2012 Catalog

NORTH CASCADES INSTITUTE

connecting people, nature and community through education since 1986

2 12

Join us on

THE HIGH RIDGE Does there not exist a high ridge where the mountainside of “scientific” knowledge joins the opposite slope of “artistic” imagination?

-Vladimir Nabokov, author and lepidopterist

North Cascades Institute

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5-6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13-28 29 30 31-32 32 33 34

2012 Calendar of Events Skagit Tours Base Camp Family Getaways Cascades Adventure Camp Sourdough Speaker Series Citizen Science and NW Naturalists Classes and Field Excursions Registration Information M.Ed. Graduate Program Youth Programs Support Group Rentals Bookstores

+ North Cascades online Extended program descriptions, instructor bios, multimedia, webcams, maps and more on our brand-new website at www.ncascades.org Call us for personalized assistance at (360) 854.2599

Hidden Lake Lookout, Steph Abegg

1

l greetings from

Saul weisberg, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

YOUR PARTICIPATION HELPS SUPPORT THESE YOUTH PROGRAMS:

natasha lexin

At North Cascades Institute, we are committed to teaching at the convergence of natural and cultural history, science, humanities and the arts. That’s where I find my inspiration. I hope you can join me there.

amy brown

Mountain School

The best natural history ramblings are done with one foot in each camp, with our gaze alternating between the distant summit and the saxifrage waving in the breeze between our boots.

Kulshan Creek

Once in a while, as I wander Nabokov’s “high ridge,” meandering back and forth between the crags of science and the meadows of art and imagination, I get lost.

Climate Challenge

benj drummond

Sometimes I’m happiest when I’m lost in the mountains.

North Cascades Wild

see pages 31-32 for more details

koreena haynes

©rick allen

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

As we look ahead to the next few years, the Institute is moving forward with several new initiatives: + We want to increase the impact of our programs by reaching a larger and broader audience.

This means engaging more people — especially reaching out to more diverse audiences — and inspiring people to make changes in their lives that positively affect their communities. + We’re moving toward year-round programming, both at the Learning Center and in the field throughout the Pacific Northwest. + We want to engage even more young people in Institute programs that emphasize leadership and adventure. We’re going to expand our mentorship programs and help kids find opportunities for further personal, professional and academic growth. This will include providing more training, internships, apprenticeships and employment opportunities for 16to 24-year-olds at the Institute and with our partner organizations.

1

+ We will focus more attention on the health and wellness outcomes our programs provide.

We know that active, outdoor recreation leads to a healthier lifestyle, and we’re going to provide more opportunities to help this happen.

Vancouver

e Riv

am

ee

n

Riv

r

er

3

Riv

canada united states

er

Mt. Shuksan

542

Mt. Baker

Bellingham

S k a g it

20

Sedro-Woolley

Marblemount

R i ve r

SKAGIT VALLEY

St

ill

Sa

uk Ri

ey

r

nd

Winthrop

Okanogan

20

153

97

Lake Chelan

Glacier Peak

er

m

d

a Ri

ve

tc

r

c

ie

Leavenworth

he

Mt. Stuart

eR iv

90

u

LU

Col 2

na

a

lm

bi

Chelan 2

aR iv

e e

Seattle qu

PU G E T S O U N D

5

r

al

Skykomish Ri v

Vashon Island

M

BI

A

PL

WA

er

Wenatchee

ID

a

k

im a

Ri

ve r

quall

Mt. Rainier y River

simply giving people information about what they are encountering or about how nature works or what the principles of ecology are does not change behavior. what does change behavior is a combination of the head and the heart.”

—john miles, professor of environmental studies, huxley college, wwu

0 0

10

10 20

20 30 40

30 50 km

40 miles

Ellensburg 90

NV

CA

N

administrative offices environmental learning center

elizabeth penhollow

c

Ya

7

er Col u m b i a R iv

ite River

Olympia

“

U

97

Wh

Nis

EA

OR

Tacoma

5

AT

B.C.

s Top: Hozomeen, clint hensley; bottom: Ross Lake, john scurlock

97

Everett

Sno

Ca n

R

METHOW VALLEY

ve

Isla

Ho od

ow

20

Stehekin

mish River

We

Most offerings take place at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, 3 hours from Seattle or 2 hours from Bellingham

ua ag

Meth

NORTH CASCADES

er

Anacortes

Diablo Lake Newhalem

Baker Lake

iv

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

Ross Lake

542

r

ck

Okanogan R ive

ksa

CO

oo

r a n g e

N

5

Whidb

3

r

1

+ Finally, we’re offering unique opportunities to get involved with the Institute through volunteer stewardship, citizen science and our new naturalist certification programs.

See you on the trail.

ilk

99

+ We want to strengthen the Institute’s regional impact while growing its national reputation and influence. Simply put, we are more involved than ever with our National Park and Forest Service partners, exploring the future of public lands and how they will be used for education and stewardship in the coming years.

We need your support to make all this happen. Here’s what we do: educate, engage, empower.

Here’s what you can do: experience the North Cascades with us. Then get involved. Be active in your communities. Have fun!

F ra s e

Sim

3

4

2 12

JULY 13-15: Paintings in Motion, Learning Center 15-20: Cascades Adventure Camp Session #1, Learning Center

CALENDAR

15:

Cascades Butterfly Project, Sauk Mountain

20-22: July Family Getaway, Learning Center

APRIL

22-27: Cascades Adventure Camp Session #2, Learning Center

14-15: “Flights to Winter” with John Scurlock, Learning Center

27-30: Northwest Naturalists Retreat, Learning Center

20-22: Fly Tying in the Cascades, Learning Center

AUGUST

22:

3-5:

Dragonflies Across the Cascades, Methow Valley

3-5:

August Family Getaway, Learning Center

Specimen Drawing at the Burke Museum, Seattle

27-29: Printmaking with Ink and Watercolor, Learning Center

10-14: Teacher Training Workshop, Learning Center MAY

14-16: Digital Wildflower Photography, Learning Center

5-6:

“Chocolate Adventures” with Theo’s Joe Whinney, Learning Center

5-6:

Exploring Yellow and Jones Islands by Boat and Boot, San Juan Islands

12-13: Snakes and Amphibians of the Methow Valley 12:

The Poetry and Culture of Fishtown, Lower Skagit / La Conner area

26-28: Memorial Weekend Family Getaway, Learning Center

Ferns and Twisted-Stalk, mark turner

JUNE 1-3:

In the Company of Corvids, Learning Center, Skagit & Methow

2-3:

Wild Eats from Land to Sea, Lopez Island

8-10: Watercolors in the North Cascades, Learning Center 15-17: Summer Birding by Sight and Song, Learning Center, Skagit & Methow

15-17: Wilderness Cyber Tracking Certification, Learning Center 29-1: June Family Getaway, Learning Center

