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...
Howdy! In late May, I packed up nearly all of my belongings and traveled 2,200 miles to the Pacific Northwest. Little did I know that I could flourish and challenge myself in this new environment to develop different strategies to help campers get a better glance at our big, beautiful, and...
Summer Camp 2021 is happening!! Day Camps for Summer 2021 will run Monday through Thursday 9am – 3pm. Check out the dates here! Cost per week: $325 | Shuttle Option: $50 | Scholarships Available Register Here! If the camp you are interested in is full, please sign up for the waiting list. If you...
I grew up just outside of Portland, Oregon. Despite living in one of the most beautiful and accessible places to nature, I didn't get into my hobbies of hiking, backpacking, and road tripping until I was a young adult. I decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail when I was 22, feeling like I needed...
Below are some important updates for Cascade Mountain School summer camps. First, the million dollar question . . .will summer camp happen this year? In these ever changing times, we unfortunately cannot provide a definitive answer just yet, BUT we can tell you how we plan to proceed: May 15th is...
Over two years ago, I sat in a Caffè Nero in Istanbul, Turkey, overlooking the Bosphorus Strait, writing my AmeriCorps application to work at Cascade Mountain School. I measured time by the number of barges that passed, shipping goods from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm. I...
Cascade Mountain School extends a huge thank you to all our community partners who support our programming year round by sharing their knowledge and practices, homes and trades, experiences and inspiration with our participants. YOU make our programming rich, deep, and grounded in the Columbia...
There is a certain personal power that possesses me and I believe it has propelled me through most of my bold, ill-advised, far-off and ultimately life-shaping experiences. That spirit goes along nicely with a sentiment from T.S. Eliot that I’ve come to own privately, “If you aren’t in over your...
In August, I was tagged in a Facebook post by Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center celebrating their 10th anniversary of summer backpacking trips. Through the expanse of social media, the program coordinator was commemorating the growth of the program and curious about where the original cohort of...
When AmeriCorps VetsWork intern Emily Kosterman signed on to serve with the U.S. Forest Service, she never imagined she’d play a role in selecting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.
Jessica Rodriguez reflects on her transformative journey as an MAI Land Stewards intern, From wielding chainsaws to exploring fire ecology, her experiences at Mt. Hood have reshaped her career goals and deepened her connection to the outdoors. Join her as she shares how this season of learning and growth has sprouted new possibilities for her future.
Meet Taryn Oseen, a VetsWork intern with NOAA’s Restoration Center who embodies the mission of creating connections—between people, nature, and professional growth. As a Navy veteran pursuing a career in environmental science, Taryn joined the program to gain real-world experience and close the gap between academic training and career readiness.
Changing lives and the landscape one internship at a time.
Aaron Lindsey reflects on how his MAI internship with the USFS Entiat Ranger District allowed him to merge his lifelong passion for dirt bikes with his love for the outdoors. Spending a summer working in the stunning Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forest, Aaron shares his gratitude for the experience and the incredible people he met along the way.
Jonluke’s journey as a Land Stewardw intern has been nothing short of an ncredible adventure! From finding morels to working on the frontlines of forest fires, he’s embraced every challenge and opportunity along the way.
Land Steward Maiya McAuliffe, talks about invasive species control at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Glenwood, WA. This is my first position as a biology. “This is my first position as a biology technician post graduation and I couldn’t have stumbled across a better first job.”
To Celebrate 15 years of Sense of Place we present… “THE GREATEST ROCK OPERA EVER PRODUCED ABOUT A WATERSHED*”
Coming to Hood River, Oregon in April of 2025.
I grew up in Indianapolis a very active kid - playing sports and spending most of my time outside in our yard and neighborhood. I fell in love with public lands and the outdoors at large after high school when I started rock climbing. I bounced around for a while...
I grew up in Salem, Oregon, with my brother, mother, and stepfather. I lived in Salem until I joined the U.S. Navy, where I served as a Hospital Corpsman (Medic) for eight years in various locales/environments. Most of that time was spent with the U. S. Marine Corps,...