Specials | Pacific Wave - Outdoor Edition 2018

THE DAILY’S FIRST OUTDOOR EDITION

PACIFIC WAVE SUPPLEMENT TO THE DAILY UW

The Daily — Pacific Wave

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table of contents Northwest women

My favorite place

Climbing Club RSO

For the birds

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Five summer hikes for you

How to combat summer skin issues

Getting outside through the seasons

The face behind the fall

Columbia Gorge: Photo Essay

Value of ESRM

Experiencing nature while traveling

10 Dispersed camping

18 Lebanon

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20 Scotland: photo essay

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Conserving National Parks

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Northwest Women creates community around exploring the outdoors UW RSO hopes to empower women through adventure Daniel Kim

By Jake Goldstein-Street The Daily Northwest Women wants to give students a break from constant academic and social stress by exploring the picturesque nature of western Washington.

Founded in 2014, the registered student organization (RSO) at the UW is trying to make the outdoors more accessible to people who find it hard to navigate it alone. Almost every week, a group of approximately 15 women, including two of the 10 officers, caravan to a new location for a hike or some other fun activity. Highlights of the club’s schedule include late night tubing at Snoqualmie Pass, cross-country skiing, backpacking, and snowshoeing.

A major reason why Northwest Women was established was to combat the male-dominated narrative around outdoors activities.

One of the few companies trying to change this is REI, which launched a campaign last year aimed at levelling the playing field.

“I like that this club really emphasizes getting women outdoors and empowering them to do it on their own because I don’t see a lot of leaders in the outdoor industry looking to do that sort of thing,” senior Rachel Fricke, one of Northwest Women’s officers, said. “That’s a big culture shift that needs to happen.”

The organization quickly grew from just one hike per quarter to a constant stream of activities that it organizes now. Northwest Women is always trying to organize and run events more efficiently, which is why all of the club’s officers meet once a week to recap outings and brainstorm what they can do better next time.

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Northwest Women is not plagued by one problem that many RSOs face: outreach.

While only 15 students can make each trip because of a lack of vehicles for transportation, the demand is much higher. There is usually a long waitlist for people hoping

“‘I like that this club really emphasizes getting women outdoors and empowering them to do it on their own because I don’t see a lot of leaders in the outdoor industry looking to do that sort of thing,” senior Rachel Fricke, one of Northwest Women’s officers, said. “That’s a big culture shift that needs to happen.” to come along for a day trip when someone else cancels. They would love to bring more people, but there is often a problem of finding students who can bring their cars to the UW’s urban campus.

Part of this appetite is due to Northwest Women’s strong presence on campus. On top of their off-campus excursions, the club also hosts and takes part in a number of events at the UW throughout the year, such as a Spikeball tournament, a movie night, and a number of philanthropic activities.

Additionally, much of the club’s demand comes from students who are originally from areas that lack the diverse landscape of the Pacific Northwest.

“It gives me an opportunity to actually get outdoors in Washington because I’m not from here,” Stephanie Reiss, another club officer, said. “I don’t otherwise really have much access to cars or transportation, or even, initially, knowledge about where to go.”

Northwest Women tries to erase much of the anxiety that people have regarding outdoors activities by taking care of many aspects of travel that are difficult to cover, including food and navigation. This makes it easier for those who have limited outdoor experience to get started.

“There is a big intimidation factor in getting outside because of gear and equipment and just expertise level,” Shree Mehta, one of the club’s longest-serving officers, said.

“I love that it was a space that there were just a lot of supportive women that were teaching each other stuff and lifting each other up and learning from each other.”

Everyone who attends events, or is a member of the club, is doing it to simply broaden their horizons, expand their comfort zone, and escape the stress and competition of student life. When compounded with the fact that main goal is to enjoy yourself, it is easy to see how it can breed such a strong community.

“It’s really cool to be surrounded by people that are all here for the same reason: to try new things,” senior Hiruni Jayasekara, who is also one of the organization’s officers, said.

“All of these girls make me more confident.”

Reach writer Jake Goldstein-Street at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @GoldsteinStreet

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EDITOR’S NOTE

THE DAILY Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Gross editor@dailyuw.com Advertising Managers Lucas Cairns Ramin Farrokhi ads@dailyuw.com Special Sections Editor Alyson Podesta specials@dailyuw.com

Pacific Wave is our first outdoors-themed special edition, and our second magazine. Washington is a place that boasts a wide variety of experiences for those who value time in nature, from time on the mountains to camping by the sea. In the following pages we feature the places and activities that UW students love. Through this edition we hope that you are inspired to get outside as well.

Copy Chiefs Monalice Choi Kellyn Grassel Photo Editors Case Tanaka Daniel Kim Design Editors Monica Niehaus Tyler Petrie Designer Monica Niehaus Illustration Editor Jenna Shanker Main Illustrator Taylor Hammes Cover Photo Daniel Kim

Alyson Podesta

Publisher Diana Kramer dianakramer@dailyuw.com The Daily is the student-run newspaper at the University of Washington published Monday and Thursday, and weekly during summer quarter.

The Daily is partially supported by the Student Technology Fee and the Services and Activities Fee.

Campus Advertising campus@dailyuw.com Local advertising ads@dailyuw.com 5

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MY FAVORITE PLACE

Family cabin

By Charlotte Houston The Daily As the world outside seems to become more and more unsafe, and the world inside becomes more and more entertaining, children are starting to play inside more.

Gas Works Park

By Marissa Gaston The Daily It’s Friday afternoon, my academic week is done, and I’ve just biked down the Burke-Gilman Trail to Gas Works Park. It’s a brisk 55 degrees and breezy as I arrive, and in true Seattleite style, I’m wearing a T-shirt sans jacket. This time, I brought my laptop along so I could write this article.

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In recent days, I’ve received (extremely positive) news that will almost assuredly change my life. I’ve gone through some pain over certain personal relationships and I’ve been trying to juggle all the disparate pieces of my schedule as a new quarter opens. But no matter how preoccupied I am, I’ve noticed that I never regret using my time to come here. I always leave feeling calmer and more focused, maybe even more centered, like the little breath you let out after you’ve just caught your balance.

Today, I note the marked absence of tourists taking selfies. But it’s only 2:30 p.m. and the day is mild-mannered — not quite warm, not quite cold, not dark, not glaringly bright — so perhaps they’re still to come. I watch as a sailboat skates past in front of the buildings, heading for the Montlake Cut. A few people spread blankets on the green hillside and their chatter makes distant ambient noise.

Waterbirds skim across the waves as they tentatively play with the weak light, flashing clusters of sparkles across their surface.

Eventually, the wind nudges some clouds out of the way to reveal an expanse of bare, blue sky in the west.

