Pacific Northwest
21 Day Learn, Serve, Travel Course

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Environmental Service Project – Outdoor Adventure – Career Awareness
Leadership — Outdoor Living & Travel Skills – Backcountry Immersion

All that makes Cascadia School extraordinary is packed into this 21 day course. You will experience the wonders of the Pacific Northwest the best way possible – by traveling throughout its awesome landscape and packing each day with adventure, experience and learning. This course combines a curriculum focused on outdoor  proficiencies, environmental studies, leadership, and a chance to discover career opportunities related to the environment and natural resources. You will help plan and implement a significant service learning project in the North Cascades National Park while working alongside accomplished professionals in environmental science. Each section of the course gets spiced up with our cadre of guest presenters.

Your instructors, multi-talented individuals and accomplished mentors, will lead the way as you venture from mountains, to rivers, to Oregon's “high desert”. Six focused skill building segments include classes in kayaking, whitewater rafting, canoeing, backpacking, outdoor cookery and leave no-trace camping. In addition, stimulating  opportunities are presented to hone your leadership skills and advance your ability to organize service projects.  In the end, you will gain lifetime experiences and skills that will serve you well for years to come.

Highlights

• Travel and camp while exploring some of the most beautiful wildlands in the Pacific Northwest.
• Develop/advance your skills. Become proficient in camping, outdoor cooking, and adventure travel.
• Embark on a multi-day river trip in an expedition kayak traveling from one river camp to the next.
• Work side by side with natural resource professionals advancing your career awareness.
• Explore, discover and advance your outdoor pursuits. Learn to roll a kayak and paddle a canoe.
• Lead. Inspire. Get involved. Make good in the world.
• Join in a significant student-led service project to preserve wildlands and protect critical habitat.
• Enjoy good times with good people… and get in touch with nature.

Destinations

North Cascades National Park, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Yakama Nation Lands, Mt. Adams Wilderness Area, Trout Lake Natural Area Preserve, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Cascade Mountain Range, Umatilla National Forest, Grand Ronde River, White Salmon Wild and Scenic River.

Topics Covered

Service project planning; career awareness; leadership, teamwork; first-aid, emergency procedures; minimal impact camping; outdoor cookery; kayak paddling and roll; hydrotopography; river safety and rescue; canoeing; whitewater raft paddling; backpacking; backcountry camping; GPS navigation; snowfield glissading; flora and fauna, natural awareness, ecological life systems; mountain building processes, fishing.

Prerequisites

• Students need to demonstrate good character, maturity and physically be in good shape.
• Possess a strong work ethic to accomplish a challenging service project.
• Enjoy water-based outdoor activity.
• For students who will finish grades 9-12 in June 2011.

Course Description

Day One - Meet fellow students and instructors at Portland International Airport; Scenic drive through the Columbia River Gorge. Welcome dinner and orientation; Overnight at Trout Lake, Washington base camp.

Day Two - Set out on a backcountry hike to the top of an ancient volcanic feature known locally as “Sleeping Beauty”. Afternoon program orientation and wilderness camping class. Evening canoeing and practice paddling.

Day Three – Travel north along the crest of the Cascade Mountain Range to the headquarters of North Cascades National Park. Join park staff and rangers for an orientation to the park and career awareness presentation. Camp on Diablo Lake beneath towering mountains.

Day Four to Nine – Get underway in time to catch the freight boat to Ross Lake.  Cruise through narrow canyon passages then transfer by speedboats to Ross Lake moorage where we begin our canoe trip.  Ross Lake, located in the heart of the North Cascades National Park, includes top of the world views, ragged mountain peaks, and emerald green waters on which we will paddle to rustic lakeside camps.  

The focus of our next four days involves putting into action our service project.  We’ll work alongside national park rangers and environmental specialists while learning about the relevancy and scope of our project.  Each day allows plenty of time for recreation as we hike, explore hidden coves and take refreshing warm water swims.  On our last day we will paddle back to the Ross Lake moorage to catch the freight boat and share our accomplishments at the park headquarters.  Later we set out for a return trip to our Trout Lake base camp.

Day Ten to Eleven - Kayak school will be one of your course highlights. Receive personalized instruction learning the fundamentals of kayaking.  Learn paddle strokes, how to roll a kayak, while understanding the challenges of river running.  Your days are filled with excitement as you progress and learn more advanced river running techniques. On the 2^nd day you’ll paddle down a stretch of river practicing newly acquired skills.

Day 12 to 14 – Our top rated backpack trip takes us up into Mt. Adams high country.  We’ll hike through Bird Creek Meadows, a vast region filled with wildflowers and waterfalls and a look down into a glacial carved valley.  With backpacks strapped on we’ll hike and explore the upper reaches of Hell Roaring Canyon and Mystery Ridge, a miniature volcanic cinder cone. While traversing a trail above timberline we’ll discover a small alpine lake floating with icebergs, and not far away, our camp, dramatically located below the Klickitat icefall.  All along the way we’ll keep our eye out for Mountain Goats and try out glissading.  Over three days your instructors will teach all the techniques for living safely and navigating through a magnificent wilderness area.

Day 15 to 19 – After concluding our mountain exploration we head to the high desert and Grand Ronde River for a multi-day river trip.  Day by day we will float through a wilderness corridor enjoying the isolation and seeing no evidence of human development – just nature in its most pristine state.  On this trip students will get to apply skills they learned in kayak school and navigate their own expedition kayaks, loaded with gear, down this wild and scenic river.  Each day instructors will work with students coaching them on their kayaking skills.  For advanced kayakers, opportunities to travel in hardshell kayaks will be available.  This culminating trip becomes a memorable and life changing experience.

Day 20 -21  The final section of our course brings us back to our Trout Lake base camp. Students will experience a grand finale that includes spelunking and cave exploring in the morning and a full afternoon rafting down the whitewater of the White Salmon River. Students will learn to paddle as a team working together to steer through the rapids of this famous river.  A special eventing awaits with an end of course banquet and photo journal presentations, great food, and good times.  The next morning we travel to Portland, Oregon airport to catch flights back home.

Registration Information

Tuition Includes: All accommodations, transportation and meals; instruction; pre and post course preparation/communication; permits and entry fees; equipment and gear; airport transfers; applicable Washington state 7% sales tax. 
Not Included:  Air transportation to Portland, Oregon; travel insurance; pocket cash for items of a personal nature (souvenirs, hats, shirts, toiletries, etc).
Start and End Location:  Portland, Oregon, USA

Important Notice:  Day 1 is the day you should plan to arrive in Portland, Oregon for your course. This may require departing your hometown or country one or more days in advance and possibly traveling on an overnight flight.  Please consult our admissions office for air travel recommendations.

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We look forward to having you join us on this course –
an experience of a lifetime!   

Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

Enrollment Application

 

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