31-2: Labor Day Family Getaway, Learning Center

MULTIMEDIA New video celebrating 25 years of environmental education in the North Cascades ncascades.org/multimedia

SEPTEMBER 6-9:

Diablo Creative Arts Retreat, Learning Center

14-16: Diablo Downtime, Learning Center 15:

Street Smart Naturalist, Seattle

16:

Snake Count, Methow Valley

22: Mount Baker: The Story of Volcanoes, Ptarmigan Ridge 22-23: Hawkwatching, Chelan Ridge 29-30: Sourdough Speaker Series #4 TBA, Learning Center 30: Mount Baker: The Story of Volcanoes II, Ptarmigan Ridge OCTOBER 5-7:

Plein Air Painting in the North Cascades, Learning Center

12-14: Wild Mushroom Gathering & Preparation, Learning Center

+ NORTH CASCADES ONLINE

5

24-26: Pikas and Marmots Alpine Exploration, Cascade Pass area

Nest Watch, Learning Center

18-20: Hands to Work Stewardship Weekend, Learning Center 20:

17-19: Cascade Carnivores and Our Changing Climate, Learning Center

BLOG

12-14: Sit, Walk, Write: Nature & the Practice of Presence, Learning Center

chattermarks

20-21: Sourdough Speaker Series #5 TBA, Learning Center

A blog about living, learning & teaching in the North Cascades chattermarks.org

27:

Mount Baker Mushroom Excursion, Baker Lake Area

NOVEMBER 3-4:

Sourdough Speaker Series #6 TBA, Learning Center

6

Diablo Dam spilling, jason ruvelson

TRAVELER’S TIP Take a Skagit Tour and extend your visit with a stay on Diablo Lake at Base Camp!

SKAGIT TOURS

l Inexpensive guided day trips exploring the best of the North Cascades orth Cascades Institute, in partnership with Seattle City Light and North Cascades National Park, is offering interpretive tours of the Skagit Hydroelectric Project and the fascinating natural and cultural history of the Upper Skagit Valley this summer.

+ REGISTER: ncascades.org/skagit-tours • (360) 854-2589 • skagittours.reservations@ncascades.org

© trevor anderson

N

l Overnight learning adventures and accommodations

SKAGIT BOAT TOURS Thursdays – Mondays June 21 - Sept. 3

NORTH CASCADES EXPEDITIONS Fridays - Sundays June 22 - Sept. 2

POWERHOUSE TOURS Sept. 21, 22; Oct. 5, 6

11 am – 2:45 pm

10 am – 3:15 pm

9 am – 3:30 pm

These tours offer explorations of Diablo Lake aboard the historic Alice Ross III and lunch at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center. Learn about the natural and cultural history of the area, view glacier-clad peaks and tree-topped islands, hear stories about the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project and enjoy the deep blue waters of glacierfed Diablo Lake.

These explorations offer guided shuttle tours exploring highlights of the North Cascades Highway and a catered picnic lunch. An experience for the more adventurous, this option combines a shuttle tour, short hikes and lunch for a unique way to see and learn about the North Cascades, the North Cascades Highway and the Skagit Hydroelectric Project.

The three dams on the Skagit River – Gorge, Diablo and Ross – are inexorably linked to the history of the Skagit Valley and North Cascades and are rich with tales of visionaries, forces of nature and feats of engineering. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look into the life of these monumental dams, the company town of Newhalem and the unique Skagit Hydroelectric Project.

$30 adults; $15 youth 12 and under; $27 seniors 62 and older

$25 adults; $12.50 youth 12 and under; $20 seniors 62 and older

$35; no youth under 12

F

lexible, affordable, enriching and fun, Base Camp offers you the opportunity to explore and learn about “the American Alps” from skilled naturalists while enjoying the comforts of our award-winning campus in the heart of North Cascades National Park. Everyone is invited to stay for Base Camp at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center for as many days and nights as you’d like, on a spaceavailable basis, during our peak summer season.

Each night of Base Camp includes: + Accommodations in our comfortable lodges + Three delicious meals made predominately with local, organic ingredients + Three activities offered daily which may include guided naturalist hikes, canoeing on Diablo Lake, art activities, natural history presentations, campfires, wilderness skills and more We focus our learning adventures around a theme each week, including a week of Field Base Camp at Newhalem Creek Campground, August 5-12. Full details online.

Whether passing through the North Cascades for a day or staying for a week, Base Camp is a great way to explore and learn about this amazing ecosystem from the comfort of our award-winning campus. ncascades.org/basecamp

7

david astudillo

jess newley

BASE CAMP

nps archives

June 15- September 28 pricing depends on accommodation choice: private room, $125 single shared room, $95 double, $160 triple, $195 quad $230 register with a family or group and save: A group of four sharing a room costs $230 a night, or less than $58 a person—lodging, meals and program included! space is limited and fills fast, so contact us today!

+ REGISTER: (360) 854-2599 nci@ncascades.org

8

i don’t know anyone who’s taken an institute program as an adult or child who hasn’t thought it was terrific. i can’t imagine a better run organization with a mission that’s more important.”

— chuck robinson, co-owner village books & paper dreams

CASCADES

©rick allen

“

NEW!

ADVENTURE CAMP

FAMILY GETAWAYS

l Families of all shapes and sizes gather in the North Cascades May 26-28 June 29-July 1 July 20-22 August 3-5 August 31-September 2 $225 per adult $155 per child (ages 3-17) children two and younger free

+ REGISTER: ncascades.org/family (360) 854-2599 nci@ncascades.org

Come enjoy the great outdoors with your family in the heart of North Cascades National Park and let us take care of all the work. Situated on the wooded shores of Diablo Lake, the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center offers the comforts of home with its inviting lodges, cozy library, outdoor play spaces and lakeside dining hall. Our gifted kitchen staff creates delicious buffet-style meals, using fresh, local and organic ingredients as much as possible, that please the palates of people young and old.

Institute naturalists, working alongside National Park Service rangers, will present your family with a daily slate of engaging, hands-on activities including voyages in the big canoe, hiking local trails, outdoor games, fun naturalist lessons and crafts. Different seasons present unique occasions for outdoor explorations and our enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff is adept at making the most of what nature has to offer.

institute staff

l Fun-filled outdoor explorations for young people Summer is the perfect time to discover adventure in the North Cascades. Cascades Adventure Camp immerses kids ages 10-12 in fun-filled explorations of the natural wonders of North Cascades National Park. This overnight camp experience is based out of the Environmental Learning Center, where campers will embark on exciting journeys including paddling Diablo Lake, learning to track wildlife and forage for food, climbing a mountain and more. From uncovering the mysteries of Northwest woods to digging deeper into the secret lives of the animals that inhabit this world, campers will explore the mountains, rivers and forests of their big backyard while learning about themselves and making new friends!

