[Kim Brown]

There's a new program in The Mountaineers - an effort to clear Alpine Lakes Wilderness of invasive vegetation. Invasives choke out native plants, and this affects forgaging, refuge, and shelter for bugs, amphibians, birds, and scores of other critters. Use your GPS to map invasives in ALW, then log information onto a website. In some cases, you'll be removing the invasives (but not all the time). They just need to know location of said weed in the majority of cases. Some of these places are areas you'll be visiting this summer anyway; I've been working on a spreadsheet of trail segments throughout ALW for this program, and as you know, there are so many loop opportunities! No requirement to be a Mountaineer member to participate as a leader or assistant. click on link I provided above to register for training dates (no need to be a member): June 3rd all day at North Bend RD for leaders June 27 6:30 - 8:30 for assistants

[Backpacker Joe]

Thanks Kimmy.

[kbatku]

I chop down thistles whenever I see them, but that doesn't get the root. Good to know there is someone out there willing to finish the job...

[Kim Brown]

Yah, this is a cool project. Easy, too. Just eyeball the plant & do a waypoint.

[The Angry Hiker]

Whacking away at foxgloves with a machete is my idea of a good time, but I'm allergic to Mountaineers.

[DIYSteve]

[kbatku]

Musk thistles, milk thistles and bull thistles are commonly carried in horse poo and end up growing beside the trail. The indigenous variety (seen 'em, don't know what they are called) are small and weak and inoffensive. The invasive thistles make a bold statement of thistleness, and I kill them on sight. One of my sweetest kills was a lone bull thistle growing trailside near the Snow lake outlet in the Enchantments. It must have hitched a ride in a hikers boot tread, impacted in some left-over horse poop. You've got a point though - got too carried away and I might wipe out some actual native thistle, though I'm pretty good on my thistle lore and hope I haven't.

[Kim Brown]

[Snowbrushy]

[belowfellow]

Kim: I met you at the initial meeting for this program. Nice to make your acquaintance and glad to see that the project is moving forward. kbatku: there is a native thistle that grows quite commonly on W side trails. Cirsium edule.

[kbatku]

[veronika]

It won't let me register because my status is inactive for the mountaineers.

[Kim Brown]

Veronica, I'll find out what the deal is. Non Mountaineers are welcome to join - it's a collaboration with King Count, the USFS and MTS Greenway, and a really big deal. I'll let you know what I find oout, OK??? Belowfellow, that's so cool! I enjoyed chatting with the locals guys who really dig cleaning up the weeds. That's some dedication!

[veronika]

I already know what it is. I was a mountaineer and decided not to renew as it really doesn't benefit me so they deactivated my account. Because I already have a login, I can't sign up for a guest one. I will just have to call them tomorrow. Thanks for the assistance Kim! I will get signed up eventually!