PORT ANGELES — Throughout the next decade, a $1 million donation from philanthropists Mike and Sue Raney of Las Vegas will help trail crews at Olympic National Park repair and enhance miles of trails wending through the wilderness, officials say.
Lise Aangeenbrug, National Park Foundation executive vice president, said Thursday that the Raneys’ donation will be allocated to ONP in $100,000 allotments each year for the next 10 years.
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks, with contributed funds invested directly into the national parks system, Aangeenbrug said.
The Raneys have contributed an additional $1 million to the foundation to be allotted to Mount Rainier National Park during the same time period, Aangeenbrug said.
Mike Raney has a background in investing while Sue Raney is retired from the banking industry.
The donation is focused on restoration of Olympic National Park’s Enchanted Valley Trail and of Rainier’s Wonderland Trail, according to the foundation.
“Their gift was really visionary because it is for a long period of time, [and] they want it to be something that inspires other donors,” Aangeenbrug said.
“It is a matching requirement, so they’ve given $1 million to each park over that 10-year period, and the National Park Foundation has to raise another $100,000 per year for the next 10 years to match that gift.”
For the 2015-2016 fiscal year, the REI Foundation — the charitable arm of Recreational Equipment Inc., the outdoors merchandise chain based in Seattle — has provided the matching funds, Aangeenbrug said.
Now, the National Park Foundation is seeking donors for the 2016-2017 fiscal year which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.
“This year is covered, and future years we are going to have to find other donors that are excited about the idea,” Aangeenbrug said.
The combined donations will establish the Olympic Conservation Corps and the Wonderland Trail Conservation Corps at the respective parks.
The Raneys, during a Thursday visit to Olympic National Park headquarters, said they hope to inspire others to contribute to the trail fund.
“We hope that this has a mushroom effect,” Mike said.
Although already having provided $2 million to the parks, Mike said he and his wife “wish we could do more.”
“I just think U.S. National Parks are something we can all be proud of,” Mike said. “They are in a class all by themselves as far as the world goes.”
“We act as ambassadors to get people out to the national parks. We think they are really important,” Sue said.
Each winter, miles of trails at ONP are damaged by storms. It will now be up to the trail crews formed each year to repair and enhance those trails, said Larry Lack, ONP trail maintenance supervisor.
“A lot of that probably wouldn’t get done” without the crews, he said.
The work of the crews will improve the overall experience of park visitors, he said.
“It will make it a little bit easier to get 13-miles into the backcountry.”
Mike said that half of the money he and his wife are donating is earmarked for trail repairs while the other half is for the trail crews who will become “stewards of the park,” and forge lifelong friendships.
That has already happened for the current crew, consisting of about six members, said Port Angeles resident Chelsea Krimme, 24, crew supervisor.
Krimme’s crew was formed in June and will work through September, mostly along the Enchanted Valley Trail.
“I love this park and love to explore this park,” Krimme said.
“It is the coolest job ever. You go and work really hard, but every hiker that goes by expresses their thanks.”
Krimme and her crew, who she jokingly refers to as “trail elves,” work their “butts off, and it is a lot of fun,” she said.
“You wake up sore in the morning and you just get back to it. I love this crew and we are all very enthusiastic and we motivate each other.”
While deep in the park, the crew does not have cellphone service and must live out of a backpack, Krimme said.
“You really appreciate the little things when you get back,” she said.
While Krimme is a seasoned veteran, this marks the first time that Olympia resident Matt Fidanzato, 23, has been on a trail crew.
“I have been an avid hiker for years, and it is nice to be a part of what makes trails possible,” he said.
“It is nice to give back and allow other hikers to get out there. It is a personal gain too. It is really rewarding. It is good work all around.”
For more information about how to provide matching donations for this project, visit www.nationalparks.org.
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Features Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56650, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.