Camp Cascades: Jul 25—Aug 06, 2009

A unique summertime youth program exploring the biologically rich ecosystems of Washington State's majestic Puget Sound and North Cascades.

Camp Cascades, co-sponsored by the American Birding Association, offers young birders between the ages of 14 and 18 the unique opportunity to experience the beautiful Pacific Northwest with their peers. Focusing on two spectacular parts of Washington State, the camp provides a comprehensive survey of the flora and fauna of the Puget Sound region and the dramatic North Cascades.

Daily activities will be based around thorough exploration of each of the distinct regions we visit, and campers will be educated on all forms of nature. Several lengthy hikes, birding field trips, and discussions will complement free time during which campers will have the luxury of exploring and discovering their natural surroundings on their own or in small groups.

Campers should expect to witness some of the finest coastal and mountain scenery in North America. Along the shores of Puget Sound, we'll experience the renowned temperate rainforests—a mixture of mighty, ancient conifers and lush, riparian forest, often festooned in a fantastic living carpet of mosses, liverworts, and ferns. Amid the glaciated valleys and summits of the North Cascades we'll encounter magnificent vistas, extensive Canadian zone forests, and fields of wildflowers.

A sampling of the characteristic birds of the region includes Tufted Puffin, Rhinoceros Auklet, Marbled Murrelet, Harlequin Duck, Spruce and Sooty grouse, Three-toed and Lewis's woodpeckers, Williamson's Sapsucker, Calliope Hummingbird, Sage Thrasher, and Chestnut-backed and Boreal chickadees. Outstanding activities include hikes in ancient old-growth forests, a trip to the tip of the Olympic Peninsula, lengthy day-hikes to the summits of Tiffany Mountain and Maple Pass, a traipse up Slate Peak for more world-class alpine scenery, and a grand finale day around the mighty Columbia River and Great Basin desert.

Long, learning-filled days emphasizing the region's distinct birdlife and habitats; lots of hiking and some camping; elevations range from sea level to 7,000 feet; cool mornings and mild days with some precipitation possible.