Looking Back at the Flowers, Frogs & Frolics of Summer
June, July, and August are some of the most delightful months in the North Cascades ecoregion with abundant wildflowers, wildlife, and wild landscapes to explore! From natural crafting to deep time explorations, let us take you along on a journey through the past few months of Institute Field Excursions before we set out on Fall & Winter 2026 classes!
Natural Dyes Workshop in the Chuckanuts
Participants spent a beautiful sunny day in the Chuckanuts learning about the traditional uses of various native plants and collecting invasive species to turn them into something beautiful! Dandelion, creeping buttercup, and more went into the vat to produce a beautiful yellow natural dye.
Amphibians of PNW Ponds and Wetlands
Can you say “RIBBIT”?! This annual amphibians course got us up close and personal with water loving critters of all kinds! Thanks to wildlife biologists at the Whatcom County Amphibian Monitoring Program (WCAMP), we handled frogs and salamanders safely while learning about habitat restoration work being done for the endangered Oregon spotted frog. This made us want to hop along to the next Whatcom Land Trust work party to volunteer!
Flowers and Field Journaling on Sauk Mountain
We may have been socked-in on Sauk mountain, but that didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. While learning how to use the practice of field journaling to connect to place, participants observed more than 20 different species of wildflower. As an added bonus, we got to hang out with a pika, a pair of marmots, and one very intrepid banana slug at the top!
North Cascades Night Sky Photography
Summer nights are for stargazing and contemplating your place in the universe. Participants in our Night Sky Photography class did just that as they captured beautiful shots of the Milkyway shining above the craggy peaks of the North Cascades and reflected on the importance of protecting our dark skies.
Narrative Nature: An Observation-based Writing Workshop
The contemplation continued with Narrative Nature as participants wrote and reflected as they made their way up the Sourdough Creek Trail. After a full day of exploring our relationships with the natural world, the class gathered for one last discussion over burn-ban s’mores.
One participant shared that for her, the act of writing is akin to the act of paying attention, and that paying attention is love embodied. Therefore, in writing about the North Cascades, we fall in love with this place all over again.
Exploring the Geologic History of the Skagit River
Participants in this adventure spent two full days ‘getting rivered’ – going with the flow and learning to recognize the incredible power of water and ice to shape the landscape over thousands of years. We took lessons learned in the classroom on the road and then on a raft to see first-hand evidence of ancient glaciers, volcanoes, and landslides. Not a bad way to spend a summer day!
Upcoming Opportunities
Have we piqued your interest in Institute learning adventures? Visit ncascades.org/classes to join us for these Fall & Winter 2026 field courses, online classes, and workshops at the Environmental Learning Center (ELC):
Oct 3 | Beat Poets of the North Cascades with Nathan Drapela – Thunder Arm
Oct 7 | Drawing and Painting Orcas with Sara Shimazu – online
Oct 16-18 | North Cascades Fall Naturalist Seminar with Chris Byrd – ELC
Oct 21 | A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers – online
Oct 24-25 | Lichenology 101 with Hannah Prather – Northern State / Baker Lake
Oct 31 | Baker Lake Fungal Foray with Erin Moore
Nov 4 | Cougars in the Pacific Northwest with WDF&W’s Brian Kertson – online
Nov 12 | Scientific Botanical Sketching with Crystal Shin – online
Nov 14 | Introduction to Tracking with Matthew Fortin – ELC
Dec 2 | Forest Health in the North Cascades with Rachel Brooks – online
Dec 9 | Soil Ecology of the North Cascades with Toby Rodgers – online
Dec 12 | Skagit Valley Winter Birding with Brendan McGarry
Dec 16 | How Birds Fly with Peter Cavanaugh – online