The nice thing about Gas Works is that

there’s space for everyone, but there’s always also space for you. The concrete steps that face downtown Seattle across Elliot Bay are my usual perch. This isn’t the most iconic view you’ll get of the city skyline — that’s to be found at Kerry Park or Alki Beach — but it’s still beautiful.

This is why I love Gas Works: It’s separated without being severed. It’s removed enough to let you think, but not detached enough to let you forget. You can see so much if you look.

There are patterns; arterials feeding the city, boats linking the water, planes coasting across the clouds. Beauty in the waves and in the changing sky is reflected in ghostly echoes against the glass and metal of the buildings.

There is tremulous coexistence between business and recreation, nature and humanity. I think about the wild and the tame and how the tame isn’t really tame at all since it’s thrumming with a life of its own. I watch all sorts of living things go about their lives and wonder where in the rhythm I want to join in.

Reach writer Marissa Gaston at specials@dailyuw.com.

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While this trend was beginning to take shape when I was young, I still remember the toughness of the soles of my feet at the end of every summer, as they hardened by the long afternoons I spent slapping them on the hot pavement. I treasure the memories I have of my childhood best friend and I wheeling around on Razor scooters.

But my most fond, and possibly some of my most formative, ones take place at my family’s cabin.

In the ‘60s, my grandparents purchased the 127 acres of land in the old gold country and current wine country of California in order to fulfill their dream of making their own wine. They plowed and planted an acre of cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, and chardonnay, and my family still goes up in fall to pick the grapes and throughout the winter to bottle.

As important of a role this cabin plays in my family’s traditions, it also has its own history surrounding it. On the property used to sit 11 different gold mines, and if you hike

up the hills surrounding the vineyard, you can find old litter that some miners had left in a clearing such as liquor bottles, sunblock, and a broken chair.

The woman whom my family bought the property from built it in the early 1900s, and used the cave across the street as her refrigerator.

The boundaries are thinner here: between nature and civilization, between past and present. My family history is kept alive, whether that be through voices heard, stories told, vintage reds, or vines planted by late hands.

I know I am so lucky to have had an escape like this in my childhood, a place where I could run and sing, and make up stories about the old rusted train tracks I would find in the creekbed. Access to nature and the ability to run free in it is, unfortunately, a privilege in American society. I wish everyone could have an opportunity to be just as connected with the outdoors, and I think that if they did, we would have a much larger societal force for environmental

protection. As kids have less and less of an opportunity to explore the outside, I worry if they’ll even know how essential it is that we save it.

I owe it to this place (and in small part to my hippie, nature-obsessed elementary school) for the love and respect I hold for the parts of the world that are still relatively untouched. My fierce desire to protect these small slivers of nature is because of the mornings I spent watching fox kits playing with each other from the kitchen window, the trout that would come up and nibble at my toes, and the butterflies that were unafraid to land on fingers.

Reach writer Charlotte Houston at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @choustoo

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Case Tanaka

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For the birds Spring brings the birds back to campus

By Cristen Jansson The Daily It’s springtime. The sun is shining, and it’s hard to go outside and without seeing or hearing birds around campus. There are robins, towhees, swallows, and osprey, not to mention the black-throated gray warbler, Wilson’s warbler, and Swainson’s thrush. If you’re lucky you might spot a barred owl or a ring-necked duck.

“Easily, you could get a hundred species of bird,” said John Marzluff, a professor of wildlife science in the UW school of Environmental and Forest Sciences.

There are many places on campus where birds can be found, and you can find some pretty interesting ones if you know where to look.

“The great blue herons right now are building nests,” Marzluff added, indicating the wooded area in front of Anderson Hall.

“It’s pretty amazing to see a six-foot-tall bird flying up in the tree there.”

Some birds, like crows, call the UW home for the whole year. Others, called migrants, stay here for part of the year and fly to other latitudes depending on the season.

While some, like flycatchers, arrive from the tropics, others — like the snow goose, rough-legged hawk, golden-crowned sparrow, and the fox sparrow — fly to the arctic for their breeding season.

“This is a great time of year because you get the residents, the winter migrants, and the spring migrants all at the same time,” Marzluff said. “There are [also] a lot of species that are here year-round. They’ve started actively singing, and building nests.”

Luke Zhou is a senior majoring in Environmental Science and Resource Management (ESRM) and Environmental Science.

Zhou became interested in birds after taking a class on them, but it was a study abroad trip in Peru that really solidified his love for them.

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“Right now [birdwatching is] pretty fun because you just follow the female, and you’re sort of communicating with the bird, you don’t want to give away that you’re watching her or him,” Zhou said.

“It’s kind of like you’re playing with it to try and find a nest, and that’s when it gets really fun. Once you find a nest, you keep coming back to see the progress.”

Dave Slager, a Ph.D. student at the Klicka Lab studying ornithology, has been fascinated with birds since he was young.

“One of the things I enjoy the most about birdwatching is the sounds that different birds make and the different circumstances they make those sounds,” Slager said, “With practice, you can just walk around outside and enjoy the sounds of the birds and what’s around you.”

If you’re interested in learning to identify a bird by its call, Zhou says that you can use apps to help familiarize yourself with the sounds different birds make, but the best way to learn is to go outside and experience it in nature.

“There are so many variations in the field, and I think being in the field is a better way to learn,” Zhou said. He also advises recording the calls so that you can train your ear to the way they sound, as the sounds of the same species of bird can vary from region to region.

“The black-capped chickadee, which is one of the most common birds here, has a dialect here in the Puget Sound area that’s not heard anywhere else,” Slager said. “I think that’s something cool that everyone can hear right here in Seattle.”

For those interested in taking up birdwatching, there is good news. There is a plethora of resources to help you develop and grow your passion.

Caean Couto On campus, there is the Bird Club, which goes out on expeditions a couple times a quarter. There is also the Seattle Audubon Society and the Washington Ornithological Society. Online, there is a website called ebird.org and on your phone, you can access the Merlin app.

You don’t need any equipment to go birdwatching, but if you decide to buy binoculars, Zhou and Slager advise that you get a good pair. Slager also suggests that you get a field guide to help you identify the birds you see and where you can find them.

The Union Bay Natural Area is a good place to start looking.

“This is a great hobby,” Marzluff said.

“You don’t have to be a total bird nerd to enjoy colorful, beautiful sounding, interesting behaving birds. I think it’s one of those things you can get into [as deep as you want and enjoy].”

