STEVENS PASS — They found a wallet with a dollar bill. They found a broken iPhone. And, of course, they found a broken marijuana pipe.
More than 100 volunteers headed to Stevens Pass this week to pick up garbage, bottles and lost property left behind during the ski season.
“I want to help in the cleaning,” said Tom Trocino, 55, of Marysville. “I enjoy it in the winter, so I should spend some time in the summer.”
In total, the volunteers picked up 2,000 pounds of garbage and recyclable material as they combed the slopes. The cleanup effort was organized by the nonprofit National Forest Foundation along with the U.S. Forest Service, which manages the forestland that includes the ski resort.
“It’s kind of like a treasure hunt,” said Matthew Miller, 15, of Everett, who came with his parents and two sisters to help.
It was the second year volunteers helped Stevens Pass staff clean up this part of the 4,000-acre resort. This year, they combed for debris between the Hogsback and Brooks lines where the most snow had melted, said John Meriwether, Stevens Pass director of planning and environmental services. The ski resort closed April 18.
While staff cleaned up the base of the mountain and the parking lot every Thursday, they don’t have enough people for a more thorough cleanup during the summer.
Early Tuesday, volunteers were given gloves and two large bags for recycling and garbage. The volunteers were divided in groups of about 15 people. After a short briefing on safety, they rode the ski lift up the mountain and then walked down from the top.
The volunteers quickly spread out over the trails and started heading into the woods. Melting snow made small, muddy streams. Kids slid down what was left of the snowpack.
In only 15 minutes, Carson Klundt, 8, had helped fill two bags with pop cans and water bottles.
“I snowboard here a lot, and it’s the only mountain slope I come to,” said Carson, who lives in Stanwood. “I wanted to help clean it up.”
Carson and his brother, 11-year old Cameron, ran through brush and rocks. The brothers had a knack for finding debris, including a wallet with a Social Security card and a torn dollar bill.
Their father, Tod Klundt, packed away gloves, paper, gum and crushed cans in his trash bag. He’s the one who found the broken marijuana pipe.
He laughed at that discovery. The important thing for him, he said, was that his family was enjoying time outdoors and hiking in Stevens Pass in summer time.
“They should have this a couple of times a year,” Klundt said.
Danielle Stueve, 16, from Olympia, found a set of keys, with a nail clipper attached, near some trees.
“(He) would probably be kind of upset,” said Danielle about the person who lost it.
Fifteen-year old Nick Demuth, of Bellingham, found snow goggles, a ski and a broken iPhone.
“It sucks to lose the iPhone,” he said.
After almost two hours, the first wave of volunteers reached the bottom of the mountain. Some of them would continue cleaning the base while others ate at one of the Stevens Pass cafeterias.
Matthew Miller didn’t find any treasure. He did find a tire.
“I had a good time. (Stevens Pass) is completely different than in the winter,” he said.
Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422; adominguez@heraldnet.com.
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