STEVENS PASS — Skiers and snowboarders are leaving behind more than tracks.
After the snow melts at Stevens Pass Resort, this is what remains: scores of food wrappers, beer cans, water bottles, gloves, hats, cameras and enough dropped iPods and other electronics to outfit the junior ski team.
“It’s out of sight out of mind,” said John Meriwether, Stevens Pass director of planning and environmental services. “Trash gets thrown on the snow and then it gets covered up by more snow.”
The ski resort staff regularly picks up garbage and provides trash and recyclable bins for skiers and snowboarders. Over the years, the refuse builds up on the 4,000-acre resort, which is entirely on U.S. Forest Service land.
A few decades ago, the resort also used to organize regular volunteer clean up efforts — until they realized state law prohibits for-profit companies from doing that, he said.
In order to help the private ski resort deal with the mountain of trash, the nonprofit National Forest Foundation is organizing a clean up of Stevens Pass at 9:30 a.m. on July 12.
This is the second year the stewardship group has organized a clean up at the pass. If last year’s haul is any indication, there should be no shortage of trash.
Dozens of volunteers last year filled 28 giant trash bags. Most of that ended up being recycled.
That was just for one ski run, Hogsback, said Stella Torres of the foundation. This year volunteers plan to tackle the area under the Brooks chair.
The clean up is about more than aesthetics; all that snow melt is heading in our direction.
“Stevens Pass isn’t just a place to recreate,” Torres said. “It’s also a watershed. Eventually all that snow melts and becomes the water we drink and the water animals depend on.”
Volunteers from Stevens Pass and other local groups plan to help. The public is also invited.
Stevens Pass is offering a barbecue lunch afterward.
Torres said they’d liked volunteers to sign up ahead of time at the National Forests Foundation website at http://tinyurl.com/StevensCleanup.
Debra Smith: 425-339-3197; dsmith@heraldnet.com.
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