Explore the Natural World.
Discover Your Connection.
MAI will cease operations and formally dissolve effective December 31, 2026
It has been an honor to serve this wonderful community. Thank you for your support these many years.
About
Mt Adams
Institute
Mt. Adams Institute provides programs that strengthen the connection between people and the natural world through education, service, career development & research.
VetsWork
VetsWork is an eleven month career development internship program for military veterans in the natural resources management, public lands, and environment sector.
Sense of Place
Sense of Place features speakers with unique knowledge of the Columbia River Gorge. These stories deepen our understanding and connection to nature and each other.
Land Stewards
Land Stewards is a career development program for young adults, ages 21-30, interested in learning more about public lands and natural resources management.
Summer Camp
Our Summer Camp is a place-based outdoor science education opportunity for youth curious about exploring and understanding the natural world.
Lodging
Join us at Base Camp, our facility in Trout Lake, Washington, adjacent to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Latest News
Questions?
If you have questions about our opportunities, please contact us.
Thank you.
How well do you know Mt. Adams Institute? 👀
Over the years, a lot has happened under the MAI name. Programs have grown and changed, members have served in communities and on public lands across the country, and thousands of hours have been spent learning, working, teaching, restoring, exploring, and getting very, very muddy.
Some parts of that history are easy to remember. Others are tucked away in old photos, reports, stories, and memories from the people who were there.
As we look back on MAI’s story, we wanted to pull out a few of those details. The surprising ones, the interesting ones, and the ones that show just how much this organization has done over the years.
Swipe through for a few things you might not know about MAI.
And longtime MAI friends and alumni, what would you add to the list?
#giffordpinchot #landstewardship #troutlakewa #pnw
Sometimes, all it takes is one open door to completely change where you’re headed.
In 2022, Alexander Golman was working as a landscape designer in Chicago and feeling unsure about what he wanted to do next. He describes himself at the time as “rudderless,” throwing applications at the wall to see what might stick.
One of them did.
Alexander joined Mt. Adams Institute as a Public Lands Intern, working as a Wilderness Ranger on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Cle Elum. The experience ended up changing the course of his career.
Today, Alexander is a permanent, full-time employee with the U.S. Forest Service.
“MAI opened a door I haven’t been able to shut.”
And the impact didn’t end with the internship. Alexander still keeps in touch with interns and coworkers he met during his time in Cle Elum.
As MAI prepares to close this chapter, his story is a reminder that the work continues through the people who were part of it.
In Alexander’s words, “Even though MAI is closing, the spirit continues on through us.”
Thank you, Alexander, for sharing your story and for being part of ours. 💚
#landstewardship #nationalforests #pnw
For Frank So, serving on the Mt. Adams Institute Board has always come back to one thing: connecting people who care about nature with the places that need their care. 🌲
Frank joined the Board because he saw MAI as a unique kind of public service, creating opportunities for people to learn, grow, and help conserve the forests, parks, and natural resources we all share.
Some of his favorite moments have been hearing directly from participants as they graduate, sharing the funny stories, meaningful lessons, and experiences they gained while working alongside colleagues and experts in the field.
“Personally, it’s been gratifying to see how we can bring our neighbors together to care for something we all value, our forests, parks and natural resources, and learn to be good stewards of our future.”
Thank you, Frank, for being part of the MAI story and helping champion a future built on stewardship, service, and connection. 💚
#landstewardship #nationalforest #troutlakewa
Sometimes taking a chance can change the entire direction of your career.
When Robert Ontiveros joined VetsWork in 2023, he was seven years into a career with the Postal Service and looking for a way to turn his passion for the outdoors into something more. He took a leap, made some big changes in his life, and joined the Olympic National Forest as a Recreation and Community Engagement Intern.
That leap paid off.
Robert credits the support he received from both Mt. Adams Institute and the Olympic National Forest with helping him grow his skills, understand the Forest Service hiring process, and find his place on the recreation team. By the end of his internship, he was able to transition into a permanent position with the Forest Service.
And then his story came full circle.
In 2025 and again in 2026, Robert became a supervisor to Land Stewards interns himself.
“I feel like it was my way to give back to MAI for allowing me this opportunity. Being able to give back and provide the same opportunities I was given to someone else interested in the outdoors has been a goal of mine since transitioning into a full-time role.”
Today, Robert is a Recreation Management Specialist with the Olympic National Forest, helping the next generation gain the experience, connections, and confidence that helped launch his own career.
From VetsWork intern to Forest Service employee to Land Stewards supervisor. 🌲
That’s one heck of a full-circle moment, Robert. 💚
#landstewardship #forestservice #nationalforest
