More than fifty volunteers put on warm layers and protective masks to help clean up Summit Ski area and Government Camp on Saturday, Oct. 24, despite steady snow and social distancing restrictions.

The event was part of the Mount Hood Institute’s (MHI) second annual Mt.
Hood Cleanup. The cleanup was organized with assistance from the Sandy
River Watershed Council and SOLVE.

The nonprofits faced a series of scheduling challenges this year that resulted
in the event being rescheduled twice and almost being rescheduled for a third
time.

“First it was COVID, then it was the fires. We almost rescheduled today
because of the snow,” said MHI secretary Karly Osten. “We had fifty people
show up so we’re pretty tickled.”

The volunteers spread out at safe distances throughout eight zones
encompassing the ski area and the roadsides of Government Camp filling bags
provided by SOLVE with litter in an effort to prevent waste from entering the
Sandy River watershed.

The cleanup has been organized for the past twelve years by Jocelyn Gary, a
local teacher and outdoor enthusiast. The past two years have been organized
through her role as director of the MHI, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting

sustainable recreation in the Mount Hood National Forest that Gary co-
founded in 2019 with Ben Comfort and Brett Wesson.

This year’s cleanup was slated to include Trillium Lake, Timberline Lodge and
Mount Hood Meadows as part of the All Mountain Cleanup on Sept. 19. The
original event was cancelled due to the fires in Mount Hood National Forest.
“It was really hard this year trying to get everything rescheduled ... with the
fires. Once (Hwy.) 26 was reopened and we got approval from the ski area we
made it happen,” said Gary. “Thankfully people are so hungry to get out and
help because of COVID.”

The cleanup covered an area in the headwaters for the Sandy River, a
stronghold considered critical for endangered salmon populations.
“Anything we can keep out of the watershed in terms of human garbage is
beneficial,” said Deputy Director of the Sandy River Watershed Council
(SRWC) Sara Ennis.

Ennis stated a main concern for the health of the watershed is plastic waste.
Plastic slowly breaks down into microplastics which then bioaccumulate in
species throughout the ecosystem.

“Every new wave of research makes (microplastic’s) impact seem even
worse,” Ennis said.

SRWC has been involved with the annual cleanup event for the past nine
years.

Gary noted MHI was happy with the turnout for this year’s event and hope to
organize a cleanup at Ramona Falls once the trails have been cleared of
downed trees from the Labor Day windstorm.

More information on the Mount Hood Institute and future cleaning events is
available online at https://www.mthoodinstitute.org. Information on
volunteering with the Sandy River Watershed council in available at
https://sandyriver.org.