Reach writer Cristen Jansson at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter @cristenjansson

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UW students embrace their love for the outdoors through Climbing Club Conor Courtney

By Sophie Aanerud The Daily Our campus is set between the majestic Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, literally in the shadow of world-class climbing routes such as Mount Rainier, and within a two hour’s drive of local crags haven, Mount Index. It is no surprise that the UW sports a rich history of outdoor exploration which attracts students passionate about nature from across the world.

Dating back to the mid-1960s, the UW Climbing Club has served to connect and involve students passionate about the outdoors for decades.

“The Climbing Club more focuses on whatever you want it to focus on,” club president and UW junior Ian Culhane said. “So it could be mountaineering, it could be rock climbing, it could be skiing, could be snowshoeing, really anything outdoors.”

The club often functions as a means of forging connections and community through its Facebook group. “[The Facebook group], that’s kind of how we’re organized,” Culhane said. “Mainly people post and say ‘I want to do this trip next weekend,’ then other people just join. That’s kind of the most popular thing.”

Culhane, who has summited “all the Cascade volcanoes in Washington,” is an active member of the Western Washington climbing community, but reflects that it was largely through the club that he was able to become so involved in the climbing world.

“I had done a lot of climbing prior to coming to the UW, but it was mainly with my family so when I moved here I really wanted to find somewhere where I could meet a lot

of other people to climb with,” Culhane said.

“I started out only knowing the basics, but a couple officers took me on a couple trips and gradually we worked our way up … now I somehow run the thing.”

Beyond serving as a forum for organizing impromptu outdoor adventures, the club also offers opportunities for those from all skill levels to learn and develop mountaineering capabilities and integrate themselves into the climbing community.

but had a really good time.”

The yearly “snow-school” is one of the club’s most popular events in which students travel to Mount Rainier and are taught the basics of mountaineering by more experienced club members and volunteers.

Read the rest on page 23

When now thirdyear Ph.D. student and Climbing Club officer Hillary Scannell first moved to Seattle, she knew almost no one in the area and so turned to the club.

“I came to Seattle in the fall of 2015 from Maine so like, I had done a lot of outdoor things, less hiking and mountain climbing, but then I came to Seattle and was like, ‘Oh, I have to get out,’” Scannell said. “And it was a community I felt I could make friends in … so I joined the club, not really knowing what it was. And we have snow-schools every year so that was my first taste of mountaineering, first time camping in the snow, so I was terrified

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Daniel Kim

What to do when the rain goes on vacation: Five summer hiking suggestions

Shi Shi Beach

By Marissa Gaston The Daily Washington state is known for its nature scene, and for good reason. We’ve got beaches, mountaintops, and everything in between.

With the summer months approaching, both college students and the infamous Washington drizzle are preparing to take a vacation. In anticipation of the warm and relatively dry season, here are some hiking suggestions to help you get started planning a summertime adventure.

Seward Park is located around 10.5 miles south of campus and occupies a small peninsula that juts out into Lake Washington.

While it does offer hiking options, it is more of an all-around afternoon destination for the warm summer months. The park is very versatile and can cater to the interests of a variety of individuals. It boasts a 2.4 mile biking and running trail, picnic areas, a native

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plant garden, and a swimming beach. Some areas are more trafficked than others; you may merge onto one of the well-used trails or find a quiet spot to sit by Lake Washington.

Also not far from campus is Tiger Mountain. A member of the Issaquah Alps (an affectionately nicknamed section of the Cascade foothills), Tiger Mountain is crisscrossed by a network of trails and offers a variety of hiking options. From gentle loop trails to hikes that will crest the mountain’s summit, you will likely run into little rivers, gullies, and waterfalls. I have not explored Tiger Mountain in its entirety, but in my limited experience, the trails on this mountain all tend to retain a feeling of wandering. There may not be an ultimate destination other than your journey.

This article wouldn’t be complete without including Rattlesnake Ridge. This hike show-

cases the richness of Western Washington’s nature and is anecdotally one of the quintessential treks of the greater Puget Sound region. Despite the crowds, it is an absolute must for any hiker who is physically capable of tackling its elevation gain. The trail goes upward for about two miles through dense forest and switchbacks, but hikers are rewarded with an extraordinary view of verdant woodland, mountains, and lakes at the top.

The cliffs of Rattlesnake Ledge rest directly over a 1,000-foot drop and there is an ongoing local debate about whether to install a railing.

Currently, there is not one, and hikers must use their own best judgement regarding safety when moving around the clifftop.

If you’re feeling especially adventurous, plan a trip for one or two nights out to the northwest portion of the Olympic Peninsula.

Cape Flattery and Shi Shi Beach are two hikes in this region that I cannot recommend

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fervently enough. Shi Shi Beach (pronounced “shy shy”) is about an hour south of Cape Flattery by car. Both locations are managed by the Makah Tribe and you will need to purchase a Makah Recreation Pass to access them. (Note: The author completed both of these hikes in the same day. It’s possible to do if you only have a short time in the area, but it is fairly intense.)

Cape Flattery is the northwesternmost point in the continental United States. It is accessible via a rough trail (the 1.5 mile round trip path is patched and propped up in places by log steps and planks) that takes you

through a forest and out to bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. With waves restlessly gnawing at age-old cliffs, trees leaning into the wind, and seabirds wheeling overhead, this is a stunning vantage point from which to appreciate the epic union of land and sea.

Shi Shi Beach is not for the faint of heart, but entirely worth the effort. This is an 8-mile round-trip hike, so wear sturdy, supportive boots, and pack plenty of water and energy snacks. The majority of the trail is flat and through forest (though it tends to get muddy).

The real challenge appears at the end where, in order to get down to Shi Shi Beach and claim

their proverbial prize, hikers must brave a steep, eroding cliff face of switchbacks. Ropes (which I found to be absolutely vital) have been strung up to assist hikers with their descent, but it can still be a nerve-wracking experience (or exhilarating, depending on your personality type). Once you’re at the bottom, however, there is no question that the trek is worth it. With haystacks, wide sands, and the unabashed majesty of the Washington coast at its finest, Shi Shi Beach is a joy to behold.

Reach writer Marissa Gaston at specials@dailyuw.com.

Case Tanaka

Rattlesnake Ridge

Case Tanaka

Daniel Kim

Shi Shi Beach

Rattlesnake Lake

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How to survive mosquito bites, poison oak, and sunburns

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The Daily — Pacific Wave

A guide to solving summer skin issues

By Leona Vaughn The Daily Before you know it, you’ll be taking your last final and saying goodbye to the UW’s campus for the summer. You’ve already planned your next vacation, bought your tickets, and have halfway filled your suitcase, ready to head out the door the second you click ‘submit’ on your last assignment. But did you remember to pack your sunscreen?

How about your long-sleeved shirts?

