Chattermarks

Spring into Summer with the Institute’s Early Bird Discount! From now through March 31st, when you sign up for one of our 2010 programs — Diablo Downtimes, art or writing retreats, natural history excursions, Ross Lake journeys or any program with tuition over $100 — you will receive $50.00 off each class registration. It’s a great opportunity to sign up for as many as you like and save!

We’ve just completed uploading dozens of new educational adventures for people of all ages to our website and we’re open for registration. Please visit www.ncascades.org/get_outside to view the Institute’s many unique spring and summer offerings. This year, we’re teaching birding, Pacific Northwest weather with Cliff Mass, basket-making with natural materials, digital photography, papercutting art with Nikki McClure, wilderness orienteering, wildflowers and pollinators, watercoloring and journal-making, wildlife tracking and more, including the 2010 Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival.

To register with the Early Bird $50 discount, call us at our NEW number, (360) 854-2599 (This discount is not valid for Family Getaways or Base Camp and cannot be combined with scholarships).

What do Bald Eagles mean to you?

This was a question a group of 10 high school students from the International District Housing Alliance’s (IDHA) Wilderness Inner-city Leadership Development program (WILD), and 30 students of almost all grades from Kulshan Creek Neighborhood Program, discovered over the weekend. The North Cascades Institute, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, assisted the groups to help find some answers. The day of discovery began with a discussion of Bald Eagle biology ranging in topics from migration and diet, to anatomy and reproduction. The wonderful examples of Bald Eagle skulls, talons and eggs added to the excitement.

(Title) IDHA group discussing salmon (Above) A Bald Eagle roosting

» Continue reading Kulshan kids wing it

Exciting news about an upcoming special all about the North Cascades, including a story on our Mountain School program that was filmed at the Learning Center last fall! Read on for details:

KCTS 9 is proud to present the premiere of ‘North Cascades: People, Places and Stories’, a special showcasing the breathtaking park through the words and actions of Washingtonians of all ages.  Airdates areSunday, January 17, at 10:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 20, at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, January 31, at 4:30 p.m.

KCTS 9 will also be producing a Spanish-language version, which will air on V-Me on Saturdays, January 23 at 7:00 p.m. and January 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Three of the stories featured in this program are:

* A look at the North Cascade Institute’s nationally recognized education program, Mountain School, where hands-on activities introduce hundreds of students each year to diverse ecosystems. Says Professor John Miles of Western Washington University, “There’s a concern that kids are getting disconnected from nature, and if they get too disconnected then they will not be the stewards of the North Cascades of the future.

* A profile of legendary mountaineer Fred Beckey who has been climbing in the North Cascades for nearly seven decades, racking up more “first ascents” than any other climber in history. The 86-year-old is the author of the Beckey Guides, indispensable guidebooks for climbers and hikers exploring the backcountry.

* The return of wolves to the North Cascades. Scientists and conservationists are tracking two wolf packs, one in the Methow area and the other near Republic. After being hunted to near extinction, the natural return of this iconic predator is exciting news for wildlife biologists — and a cause of concern for ranchers.

Written and produced by Emmy Award-winner Doug Tolmie and hosted by KCTS 9’s Enrique Cerna, ‘North Cascades: People, Places and Stories’ provides an in-depth look at the region and its relationship to the community. The program highlights both critical environmental issues and the stories of passionate citizens who have worked to create, maintain and preserve this stunning part of our state for the future good of all.

“The North Cascades features one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in the world,” notes Cerna in the program. “It’s home to a national park, two national forests, more glaciers than any other place in our country outside of Alaska, and more than 300 peaks above 7,000 feet in elevation.”

The full-length program will be available online at KCTS9.org/video in English and Spanish after the premiere. The program will also be available via Comcast Video on Demand.

Six Northwest Washington poets will read their “poems about place” at Village Books on Saturday, January 16 at 7 p.m. The event, co-sponsored by North Cascades Institute, is free, open to the public and aims to raise awareness and support for the 2010 Skagit River Poetry Festival. In the lineup are Washington State Poet Laureate Sam Green, Jim Bertolino, Michael Daly, Oliver de la Paz, Nancy Pagh, and Jeremy Voigt.

The Village Books reading will be followed by a private reception for the poets with food and beverages courtesy of Bellingham’s new organic Sprout Catering. Tickets are $25 per person and all proceeds will benefit Skagit River Poetry Festival. For tickets and more information, contact Kris Ekstrand Molesworth at (360) 708-6626 or kris.bayview@gmail.com.

The Skagit River Poetry Festival, which aims to “push poetry off the page and into the lives of rural audiences,” will take place May 20-21 in venues throughout La Conner. It will feature former U.S. poet laureate Ted Kooser and National Book Award winner Sherman Alexie and will include readings, panel discussions and workshops by more than 25 poets. The three-day festival has been called “one of the jewels in our poetry crown” by poet Jane Hirshfield. To learn about program and schedule updates visit www/skagitriverpoetry.org.

