2016, Mount Rainier was one of 20 National Parks competing for grant funding from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Partners in Preservation: National Parks campaign, which awarded $2 million in funding to projects across the country. Designated as a National Historic Landmark District (NHLD), Mount Rainier has the most complete example of early National Park Service (NPS) master planning and features nationally-significant examples of the “Rustic Style” architecture. The cabin selected in the park’s Longmire area was constructed by the CCC in the 1930s, and had fallen into disrepair. This project restored it for use as a Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteer bunkhouse.
Mount Rainier National Park receives nearly two million visitors annually. As a result, park staff and volunteers respond to over 50 SAR incidents and over one hundred emergency medical events across the park. Intense visitation combined with the remoteness of the park and the frequency of SARs, leads to challenges with housing volunteers during searches. This cabin will improve the park’s ability to house volunteer staff to support an intense workload, and improve conditions for staff as well as outcomes for visitors who may require medical or SAR support.
Washington's National Park Fund (WNPF) is an organization whose mission is to support all three National Parks in Washington State, and who served to provide additional funding from REI and private donors to complete the preservation work. Laurie Ward, WNPF Executive Director, stated that WNPF was honored to be a part of building support for this important preservation project. “Mount Rainier National Park’s search and rescue rangers do so much with so little. During their missions, they often rely on volunteers from local Mountain Rescue teams to assist. This project will have a direct impact on those who serve injured or lost visitors.”
Photos of the event can be found here.
Last updated: August 16, 2019