Read on to avoid spending your break making friends with the mosquitoes, paying the consequences for just barely brushing your leg up against that poison oak, and picking at your peeling sunburn.

Mosquito bites PREVENTION Keep from exposing too much skin; that means no sandals and, instead, covering up with long sleeves. This is also a good way to avoid contact with plants that can cause skin irritation, like poison ivy. I know, I know. It’s hot out and no one wants sweaty clothes sticking to their bodies. To that, I say opt for looser clothing that will keep you comfortable. Additionally, wearing lighter colors will further protect from bites.

Mosquitoes, having sensitive heat sensors, are attracted to dark colors because of the heat they reflect.

Bug repellents are always an option, but keep in mind that they do contain chemicals, including DEET, which is found in nearly every form of bug repellent and has raised concerns regarding its safety in the past.

Instead, consider trying out natural, essential oils, such as citronella or lemon eucalyptus.

TREATMENT Scratching a bug bite only makes it worse.

The same goes for reactions experienced after contact with poison oak. Scratching could potentially cause the skin to break around the affected area, allowing bacteria

to enter the wound and put you at risk of an infection. One simple way to treat itchy, irritated skin is to use an ointment, like hydrocortisone.

“My go-to anti-inflammatory product is hydrocortisone,” said Carey Thompson, a licensed master esthetician and owner of Seattle Skin Essentials. “It’s a mild steroid and it’s going to chill out an immune response.”

Poisonous plants PREVENTION Common wild plants that you might encounter on a camping trip or a summer hike include poison ivy, oak, and sumac.

On each plant sits an oil called urushiol, the agent responsible for causing irritation upon contact. The easiest way to deal with these plants is to avoid them all together.

Knowing how to identify them can save you from an itchy reaction; poison ivy and poison oak leaves typically grow in clusters of three, while poison sumac usually has around seven leaves per stem.

On the off chance that you do experience skin-to-plant contact, wash the affected area as soon as possible. Gently rinse the oil residue away to reduce the severity of the rash and the risk of spreading it to other people.

TREATMENT Similar to mosquito bites, a poison ivy rash can be treated with ointments like hydrocortisone or calamine lotion, a cream used to relieve discomfort from minor skin irritations. However, if the reaction is particularly severe, you may want to consider consulting a doctor.

Sunburns PREVENTION The summer months bring more sunshine to the usually gloomy and overcast Washington we’re so familiar with. That

also means we’re more likely to suffer from sunburns while trying to enjoy the warmer weather, thanks to UVB light. There are two different types of ultraviolet radiation that get emitted from the sun: UVA and UVB, both of which can prematurely age and cause damage to our skin. UVA light produces longer waves and is what we’re exposed to most of the time. In contrast, UVB light is shorter in range but is incredibly powerful; it’s responsible for sunburns and can play a huge role in causing skin cancer.

One of the most effective ways to sidestep a sunburn is to — you guessed it — cover up with long sleeves, hats, sunglasses, anything that will hide any exposed skin.

Another tried and true way to prevent a burn, along with sunspots and premature wrinkles, is to wear sunscreen. Sunscreen should be applied to your skin everyday, and reapplied every two hours or so. You’ll want to look for a sunscreen with at least SPF (sun protection factor) 30, which will filter and protect from about 97 percent of UV rays.

TREATMENT If your skin does end up sizzling, it’s best to get as much of the heat removed from your skin as you can. Taking a shower or bath with cool water, or using a cold compress, which can easily be made by dampening a washcloth with cold water, will extract much of the heat from your skin. Afterward, make sure to moisturize with a product that doesn’t contain too many ingredients. You especially want to avoid petroleum or any oil-based products.

“What that does is create a barrier that holds the heat in,” Thompson said.

You’re better off making pastes yourself, using more natural products like cucumber, which has a natural cooling effect.

Reach Leona Vaughn at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @vaughn_leona

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The Daily — Pacific Wave

SPRING With spring officially in session and the furtive Seattle sunlight finally making appearances, a whole range of outdoor activities are now possible. As Seattleites, we are blessed with areas to hike, backpack, kayak, and climb in close proximity. If you’re anything like me, your weekends are about to be spent looking for cool places to travel in the hope that your friends with cars will take you there. Here are some of my favorite places to go in the spring:

HIKING THROUGH THE SEASONS

By Ryan Ewert and Samantha Bushman The Daily

The ever-popular Lake 22 of the North Cascades is one of the few hikes that can truly be appreciated year-round. As a spring hike, the 5.4-mile round trip journey takes you through mountain rainforest to the low-lying lake itself.

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While the spring hikes are also suitable for the summer, the following hikes are best enjoyed in the summer so as to maximize the number of wildflowers and the sheer amount of greenness.

In the age of massive Twitter mountain battles, it may be no surprise that permits for Mount St Helens this season were hard to come by — when they were released this February, their website crashed, making it impossible for some to even try. Luckily, climbing season goes beyond the paid period.

Give in to the hype and go skiing or snowboarding. Do something with the snow. Touch it, roll in it, walk half a mile from a trailhead and take Instagram–worthy pictures. Unless it’s a dry year, snow is practically unavoidable in the Pacific Northwest.

The trail to Colchuck Lake, located near Leavenworth, is hands-down one of the most amazing locations in all of Washington. After hiking four miles and attaining about 2,300 feet in elevation gain, hikers come around a corner to see a sprawling aquamarine alpine lake with enormous peaks immediately in the background.

The St. Helens Institute officially stops requiring hikers to buy their way in on Halloween, giving those who don’t mind earlier days and the chance of snow a cheap and less-travelled opportunity for views.

Summit at Snoqualmie is close and provides lots of slopes for beginners, while Stevens and Crystal pack a little more punch for around the same price.

Both are worth the two-hour drive for a day of shredding.

While you wait for that long-awaited chance to hike America’s angriest volcano, hike your favorite trail without the traffic or make the trip to Olympic National Park and soak in the water of Mineral Hot Springs. Closing in late October, there’s no better time to take advantage of Washington's most travelled to national park, at the very last minute.

Washington is a state that boasts a variety of opportunities for outdoor experiences, from skiing to hiking to exploring hot springs. There isn’t a singular season in which we can be outdoors, rather, each month offers new and unique ways to get into nature. Two Daily writers shared their favorite seasonal activities with us. Read on for recommendations for how and where to get outside all year long.

The Tubal Cain Mine Trail of the Olympic Peninsula offers the widest variety of things to see and do on a hike that I am aware of. Depending on what sections of the trail you choose to travel (my friends and I unwisely chose to try and see everything), you can see the wreckage of a B-17, stand before the mouth of the Tubal Cain Mine, climb to attain a towering view of the Olympics from Buckhorn Mountain, or hike to Buckhorn Lake. Additionally, the Tubal Cain Mine Trail connects to the Marmot Pass junction, making it an excellent place to day-hike or to start a backpacking trip as we approach summer.