Profile of the poets:

» Continue reading “Poems About Place” this Saturday in Bellingham

Every family has different holiday traditions.  Most families gather for a big meal on Thanksgiving. Some watch or play football. My family likes to run in a local “Turkey Trot”. But how many people go for a canoe ride in a 14-person voyageur canoe on Thanksgiving?

This year, several families had that opportunity as participants in the first Thanksgiving Family Getaway program at North Cascade Institute’s Environmental Learning Center on Diablo Lake.

Families from all over Washington and Oregon gathered at Diablo Lake to celebrate Thanksgiving while surrounded by pristine beauty. Though the forecast called for rain, rain, and more rain, we were showered with more sunshine than precipitation. Families enjoyed activities such as canoeing, hiking, tracking, art classes, and the microscope lab.

» Continue reading Rewriting Thanksgiving traditions

What happens at Mountain School does not just stay at Mountain School.

With winter’s silence embracing the landscape up at the Learning Center, the laughter of Mountain School students seems all but a distant echo, fading as the Skagit flows down valley. The excitement, the energy, travels wherever the students fare. And where they fare is their respective home grounds.

The first few weeks of December mark post-trip visitation time to participating schools of the fall season’s Mountain School. Several of North Cascades Institute’s graduate students have traveled north to Bellingham to visit Carl Cozier Elementary, Geneva Elementary, Wade King Elementary, Larrabee Elementary, Happy Valley Elementary, Whatcom Hills Waldorf School, and Birchwood Elementary. Others have traveled south to Bellevue and Bothell to check-in with the Eton School and Evergreen Academy.

» Continue reading Bringing Mountain School back home

North Cascades Institute has the perfect gift idea that fits all sizes and will never go out of style…a gift certificate that can be used toward 2010 Institute programs. Make your purchase by December 10 and we’ll give you $100 value for only $80, and we’ll include a package of our blank note cards featuring art from Molly Hashimoto, John Cole and other artist friends of the Institute.

Share your love of the Pacific Northwest with friends, family and other loved ones by giving them a gift that will enrich their lives and provide a unique route to get outdoors in a meaningful way. Gift certificates can be used for Family Getaways, Sourdough Speaker Series, Diablo Downtime, adult natural history retreats and excursions and other Institute offerings. And yes, its okay to gift yourself a certificate too!

To take advantage of this holiday offer, call our front desk at (360) 856-5700 ext. 2 or email nci@ncascades.org by Thursday, December 10, so that your gift certificate can be mailed in time for the holidays.

Move over United States Postal Service, neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep the graduate program from connecting with this place.

Alumni and current students gathered November 6^th through the 8^th for the First Annual Graduate Program Alumni Reunion. Along with friends, family, and faculty of the graduate program, we enjoyed an energetic dinner filled with reminiscing and laughter. Known for our friendly competitive nature, we engaged in a battle of wits and strength—a trivia night to remember. From North Cascades knowledge to a raingear relay, from a campfire song sing-off to mystery granola identification, our wisdom and vigor was challenged. Conquering the final night-time scavenger hunt mission, the winning team received pennywhistles, which with they will attempt to master in the same fashion as our own Executive Director, Saul Weisberg.

The next morning, we headed out into the elements for a photo scavenger hunt. Given a list of tasks, each team gained points for photos that captured the completion of these tasks, awarding points for difficulty, creativity, and bribery. As typical Northwest torrents poured on us, cameras captured glimpses of team hugs, reenactments of the Davis family, nature art, and notable places from Mountain School in Newhalem. Also known for our determination and perseverance, many grads and alumni ventured into Diablo Lake in order to earn the most points. The winning team, relentlessly tough, achieved victory by swimming under the glacial waters of our green lake on a day where temperatures would drop and snow would fall.

» Continue reading Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail

The days of the hand-scrawled essay may be gone, but students still are telling stories to their peers, families and teachers about their summer experiences. We are pleased to be able to showcase two videos put together by members of the 2009 Parks Climate Challenge team. The first, by Laura Humes, is a testament to the power of her experience in the North Cascades. The second, by Sydney Jarol, was selected for honorable mention by KCTS in their My Parks! Digital Storytelling competition.

On October 24th 2009 communities around the world are taking a day to mobilize citizens and create a movement to stop the climate crisis.  Locally, North Cascades Institute will be joining others in Skagit and Whatcom Counties rallying toward sustainability in Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Anacortes.  Promoted by 350.org, International Day of Climate Action is raising awarness and taking action in over 150 countries, if you can’t join us here check out an event near you.

» Continue reading International Day of Climate Action, October 24th 2009