Pitching In To Clean Up the Groveland Area
Groveland, CA — Yosemite Climbing Association (YCA) held its 4th annual Groveland Facelift this past weekend, collecting nearly 700 pounds of garbage in the region and kicking off its Yosemite Facelift later this month.
Plenty of volunteers, some just toddlers, joined the group in partnership with Visit Tuolumne County to clean up the Groveland area, including Big Oak Flat, recreation areas along the Tuolumne River, and select areas of Mariposa County. Organizers reported that more than 30 volunteers attended the event, held at Mary Laveroni Park in Groveland on Saturday, September 13, 2025, to gather garbage. They helped to collect trash on trails, roads, and public spaces. Additionally, Old Priest Grade was closed from 9 to 11 a.m., allowing cleanup crews to work along the roadway safely.
Volunteers were armed with litter sticks, as seen in the photo to the right, and boy did they put them to work, hauling in 695 pounds of trash. Organizers reported some of the stranger waste discovered included a broken telescope, blender, sewing machine, and coolers. Their hard work was rewarded with an after-party featuring food and prizes.
The Groveland Facelift is a warm-up to YCA’s signature event coming up at the end of the month—the 22nd annual Yosemite Facelift.
“Since its start, the event has removed over 1 million pounds of trash from Yosemite, leaving the park better than we found it—year after year,” noted organizers.
The five-day park event runs from September 24 to 28 in Yosemite Valley. Click here to register for that event.