Located just a few miles from one another, the trails to the Lake of the Angels and Upper Lena Lake on the Olympic Peninsula boast spectacular views and good opportunities for seeing wildlife. When I did these hikes, I was fortunate enough to see mountain goats and a black bear. However, would-be hikers should take note of the punishing grade: the trail to the Lake of the Angels climbs a staggering 3,400 feet in just 3.5 miles, and the ascent to Upper Lena Lake requires an elevation gain of almost 4,000 feet.

Summit at Snoqualmie is close and provides lots of slopes for beginners, while Stevens and Crystal pack a little more punch for around the same price.

Both are worth the two-hour drive for a day of shredding.

Graphic by Monica Niehaus The Daily

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C b b H a t c

The face behind the fall

Accidents and near-misses in the UW climbing community

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Conor Courtney

By Max Wasserman The Daily Summer Cook likes to plays it safe when it comes to outdoor rock climbing, but last spring she made an exception. Cook, a senior environmental studies student at the UW, was climbing with a group of friends and had just completed what was then the most difficult rock climb she had done to date. Awash in adrenaline, Cook eyed another climb at the cusp of her ability.

Fifteen feet up that route, Cook’s confidence gave way to exhaustion. Her forearms swelled with blood. Her fingers grew numb. Then she fell … into the arms of a friend. They were the only thing that kept her from slamming into the ground. ­­ It was Cook’s first climbing accident.

Accidents are an unfortunate but real part of rock climbing. Every year climbers, experienced or not, find themselves in an accident through a mistake or act of nature.

And the chances for them to happen have grown with rock climbing’s meteoric rise, from a niche lifestyle to booming industry.

Last year, 38 people died in climbing accidents, including Shelby Whitington, a student at Western Washington University,

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according to The Bellingham Herald. While there have been no major accidents lately in the UW climbing community (of which I am a part), there have been minor accidents and several “near misses,” which is when someone gets into a thorny situation while climbing but doesn’t end up injured.

One student said a culture of pressure influenced a decision ending in a broken ankle. Lack of foresight endangered another hundreds of feet from the ground. And gender stereotypes factored into another climber’s tricky descent when the lights went out.

Together, their experiences highlight how UW students make risky decisions in an already risky sport.

Some of those incidents are detailed in the following stories from current and former UW students.

“No matter how good you are or how much your skills are advancing you always need to pay attention to your limits,” Cook said, looking back.

Just send it The spring break of his freshman year, Zack Tully and some friends went on a climbing trip

to Smith Rock State Park, a climbing area in central Oregon notorious for its technically and mentally demanding routes. On some routes, the first point of protection can be as high as 25 feet. Fall before then, and you’re almost guaranteed to break an ankle.

On his first day, Tully, now a junior studying mechanical engineering, recalls wandering the park with a friend looking for something to climb. They had no guidebook, no prior experience in the area. They set out on what looked like an easy climb at the time: a less than vertical face peppered with small knoblike rocks slick from the day’s cold.

Tully was apprehensive. The first bolt was high off the ground, the holds glossy, his shoes stiff. Everything about the scenario turned him off to the climb. But after some chiding from his partner, Tully decided to lead it. He didn’t think much of the pressure; he was used to it. Having learned how to climb in an environment where indecision led to scorn, where looking like a beginner made you an outcast, Tully hid his concerns.

Later in the day, he was treated at the hospital for a broken ankle. His foot had slipped some feet from the first bolt. Tully said he has a hard time telling the difference between climbing’s reward and its risk since then.

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“I wasn’t always sure I could tell the difference between the culture pushing people to test their limits and when I actually felt uncomfortable because of risk,” Tully said.

“Sometimes it’s hard to distinguish when you feel uncomfortable because of actual risk or because it’s something new. That’s part of the reason why I stopped climbing as much.”

“That could have been really bad” Chad Zamzow’s high school experience could be described as suffocating. Something about being confined to a classroom drove him nuts.

He needed room to breathe, space to explore, and school couldn’t provide this. So Zamzow turned to the outdoors where he found solace climbing mountains.

“What I like often times the most is walking back to the car after you’ve had a really good trip,” Zamzow said. “That’s the best moment, just the satisfaction and feeling of ‘I’m exactly where I want to be and everything is going as good as it could possibly go.’”

But last spring, things didn’t go well for Zamzow. Zamzow, who graduated from the UW with a degree in geology last spring, was leading two other climbers up a mountain in the Cascades when he almost took a life-threatening fall.

The group was climbing Exfoliation Dome, a granite peak often referred to as the most difficult 4,000-foot peak in the state. The easiest way up the steep face involves almost a thousand feet of climbing. In other words, you need to know what you’re doing.

The climb was just another weekend adventure for Zamzow who had logged ascents on some of Washington’s most difficult climbs, including up the glacier-covered slopes of Mount Rainer. His partners, however, were less experienced. This meant Zamzow assumed responsibility for guiding his group up and down the mountain safely, an exhausting task to handle itself, let alone while also scaling the side of a cliff.

So when the group reached the top, Zamzow was drained. It had taken longer than anticipated to reach the summit. The sun, which beat down on them the entire way up, was close to setting. They couldn’t afford to get stuck in the dark. The most dangerous part of a climb is the descent

“No matter how good you are or how much your skills are advancing you always need to pay attention to your limits.”

and making that journey in the dark would magnify the chance of an accident. There’s a reason mountain climbers often say the true summit is on the ground: getting down can be just as dangerous as going up.

Zamzow and his partners hastily rappelled off the mountain, which means they used a braking device to make controlled descents down their rope. An essential safety precaution to this style of descent is that a knot is tied on the end of the rope. This jams the braking device to prevent a climber from sliding off the end and, in Zamzow’s case, falling hundreds of feet to the forest floor below.

Exhausted and crushed for time, Zamzow forgot this precaution one rappel. He would have been seriously injured or have died had he not caught the mistake 10 feet from the end of the rope. But there was little time to reflect. It was getting dark.

“Thinking back, like, oh my god. That was bad of me,” Zamzow said. “That could have been really bad.”

You got up that?

There’s nothing to worry about, he told her.

But Ebel was worried: They started climbing late in the day, which meant they wouldn’t get to the top — or anywhere near it — and back before sundown.

As expected, they turned around before the top and into darkness. Their one headlamp had died so the two rapelled by the light of one of their phones. Scared and lost, struggling for a way down the granite face, Ebel’s partner started crying.

