Mount Rushmore climbers to monitor and seal cracks annually. Due to budget constraints, the memorial is not regularly cleaned to remove lichens. However, on July 8, 2005, Alfred Kärcher GmbH, a German manufacturer of pressure washing and steam cleaning machines, conducted a free cleanup operation which lasted several weeks, using pressurized water at over . The flora and fauna of Mount Rushmore are similar to those of the rest of the Black Hills region of South Dakota. Birds including the turkey vulture, bald eagle, hawk, and meadowlark fly around Mount Rushmore, occasionally making nesting spots in the ledges of the mountain. Smaller
Mount Pilchuck State Park Washington State Parks administered a concessionaire-run ski area on the slopes of Mt. Pilchuck from 1957 to 1980, when it was closed due to poor snow conditions. The park is managed in partnership with the USFS and the Everett Mountaineers. Mount Pilchuck State Park Mount Pilchuck State Park is a public recreation area located east of Granite Falls, Washington, on the western edges of the Cascade Mountains. The state park features of alpine scenery, recreational activities, and Mount Pilchuck itself. The main point of interest is the trail to the peak and the old fire lookout located on the summit,