I grew up in Texas but moved to Carnation, WA during the latter half of my childhood. I have many siblings and soon began experiencing the beauty of the PNW with my family - mostly my father and brothers. During adulthood, I have continued to visit wilderness regions but have done so mostly in...
My name is Tanner Blake and I love being outside. I grew up in Renton, Washington, riding mountain bikes, and when I was 13 my family moved to Cle Elum. While living in Cle Elum I learned that I really enjoyed hiking, backpacking, and nature photography, so when it came time to graduate from high...
I grew up in northern Wisconsin, on the south shore of Lake Superior where I was able to explore and foster a passion for the outdoors. I spent a lot of my free time on the water and in the forest with my younger brother, which made me realize how much I value the land and life around me. This...
I realized pretty quickly after graduating from the University of Missouri - Columbia that an office job just wasn’t going to do it for me. Languishing inside during the most beautiful days of the year was just too painful for me to continue with. Then I found the perfect opportunity to get...
The Umatilla National Forest (UNF) recently restricted access to the public due to unfavorable fire conditions. The unprecedented heatwave that washed over the Pacific Northwest in June set record-breaking high temperatures causing fire season to come early. Until the forest closure, I was working...
When the pandemic hit, I was living in Minneapolis, MN and working as a corporate copywriter in the healthcare industry. I slowly realized that I needed a change. A year and a half later, my life could not be more different. I never thought I’d be working in the outdoor education industry with...
During the last day of the eight- to twelve-year-old camp, Outdoor Explores, we took the Campers to the Ice Caves nearby campus. Taking a large group of this age group into a pitch-black cave with slippery ice as flooring, meant we had to be absolutely positive that everyone had all the necessary...
This summer I truly feel like I’m the lucky one - I get to go to camp all summer long!After a very isolating past year filled with many uncertainties, I feel very grateful to be constantly surrounded and supported by a cohort of fantastic co-educators and campers. Getting to temporarily call Trout...
Although this is my second year serving as an AmeriCorps intern at Mt. Adams institute, this is my first experience working here at the camp, in-person with the campers and fellow counselors. I began my time with the program last summer, right in the middle of the pandemic. In-person summer camp...
The WREN office is located in the West Eugene Wetlands and a large part of our curriculum focuses on wetland ecology. Over the last few months, I have learned about the importance of wetlands: they improve water quality through filtering sediments and pollutants, they act as a natural flood...
Mt. Adams Institute Receives AmeriCorps Grant to Continue Programs Trout Lake, WA - Mt. Adams Institute has received a $1,119,904 grant from AmeriCorps the federal agency responsible for national service and community volunteerism. This funding will support up...
Wet Planet Whitewater is strengthening its commitment to protecting natural resources in the White Salmon River watershed by supporting organizations that provide stewardship service. The Husum, WA whitewater rafting and kayaking company that has hosted the White...