Skip to content
North Cascades Institute North Cascades Institute
Donate
  • Discover The Institute, Environmental Learning Center & Ecosystem
    • Overview
    • North Cascades Institute
    • North Cascades Environmental Learning Center
    • North Cascades Ecosystem
    • Multimedia
  • Blog Stories from the field
    • Blog Home
    • Naturalist Notes
    • Life at the Learning Center
    • Institute News
    • Mountain School
    • Youth Adventures
    • Adventures
    • Field Excursions
    • Photography
  • Sign Up Learning Adventures for all ages
    • Overview
    • Classes & Events Calendar
    • Conferences and Retreats
    • Family and Adult
    • Schools
    • Youth
  • Retreat Book your conference or gathering
    • Overview
    • Facilities
    • Dining
    • Activities
    • Weddings
    • Request Information
  • Shop Apparel, gifts & souvenirs
  • Support Become a donor
    • Overview
    • Donate
    • Youth Programs and Scholarships
    • Impact Stories
    • Accomplishments & Reports
  • Directions & visitor info
Donate
Blog

Site Credits

Design by Benjamin Drummond
Coding by Darin Reid

Blog

  • Blog Home
  • Naturalist Notes
  • Life at the Learning Center
  • Institute News
  • Mountain School
  • Youth Adventures
  • Adventures
  • Field Excursions
  • Photography

Recent Articles

  • Reflections on the Parks Climate Challenge program
  • ¡La Escuela de Montaña cumple 30 años!: Actualización de plan de estudios para mejor servir a los estudiantes y maestros 
  • Reflections on the Connections Program
  • Dec 2020-Jan 2021 Photo Round-up!
  • North Cascades Institute & Connections on National Public Radio

