Happy April! The 35th year of Mountain School is underway at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center. Amidst all the outdoor learning and community connections, students made time to show their love for public lands with these colorful banners. We delivered them to the valued staff at North Cascades National Park and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to say THANK YOU!

North Cascades Institute is committed to being a good partner to our friends working for the National Park Service and US Forest Service, as we have been for nearly four decades. We are in regular communication with both agencies’ leadership to discover if there are ways we can support them and their work during these difficult times. We remain committed to our mission to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. In this time of rapid change, we believe this is more important than ever. Read more on our blog.

Beginning JULY 4, the Alice Ross IV sets sail on the azure waters of Diablo Lake in the North Cascades! North Cascades Institute, in partnership with Seattle City Light, offers visitors fun, educational tours of Diablo Lake all summer. Experience jaw-dropping views of glacier-clad peaks, learn about the quirky history of the Upper Skagit Hydroelectric Project and enjoy lunch at the Environmental Learning Center!

YOUTH LEADERSHIP ADVENTURES: Now Accepting Applications for SUMMER 2025

YLA trips are for motivated high schoolers seeking a fun and challenging adventure in the North Cascades! Our 5- and 8-day field courses connect 9th-12th grade students to the natural world while exploring their unique leadership strengths. In partnership with North Cascades National Park and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, participants canoe-camp, backpack and complete stewardship projects. 

Gear, food, and transportation from Skagit and Whatcom counties are provided and no prior experience is necessary. Scholarships are available for all students!

BASE CAMP LEARNING & LODGING offers guided learning activities with Institute naturalists, three meals and comfortable overnight accommodations in our guest lodges. Dates vary, June-August

FAMILY GETAWAYS include meals, accommodations and a daily slate of engaging, hands-on activities and outdoor adventures designed for people of all ages. We welcome anyone you call a family: parents, children, grandparents, guardians, aunts and uncles, friends, and nontraditional families. Limited spots for July 25-27 and August 8-10

Do you love the outdoors and want to help others connect with nature? We have several openings supporting operations at the Environmental Learning Center—full time, part-time and seasonal positions—that may be right for you or a job-seeker you know. 

Learn more about working at the Institute, our location in North Cascades National Park, and subsidized housing options for these roles at ncascades.org/jobs. 

MOUNTAIN SCHOOL OPENINGS

We have rare openings in our Fall 2025 schedule and would love for your school group to join us! Mountain School is our nationally recognized overnight outdoor school program—now in its' 35th year! Fifth-grade students come to North Cascades National Park with their peers, teachers, and parent chaperones for three days and two nights to learn about the ecosystems and the natural and cultural history of these  mountains.

SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT: CYNTHIA BRADSHAW

We’d like to thank Cynthia Bradshaw, who’s donated to the Institute through the King County Employee Giving Program since 2014. In recent years, Cynthia has provided an annual scholarship for Youth Leadership Adventures (YLA) in memory of her brother, Franklin Bradshaw.

“Franklin enthusiastically shared his love of the outdoors with children and young adults. Sometimes, I thought he was a pied piper on the ski hill with a bevy of kids cheerfully following him into the woods. I believe that YLA embodies Franklin’s spirit and joy in sharing the outdoors in ways that youth can appreciate for their lifetimes while furthering their future life and career aspirations.”