July 15 – July 20 July 22 – July 27 $750 per participant

+ REGISTER: (360) 854-2599 nci@ncascades.org

All Cascades Adventure campers will enjoy accommodations in our comfortable, gender-specific lodges and delicious meals made from predominately local and organic ingredients. Summer Camp staff are Institute naturalists, graduate students and interns who are experienced in and enthusiastic about teaching youth about the environment. Staff-to-camper ratio of one to six or better allows each camper plenty of learning opportunities and attention.

With plenty of games, campfires and sing-alongs, your child will experience all of the indelible experiences of summer camp, returning home with an eagerness for getting outside to experience the natural world. ncascades.org/camp

In the evening, we’ll gather around the campfire with stories and songs beneath the innumerable stars of the North Cascades night sky. You will also have opportunities to enjoy free time however you please. institute archives

9

elizabeth penhollow

emily petrovsky

jack mcleod

10

NEW!

Sourdough speaker series

CITIZEN SCIENCE

Sourdough Lookout, nick mikula

l Engage in field science to support conservation

l Intimate overnight gatherings in the mountains

N

S

orth Cascades Institute seeks Citizen Scientists – people who are excited to assist with valuable scientific research – in the North Cascades and Skagit Valley. These projects provide a fun and educational way for people who may not have previous scientific training to engage in meaningful research.

Participants work with researchers who are active in the North Cascades ecosystem and help them achieve research goals that might be difficult without the assistance of a committed group of volunteers, students, and enthusiastic contributors. The research is an important contribution towards understanding these complex ecosystems and how to best conserve them.

torytelling has been an important part of the cultural landscape of the North Cascades for centuries, from when the first native people searched for trading routes to the colorful parade + REGISTER: of explorers, miners, fire lookouts, ncascades.org/speakerseries climbers, dam workers and rangers (360) 854-2599 that followed. Nestled at the foot of nci@ncascades.org Sourdough Mountain, the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center is a perfect venue for intimate gatherings of Northwest artists, writers, naturalists and entrepreneurs to share their own stories from our remarkable region.

Each Sourdough Speaker Series engagement begins Saturday around sunset with wine and hors d’œuvres on the deck of our lakeside dining hall before moving inside for an informal gourmet dinner of primarily local and organic foods prepared by our kitchen staff. A special presentation by our guest speaker will follow, with ample time for questions and discussion.

Following Sunday morning’s continental breakfast, we’ll offer a naturalist-led activity to get you outdoors exploring our wild and scenic neighborhood.

March 24-25

Flights to Winter with pilot and photographer john scurlock April 14-15

Nest Watch, May 12 Cascades Butterfly Project, July 15 Pikas and Marmots, Aug 24-26 Snake Count, Sept. 16 Hawkwatching, Sept. 22-23 + REGISTER: ncascades.org/citizen-science (360) 854-2599 nci@ncascades.org

Look for the binocular icons in the class listings for more information.

sara raine tro/trofeo

institute teachers, mentors and interpreters take people into this place and rub them up against it – create friction and sparks, tickle curiosity – and make people go away wanting to know more. i don’t know many organizations that do that – catching that interest, feeding that interest and delivering people back to their communities more informed, better able to function as conservationists and naturalists.”

— robert michael pyle, author and lepidopterist

Chocolate Adventures with joe whinney, founder of theo chocolate May 5-6

NEW! NW Naturalist Certification christian martin

Evolution of Feathers with field biologist thor hanson

john scurlock

kathleen ballard

Aerial View of Skagit Queen Creek, john scurlock

$125 per person based on double occupancy $95 per person based on triple occupancy

We’re excited to introduce our Northwest Naturalist Certification program. Become a better naturalist, communicator and land steward by learning about the North Cascades and Pacific Northwest with Institute naturalists, field biologists and rangers. Our certification process will track three main areas of study: Natural and Cultural History of the North Cascades, Interpretation Techniques and Citizen Science and Stewardship.

If you love the Cascades, being outdoors and learning about the unique ecology of our bioregion, deepen your connection, knowledge and teaching skills through the Northwest Naturalist Certification program. ncascades.org/naturalist

11

Fall 2012: September 29-30, October 20-21, November 3-4 — Speakers to be announced

12

ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER

©rick allen

NORTH CASCADES

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

e’re pleased to present our 2012 slate of classes, designed to get people of all ages outside enjoying and learning about the natural wonders of the North Cascades. Most of our offerings take place at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, a hub for discovery on Diablo Lake in the heart of the North Cascades. North Cascades Institute has operated the Silver LEED-certified Learning Center in partnership with the National Park Service and Seattle City Light since 2005. Integrating sustainable building design with environmentally friendly operations, our wilderness campus at the foot of Sourdough Mountain features 16 buildings, outdoor shelters, a trail system and dock access to the lake. Our facilities include: + Three comfortable lodges with ADA-accessible accommodations for 92 guests + A lakeside dining hall serving fresh, local and organic meals in tune with the seasons + Multimedia classrooms, science labs and the Wild Ginger Library

Located along State Route 20 just past Newhalem, three hours from Seattle or two from Bellingham, the Learning Center is the home base for Institute programs including Family Getaways, Base Camp, Mountain School, Cascades Adventure Camp, Sourdough Speaker Series, Graduate M.Ed. Program and Group Rentals. ©rick allen

In addition to our Learning Center programs, we’ll venture out to explore other regional natural attractions, including Field Excursions to the Methow and Skagit valleys, Seattle, the San Juan Islands, Lake Chelan and the North Cascades backcountry. ncascades.org/classes

Diablo Lake, john scurlock

W

CHOOSE YOUR OWN

ADVENTURE

Making the Perfect Fly: Fly Tying in the Cascades 4th corner fly fishers

Specimen Drawing at the Burke Museum: Feather and Bone jocelyn curry

April 20-22 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$215, d$295, s$455

April 22 (Sun) Seattle $95

cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

cost includes museum admission

Trying to mimic the insects that are naturally occurring in the rivers and streams using colored string, wire, feathers, beads and other materials is an art form that the fly fisher tries to master. Learn how to tie some basic flies for Pacific Northwest fishing from the seasoned sportsmen from 4th Corner Fly Fishers. You will also learn about the science of selecting flies, as well as stream and macroinvertebrate biology.

Bones give animals form and provide insight on what activities their bodies were designed to do. Wings are much the same, giving us insight on type of flight, feeding strategies and where our winged friends would likely call home. Gain better understanding of current and past creatures by examining and drawing the Burke Museum’s legendary bone and wing collection. Jocelyn will guide us through a series of exercises that will enhance our ability to see and record on paper the shapes, shadows and colors of the specimens.

Some drawing experience is useful but not required for this class.

18

Tuition includes a $20 fee for materials.

