Hidden Valley Photo Blog VIII

Those of you who have been following the migration of Hidden Valley Photo Blogs around the web may notice that Photo Blog VII was skipped. Rest assured, as soon as the computer that is currently undergoing repairs comes home I'll post VII.

Hidden Valley played host to some unusual visitors recently. The Mountaineers Kitsap Branch was holding their Youth Theater Camp in the Forest Theater which is very near Hidden Valley. Campers and staff were given a special guided tour to Hidden Valley to view the beaver activity. Visit this link to see photos of the campers and staff as they view all the work the beavers have done. Hidden Valley Photo Blog VIII on Flickr

It was a remarkable experience for everyone. At least one camper reported that it was the best part of camp. Campers come expecting lots of physical activity, acting, singing, and dancing as they prepare for their end of week showcase but they didn't expect a chance to see a beaver dam and to learn about beavers. With the added bonus of two adults knowledgeable about woodland first aid the kids learned that maidenhair fern or slug slime are good remedies for stinging nettles and that apple leaves have antiseptic properties as well as lots lots more.

Until next time.

Work party Saturday, March 12, 10:00 am

The purpose will be to attack the foreign invasive plants (weeds) growing there. Primarily we will be hand pulling roberts geranium. This will entail hands and knees work pulling weeds with thumb amd forefinger. For those who prefer or for those who need to take a break, we will have some himalayan blackberry to grub out by hand using picks or steel digging bars.

Meet at the Lodge parking lot at Ten and we will walk down the driveway to the valley. For those arriving later, walk down the drive or take the Theater trail, turn right at the backstage and walk along the trail to the Valley.

Bring work gloves, lunch, beverage, kneeling pad if you need it, optional pick or pruning snips.
Questions? Call Gardner at 425-226-6267 or zap @ gabionbucketworth@gmail.com.

Wildlife in Hidden Valley

John Klemesrud (john@klemport.net) installed a motion-activated camera in Hidden Valley last November and captured some really fun images-- not only was there an eagle grabbing a salmon, but beavers passed by several times as well as a bear (complete with fogged-up lens). Enjoy!

Info about the Video
http://home.comcast.net/~klemport/movies/wildcatcreek_info.jpg

Wildcat Creek Video - November 2010(5:37 wmv 640x480 high quality version, 86mb)http://home.comcast.net/~jkvideos/WMV-640/WildcatCreek-Nov2010_640.wmv

Wildcat Creek Video - November 2010(5:37 wmv 320x240 medium quality version, 32mb)http://home.comcast.net/~jkvideos/WMV-320/WildcatCreek-Nov2010_320.wmv/

Salmon Walk at Rhododendron Preserve Sunday, November 21

The salmon are spawning in the Chico Creek watershed! Meet at the parking lot at the Rhododendron Preserve/Forest Theater/Kitsap Cabin at 1:30 pm for a walk or wander.

We'll walk the Big Tree Trail to the bridge over Wildcat Creek, your first glimpse of the forest and the salmon, then continue up Lost Creek to the Big Tree, the 11-foot diameter Douglas fir that is the biggest publicly accessible tree in our area. Lost Creek is also home to thousands of spawning salmon.

On the way back, we'll also walk into Hidden Valley, where you can spend some more time watching the salmon then wander back up the hill at your leisure.

For more information on the Rhododendron Preserve, including a map: http://www.mountaineersfoundation.org/rhododendron-preserve

For directions to the parking area, see: http://foresttheater.com/driving-directions

October 16 Work Party

The final 2010 work party will be Saturday, October 16. Please meet at the Kitsap Rhododendron Preserve/Kitsap Cabin parking lot off Seabeck Highway at 10:00 am. We'll provide pizza at 4:00 pm as a thank you for your efforts!

The purpose of the work party is to clean up immediate hazards to prepare for winter in the valley:

• Winterize the Paschall house
• Recycle/dispose of materials in the various buildings, including the caretakers house
• Ivy girdling
• Himalayan blackberry brushing and disposal
• Burn pile cleanup
• Sawzall metal tanks (propane, water, etc.) to prep for metals recycling

Please bring your favorite tools-- heavy work gloves, hand clippers, shovels, pick axes, hoes, loppers, etc. This time of year rain is always an option, so have rain gear and waterproof boots to work in. We'll provide drinking water and light snacks, but bring your lunch; we'll feed you but later in the day!

If you can provide any of these items, please contact Mindy Roberts (mindyr@uw.edu) right away): 4WD vehicle, small trailer for hauling trash and recycling up steep driveway, brush hog or heavy-duty mower, sawzall.

A huge thank you for those who helped at the July work party!

Great July 25 work party!

Thanks everyone for your help. I can't believe we filled that entire dumpster! The valley is returning to its splendor, and all your work, especially in the heat, is very much appreciated! Kudos to Jamie 1 and Jamie 2, Doug, Jessica, Rebecca, Katha, Deborah, Diane, Paul, Gail, Walt and so many more (Jamie please send names)!

In the Paschall house, we found beautiful fir floors beneath the shag carpet and cleaned out all but the couch frame. Doug opened up some windows and removed some of the people proofing that had been installed.

In the caretakers house, we got rid of the old mattresses and bulkier materials.

Katha and Deborah spent hours carefully looking through the materials of the toolshed and 2-room cabin. Unfortunately, most was not savable, but we did set lots of goodies aside for future historical use and also reuse by other groups (though what Katha will do with the animal teeth is a bit of a mystery).

Jessica led a team that attacked the thistle, Himalayan blackberry, and ivy to the east of the main house. There's still a lot more to do on this, but we made a dent.

Paul and Mindy cleaned up the area around the greenhouse and gathered the reusable pots into the carport.

We also filled the carport with recyclables, including metal and glass.

We're still working on a date for a September work party, and I'll get some photos up to show our progress soon! We didn't want to go any longer without sending a big THANK YOU to the intrepid volunteers.

--The Mountaineers Foundation

Jamie

Work party date set: Sunday, July 25

We have confirmed that Sunday, July 25, will be the date for a work party in Hidden Valley. Please watch this site for details.

If you can help out in any way, please email workparty@mountaineersfoundation.org.

We need people for a variety of tasks:

• mowing pathways through the fields of grass
• identifying and labeling native and landscaping plants
• mapping gardens throughout the valley
• disassembling a small greenhouse
• loading burn piles into barrels for disposal
• using loppers or chainsaws to girdle the ivy around trees
• reviewing personal belongings and recommending options for keeping or giving away appropriate items (particularly if you knew Patience Paschall)
• removing ivy from several small buildings
• providing drinks and snacks for volunteers (we'll buy)
• hosting a thank you BBQ for all volunteers (we'll buy the goodies) at the end of the day

Thanks in advance for anything you can offer!