“I’m pretty sure if we had fallen, we would have died,” Ebel said.

Ebel said part of why she relied on someone with less climbing experience was because she was unsure about asserting herself as a female climber. She didn’t want to look weak by suggesting they turn around. But seeing her partner in tears — the person she was relying on the entire climb — made her realize she should have spoken up.

Reach writer Max Wasserman at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @maxandrw1

Few UW students have as much climbing experience as Sage Ebel, which makes the question she heard once while climbing outdoors with her boyfriend all the more infuriating: You got up that?

“People always assume that he’s the one who leads me,” Ebel said of her boyfriend. “It’s just annoying.

It makes me feel like I have to prove myself.”

Ebel, a fifth-year civil engineering student, grew up climbing in her home state of Colorado and has worked for three years at the university climbing gym. Despite her experience, she said people often assume she cannot manage herself on a climb because she is a woman.

Trying to overcome this stereotype once put her in a tricky situation.

Ebel was a freshman, still new to Washington, when she joined up with another climber to tackle a long route near Leavenworth. The other climber, a man, told Ebel he had been to this climbing area before and had studied their route extensively.

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Daniel Kim

Dispersed camping Sleeping under the stars, tent optional

Banff National Park — Two Jack Lake

By Julia Houppermans The Daily

It’s a perfect mix between the remoteness of backcountry camping and the amenities of traditional camping.

Think back on one of your favorite places in the woods, like a scenic mountain lookout or a gorgeous alpine lake. Imagine sleeping there and waking up to a sunrise between the peaks.

With the help of a little-known rule, you may actually be able to do this. Most National Forest lands, or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands, allow dispersed camping, in which campers find a spot to pitch a tent or park a car in the middle of the wilderness, free of fees, permit requirements, and developed campgrounds.

To go dispersed camping, the first thing you need is a place to sleep. You can look for lists of parks in your area, but one easy way

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to find a spot is using a road atlas, or a map.

After finding a forest you want to visit, a quick Google search will often tell you if the park has any specific rules.

Once you’ve chosen a park, you need equipment. This varies wildly, depending on what you’re planning. Options include backcountry camping after hiking several miles into the wilderness, pitching a tent by the roadside, sleeping in your car at a lookout, or bringing an RV. Whatever you choose, remember to bring “The Ten Essentials,” which you can find at rei.com, and you’ll be fine.

“Go to a ranger station if you’re new to dispersed camping or entering an area you’re not familiar with,” UW grad student and dis-

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persed camper Rachel Salt Scott said. “Often they’ll provide you with free bear canisters, excellent maps, and really good suggestions for where to find the best camping spots.”

Daniel Kim

“My favorite memory from dispersed camping is when I saw a coyote in the Wenatchee National Forest,” recalled UW senior Kate Fancher. “It was just watching my sister and I for the longest time. It was such an awesome experience!”

Dispersed camping allows you to experience nature in a much more personal way than viewing distant wildlife and exploring the paved trails of national parks. Fancher’s favorite part of dispersed camping is “being secluded in the wilderness, with the ability to explore and discover all the different plant and wildlife species in the area.”

To take good care of our public lands, remember to be responsible while camping.

You should always camp further than 100 feet away from water, and make sure to dispose of human waste properly. Don’t dig trenches or make permanent modifications to your campsite, and camp on bare soil if possible, to avoid damaging or killing any plants or grasses in the area. Don’t feed the animals, as it makes them dependent on humans and will eventually kill them.

Check with local authorities before building fires or gathering wood, as these rules vary dramatically from place to place and from season to season. And as always with wilderness recreation, leave no trace. Pack up whatever you take, and make sure the site is just as gorgeous as it was when you arrived.

“Last summer I dispersed camped in the El Dorado forest outside Lake Tahoe,” Scott said. “We were able to find a camping spot not too far from the road so we were able to carry some ‘luxury’ items in (like inner-tubes)! We woke up in the morning and floated on the lake in our tubes, drinking hot chocolate out of our camping mugs. It was magical.”

Dispersed camping has a lot of benefits, but carries a few drawbacks. One important thing to note is the facilities, or more accurately, the lack thereof. When going dispersed camping, be prepared for having no access to running water, restrooms, or shelter of any kind other than what you can bring with you. You must pack everything you need, and of course, pack it up again.

Additionally, not all public lands allow dispersed camping, and those that do often have varying rules. A lot of dispersed campers are the adventurous sort who travel until they need a place to sleep, so people

don’t always look up whether or not they’re allowed to stay where they’ve pitched their tent or parked their car.

“Most places aren’t clearly labeled, so it’s kind of guess-and-see-if-you-get-kicked-out,” said UW sophomore Jasper Winters, who went on a dispersed camping road trip last summer.

stare at the stars as you fall asleep in your trusty adventuring vehicle.

Reach writer Julia Houppermans at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @jhoupps

To increase your chances of being able to stay somewhere, Winters suggests, “Be nice to cops, always have plausible deniability, don’t litter or otherwise be obnoxious.

If there are street-lights where you camp and you wisely camped before it got dark, make note of the street lamps before you settle down for the night or you will definitely find one shining directly into your would-be-slumbering face once the sun goes down.”

Dispersed camping is one of the most enjoyable experiences that you can have, and every outdoorsy person should try it at least once. It’s a perfect mix between the remoteness of backcountry camping and the amenities of traditional camping. There’s really nothing like being able to

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The Daily — Pacific Wave

Photo Essay by Case Tanaka

Columbia River Gorge

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Beacon Rock

The Columbia River Gorge was always close to home when I lived in Vancouver, Wash. I began learning photography there, and I spent a lot of my time. The Eagle Creek Fire that burned the area in 2017 was tragic, but the area is recovering and regrowing and will hopefully be a place for many others to enjoy.

Latourell Falls

Eagle Creek

Wind Mountain

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Alanna Greene

The value of an ESRM degree at the UW Taking what is learned in the classroom and applying it outside

By Nissreen Taha and Alyson Podesta The Daily It’s no secret that the climate has always been important for our health and sustainability as a planet. However, the problems arising as an effect of climate change have only increased over the years. Effects such as loss of sea ice, wildfires, higher sea levels, and intensifying heat waves are still a recurring problem, and will only become worse over the years.

With that being said, it’s important to not only recognize these problems, but further learn about where they stem from.

The UW offers 180 majors, from 79 different departments, that cater to a variety of interests and goals for undergraduate students. While students may be inclined to study something in the Foster School of Business or the College of Engineering, they may overlook majors such as environmental science and resource management (ESRM).