6

+ REGISTRATION KEY Programs at the Learning Center offer several enrollment options based on accommodations. The campus includes 23 rooms in three guest lodges, each one with two sets of twin bunk beds. Depending on availability, you may choose one of the following:

t (Triple occupancy): sharing a room with 2 other people, which will require use of an upper bunk. Our most affordable option. d (Double occupancy): sharing a room with 1 other person. s (Single occupancy): a private room.

When you sign up with friends or family, you can request specific roommates at the time of registration. Otherwise, shared occupancy is assigned on a gender-specific basis. More information about our accommodations at ncascades.org/learning_center.

13

Credits and Clock Hours Some seminars offer optional academic credit through Western Washington University. The number available is signified by a “C.” Additionally, most seminars offer clock hours for teachers. The number available is signified by a .

Scholarships and Student Discounts To make programs available to a wide audience, we have scholarship funds available. We also offer a student discount of 50% off most Institute programs for actively enrolled students.

Please visit ncascades.org or call (360) 854-2599 for additional information.

14

cost includes sailboat trip, campsite and 5 meals

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

12 Printmaking with Ink and Watercolor molly hashimoto April 27-29 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$275, d$355, s$515 cost includes 2 nights lodging and 7 meals

18

Gather ideas in the grandeur of the North Cascades! We’ll fire up our creativity by exploring the Learning Center’s wild neighborhood for inspiration before Molly leads us in a discussion about design and the power of black and white contrast. You’ll learn how to transfer drawings to a block of Safety Kut, carve the blocks, ink them up with both water-soluble and waterproof inks, print them without a press on proof paper and fine printmaking paper and finally tint them with watercolor. No printmaking experience is required for this fun weekend of art, nature, good food and community.

15

Set sail on the Orion, a classic 1934 wooden sailboat, to explore the biological riches of some lesser-known San Juan Islands. This natural history voyage will focus on seabirds, marine mammals and island wildflowers, and participants will also have the chance to learn the art of sailing and navigation on a historic vessel. We’ll depart from Anacortes and head to Jones Island, where we’ll explore the beautiful forests and rocky shores of this 188-acre state park, learning about madronas, tidelands and pelagic birds. The next morning, we’ll sail for Yellow Island, a jewel of the San Juan archipelago renowned for native wildflower displays and accessed only by special permission. As we make our way back to Anacortes, we’ll keep an eye out for mammals like seals, porpoises and orca whales!

Snakes and Amphibians of the Methow Valley scott fitkin and john rohrer May 12-13 (Sat-Sun) Winthrop Area $150

Nest Watch jeff anderson May 12 (Sat) Learning Center, free!

6

cost includes campsite and 1 dinner

9

Bird nests are truly one of nature’s most amazing creations, and by design, very difficult to find and observe. Learn the secrets to Join us for an intimate look at Eastern Washfinding nests and unobtrusively monitoring ington’s reptiles and amphibians in the magithem in order to take part in Cornell Lab of cal Methow Valley on the sunny side of the Ornithology’s NestWatch project. This project North Cascades. We’ll begin with an overview helps scientists understand (and hopefully reof herpetology and the latest scientific research verse) the causes of species declines, through on local populations, and then spend Saturday a continent-wide database that tracks the in the field searching for these critters in their survival of North American birds. native habitats. We’ll survey for amphibians in wetlands and reptiles in drier climes, as well as visit an active rattlesnake den.

Hands to Work: Learning Center Stewardship Weekend mike brondi and institute staff May 18-20 (Fri eve-Sun) Suggested donation of $50 cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

12

Yellow Island, jason ruvelson

May 5-6 (Sat-Sun) Puget Sound $350

libby mills

Horny Toad, wdfw

Orion and Mount Baker, kevin campion Cedar Waxwing, molly hashimoto

Hidden Treasures of the San Juans: Exploring Yellow and Jones Islands by Boat and Boot jeff anderson, kevin campion & crew

For this specially-priced “volunteer vacation,” lend a hand to tend to the native flora and the habitat surrounding the Learning Center. There will be a variety of projects including thinning, mulching and invasive plant removal. Our hard work will be rewarded with delicious meals prepared with many local and organic ingredients. Local storytellers will share evening presentations and we’ll retire to comfortable guest lodges at night with the satisfaction of a job well done!

david snyder

16

Wild Eats from Land to Sea jennifer hahn

May 20 (Sun) La Conner/Lower Skagit River $175

June 1-3 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$245, d$325, s$485

June 2-3 (Sat-Sun) Lopez Island $175

cost includes voyage, dinner and panel Pioneer Park event only: $30 includes dinner

cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

cost includes campsite and 2 meals

Join poet Tim McNulty and artist Bo Miller on a voyage down the Swinomish Channel in the Institute’s 36-foot Salish-style canoe. Paddling together, Bo will share stories illuminating the natural and cultural significance of Fishtown and Tim will share poems by Robert Sund and other poets in the landscape that inspired them. We’ll stop along the way for refreshments, visit Sund’s shack at “Disappearing Lake” and end the adventure in La Conner for the closing festivities of the Skagit Poetry Festival. At the park, we’ll enjoy delicious barbeque and a lively panel discussion on poetry, culture and the Lower Skagit.

18

12 /1c

Ever try nettle pesto, rose petal vinaigrette with wild berry and green salad, kelpwrapped barbeque salmon or Douglas fir sorbet? This field excursion with naturalist Jennifer Hahn, Fairhaven College instructor and author of Pacific Feast: A Cook’s Guide to West Coast Foraging and Cuisine, takes advantage of spring’s profusion of edible plants and an extreme low tide for harvesting sea vegetables. Saturday, we’ll explore wild foods of Lopezian forests and fields. Sunday, we’ll turn our tastebuds to the “intertidal table” and identify 12 delicious, nutrientpacked sea veggies produced by the sea. Each night we’ll make a feast celebrating the wild foods of the season. Our homebase will be a group campsite in Spencer Spit State Park, a lovely campground with a diversity of habitats and views.

Visit Skagit forests, Methow meadows and the passes in between in search of corvids – ravens, crows, jays, magpies and nutcrackers – in their various natural habitats. John Marzluff, professor of wildlife biology and foster parent to Mariana crows, will be your guide, bringing to life concepts from his books In the Company of Crows and Ravens and the forthcoming Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans. Observe corvids’ habits and personalities firsthand and realize your part in the “cultural co-evolution” that corvids and humans have long shared.

Join North Cascades Institute at Village Books in Bellingham May 15 at 7 pm for a free reading from the new book Notes from Disappearing Lake: The River Journals of Robert Sund. Edited by Sund’s close friends Glenn Hughes and Tim McNulty, this volume assembles poem-like journal entries by the esteemed poet from his shack on the Skagit River estuary.

