Mt. Adams Institute Mt. Adams Institute
  • About Us
    • Programs
      • Overview
      • VetsWork Environment
      • VetsWork GreenCorps
      • Education Programs
      • Public Lands Stewards
    • About
      • Our Mission
      • Our Impact
      • Our Staff
      • The Board
      • DEI Commitment
      • Lodging
      • Program Partners
    • Our Interns
      • VetsWork Environment Interns
      • VetsWork GreenCorps Interns
      • Public Lands Stewards Interns
    • Contact Us
      • Reach HQ
      • Live & Social
      • Staff Employment
  • Internships
    • VetsWork Environment
    • VetsWork Greencorps
    • Public Lands Stewards
  • Summer Camps
  • Sense of Place
    • Lecture Series
    • Hear in the Gorge
    • Community Workshops
  • Blog
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Gift A Scholarship
    • Sense of Place Lecture Series Sponsorship
    • Capital Campaign
    • Volunteer
Close
  • About Us
    • Programs
      • Overview
      • VetsWork Environment
      • VetsWork GreenCorps
      • Education Programs
      • Public Lands Stewards
    • About
      • Our Mission
      • Our Impact
      • Our Staff
      • The Board
      • DEI Commitment
      • Lodging
      • Program Partners
    • Our Interns
      • VetsWork Environment Interns
      • VetsWork GreenCorps Interns
      • Public Lands Stewards Interns
    • Contact Us
      • Reach HQ
      • Live & Social
      • Staff Employment
  • Internships
    • VetsWork Environment
    • VetsWork Greencorps
    • Public Lands Stewards
  • Summer Camps
  • Sense of Place
    • Lecture Series
    • Hear in the Gorge
    • Community Workshops
  • Blog
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Gift A Scholarship
    • Sense of Place Lecture Series Sponsorship
    • Capital Campaign
    • Volunteer

Since my last blog, a truly spectacular event has occurred that you, the reader, will have likely heard about—The Great American Solar Eclipse. As we all know, in August, much of the United States of America had the pleasure and astronomical luck of witnessing a total solar eclipse. For mere moments, those in the path of totality basked in dusk-like surrealism that many who witnessed it can only describe as awe-inspiring. The period leading up to the big event was something else. Businesses across the board sold eclipse glasses (my brother purchased his from Dunkin Donuts), and end-of-world conspiracy theories ran rampant. For the most part, the path of totality crossed through rural America and her heartland; one of these places being the Shawnee National Forest, where the period of totality was the longest.

Every year on the Shawnee, like many other forests, there are annual events that bring in higher numbers of visitors. For example, in the fall, we have more hunters in the area from all over to squirrel hunt or bag that trophy Southern Illinois whitetail. We also have a group of visitors that I like to call “leafers”, who come to observe the rich fall foliage. So increased visitor preparation is something our forest is akin to. For the eclipse however, preparation began last year. With word that NASA was going to be in nearby Carbondale, and all hotels within a 250-mile radius were booking fast, the potential for a mass influx of people was inevitable.

The coming crowd of people over a weekend time slot posed some logistical and safety concerns. We knew from the start that our forest “flagship”, Garden of the Gods would be the hotspot for visitors; and with limited parking space, steep topography, and accessibility barriers, it was a site we had to plan and monitor carefully. Since lodging in the area sold like hotcakes, the Shawnee decided to open additional campsite loops that had been closed, as well as create new ones.

‹ › ×

    The big weekend finally came. People flocked into the region from all over. I worked at the entrance to Garden of the Gods directing traffic and talking to visitors on Sunday (day before the eclipse), and you would have thought the eclipse was happening that day. The parking lots filled to capacity, and we were ordered to not let anyone else in via automobile–at least until some left. There were some who showed signs of disapproval towards us, but mostly everyone was understanding and willing to make the mile and a half hike up to the top. Obviously on eclipse day the crowds were still present in the area, Ozzy Osbourne “barked at the moon” at a local winery, and many people witnessed a spectacle of nature that most will only get to see once in a lifetime.

