Volunteer Opportunity (High Lakes Backpack Stocking)

[Cattrapper]

Just thought I'd pass this opportunity on to the rest of you. It's a great chance to get out for a hike in a wilderness area and give a little something back at the same time.

Greetings

The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife's is looking for volunteers to assist with stocking trout with backpacks in the High Cascade Lakes. Trout are stocked at a variety of lakes in the Mt. Washington Wilderness, Three Sisters Wilderness, Waldo Lake Wilderness, Diamond Peak Wilderness and on United States Forest Service Land. Driving and hiking distances vary for each lake along with road and trail conditions. Some access roads to lakes require that you have a four-wheel drive to access them. Some lakes do not have trails to them and require experienced volunteers with good navigation skills and equipment. There are even lakes available to stock that are just off the road and don't require any skilled hiking. Overall, there is a lake out there for all experience levels so feel free to participate even if you don't consider yourself an experienced outdoor person. This is a great family experience so don't hesitate to bring your kids with you.

Each volunteer will have the opportunity to pick the area or specific lake they would like to go to. If you don't have an area or lake in mind, I can assign you to a lake that best fits your vehicle, ability and experience. The list will fill up fast so the quicker you respond to this e-mail, the more choices you will have. Each lake has a certain number of fish that are scheduled to be stocked so when we get enough volunteers to stock that particular lake, it is no longer available.

Volunteers will be responsible for: Driving to the hatchery at the scheduled time ( 8:00AM - 11:00AM), picking up the bags of water, ice and fish, driving to the designated trailhead, hiking to the lake, acclimating the fish, releasing them into the lake and filling out and returning a stocking results form. Scheduled times are based on the lake being stocked. Lakes that take longer to get to will be stocked first to avoid the warmer afternoon temperatures.

All volunteers will need to provide their own vehicle, backpack (bigger is better) and appropriate clothing for weather and hiking conditions. Mosquitoes may be present in some areas so be prepared with insect spray or head nets. ODFW will provide the fish and all necessary maps to get you to the lake.

The dates for the High Lakes Backpack Stocking are as follows:
July 19th - Pick up fish at Willamette Hatchery ( Oakridge, Middle Fork Willamette River )
July 26th - Pick up fish at Leaburg Hatchery ( Vida, McKenzie River )

If you are interested in participating, I need to know the following:
What date are you interested in ( July 19th or July 26th )?
What area or lake would you like to go to?
How far would you like to hike?
How many people in your group will have backpacks?
Contact Information ( name, phone, e-mail, mailing address )

Feel free to contact me via phone with any questions you may have or to arrange a lake to go to. Also, feel free to distribute this e-mail to others that might be interested.

Please let me know if you would like to be removed from this e-mail list serve.

___________________________________
Erik R. Moberly
Fish Biologist / Salmon Trout Enhancement Program
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
3150 Main Street
Springfield, Or. 97478
(541) 726-3515 x28 (Office)
(541) 953-8803 (Cell)
[email protected]

[Cattrapper]

So, did anyone else here get sighed up for this?