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This week is Americorps week. For 25 years now Americorps members have been serving communities and preserving our public lands across America. I would like to take this day to thank Americorps and the Mt Adams institute for giving me the opportunity to serve with the US Forest Service and help preserve our national forests for future generations to enjoy. #dayofthea #americorps #mtadamsinstitute #usforestservice #giffordpinchotnationalforest #mtadams #troutlake #vetsworkenvironment #vetswork #optoutside #pnwlife #exploremore #staywild #keepitwild #mountainvibes #theoutbound #wildernessculture #discoverearth #exploremore #stayandwander #welivetoexplore #earthpix #chooseadventure #choosemountains #ourwild #liveyouradventure #greettheoutdoors #theoutdoorfolk #getoutstayout #optoutside
Day 1 of #cascademountainschool sustainable ag. We hiked up sleeping beauty to arrive at this incredible view of Mt Adams. Plenty of replanted clear cuts to be seen in the foreground.
Went back to the man made habitat this morning to count Oregon spotted frog eggs. In 7 days the amount of eggs in one area almost tripped and it’s still been we’ll below freezing at night. I’d say this has been totally successful for the Oregon spotted frogs!! Hopefully they flourish here this summer. #frogstuff #frogman #frogs #oregonspottedfrog #wildlifehabitat #wildlifebiology #americorps #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #troutlake #mountainlife #giffordpinchotnationalforest
Soil explorations. Silty or sandy loam? #cascademountainschool students will determine the soil texture of Broadfork farm, trout lake, WA.
One of the wilderness ranges drilling a hole into the ice to put bamboo polls into to help keep climbers on the correct route in bad weather conditions. Coming off the summit of Mt Adams #wildernessculture #mountains #mountainclimbing #volcano #wildernessranger #mtadamswilderness #mtadamsinstitute #vetswork #americorps
Italian honey bees in white salmon, WA. Today #cascademountainschool students learned a queen honey bee will lay 1 egg every 28 seconds as long as honey is flowing.
This is a happy post as well as a sad/ pissed off post. On the good side I summited Mt Adams again today. I’ll be up here all weekend working as a wilderness climbing ranger. We will summit again tomorrow checking people for permits to be up here and to make sure they are aware of leave no trace, dangers on the mountain and that they are having a safe and fun climb. The sad part is many people will leave things on the mountain that will remain here until it is cleaned up by another human. Usually a ranger. And this includes shit. Yes when you take a shit in an alpine zone it will remain and cannot decompose due to the climate up here. So we have to bag up the shit of careless people and put it in our packs and pack it out. As much as that sucks I am happy to do this to keep this a clean natural wilderness area for everyone to enjoy. Bottom line if you are in a wilderness area leave no trace! If you bring it in it goes out with you as well. The forest service even provides wag bags at the trailhead #mountainclimbing #mountaineering #mtadams #mtadamsinstitute #vetswork #americorps #wildernessculture #leavenottace
I was honored to take 3 former #cascademountainschool students to the top of Mt. Adams. They did great! Thanks grancrews for coming along and the great 📸 #mtadams #moresunblock #volcanoeviews smithoptics
Got to do some Rangering on one of my favorite parts of this planet this weekend #pct2020 #wildernessranger #wildernessculture #giffordpinchotnationalforest #vetswork #americorps #mtadamsinstitute
Sorry California, happy cows actually come from Washington. Land of Milk and Honey specializes in grass fed raw milk along with grass fed beef. Pictured here are Jerseys, Angus, and Holstein steers. #cascademountainschool
This heritage breed of Tamworth pig tried to devour my phone moments after I snapped this shot. #cascademountainschool
Meet our 2020 Public Lands Stewards AmeriCorps interns!! These rockstars are serving our public lands and natural resources across OR and WA. Find out their motivations for joining the program and learn more about them via the link in our bio!!
#mtadamsinstitute #publiclands #stewards #stewardship #americorps #conservation
Ever wonder how the hiking trails you know and love are beautiful and clear of obstacles? It’s because of people like our AmeriCorps interns Angus and Ian! These two spent a large portion of their internship getting trails ready for the busy season. Without them, some trails in the Entiat Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest would be impassable and unpleasant. Thank you for all of your hard work making it so we can enjoy our public lands!
Read more about their experiences this past summer via the link in our bio!
This lucky jersey calf gets to grow up on pasture and will be milked twice a day. She will primarily eat grass, and only eat grain when milked. I have come to be a huge supporter of organic dairy, especially the organic valley label which is a farmer owned cooperative. #cascademountainschool
Trying to channel Eliza Thornberry while I release this beauty caught in our fyke net. As you can see she made it out fine but does not consider me a friend 💔
#mtadamsinstitute #publiclandsstewards
We are excited to announce our new summer camp model that engages kids in outdoor adventures while still being cautious about the COVID-19 pandemic.
At-Home Adventures (A-HA!) brings camp right to your home. Each week, campers receive a themed activity kit coupled with on-line instruction and project sharing with our expert instructors and other campers.
Check out the link in our bio for more info! We anticipate that camps will fill to capacity and recommend that you sign up sooner than later!
