Local group moving from crisis reaction to long

Independence Pass Foundation volunteer Joe Farrell pulled a slimy hat out of the tarn at the summit of Independence Pass in September. Farrell and other volunteers hauled trash, cleaned and stocked toilets, and helped to steward federal public lands on Independence Pass in the absence of U.S. Forest Service employees this past summer. Courtesy photo

This was not a typical summer season for the White River National Forest, but thanks to unprecedented efforts from local organizations, visitors may not have noticed.

The U.S. Forest Service did not hire seasonal workers to manage the influx of crowds, but it did offer incentives for employees to quit. Funding shrank and uncertainty grew. Outside groups stepped up to cover a wide range of federal responsibilities, including law enforcement