North Cascades Institute

North Cascades Institute We inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature Learn more at www.ncascades.org/get_outside.
(2)

North Cascades Institute inspires and empowers environmental stewardship for all through transformative experiences in nature. Since 1986, we have helped connect people, nature and community through science, art, literature and the hands-on study of the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest. Our goal is to help people of all ages experience and enjoy the mountains, rivers, forests,

people and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest – so all will care for and protect this special place. Our offerings include Mountain School, Youth Leadership Adventures, the Graduate M.Ed. Degree Program, Family Getaways and a year-round schedule of natural and cultural history seminars and field excursions. The North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, field campus of the North Cascades Institute, is a hub of discovery for all ages in one of the wildest, heaviest glaciated and most biologically diverse areas in North America. Built in partnership with Seattle City Light and the National Park Service, the campus graces the north shore of Diablo Lake in the heart of the North Cascades.

We were honored to welcome Institute co-founders Tom Fleischner and Saul Weisberg for two 40th anniversary events in Se...
06/05/2026

We were honored to welcome Institute co-founders Tom Fleischner and Saul Weisberg for two 40th anniversary events in Seattle and Bellingham. It was a pleasure to gather with so many of you—during happy hours and at the events themselves—to reflect on the Institute’s early days and celebrate Tom’s new book "Astonished By Beauty." Read an excerpt and find purchase link on our blog: https://blog.ncascades.org.

"North Cascades Institute came to be because the right people were in the right place at the right time with a good idea, deep commitment to that idea, and determination to see it become reality. Saul Weisberg, Tom Fleischner, Ed Grumbine, Jeff Hardesty, and Tim Jordan thought the time was right to create a “field school” in the North Cascades. Their knowledge of this place was growing as they traveled and studied it as field biologists, outdoor educators, mountaineers, and park rangers. As their delight in discoveries and adventures grew, the idea of sharing this special place with others captured their imagination and offered an outlet for their youthful idealism. All were conservationists and educators, and they thought they might advance the conservation of this special mountain region through field-based learning."

from "Teaching in the Rain: The Story of North Cascades Institute" by John C. Miles, 2022

Summer officially approaches, which means primeHiking season does too! Here in the North Cascades winter and snow condit...
06/04/2026

Summer officially approaches, which means prime
Hiking season does too! Here in the North Cascades winter and snow conditions in the higher elevations can last well into July. But there is still incredible early season hiking to be done.

🥾 Check out the many trails (some ADA accessible) around the Newhaelm visitor center. One onoir favorites is the Sterling Munro boardwalk. A short, but sweet walk that opens to a stunning view of the Picket Range. Try the River Loop trail if you’d like something a bit longer.

🥾 Thunder K**b is a favorite of many! Be sure to pack your patience with this one. A short out and back hike starting in forest and ending at a viewpoint of Diablo lake and surrounding peaks.

🥾 Or head across the highway to Thunder Creek where you can mosey through old growth forest as you follow Thunder creek. Stopping at the thunder creek bridge is a great place for a nice view and a good turn around point for a short, but lively hike.

What is one of your favorite early season hikes?

May brought longer, warmer days and a mix of community gatherings, time in the field, and hands-on care for the places w...
06/03/2026

May brought longer, warmer days and a mix of community gatherings, time in the field, and hands-on care for the places we share.

We were especially honored to host Institute co-founders Tom Fleischner and Saul Weisberg for two 40th anniversary events in Seattle and Bellingham. And we're excited to congratulate our Ski to Sea team on a strong finish in this year's race!

At the Environmental Learning Center, we welcomed a range of groups to campus, including Seattle Children’s Hospital patients and their families, Swinomish preschool graduates and community members who rolled up their sleeves during Spring Stewardship Weekend to help repair winter flood damage on campus trails.

Out in the field, learning took many forms. From birding to our annual snake count, a naturalist seminar in North Cascades and a chance to get to know a wide range of marine life while exploring the Salish Sea aboard the Orion.

For more fun May memories, check out our Flickr Gallery at https://www.flickr.com/photos/ncascades/albums/

📸 photo credits | Kim Nelson, Tim Leach, Jason Ruvelson, and Institute staff

Black bears are coming out of hibernation and are hungry after their long rest. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​🐻 Black bears like these...
06/02/2026

Black bears are coming out of hibernation and are hungry after their long rest. ​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
🐻 Black bears like these, can be seen foraging for food in spring near roads, so be mindful while driving and please watch your speed. ​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
🐻 If you are driving, see a bear and want a better look, safely pull over out of traffic, stay in your car and enjoy the view. ​​​​​​​​

🐻 If you are on foot and see a bear, never run. Make noise, make yourself as big as possible and be sure to give bears plenty of space.
​​​​​​​​
📍Ancestral homelands of the Nlaka’pamux, Swinomish, Upper Skagit & Sauk-Suiattle people​​​​​​​​
📸: Photo taken a past spring at the Environmental learning center

Thank you to everyone who supported the Institute’s Give BIG for Youth spring campaign and helped us reach the $40,000 c...
06/01/2026

Thank you to everyone who supported the Institute’s Give BIG for Youth spring campaign and helped us reach the $40,000 challenge match!