It’s always been my dream since hiking the Appalachian Trail to somehow make climbing mountains my job. Lots of hard working on the mountain this weekend but some of the most rewarding work I’ve ever done in my life. I must thank the Mt Adams Institute for giving me this opportunity. #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #americorps #forestservicelife #veteran #mountainlife #mountaineering #wildernessculture
Our summer camp coordinator Dana has been working hard preparing for our very first At-Home Adventure Camps (A-HA)! We’re piloting two camps this week: Budding Birders and Backyard Explorers. If we don’t have in-person camps this year due to COVID-19, we will bring the summer camp experience to your home with At-Home Adventures!
Stay tuned for more updates on camps later this week.
Raina, a wilderness ranger from our 2020 Public Lands Stewards program, reflects on her AmeriCorps internship.
“I have never been in a work position before where I have constantly been learning new things and where supervisors care so much about presenting me with as many opportunities as they can. It has been a jampacked summer full of learning, growth, and good times.”
Read her full blog via the link in our bio!
#mtadamsinstitute #publiclands #stewardship #americorps #forestservice #ranger
She’s off for her school overnight trip! She handled all of her own packing and I am fully confident that means she’ll have at least 95% of the things she really needs. Girlfriend is on top of it! #urchinadventures #montessorikids #overnightfieldtrip #cascademountainschool
Just a mountain sunset from ranger camp. Can’t imagine a cooler job to have #mountainlife #wildernessculture #forestranger #mtadamswilderness #vetswork #americorps #mtadamsinstitute
Check out the link in bio for important updates on Cascade Mountain School summer camps. Registration is still open! May 15th is our decision date for how we will move forward with camps. We’ll let the latest guidance from the state of WA inform that decision. If camps are cancelled, you will receive a refund.
We are piloting two FREE virtual camps for the first ten people who sign-up! Again, check out the link in bio for the full update.
#mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool #summercamp
This old growth forest deep in the Gifford Pinchot National forest was amazing. Look at the size of this Doug Fir !! #oldgrowthforest #dougfir #americorps #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #earthpix #optoitside #greettheoutdoors #liveypuradventure #ourwild #choosemountains #stayandwander #wildernessculture #staywild #traveltheglobe #lifeofadventure #wanderfolk #folktravel #earthofficial #lonelyplanet #nikonphotography #nikon #photographer #naturephotography
Ominous view of Adams on the first day of Mountain Camp #meandtheboys #cascademountainschool #PNW
Day 1 of deck and wheelchair ramp rebuild for the Mt Adams institute bunk house. Austin in the picture is a former Vetswork alumni that has been working with the US Forest Service for over 3 years now. Both of us are also US Marines. #vetswork #americorps #mtadamsinstitute #constructionworkers #usmarinescorps #teamwork
I am giving an indigo dye workshop at my studio in Trout Lake for the Mt. Adam’s Institute and Cascade Mountain School on Saturday, October 13 from 1-4:30pm and two spots have become available. 💙
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The registration fee will be 100% donated to these two amazing organizations that strengthen the connection between people and the natural world through education, service and research. 💙
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We will be harvesting indigo from the flower farm, exploring diverse shades of blue, playing with indigo eco prints, creating shibori patterns and dyeing both cotton and silk fibers. 💙
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If you are interested please join us. Link in profile. 💙 #naturaldye #indigo #flowerfarmer #cascademountainschool
The Wilderness crew at the Mt Adams ranger station got to do some joined training with the US Army’s Yakama Dust off search and rescue crew today. It was a major learning experience for me especially learning this from a rangers perspective. These are the guys that come rescue critically injured people from the remote wilderness areas of these mountain in Washington. If you are lucky enough to be rescued #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #americorps #wildernessranger #giffordpinchotnationalforest #blackhawkhelicopter #yakamadustoff
What have you found in your backyard lately?
#tbt to Outdoor School and discovering the fascinating world of bugs.
#mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool #bugs #stem #discover #curiosity
Hiked into a lake in the Trapper Creek wilderness today to check and maintain a few camp areas around the lake and take in some information on the area. #mtadamsinstitute #vetswork #americorps #usforestservice #wildernessculture #mountainman #discoverearth
Yesterday I got to go out with our wildlife biologist to a newly developed wetland made to create habitat for the Oregon spotted frog. The frogs are here and naturally!! We only found 2 egg masses but that’s great news considering the Westland is less than a year old. We also found evidence of beavers exploring the area witch is also good news because they naturally created frog habitat. #endangeredfrog #oregonspottedfrog #wildlifebiology #troutcreek #troutlake #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #americorps #nature #froglife
Natural Dye Workshop today with Cascade Mountain School and the talented Julie Beeler unidola! Very fun and super informative! #naturaldye #foraging #cascademountainschool #color #fallfoliage #columbiarivergorge #troutlake #makersgonnamake #weaversofinstagram #knittersofinstagram
It's nice when the sun comes out #finallysunny #afewnicedays #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #americorps #oregon #mttheilsen #pnw
Meeting #cascademountainschool at horseshoemeadow full of bright red and pink paintbrush
Our Public Lands Stewards graduate from their AmeriCorps internships on Friday! Follow along this week as we share final stories of their experiences.