Pacific Dogwood, molly hasimoto

In the Company of Corvids john marzluff

6 + ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

tracy spring

john harter

Robert Sund’s cabin, jessica haag

The Poetry and Culture of Fishtown tim mcnulty and bo miller

Watercolors in the North Cascades molly hashimoto June 8-10 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$275, d$355, s$515 cost includes 2 nights lodging and 7 meals

18 /1c

Learn an entire repertoire of techniques to capture the North Cascades with a medium that seems designed especially for the Pacific Northwest: watercolors! Teaching to all levels, Molly will lead the group as we carve out the deep shadows of early morning on Pyramid Peak, dab our brushes wet-on-wet to express the mid-day chartreuse of vine maples, glaze the limitless light of summer skies and drybrush the late afternoon waves on Diablo Lake. The Learning Center’s neighborhood offers endless inspiration and subject matter to practice our plein air painting in a supportive environment of fellow artists and nature lovers.

17

San Juan Islands, ben straub

all images, jessica haag

erik ambjor

18

katie roloson

Red-Breasted Sapsucker, roger iverson

Summer Birding by Sight and Song libby mills

Wilderness Cyber Tracking Certification david moskowitz

June 15-17 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$245, d$325, s$485

June 15-17 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$215, d$295, s$455

cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

Join Libby to survey summer bird life in the North Cascades as our feathered friends display fascinating breeding behaviors and share their melodious songs. We’ll begin our exploration along the upper Skagit River Friday morning and arrive at the Learning Center by mid-afternoon to settle in to our rooms and enjoy a presentation on forest song. On Saturday, we’ll bird our way eastward over the pass to explore the Methow Valley. We’ll conclude our survey Sunday back on the westside visiting choice locations in the upper valley. Libby has taught natural history in these mountains for over two decades and is an expert in bird identification with an incredible ear for song recognition, an essential tool for any aspiring birder from beginner to avid enthusiast.

Learning tracks and sign will open your eyes to a whole new world of wildlife activity.

Earn a Level 1 Track and Sign Certification from Cyber Tracker during this weekend at the Learning Center with David Moskowitz, author of Wildlife of the Pacific Northwest: Tracking and Identifying Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, and Invertebrates and a certified Track and Sign Specialist and Cyber Tracker Evaluator. Determine the species that left a track or sign through thoughtful consideration of a variety of factors spanning the environmental context they are in to the details of the signs themselves. This certification is an inspiring and rigorous training tool to improve your skill level, whether you are a park ranger, biologist, naturalist, citizen scientist, student, outfitter or a nature hobbyist.

18 /1C

Owl Posse, todd horton

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

18 /1C

19

Cascades Butterfly Project jeff anderson and nps biologists

July 13-15 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$245, d$325, s$485

July 15 (Sun) Sauk Mountain, free!

cost includes 2 nights lodging and 7 meals

6

Join artist Todd Horton to learn new techniques that will give your art a sense of movement and momentum. This unique class will focus on conveying the sense of grace, mystery and magic that imbues the North Cascades by looking closely at some of its inhabitants. Using oil paints as our medium, we’ll create paintings of animals in motion, perhaps a running deer or flying cedar waxwing. Once the animal is painted, Todd will show us how to take a squeegee and pull it across the still-wet paint. The results will be animals infused with a sense of life, set into motion while simultaneously suspended in time.

Alpine meadows in the Northwest are expected to shrink dramatically due to the effects of climate change. Butterflies make ideal indicator species to study these changes because they are particularly sensitive to climatic changes and are relatively easy to identify in the field by scientists and volunteers alike.

This volunteer training will teach participants how to identify alpine butterfly species and implement the research methods for this exciting long-term monitoring project.

18

benj drummond

“

I love teaching. I just love to see the lights come on in someone’s eyes, when they learn something they didn’t know and they think wow, that’s really cool.

And that’s what keeps me coming back to teach at North Cascades Institute.”

— Libby Mills, Naturalist and Instructor

Paintings in Motion todd horton

20

21 /1c

August 3-5 (Fri-Sun) North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama $350

“the wild requires that we learn the terrain, nod to all the plants and animals and birds, ford the streams and cross the ridges and tell a good story when we get back home.”

—gary snyder, “the etiquette of freedom”

cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals $275 commuter rate includes instruction and 2 dinners $5 friday evening presentation only

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

Come to the North Cascades for our annual gathering of naturalists in the mountains and learn more about the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest. In 2012, we’re exploring the interconnected realms of forest and fire ecology, climate change and the powerful native traditions of storytelling. Students will spend a day in the field learning with each instructor and we’ll gather as a group in the evenings for in-depth presentations and discussions.

Participants will enjoy accommodations in our comfortable lodges, delicious meals made predominately with local, organic produce and access to the natural history collection in the Wild Ginger Library.

18 /1c

Washington State harbors 76 species of dragonflies and damselflies, from the order Odonata meaning “toothed jaw.” Join Dennis Paulson, the Northwest’s foremost authority on odonates, to investigate landscapes and waterways across the North Cascades.

The Methow is home to a great diversity of dragonflies and we have planned this trip at the perfect time of the year for them to be out. We’ll head outside with nets at the ready, searching cattail ponds among the pine forests and sagelands near Winthrop, wildflower meadows near Washington Pass and wetland areas of the Upper Skagit Valley. North Cascades Basecamp in Mazama will provide us with comfortable accommodations and home-cooked meals.

“The Climate of the Northwest” with Nate Mantua Nate will illuminate the forces of nature past, present and future that shape the climate of the Pacific Northwest, including El Niño, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and other causes for the region’s variability that brings drought in some years and massive snowpacks in others. Nate will lead an inquiry into scenarios for the region’s climate for the rest of this century, and how these are likely to be shaped by a combination of natural climate wanderings and human-caused global warming.

21

steven russell

“The Ecology of Fire” with Susan Prichard and Phil Higuera Spend a day with Susan and Phil and learn when, where and why wildfires “live” on the landscape, and how wildfire interacts with climate, vegetation and topography to create the patterns we see in regional forests today. With an emphasis on fire ecology and climatic change, we will also explore the history of northwest forests over thousands of years, the tools ecologists use to understand modern forests, and how tree-ring and lake-sediment records help us reconstruct the paleoecology of a region.

“The Native American Story” with Gene Tageban Native American storytelling is an art that holds the culture and history of people. The landscape, plants and animals of the Pacific Northwest are deeply rooted in their stories.

Encoded in these stories were lessons passed down from generation to generation, instructing people about how to respect our relationships with all living things. How can we use the ancient art of storytelling to communicate environmental and ecological issues and the importance of staying connected to the natural world? Gene will use his experience and heritage to bring to life traditional stories, and activities will help us better understand how the art of telling compelling stories is vital even today.

