Yosemite Facelift calls volunteers to care for the park—and their own communities

For more than two decades, volunteers have gathered in Yosemite each September with trash bags, gloves and a shared sense of responsibility. This year, Yosemite Facelift will return Sept. 23–27, inviting participants to help clean and care for the park while encouraging supporters beyond Yosemite to bring the same stewardship ethic to trails, parks, crags and neighborhoods closer to home.

Organized by the Yosemite Climbing Association in partnership with the National Park Service, the annual event has grown from a grassroots cleanup into one of the most recognized volunteer stewardship efforts in the national park system. Volunteers spend their days removing litter, restoring trails, protecting habitat and working alongside others who share a commitment to public lands.

Yosemite Facelift traces its roots to the early 2000s, when members of the Yosemite climbing community began organizing park-wide cleanup efforts after the busy summer season. The Yosemite Climbing Association identifies 2004 as the year the event was launched by founder and president Ken Yager in Yosemite National Park. Since then, the event has expanded well beyond climbers, drawing families, students, veterans, local residents, hikers, outdoor groups and first-time visitors.

Over the years, Yosemite Facelift volunteers have removed more than one million pounds of trash from Yosemite. The event also includes evening programs, films, speakers and community gatherings, underscoring its broader purpose: to connect people through service and deepen care for Yosemite’s natural and cultural resources.

Organizers are asking participants to join in three ways. Volunteers can register for Yosemite Facelift from Sept. 23–27 and take part in cleanup and stewardship projects inside the park. Supporters can also become Stewardship Ambassadors by creating fundraisers, sharing their own stories and inviting friends, family members, coworkers, climbing partners or community groups to contribute.

Those unable to travel to Yosemite are encouraged to take part from wherever they are by cleaning up a local trail, crag, park, neighborhood or outdoor space they love. Participants are invited to photograph their efforts and tag the Yosemite Climbing Association so the organization can see Facelift-inspired work happening beyond the park boundaries.

The message behind this year’s effort is simple: love where you live, love where you play and give back. Whether in Yosemite Valley or in a neighborhood open space miles away, organizers say every act of stewardship helps strengthen the community that has grown around Facelift.

To become a Stewardship Ambassador, visit https://tinyurl.com/FaceliftFundraiser.

More information about Yosemite Facelift is available at https://www.yosemiteclimbing.org/facelift.