From Dakota, serving at the Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, “I am thankful to have worked on a project that I feel has a positive impact on our world and for Mt. Adams Institute being one small yet important piece to a large puzzle.”
Read more from him via the link in our bio!
Look who's on his way to Outdoor Explorers Camp. Can't wait to see what happens today at #mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool
Working as a backhoe operator with the road crew right now clearing debris from our forest roads. Wasn’t a bad spot to take lunch break today. #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #americorps #forestservicelife #giffordpinchotnationalforest #bestjobintheworld
More natural dyeing - with the Cascade Mountain School and Julie Beeler. Hunting, gathering, preparing, creating, recording! A great day!#naturaldyeing unidola #cascademountainschool #foraging #fall #rosehips #mushrooms #naturalcolors #makersgonnamake #littleweavingsco #textilespluscolor #troutlake #naturalworld
Love where I work #somanywaterfalls #umpquanationalforest #vetswork #mtadamsinstitute #lemolofalls
Today is world's environment day (I know all of those days are hard to follow). The theme this year was biodiversity which is a huge battle many conservationists face on a daily basis. It's the core idea of the project I am currently working on at Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Washington State. The Oregon spotted frog (shown in my last picture) is a threatened species that is losing habitat rapidly and has to compete with a variety of invasive species to survive.
I've also been reading alot about environmental injustice recently and It's tough to realize how little I've thought about my own privilege to work on jobs that I love. I do know that the environmental career field needs to combat racism and diversify the work force on public lands. If any person of color has experienced racism in the outdoor community I would love to talk more about it and find tangible solutions that we can work towards. In the meantime if anyone has questions on how to get started working in this career field feel free to reach out to me or leesbeets! Send us a resume or cover letter to look over, we can talk advice for job interviews, or how to make finances work🤙
Black Lives Matter.
#mtadamsinstitute #publiclands #blm #usfishandwildlifeservice
This weeks #TBT is from the 2014 Cascade Mountain School, Science of Stewardship program. High school students backpacked through the Mt. Hood National Forest while conducting meaningful ecological research. The Cascade Mountain School offers a variety of summer camps that give participants the chance to learn new skills, make lifelong friends, and become more connected to themselves and the natural world. Registration for the 2017 season is open! Go to: cascademountainschool.org for more information! #mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool #summercamps #mthood #science #stewardship
Meet Yori! Our VetsWork AmeriCorps intern serving as a geologist and minerals administrator on the Deschutes National Forest.
“VetsWork has helped me discover how exciting it is again to work out in the field; bat testing and cave exploration is by far the best thing I’ve done at work in the past 5 years. I know now that keeping the wildlife and forest from harm is a field that very much interests me.”
Read his full blog post via the link in our bio!
#mtadamsinstitute #vetswork #americorps #deschutes #nationalforest #bats #cave #membermonday
Our Intro to Backpacking campers enjoyed participating in a service project with WA Dept. of Natural Resources at the Trout Lake Natural Area Preserve last week. Campers spent the day learning about why invasive plant species removal is important for securing native biodiversity in the White Salmon watershed. In recognition of their efforts, campers ended the day with a @wetplanet rafting trip down the White Salmon River. Learn more about our commitment to service on our public lands and our partnership with @wetplanet at: mtadamsinstitute.org #mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool #wadnr #publiclands #stewardship #whitesalmonriver #troutlake #invasivespecies #biodiversity #service #community #camp
Exciting things are happening on our campus!! Construction of our new Education & Dining Pavilion has begun! Keep an eye out for our next newsletter to read about the journey of this project and the amazing folks making it happen. If you haven’t already, sign-up for our newsletter via the link in our bio!
#community #grateful #construction #mtadamsinstitute
#throwbackthursday to Cascade Mountain School's 2016 Nature Art Camp! This year, CMS is offering a similar camp called Recycled Art where students will work with recycled and repurposed material to make beautiful works of art! This camp will inspire artistic spirit while gaining an appreciation for the things we throw away. Students will get the opportunity to feel like real artists in a local Trout Lake art studio as they create their magical masterpieces. Registration is open at cascademountainschool.org! #mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool #recycledart #summercamp #registernow #tbt
Have you ever felt more at home in the outdoors than actual home? Tomorrow is National Public Lands Day; share with us your favorite outdoor home away from home! And check out this awesome artwork done by our AmeriCorps intern Victoria during her time in the Methow Valley this summer. Wildfire burn areas were the inspiration for the last two photos and she even used charcoal from the burned wood to create them!
#publiclands #art #nature #outdoors #stewardship #americorps #forestservice #mtadamsinstitute
Last week marked the end of our Mountain to Valley summer camp! For two weeks, students conducted meaningful ecological research while farming, backpacking, mountaineering, and camping. We hope that they left connected to themselves, with new skills and friends, and inspiration to become positive leaders and change makers in our world! #mtadamsinstitute #cascademountainschool #mountaintovalley #mtadams #troutlakevalley #highschoolcamp #science #stewardship