Dragonflies Across the Cascades dennis paulson

Columbine, mark turner

cost includes 3 nights lodging and 9 meals

blue Eyed eyedDarner, darnersarah by sarah schmidt Blue schmidt

July 27-30 (Fri-Mon) Learning Center t$305, d$385, s$545

Hidden Peak, andy porter

Northwest Naturalists Retreat: Climate Change, Forest and Fire Ecology and Storytelling susan prichard, phil higuera, nate mantua and gene tageban

Digital Wildflower Photography with a Pocket Camera mark turner August 14-16 (Tues-Thurs) Learning Center t$245, d$325, s$485 cost includes 2 nights lodging and 7 meals

18 /1C

Learn and practice techniques for photographing wildflowers in their natural environment while also gaining new knowledge about how to get the most out of your pocket digital camera. Our field sessions will be in locations with a wide range of subject matter for artful details, plant portraits full of both beauty and information, and visual explorations of the interrelationships of several species in their habitats. The emphasis will be on using the strengths of little cameras to discover new ways to see flowers, creative composition, separating subjects from distracting backgrounds and controlling natural light. Mark’s slideshows will introduce techniques, and then we’ll then go into the field to put them into practice. In the evening, optional group critiques of the day’s work will provide rapid feedback.

Participants should be familiar with operating their cameras. Supply list provided upon registration.

22

Diablo Creative Arts Retreat September 6-9 (Thurs-Sun) Learning Center t$305, d$385, s$545 cost includes 3 nights lodging and 10 meals

24 /1c

cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals + ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

15 /1c

cost includes campsite and 1 meal camping equipment may be available by request

12

The North Cascades’ beautiful alpine areas are home to some of the most charismatic, yet vulnerable, animals: pikas and marmots.

Join Institute Science Coordinator Jeff Anderson and National Park Service wildlife biologist Roger Christopherson as we hike into the mountains and learn all about the ecology of these critters and the alpine ecosystems they inhabit. We’ll “car camp” at a national park campground and day hike up towards famous Cascade Pass to participate in research efforts aimed at gathering information on these high elevation inhabitants.

23

saul weisberg

kristen gilje

Agency wildlife biologists Scott Fitkin and John Rohrer will draw on their 20+ years of ongoing fieldwork with rare Cascadian carnivores to share with us the fascinating ecology of the elusive gray wolf, wolverine, lynx and grizzly bear. We’ll visit their wilderness haunts and learn about ongoing research projects – visiting an active camera station, DNA hair snag site and wolverine research trap – and understand what they’re teaching us about the animal behavior. John and Scott will discuss the movements and activities of North Cascadian critters that are being altered in the face of the changing climate and human activity.

August 24-26 (Fri-Sun) Cascade Pass area $125 jocelyn curry

August 17-19 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$215, d$295, s$455

Pikas and Marmots Alpine Exploration jeff anderson & roger christopherson

melinda west

Adaptation of the Wild: Carnivores and Our Changing Climate john rohrer and scott fitkin

s the Cascadian summer winds down into the subdued pleasures of autumn, recharge your artistic inspiration at our annual retreat for aspiring and experienced artists. Gather with a collective of creative minds at our wilderness getaway in North Cascades National Park. With grand views of Diablo Lake and Colonial and Pyramid peaks, our campus offers inspiring vistas as well as comfortable lodges, delicious meals and productive places to work.

Participants choose one instructor and medium to work with over the long weekend. This year’s options include:

katie roloson

wdfw

A

“The Artful Map: A One Page Journal” with Jocelyn Curry Whether it is the geology, flora, fauna or weather of the Pacific Northwest that speak to you, a personal map can reflect your observations and knowledge of a place, enriching your own place in it. Participants will work with Jocelyn, with the aid of a provided art supply kit, to create personal maps of the Learning Center/Diablo Lake neighborhood.

Instruction will include basic map iconography, drafting and coloring tips and the unique flourished calligraphy of old maps. There is a $10 materials fee.

“Weaving an Artistic Basket” with Melinda West Use the treasures of natural plant materials, handmade papers and your own personal artifacts to create beautiful baskets with a story to tell. Using artifacts brought from home, found materials in nature and paper that we will create from scratch, plant fiber weaver Melinda will lead us in creating sculptural vessels, or “arty-artifact baskets,” that express our own creative personalities and stories!

There is a $30 materials fee.

“Drawing and Painting the Wild Journal” with Kristen Gilje With resident naturalists as our guides, we will take our journals into the nearby mountain meadows and lakes to sketch, paint and write about what we observe. We’ll gain ideas and inspiration from journals and sketchbooks of famous naturalist-artists like the Murie family of the Grand Tetons, Robert Bateman and local journalists too. Continue your old journal or start your first one with us!

24

September 14-16 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center T$245, D$325, S$485

lidija kamansky

saul weisberg

institute archives

©rick allen

Diablo Downtime: Relax, Reflect, Recharge institute naturalists

Street Smart Naturalist in Seattle david williams

Snake Count: Citizen Science Project john rohrer and jeff anderson

Mount Baker: The Story of Volcanoes dave tucker

September 15 (Sat) Seattle $95

September 16 (Sun) Methow Valley, free!

Sept 22 (Sat) or Sept 30 (Sun) Ptarmigan Ridge $95

Join biologists from the US Forest Service and North Cascades Institute as we travel to reptile hot spots around the sunny side of the North Cascades in the Methow Valley. We’ll be searching for and recording snake observations to be used in the Center for Snake Conservation’s nationwide effort to create an instantaneous snapshot of the continent’s snake populations.

Experience time travel in the high country with a leading geological expert on the Mount Baker region who is eager to share his intimate knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the area. Our trip will begin above tree line at Artist’s Point before venturing out toward the simmering, glaciated volcano herself. We’ll travel over ancient records of volcanism as we traverse the 1-million year-old Kulshan caldera, discuss the origin of Table Mountain and examine layers of volcanic ash preserved in the soil.

6

6

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

Cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

Diablo Downtime offers you the opportunity to explore the Learning Center’s wild and scenic neighborhood at your own pace. Each day, Institute naturalists will offer a variety of activities ranging from yoga classes to guided hikes to a Diablo Lake voyage in our canoe.

You may also choose to spend the day on your own timeline, exploring local trails and beaches or simply marveling at the scenery.

In the evenings enjoy presentations on the natural and cultural history of this unique region, gaze at the stars and sit around a campfire. Fall is a beautiful time in the Cascades, and a great season for relaxing and rejuvenating. Slow down and savor the mountains at your own speed this autumn.

From downtown to down by the Sound, explore Seattle’s wild side with David Williams, author of Stories in Stone: Travels in Urban Geology and The Seattle Street-Smart Naturalist: Field Notes from the City. With enthusiasm and sharp observation skills, David will open our eyes to the natural wonders of the urban environment. The day will begin beneath the Magnolia Bluff, the perfect spot for seeing coastal geological processes. We’ll proceed along the Duwamish River, where we’ll read the record of Seattle’s most active earthquake zone. We’ll finish by heading to Pioneer Square for a two-mile-long transect to investigate 330-million-year-old fossils and see where mammoths once roamed.

