Fall 2024 Photo Roundup!

Before shifting our gaze to 2025, join us in a look back at 2024’s last few months when we had so much fun helping people experience our natural neighborhood! Our hearty thanks to everyone—Institute staff and participants—who captured these images that help show off the ways we work and play!

Fall Mountain School

Mountain School photos always offer a glimpse of our mission truly in action, with 5th graders learning and exploring together at the Learning Center. The story of this program, however, is even better told through “Postcards to Self” in which students reflect on their experiences and the meaningful memories they want to take home. Please take a moment to read a few of their postcards below and see if you relate!

Field Excursions

Institute field excursions took full advantage of Autumn’s best in local birding, mushrooming and photography, as well as a gorgeous day for meditation, observation and poetry at Deception Pass. If these photos pique your interest in getting outside with us, see our latest class offerings at ncascades.org/classes.

*Baker Lake Fungal Foray* with Erin Moore; photo by Hannah Black

*Skagit Valley Winter Birding* with Libby Mills; photo by Hannah Black

*Befriending Fungi* with Evan Holmstrom; photo by Hannah Black

*Mushrooms of Cascadia* with Evan Holmstrom; photo by Kim Nelson

*Writing Our Way to a Deeper Connection with the Natural World* with Holly Hughes; photo by Hannah Black

Inspiration from the greats; photo by Hannah Black

*Shades of Autumn Fall Photography Workshop* at the Learning Center; photo by the instructor, Juan Aguilera

Youth Leadership Adventures

Youth Leadership Adventures has grown leaps & bounds in recent years, expanding our program for high schoolers well beyond summer backcountry trips. This Fall, we engaged students in Youth for the Environment and People (YEP!) as they worked on an Ecological Forestry lesson for a local elementary school class. Past participants gathered in October for YLA Alumni Day to share a meal and reflect on their experiences. Our staff worked throughout Fall with students at Concrete High School to create a more effective composting system for their school. And to wrap up the year, five students joined our staff at the YMCA Earth Service Corps (YESC) Environmental Youth Summit in December to participate in discussions with environmental professionals and other western Washington youth.

YEP! participants gather for a discussion about ecological forestry; photo by Kate Little

YEP! participants present their ecological forestry lesson to a local elementary school class; photo by Eva Araujo

Sharing s’mores and memories at YLA Alumni Day; photo by Kate Little

Concrete High School students work on a compost system for their school; photo by Kate Little

Eva and YLA Alumni connecting with attendees at YESC Environmental Youth Summit

Base Camp Learning & Lodging

For as many Fall Base Camp openings as we could offer, participants enthusiastically snapped them up, happy to have comfy accommodations for a visit in the North Cascades. Together we got out in the Big Canoe, went on mushroom walks around the Learning Center, painted what we saw in watercolor, gained skills in knot-tying, and warmed up with puzzles and games.

Big Views

Learning Center visitors and staff did a spectacular job of documenting our jaw-dropping mountain views during their adventures in the area. We always love to see your North Cascades photos—email them to photos@ncascades.org.

View from Diablo Lake Overlook; photo by Jodi Broughton

A snow-dusted shelter at the Learning Center; photo by Jodi Broughton

Night sky over the Learning Center; photo by Orion Elenzil

And One Last Photo

Of our two work locations, the Sedro-Woolley office doesn’t often get the spotlight, but sometimes conditions align perfectly. That’s when the sun slants through the drizzle at just the right angle and Matt is there to capture the moment!