The ESRM program at the UW focuses on learning about landscapes that are both

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natural and human-dominated, and applies this knowledge to real-life problems. Students then can take a broad range of classes, further narrowing down their area of study from the following: natural resource and environmental management, restoration ecology and environmental horticulture, sustainable forest management, and wildlife conservation.

With the many different areas of focus, this allows students to hone in on a specific topic, and further make that area applicable to that student’s interests.

Lisa Nordlund, UW ESRM undergrad adviser, said that ESRM really stands out from other majors here at the UW. “What I really like about our degree is that you can shape it to what the student wants to get out of it,” Nordlund said. “For ESRM, the career path is really wide.”

Students in the ESRM program work in a variety of positions after graduation, especially in conservation. Many students are driven by contemporary climate and environmental issues to study scientific

solutions. One option for those looking to do this is the bioresource engineering program.

“Bioresource science and engineering is an engineering-accredited degree, the only one outside of the college of engineering. It’s a little tricky to find, but [these students’] passion is about taking waste products, whether that be from the paper industry, wheat, straw, or other things, and making useful products out of them,” Nordlund said. “If we had to survive in a world with no oil, how would we make all the things that we need?”

While the UW’s general education requirements focus on some sort of English and writing credit, there is no specific requirement for taking an environmental science class to enhance the awareness of students on the ever-changing environment.

Bridger Machus, a UW senior in ESRM, said this is problematic for students who have no experience or knowledge of the environment.

“I absolutely think every UW student should take at least one environmental

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class before they graduate,” Machus said.

“There are tons of important fundamentals about the environment that everyone should know, not only to provide them with a better education, but to help raise awareness of common, solvable, environmental problems.”

Some students have never been exposed to any sort of environmental biology course in high school, so coming to the UW with a general interest but without knowing where to start is fairly common.

Lena Wilson, another UW senior in ESRM, was in the same boat with the lack of environmental-related education she had in high school.

“My high school didn’t have any kind of environmental classes other than biology and chemistry, so I always was mildly interested but I didn’t really know how to pursue a major like ESRM,” Wilson said. “When I came to UW, I took an intro to environmental studies course my freshman year that I loved and knew immediately that I wanted to study the environment in some way.”

The program here at the UW is fairly hands-on, with a multitude of options to

From ‘Climbing Club’ on page 9

“I didn’t really know much about ... mountaineering at all before I did [snowschool]. So I learned a lot … There’s a lot of people in the club who are very knowledgeable and they’re also pretty nice, like they want to teach you things,” UW senior and Climbing Club member Claire Marvet recalled of her experience at snow-school last year. “It’s really nice to not have to pay a lot of money to go to snow-school because there are a lot of similar things that are more like classes and they’re really expensive. And for someone who’s not really sure that they want to get into mountaineering, I think that that’s really good to have snow-school as an option.”

Scannell mirrored Marvet’s sentiment.

“I think snow-school was my first time really getting into it and that was the first time I’d ever been mountaineering; learning what an ice-axe was, how to use crampons and how to snow camp, the conditions, avalanche danger — all that was so new, just a lot of information at once,” she said.

Scannell has since employed her skills from snow-school on various big-scale sends, including Mount Hood and Mount Rainier,

really apply what they learn inside the classroom to the outdoors.

Nordlund mentioned that ESRM is for students who want to be outside and make a difference in the environment, and don’t want to sit in an office all day.

Classes are fairly interactive, with occasional field trips that immerse students on the importance of the environment and natural resources.

“Jerry Franklin known as ‘the father of new forestry’ took his forestry class on a three-day field trip to south central Washington, where we learned about everything involving forestry,” Machus said. “It was wholesome trips like this that have made ESRM a true educational experience that has taken me beyond the classroom and deep into the core drivers behind the importance of resource management.”

While field trips might sound like a fun bonus to a major, the importance and value of learning these skills is crucial to our future on Earth.

effects on natural resources and we, as a planet, need to shift our priorities to accommodate for that.

“Our future on this planet depends on how we prioritize our planet’s health and what sacrifices and changes we are willing to make to make to ensure a sustainable future,” Wilson said.

With the help of the professors in the ESRM department, students are not only equipped with understanding natural resource management, but also sharing that knowledge with others around them.

“I have seen a great deal of passion surrounding the environment,” Machus said.

“Between my professors here at the University of Washington and my parents growing up, I have come to gain a similar passion.”

Reach writer Nissreen Taha and Special Section Editor Alyson Podesta at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @nissreentahaha and @alyson_podesta

Climate change has always been a broad, controversial topic, but it is having serious

both of which she summited with other Climbing Club members last summer.

“Snow-school is a great way to learn all the skills you need to do big mountains, and pretty much every year there will be some students who take those skills and actually practice,” Culhane said.

Following her weekend at snow-school, Marvet, too, became more involved in casual climbing trips.

“Last year during the summer, I decided to try to climb some peaks, and people just post on the page when they need a partner so I was able to join in, just hop on into a group that was climbing something during the summer and I got a lot of experience that way,” Marvet said.

Scannell has witnessed her own confidence, both social and technical, flourish over her three years active in the climbing club.

“It does grow your confidence and network of friends,” she said. “It’s great now because I can talk to other climbers … about these experiences and communicate on a more technical level with them.”

“Just try,” she said. “Just go on as many trips as you can and don’t feel afraid; don’t doubt your abilities because something that climbers really like are people that are passionate and who have drive and are excited about climbing … most climbers are willing teach you things so just get involved.”

No matter one’s interest — whether it be snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, rock climbing, or mountaineering — what all members of the Climbing Club share is a passion for the outdoors.

“In terms of like really stunning views and rugged mountains, Washington’s pretty good, so going on the occasional weekend trip and de-stressing — even if it means being extremely sore the next day — I definitely find it worth it,” Culhane said.

Reach writer Sophie Aanerud at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @thesraanerud

When asked what advice she’d give to prospective climbers, Marvet encouraged individuals to be brave and take risks.

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Travel and the outdoors

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Why you should go outside to see the world

By Sabrina Ebengho The Daily Saying “yes” to new adventures can be terrifying. Some, if not all, fear the idea of stepping into the unknown. But what would happen if we simply gave ourselves the freedom to go explore the world, be outside, and live life to the fullest?

Last summer, for the very first time, I traveled abroad alone. The night before my

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morning flight, as always, I stayed up very late to pack and reflect on how to adequately embark on the journey. Through the process, I began feeling a sense of uneasiness. I would be spending three whole months in a different continent, away from home.

For a person who is passionate about wandering across the world, this feeling was unusual.

From the moment I landed in Budapest,

Hungary, I had no reason to be worried anymore. Though I was jet-lagged and exhausted from my 12-hour flight, the feeling of being in a place I’d never been before was phenomenal.