Hawkwatching kent woodruff and jeff anderson

ben straub

steph abegg

Sept. 22-23 (Sat-Sun) Chelan Ridge Hawk Watch Station $140

25

Cost includes campsite and 1 meal camping equipment may be available by request

12

Each autumn, thousands of hawks, eagles and falcons cruise along a high ridge perched above Lake Chelan on their way to winter territories. This year, during the peak of migration, you can witness this spectacle by joining biologists from the US Forest Service, HawkWatch International and North Cascades Institute for a September weekend of birding. You will learn all about raptor biology and hone your identification skills by assisting researchers as they count passing hawks. The field station also bands hawks in order to gather information on bird populations, movements and survival, providing participants the rare opportunity to get a close-up look at these magnificent birds. Working together as a team, we’ll gather local data in a larger effort to capture information on the health of North America’s raptor populations.

Participants will camp together; dinner provided.

26

October 12-14 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$215, d$295, s$455

October 12-14 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$215, d$295, s$455

Cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

Cost includes 2 nights lodging and 6 meals

18 /1c

Participants will bring their own equipment and materials; supply list provided upon registration.

FOODSHED PROJECT P

Mount Baker Mushroom Excursion lee whitford October 27 (Sat) Baker Lake Area $95

6

Autumn rains nourish a proliferation of mushrooms in our region. There are red ones, purples ones, large and small, some shaped like coral, others smell like almonds or licorice. Together, we’ll venture into the forest to learn more about the variety of fungus among us. Lee Whitford, an experienced natural history educator and expert in mushroom field identification, will provide an overview of fungi, their habitats and helpful I.D. techniques. After a brief introduction, we’ll head to the woods to gather samples while practicing observation skills, describing their characteristics and learning about their roles in the forest. The day will end indoors identifying our finds and going into greater depth on areas of your interest.

urchasing organic foods from local growers and teaching about our local foodshed not only contributes to sustainable operations at the Learning Center, it creates new ways to connect people, nature and community through education. Foodshed Project goals include offering appealing, wholesome food choices; serving organic and sustainably produced food; purchasing locally grown food; minimizing waste and educating about the power of food choice.

ncascades.org/foodshed

©rick allen

Cost includes 2 nights lodging and 7 meals

Zen teacher and author Kurt Hoelting and writing teacher and poet Holly Hughes return to the North Cascades for a weekend retreat that promises to be both restorative and inspiring. Starting each day with sitting meditation and Qi gong movement, we’ll share poems and short nature essays, then explore putting our own thoughts into words.

Outdoors, we’ll enjoy walking meditation, hiking and gentle observations with Institute naturalists as a way to deepen our connection with the natural world. We’ll be reading the works of well-known nature writers and poets – from Mary Oliver to David Wagoner – as well as drawing from our instructors’ recently published books for inspiration and writing practice. Take some time this autumn to nurture yourself with a unique wilderness practice, good food and mountain air.

Whether you shop at farmer’s markets or forage your own fungal delicacies, fall provides us with a bounty of gourmet mushroom delights. Join Learning Center chefs Shelby Slater and Mike Cuseo and mycology enthusiast Lee Whitford to learn about mushroom selection, wildharvesting and how to create dishes to tantalize your palate. Lee will provide a general overview of fungus, including a foray into the woods. Our chefs will take us on a tour of some innovative local farms and give cooking lessons on preparing both our wild and farm-raised treasures. You will learn basic mushroom identification skills, ethical harvesting and guidelines for eating wild mushrooms.

©rick allen

October 5-7 (Fri-Sun) Learning Center t$245, d$325, s$485

18 /1c

mike cuseo

Plein Air Painting in the North Cascades thomas wood

kacey shoemaker

jess newley

carolyn waters Liberty Bell, thomas wood

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

Sit, Walk, Write: Nature and the Practice of Presence kurt hoelting and holly hughes

18 /1c

Spend a fall weekend plein air painting in the wild neighborhood of the Learning Center, a perfect place to explore and paint azure lakes, rocky peaks and pristine forests. Class time will be mostly spent painting outside with painter and printmaker Thomas Wood, a professional artist who has been portraying the Northwest landscape for 30 years. We’ll experiment with color effects and harmonizing, composition and using landscape as story. Participants will learn about pigments, opacity and transparency, the advantages of mixing your own colors and how to choose brushes, canvas and boards. Studio time will be an opportunity to recommend pigments for glazing and glazing mediums and to talk about varnishing, how to enrich with overpainting and how to finish a painting.

27

The Fungus Among Us: Wild Mushroom Gathering and Preparation lee whitford and institute staff

28

REGISTRATION online at ncascades.org

©rick allen

by email at nci@ncascades.org online registration is not available for base camp and cascades adventure camp – please call for assistance.

Pricing and accommodations Pricing for Learning Center programs varies according to sleeping arrangements. Each room in our three guest lodges has two sets of twin bunk beds, and shared, gender-specific bathrooms with showers. Depending on availability, you may choose single, double or triple occupancy. If you register for triple occupancy, please be prepared to use the top bunk.

jason ruvelson

by phone at (360) 854-2599

I

n partnership with Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment, North Cascades Institute offers a Masters of Education that blends leadership and nonprofit administration, curriculum development and instructional strategies, natural and cultural history and program operations. Graduate students live and work at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, pursue coursework at WWU’s Bellingham campus, teach kids and adults from all backgrounds, explore varied Northwest environments and make lifelong friends as well as professional contacts in our close-knit community. Upon graduating, students receive an M.Ed. from WWU, and a Certificate in Leadership and Nonprofit Administration from the Institute. ncascades.org/graduate

Shared occupancy is assigned on a gender-specific basis unless a particular roommate(s) is requested at the time of registration. Single occupancy is limited and offered on a space-available basis.

+ ncascades.org • (360) 854-2599

M.Ed. GRADUATE PROGRAM

All Learning Center classes include meals featuring local and organic foods. More information on accommodations at www.ncascades.org/learning_center.

Cancellations If a registration is cancelled 21 days or more before a program starts, we will refund the tuition minus a registration fee. Fees are $25 for tuition of $99 or less, $50 for $100-299, $75 for $300-799, $125 for $800 or more. Cancellations that occur less than 21 days before the start of a program will not receive a refund.

Scholarships, academic credit and clock hours To make programs available to a wide audience, we have scholarship funds available for adult programs. Many Learning Center programs are offered for optional academic credit through Western Washington University (noted as “C”) and/or teacher clock-hour certification approved by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (noted as “ ”).

jess newley

Student discount Students ages 14 and up receive 50 percent off most adult Institute classes with tuition over $100 (Diablo Downtimes, Sourdough Speaker Series, Base Camp not included). Students must provide a copy of current student ID and pay balance in full at time of registration. Call to apply.

jess newley

Young adults Responsible youth 14-17 years old are welcome in our programs, accompanied by a participating adult, with the exceptions of Diablo Downtime and the Sourdough Speaker Series.