Follow us on Instagram

ncascades

Connecting people, nature and community through education since 1986. #ncascades

North Cascades Institute
Need a personal #natureretreat this Spring? Base C Need a personal #natureretreat this Spring? Base Camp spaces are still available April 2-3 and April 9-10 for overnight stays in the North Cascades National Park! Spend your day hiking and enjoying signs of Spring (like trillium!) in the North Cascades. Add some journaling and quiet reflection on the wooded shore of Diablo Lake. Then kick off your boots, enjoy a hot meal, and relax in the comforts of our Environmental Learning Center campus. Each night’s reservation includes: 🌿Private accommodations in our comfortable lodges 🌿Take-out breakfast, lunch and dinner made with locally-sourced, organic ingredients 🌿Self-guided learning activities and recreation in the heart of North Cascades National Park Reserve your spot and learn about our COVID-19 safety protocols at ncascades.org/basecamp. 📍Located on the ancestral homelands of the Upper Skagit, Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxʷ, Swinomish, Syilx Tmix (Okanagan) & Sauk-Suiattle peoples
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Youth Leadership Adven NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Youth Leadership Adventures Summer 2021 backcountry trips are for motivated 9th-12th grade students seeking a fun and challenging summer adventure in the North Cascades! 🌲In partnership with North Cascades National Park and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, this North Cascades Institute program offers 8 and 12-day field courses, designed to connect students to the natural world while engaging in conversation about climate change and climate solutions. 🌲Participants will canoe, backpack, camp and complete stewardship projects in the North Cascades while discovering their unique leadership strengths, building an inclusive community with peers, and identifying pathways to a hopeful and sustainable future. 🌲No prior outdoor experience needed! Gear, food, and transportation (from Skagit and Whatcom counties) are provided. And SCHOLARSHIPS are available! Learn more and apply at www.ncascades.org/youth. 👀And be sure to check out @youth_leadership_adventures for program highlights!
“There is a way that nature speaks, that land sp “There is a way that nature speaks, that land speaks. Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.” –Linda Hogan ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸: @missroselouise
Every day, the living things of the natural world Every day, the living things of the natural world are changing in dramatic ways in response to the cycle of seasons. Plants, animals, fungi, and even our climate all go through cycles of change as each season gives way to the next. With the first day of Spring fast approaching on March 20th, now is the perfect time to tune in to nature’s calendar and observe what’s happening around us. The study of seasonal change in nature is called Phenology and as you’ll find out in this #mountainschoolathome lesson, anyone can do it. If you have ever noticed the first flowers and calls of songbirds in Spring then you have already made a phenological observation! Visit ncascades.org/ms-at-home to download Lesson 5: Tuning In to the Seasons with Phenology 📸: Angela Burlile, Diablo Lake across the seasons 📍Ancestral home lands of the Upper Skagit, Nlaka’pamux, Sauk-Suiattle & Swinomish peoples
In celebration of International Women's Month in M In celebration of International Women's Month in March, @teresabaker11 has partnered with amazing women and outdoor organizations for a virtual women's outdoor summit. The event is geared toward cisgender and transgender women, as well as people who experience gender discrimination in their outdoor professional and personal lives. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Registration is now open and free for anyone who would like to attend the three day virtual event starting March 11. All people are welcome who are comfortable in a space that centers the experience of women. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Highlights of the event include an opening message from @repdebhaaland, panels and workshops led by @jennybruso, @browngirl_green, @cerowastecindy and keynotes from @intersectionalenvironmentalist, @finneysmojo & @xicanaafuera. Land acknowledgements from @jalyn.gough⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We've put a link in our bio for registration details and schedule of events. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Who's thinking of attending?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸: @teresabaker11
Watercolors are a beautifully unpredictable medium Watercolors are a beautifully unpredictable medium. In our upcoming 2-hour virtual workshop with environmental artist and writer Claire Giordano, you can learn how to use it to create beautiful North Cascades scenes like the one shown here! From making expressive skies, to shortcut techniques for painting trees and rock, Claire will simplify the complexities of watercolor with easy to follow steps that embrace the natural tendencies of the medium. And by utilizing a single pigment of color, she will help us explore the stunning ways watercolor can capture light and shadow.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ March 13 at 11 AM: Watercolor Mountains in Monochrome⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Learn more and sign up at ncascades.org/classes. Can't make the date? Register for the class and we'll send you the recording afterward to watch when it works for you! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Are you @youth_leadership_adventures alumni? Sign up for FREE by calling 360-854-2599⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸: Claire Giordano
Mountain Monday trivia: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏔 Considered one of the most remote and rugged mountain ranges in the North Cascades with few trails ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏔 Located on the ancestral homelands of the Nlaka’pamux & Syilx tmix (Okanagan) people ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏔 Named for its resemblance to a certain type of fence ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏔 Some peak names include Terror, Fury, Inspiration & Challenger ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🏔 The rock is biotite gneiss, formed by metamorphism of sedimentary and volcanic rocks about 100 million years ago.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What North Cascades mountain range am I?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📸: @mitchpittman
Please enjoy this quiet (and chilly!) moment captu Please enjoy this quiet (and chilly!) moment captured at the Diablo Lake Overlook by program instructor Alexa. Just around the bend from our Environmental Learning Center, this overlook is a popular stop for stretches and snacks along the North Cascades Highway portion of the Cascade Loop—which was very recently designated as one of 184 National Scenic Byways. Congratulations @cascadeloop! 🥳 The three dominant peaks shown in order are Davis, Pyramid, and Colonial. Be sure to check on seasonal closures of North Cascades Highway 20 when planning your own visit! 📸: Alexa Brandt 📍Ancestral homelands of the Upper Skagit, Nłeʔkepmx Tmíxʷ, Swinomish, Syilx Tmix (Okanagan) & Sauk-Suiattle peoples⠀
North Cascades Institute is seeking candidates for North Cascades Institute is seeking candidates for YOUTH LEADERSHIP INSTRUCTORS to lead teens in wilderness backpacking and camping courses in the North Cascades. Our @youth_leadership_adventures program hosts courses incorporating outdoor skills and service work as well as curriculum in natural and cultural history, climate change and solutions, leadership, and community engagement. YLA Instructors facilitate learning while acting as role models and guides for students in an inclusive environment that celebrates diverse life perspectives and experiences. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Are you passionate about contributing to a mission of inspiring environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature? Go to ncascades.org/careers for the full job description and apply before MARCH 19!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📍Ancestral home lands of the Upper Skagit, Nlaka’pamux, Sauk-Suiattle & Swinomish peoples
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Back to Top
  • Discover
    • Overview
    • North Cascades Institute
    • North Cascades Environmental Learning Center
    • North Cascades Ecosystem
    • Multimedia
  • Sign Up
    • Overview
    • Classes & Events Calendar
    • Conferences and Retreats
    • Family and Adult
    • Schools
    • Youth
  • Retreat
    • Overview
    • Facilities
    • Dining
    • Activities
    • Weddings
    • Request Information
  • Support
    • Overview
    • Donate
    • Youth Programs and Scholarships
    • Impact Stories
    • Accomplishments & Reports

Directions & visitor info

(360) 854-2599 info@ncascades.org Contact
North Cascades Institute
Careers Media
Charity Navigator: Four Star Charity
© North Cascades Institute|Privacy Policy
Design: Neal Maher, design for social change