    Experiencing this event while working in the Forest Service has been really beneficial and eye-opening to me. I learned more about how we prepare for large events and incidents, and I had the opportunity to meet and work with people I normally I wouldn’t. One unique thing about the Shawnee National Forest is that this exact same event will happen again in 2024! Not many people can say that they experienced two total solar eclipses in their hometown; and after witnessing this past eclipse, I can see why so many people traveled from so far to see it. I now know I would do the same!

    Share

    FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest

    Leave a Reply / Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Join Our Mailing List

    Be sure to add your name to the roster, so we can send you latest news, jobs, events and resources.

    Make a Donation

    Make a Donation

    Recent Posts

    • 2022 VetsWork Environment: Taylor Payton
    • 2022 VetsWork Environment: Samuel Kauffman
    • 2022 VetsWork Environment: Robert Alwood
    • 2022 VetsWork Environment: Lupe Zavala
    • 2022 VetsWork Environment: Donald Hollingsworth

    Categories

    • Bulletin
    • Cascade Mountain School
    • Fun & Miscellaneous
    • Mountain Talk
    • Public Lands Stewards
    • VetsWork Environment
    • VetsWork Greencorps

    Check Out Instagram

    View

    Jul 16

    Open
    It was so much fun teaching mtadamsinstitute summer botany camp yesterday. The kids had a blast learning about plants and natural dyes. We had a field trip to bloomanddye to harvest fresh dye flowers and the older kids made bundle dyed bandanas. The young kids made indigo shibori bandanas and left with blue hands and blue arms! 💙🌿🌼💛 

I left exhausted with a big smile and full heart. Seeing the joy and happiness on these kids faces as they saw what they created was a treat. 

#naturaldyes 
#bundledye 
#indigo 
#indigodyed 
#botany 
#summercamp 
#mtadamsinstitute 
#troutlakewashington
    161 24

    View

    Aug 9

    Open
    We visited many places in the trout lake valley area to gather fresh ingredients for our outdoor cooking, here the Mt. Chef campers picked fresh vegetables and seasonings for our dumplings! 
#outdoored #outdoorcooking #cooking #troutlakeabbey #fresh #picking #cascademountainschool #mtadamsinstitute
    18 0

    View

    Jan 14

    Open
    Blue Hour at Mount Adams, The #bluehour is the period of #twilight when the Sun is at a significant depth below the horizon and residual, indirect sunlight takes on a predominantly blue shade.
______________________________

#mtadamsinstitute  #mountainreflections  #explorewashstate #pnwonderland #cascadiaexplored #cascadia #wonderfulwashington #wonderfulwashingtonstate #pnwescapes #pnwadventures #pnwadventurers #pnwcrew #pnw_shooters #mtadams #giffordpinchotnationalforest #giffordpinchot #pnwphotographer #pnwphotography #leavenotrace #washingtonphotography #bluehourphotography #klickitatcounty #photography #blue #light #landscapephotography #landscapephotographer #mountains
    55 11

    View

    Apr 19

    Open
    She’s off for her school overnight trip! She handled all of her own packing and I am fully confident that means she’ll have at least 95% of the things she really needs. Girlfriend is on top of it! #urchinadventures #montessorikids #overnightfieldtrip #cascademountainschool
    32 1

    View

    Apr 17

    Open
    KCD is sad to be losing the amazing Krystal Hedrick, who has accepted a new position as GIS Mapper with the Weld County Assessor’s Office in Colorado.

She served at KCD over the past year through Mount Adams Institute VetsWork, an AmeriCorps career development program for military veterans who want to work in natural resources management.

As a forest technician, Krystal brought passion to her work on KCD’s North SeaTac Park restoration managing a KCD WCC crew to remove harmful invasive plants and prepare the site for reforestation efforts that will improve the park’s ecosystem making it more resilient and beneficial for local wildlife.

#BestOfLuckToYou #ThankYouForYourService #MtAdamsInstitute #AmeriCorps #Forestry #UrbanForestry #WashingtonConservationCorps
    37 1
    Load More
    • Back to Blog
    • Prev
    • Next



    © Copyright 2021 Mt. Adams Institute. All rights reserved.
    Mt. Adams Institute is an equal opportunity employer.
    contact us | partnership inquiries | site by Greta Rose Agency