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...
As a Recreation Resources Technician on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Randle, Washington, my main job is to conduct dispersed campsite inventories. A dispersed campsite is basically anywhere that the national forests are that anyone can camp just about...
A longtime friend and his family were visiting us this week. I had been looking forward to this for years. The trip was originally foiled by Covid, but finally got back on the books for this summer. As August rolled around and the date approached, I started scheming...
The year started off slowly but that gave me plenty of time to get familiar with Juneau and Forest Service systems. I had great opportunities to gain some GIS familiarity, learn about the mines that we work with, learn about the culture and history of southeast...
Alexander Apelis here, a Vetswork intern with the Petersburg Ranger District serving as a Natural Resource Specialist Intern. In this picture, at Duncan Creek Fish Pass on Kupreanof Island NE of Petersburg, AK, I'm seen picking up a 100+ lb boulder that was found...
I grew up in Portland, Oregon, playing baseball, surfing, and hiking. I am a middle child with an older sister who is married and living in Nashville, as well as a younger brother who lives in Philadelphia. My mom's side of the family resides on the east coast, from...
Wildlife Tech on Huron Manistee
Recreation Technician on the Mark Twain National Forest
I grew up in Moore, Oklahoma. I enjoy hiking, geocaching, photography, collecting plants, and being able to go places I have never been before. I worked for the Air Force as a Munitions Technician. My education varies in different languages but no degree. I have a son...
Forestry Technician (Recreation) on the National Forest in Mississippi
Biological Assistant (Fisheries) on Six Rivers National Forest (NOAA)