As I left the airport to the residence, the Hungarian sunset, summer heat, and fresh wind softly enlivened my spirit. Somehow, my energy was restored.

I felt the need to get on my feet and go explore.

The imperfect, but perfect, Lebanon

By Nissreen Taha The Daily While it may seem bizarre that my favorite place is a country that I’ve only visited twice in my life so far, it still holds a huge place in my heart.

My family immigrated to the United States in the ‘90s and, because I was born here, I had no idea what my parents’ home was like. I had always heard stories about Lebanon and seen pictures, but I never could fully understand these stories due to the fact that I had never been there.

When I turned 14, my family and I set out to Lebanon, and it remains by far the best experience of my life to this day.

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I had the opportunity to explore the suburban outskirts of Bourj el-Barajneh and the beautiful hills of Southern Lebanon.

These two areas are very different, but very beautiful in their own ways.

In Bourj el-Barajneh, it may be crowded, but there is a lot of culture represented in the packed neighborhoods. You can distinctly smell cooking from houses miles away.

There’s not much to say about Southern Lebanon other than how breathtaking it is.

There are hills upon hills, and from the top of one, you’re able to view the miniature villages that are thousands of years old.

There’s no place like it, with the hot and humid weather combined with dirt

roads. The children biking up and down the bumpy sidewalks with clear skies makes for a perfect day.

Because of the culture shock, I had a hard time adjusting to everything I was witnessing. There are certain parts of Lebanon that are less developed than others, which made

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When it comes to traveling, big cities are often at the top of the list for any tourist.

Though I also love touring big cities when given the opportunity, I think that there is more to traveling than marking off a checklist of popular touristic places and attractions.

To fully experience the magic of traveling, I decided to go where I felt most alive. So, I changed into activewear, put my running shoes on, and went hiking with a big group of delegates from different parts of the world.

Being outdoors truly allowed me to nurture my soul and feel its calmness.

Scotland Climbers ascend the approach to the Aonach Eagach Ridge. Though this ridge is one of the most accessible in the Scottish Highlands, with the trailhead being off the road it still requires a one-mile and 2,000-foot hike to reach the beginning of the true scrambling.

Touring the city parts of Budapest was both fun and astounding, but exposing myself to its nature left me speechless.

Nature is the essence of our well-being and overall health. With significant increase in peoples’ health and happiness, studies conducted by the University of Derby and The Wildlife Trusts show scientific reasons as to why connection to nature is essential.

The experience of being out of the country and in the outdoors, as an adventure, was not only life changing, but also enlightening.

Remember, the world is wide and rich in natural treasures, go outside and see it.

Reach writer Sabrina Ebengho at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @Just_Sab

it quite daunting to see at the age of 14. But all of these imperfections are what made this place truly perfect in my eyes.

While I didn’t appreciate it enough when I was 14, looking back now, I appreciate it more than ever.

My entire extended family lives in Lebanon, and because of this, I rarely ever see them.

Lebanon is very near and dear to my heart because to me it symbolizes my family and my culture.

Hearing all the stories I had grown up with and then experiencing what my parents experienced in real-time was an everlasting moment for me.

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To this day, I still remember the busy streets of Beirut, and at the same time, the quiet and calm of the ocean waters at night.

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Reach writer Nissreen Taha at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @nissreentahaha

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Photo Essay by James Maltman

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Daniel Kim

Increasing access to parks one volunteer at a time Volunteers work hard to bring diversity to public lands

By Samantha Bushman The Daily After a short internship with the National Parks Service during her senior year of college at the UW, Allison Burdick wasn’t sure where she’d end up. Like many college grads, Burdick tentatively ventured into the professional world, taking a corporate job at Starbucks in a field she didn’t go to school for.

When park ranger Kelsey Johnson offered her the chance to apply for a yearlong paid position at the National Parks Service, she jumped on it.

Now, Burdick uses her degree in environmental science and resource management to make local changes. By driving outdoor programming that is dedicated to increasing volunteer engagement and diversity within the parks service, she has helped address two problems that have long plagued public lands.

Based out of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Pioneer Square, the In My Backyard program works to provide conservation leadership opportunities to underrepresented youth.

Burdick and Johnson are part of a team that runs the program, expanding this summer to include an internship for high school students entitled “A Place at the Park.”

Reaching young people has long been a challenge for the parks service, because students have less time to give than someone who is older or retired.

“If we want to keep our parks and cultural and natural resources around and preserved we need the future generations to have some sort of ownership and stewardship over

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them,” Burdick said.

Outdoor recreation is often associated with money and access. Burdick hopes that by providing a program inside Seattle that doesn’t have fancy gear or a driving requirement, her team can bring in those that otherwise wouldn’t think twice about visiting a national park.

“A lot of these neighborhoods can see Mount Rainier, don’t have any interest in going, don’t know its a national park, and don’t plan on visiting,” Burdick said. “What makes Klondike special is we’re in an urban setting and we’re definitely more accessible than these other parks.”

Efforts have already begun to pay off.

In 2017, Klondike welcomed its first intern from a Historically Black College. Chanara Andrews spearheaded efforts to make A Place at the Park a reality.

“In my Backyard completely changed volunteer demographics,” Johnson said. “ We have a long way to go with diversity, but it’s a step.”

Johnson and Burdick also run the local sect of the national program Every Kid in a Park, which encourages 4th graders to get outside by offering them free passes to national lands as a reward for learning.

“It’s kind of a big undertaking and a big goal for us to connect with Seattle’s underserved communities,” Burdick said.

As one of 52 volunteer ambassadors in the United States, Burdick is the only representative inside Washington state.

Over an office table graced with fake bark and a small tree, Burdick and Johnson

discussed their working relationship, which has spanned over four years and the duration of In My Backyard as they’ve worked to build the program as mentors and friends.

“I think this is the most supported I’ve ever felt in a job,” Burdick said.

And the job is not easy. Johnson touted the difficulty of entering the parks service professionally. With a non-competitive wage and high levels of community involvement, Burdick has committed a significant amount of her life to the volunteers. This includes long, sometimes out-of-state trainings to keep up.

“She worked her butt off,” Johnson said.

During her first internship, Burdick reminisced about having to write about sense of place and what she found special about the outdoors. Realizing that connection and addressing her privileged outdoors upbringing has attributed to the level of commitment she’s given to A Place in the Park.

“I wouldn’t feel so passionate if I didn’t come from huge amounts of support and collaboration,” Burdick said.

Now she’s taking that drive and collaborating with new volunteers to grow the program even further. Much of the success her programming has had can be attributed to her team.

Reach writer Samantha Bushman at specials@dailyuw.com.

Twitter: @sammi_bushman

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