Many thanks as well to Institute supporters Lee Whitford, Eric Hirst, Saul & Shelley Weisberg, Mike & Shannon Flory, the Rohan Nosko Family, and Cathy Wissink for providing the challenge match funds.

If you didn’t have a chance to donate during GiveBIG, we gratefully welcome donations made any time of the year at ncascades.org/give. Together, we will deepen roots and build a brighter future!

We want to thank all the volunteers–including students from Western Washington University's Ecological Restoration Club–...
05/30/2026

We want to thank all the volunteers–including students from Western Washington University's Ecological Restoration Club–who celebrated the season by rolling up their sleeves at Spring Stewardship Weekend!

By working together to give back to the Learning Center and surrounding wildlands, our community members are helping care for this shared place and make outdoor learning possible, year after year.

🌲 Are you interested in volunteering with North Cascades Institute? Fill out our Volunteer Interest Form today: https://bit.ly/4u1EVpY

Calypso bulbosa, also known as the Calypso orchid or our favorite the fairy slipper. Fun facts: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​🌸 Calyp...
05/28/2026

Calypso bulbosa, also known as the Calypso orchid or our favorite the fairy slipper. Fun facts: ​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
🌸 Calypso, the Greek goddess who concealed Odysseus on her island, reflects the flower's habitat preference. Calypso means “concealed” in Greek which may refer to the flower’s preference for shaded sheltered areas on comfier forest floors.​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
🌸 🧚‍♀️Calypso orchids don't produce nectar, but their flowers mimic the shape and scent of nectar-producing flowers to attract pollinators, particularly bees. ​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
🌸 🧚‍♀️These orchids have a unique symbiotic relationship with a specific fungus, which helps them obtain nutrients from decaying organic matter. ​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
🌸 🧚‍♀️They bloom in May or June, usually after snow melt. They have distinctive, showy flowers with a pink or reddish-pink slipper-shaped lip and three pointed sepals. ​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
🌸 🧚‍♀️The Nlaka’pamux people used the calypso orchid's corms (bulb-like structures) as a food source, and some used them medicinally to treat epilepsy. ​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
Have you seen any fairy slippers this year?! 🌸🧚‍♀️​​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​
📍Ancestral homelands of the Nlaka’pamux, Upper Skagit, Sauk Suiattle & Swinomish people ​​​​​​​​
📸: Tim Leach

Calypso bulbosa, also known as the Calypso orchid or our favorite the fairy slipper. Fun facts: 🌸 Calypso, the Greek go...
05/28/2026

Calypso bulbosa, also known as the Calypso orchid or our favorite the fairy slipper. Fun facts:

🌸 Calypso, the Greek goddess who concealed Odysseus on her island, reflects the flower's habitat preference. Calypso means “concealed” in Greek which may refer to the flower’s preference for shaded sheltered areas on comfier forest floors.

🌸 🧚‍♀️Calypso orchids don't produce nectar, but their flowers mimic the shape and scent of nectar-producing flowers to attract pollinators, particularly bees.

🌸 🧚‍♀️These orchids have a unique symbiotic relationship with a specific fungus, which helps them obtain nutrients from decaying organic matter.

🌸 🧚‍♀️They bloom in May or June, usually after snow melt. They have distinctive, showy flowers with a pink or reddish-pink slipper-shaped lip and three pointed sepals.

🌸 🧚‍♀️The Nlaka’pamux people used the calypso orchid's corms (bulb-like structures) as a food source, and some used them medicinally to treat epilepsy.

Have you seen any fairy slippers this year?! 🌸🧚‍♀️

📍Ancestral homelands of the Nlaka’pamux, Upper Skagit, Sauk Suiattle & Swinomish people
📸: Tim Leach

Team North Cascades Institute had a great time participating in Whatcom County's annual Ski to Sea race last weekend! Re...
05/27/2026

Team North Cascades Institute had a great time participating in Whatcom County's annual Ski to Sea race last weekend! Representing our programming, operations, and fundraising teams, eight Institute staff members enjoyed beautiful sunny skies (and some challenging wind) as they skied, ran, biked, and paddled from Mount Baker Ski Area down to Bellingham Bay.

We were honored to be selected as this year's community team for Ski to Sea and are grateful to Whatcom Events for giving us this opportunity to celebrate the Institute's 40th anniversary through connecting with each other, fellow racers, and the natural world.

Last chance to Give BIG for Youth! We need your help today to get more young people outside in the year ahead and inspir...
05/26/2026

Last chance to Give BIG for Youth! We need your help today to get more young people outside in the year ahead and inspire them to become the next generation of environmental leaders. Together, we will deepen roots and build a brighter future!

🏔️ GIVE TODAY at ncascades.org/givebig

Address

810 State Route 20
Sedro-Woolley, WA
98284

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ncascades/, https://blog.ncascades.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when North Cascades Institute posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category