On Saturday I helped out with the Sharatin Mountain clean-up. A few years ago a communications company tried to put a cell tower on top of the mountain, and while they were constructing it a storm blew in and blew most of their camp away. Then after construction the tower iced up REALLY REALLY badly. Over 12 feet of rime ice built up on the tower and made it inoperable. One big chunk of ice fell off of the tower and crushed the wood cabin they had built. More stuff blew away in storms. In the end the tower was removed but all the trash remained.
So last Saturday Tom W of Maritime Helicopters flew a bunch of volunteers from the local search and rescue group (KISAR) and Island Trails Network (ITN) to clean up the trash. We cleaned up an amazing amount of junk. Whole weather ports had blown over a 1/2 mile from the summit. Huge metal barrels, dungaree jackets, cups and paper plates, old totes, you name it - we found it. We made huge piles on top of nets and then the helicopter would come and take them away.
I think my favorite part was the helicopter rides. Tom flew us all to the top of the mountain and then at the end of the day back home. It's easy for me to volunteer for something if helicopters are involved! Unfortunately I did not take many pictures - I was too busy picking up trash. I wish I'd taken some photos with the helicopter in them. The only group photo I took had only the male volunteers in it-the group was often split up picking up debris. Nice to know the top of Sheratin Mt. is a bit cleaner now! Patrick
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