29

erin soper

ada accessible

©rick allen

Risk and responsibility Many of our programs are conducted in the field and are led by staff trained in risk management and safety. Participants should be in good physical condition and prepared to spend full days outdoors. The Learning Center is more than one hour from definitive medical care and those with medical conditions should consult their physicians before enrollment. Participants assume full responsibility for their own safety and must provide their own health and accident insurance and sign a hold-harmless waiver before the course begins.

30

jess newley

W

hen you enroll in an Institute program, your tuition dollars go toward helping us connect hundreds of young people more closely with the natural world. Our notable youth programs include: Mountain School: Established in 1990 with North Cascades National Park, Mountain School has become a national model for teaching young people about the natural world through hands-on learning experiences in the wilderness setting of the North Cascades. Over 1800 students each year come to the Environmental Learning Center with their classmates, teachers and chaperones to learn about the geology, forest ecology and natural and cultural history of the mountains. Our three to five day multi-disciplinary curriculum is aligned with Washington State’s EALRs and GLEs. ncascades.org/school erin soper

31

amy brown

North Cascades Wild: This tuition-free wilderness conservation program for underserved youth takes place in the backcountry of North Cascades National Park and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. During the course of 8 or 12 life-changing days, high school students from Washington canoe camp, backpack, and complete service projects while developing leadership skills and studying wilderness and the natural and cultural history of the region. The program includes spring and fall field trips for students from Skagit and Whatcom counties and the opportunity to attend the North Cascades Youth Leadership Conference at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center in November. ncascades.org/north-cascades-wild

emily petrovsky

Cascades Climate Challenge: A tuition-free climate science and leadership program in partnership with North Cascades National Park and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, this program gathers high school youth from communities in Oregon and Washington for three inspiring weeks in the North Cascades canoeing and backpacking. Students focus on the science behind climate change, and how they can effectively communicate ways to mitigate the effects of a changing global climate on human communities. Upon returning to their homes, they teach others about climate change and lead service projects based on what they’ve learned. ncascades.org/cascades-climate-challenge

©rick allen

Community and Neighborhood Programs: This suite of programs serves youth from Mount Vernon and Seattle and adults from Seattle to Blaine. This initiative, launched in 2007 with the US Forest Service, Mount Vernon Police Department and the National Park Service, engages youth from the Skagit Valley’s most diverse neighborhoods and the International District in Seattle in a variety of outdoor activities through all-day field trips. More than 300 kids have learned about the natural history of the Skagit Valley through visits to local public lands.

Adults participate by volunteering as North Cascades Stewards, a stewardship program focusing on conservation projects in the North Cascades ecosystem, including native plant restoration, trail work and other activities that help conserve the watershed.

“

north cascades institute’s mission is to conserve and restore northwest environments through education. so conservation is our objective, education is our tool. we believe that if we bring people here and they see this place – they understand its biology, botany, wildlife, geology – then they will love it, and they will take care of it.”

— jeanne muir, owner of urban relations and institute board president

© rick allen

YOUTH PROGRAMS

elizabeth penhollow

Youth Leadership Conference: In partnership with North Cascades National Park and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, the North Cascades Youth Leadership Conference brings together 60 high school and college-aged youth for a weekend in November to reconnect, enhance leadership, communication and group cooperation skills, and meet with regional service organizations and partners. The conference aims to provide tools for students to build awareness, inspiration and engagement through skill-building workshops, keynote speakers, student-led discussions, workforce development opportunities, exploration and reflection in nature. ncascades.org/signup/youth/youth-leadership-conference

HOW YOU CAN HELP Give Online Thanks to the support of people like you, North Cascades Institute has provided quality outdoor education programs to tens of thousands of young people, regardless of their ability to pay. These young people grow up knowing, loving and conserving the natural world. In fact, we hear from many of them that their time with the Institute was the single most pivotal experience that inspired them to care about the environment and learn how to protect it.

There are a number of ways you can contribute to this essential work – visit ncascades.org/support to find out more!

Headwaters Legacy Club In-kind Gifts Employer Matching Donate Stock Membership

32

bookSTORES ©rick © rickallen allen

Shop to support the conservation and restoration of Northwest environments. When you explore the North Cascades this year, be sure to check out the visitor stores during your journey. The stores are conveniently located within North Cascades National Park headquarters in Sedro-Woolley, Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount, Visitor Center and Skagit Information Center in Newhalem, Golden West Visitor Center in Stehekin and Learning Center at Diablo Lake.

GROUP RENTALS l

Bring your group to the Learning Center

The North Cascades Environmental Learning Center’s location and facilities provide an ideal setting for your next group event. Let us help you create a successful conference, retreat, wedding, or any other gathering. Our unique field campus in the heart of North Cascades National Park inspires reflection, understanding and connections to the natural world, as well as each other. We provide you with the space and resources to focus on your group experience, the proceeds of which benefit North Cascades Institute youth education programs. ncascades.org/rentals all photos, jessica haag

At all of these diverse locations, you’ll find essential maps, trail information, passes and field guides. There are also great gift items for all ages, from Junior Ranger gear for the kids to clothing, outdoor gear, travel mugs and books on the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest. Shop with us knowing that your purchases will help fund North Cascades Institute education programs for young people. ncascades.org/shop

Group Rentals may include: + Lodging for up to 92 guests in our Silver LEED-Certified lodges + Delicious meals featuring local and organic foods + Use of conference rooms, trailside shelters and library + Internet access and audio-visual equipment + Naturalist-led activities including canoeing and hiking + Excellent and personalized customer service

Bookstore Locations:

5

Bellingham

1

2

3 4 Winthrop

Sedro-Woolley

6

Major Partners:

Edited by Christian Martin. Designed

by Jessica Haag. Printed by Hemlock hemlock.com.

Special thanks to Steph Abegg, Rick Allen, Jess Newley, Andy Porter, John Scurlock, Julie Toomey and Thomas Wood. © 2012 North Cascades Institute.

All rights reserved. Copyrights remain with photographers and artists and are used by permission.

33

©rick allen

©daniel sheehan daniel sheehan

Seattle

1. SEDRO-WOOLLEY 2. MARBLEMOUNT WILDERNESS INFORMATION CENTER 3. NEWHALEM VISITOR CENTER 4. SKAGIT INFORMATION CENTER 5. ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER 6. STEHEKIN

Cover: Colonial Creek, Thomas Wood, 40 x 24, 2005.

More of Woods’ work at lisaharrisgallery.com and luciadouglas.com.

100%

fully grown

gallons

million BTU

pounds

pounds

Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Paper Network Calculator.

For more information visit http://calculator.environmentalpaper.org

Sketches courtesy of Clint Hensley.

34