i

t p r o g r a m s , a c t i v i t i e s a n d e v e nt s f o r a l l a g e s

NO RT H CA SCADES INSTITUTEcelebr ating 20 years in the field

progr ams and ac tivities for all ages

NORTH CASCADES INSTITUTE

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IS OUR TOOLEDUCATION

Mountain School has brought more

than 12,000 students to the North

Cascades since 1989. ››

Field seminars provide a way to

experience fi rsthand the natural

wonders of the Pacifi c Northwest.

3360 856 5700 ~209

4 Climate Change Speaker Series

6 Stewardship/Eagle Watchers

7 An Evening with Subhankar Banerjee

8 Thunder Arm Writing Retreat

10 Field Seminars

20 2006 Summer Scrapbook

22 Mountain School

23 Graduate Program

24 Group Rental Facilities

28 Desolation Angel

Fall ’06/ Winter ’07

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Although soggy Northwest naturalists might sometimes fi nd it hard to believe, climate change threatens the robust waterfalls and creeks for which the North Cascades are known and admired. In fact, North Cascades National Park is one of the top 12 national parks that are most at risk of global warming, according to a recent study by the National Resources Defense Council.

Experts estimate that many North Cascadian streams get close to half of their late-summer fl ow from glaciers in the high country. According to the NRDC study, local glaciers have lost 80 percent of their ice since 1959, and in the Thunder Creek watershed, which fl ows toward our Learning Center, receding glaciers have already reduced summer streams by 31 percent. In a part of the world where water infl uences and shapes every aspect of the landscape, fl ora and fauna, this is sobering news indeed.

Our series of presentations on climate change in the North Cascades will intrigue any hiker, naturalist or lover of the outdoors who would like to know more about how glob-al warming is leaving its mark on the Northwest landscape and what implications it has for our future. Please join us for one—or all—of these provocative conversations that will engage, challenge, perhaps even inspire anybody who feels passionate about the Pacifi c Northwest.

NORTH CASCADES INSTITUTELOOKS AT CLIMATE CHANGE

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Elizabeth KolbertOn Global WarmingTuesday, December 5; 7:30 p.m.

Benaroya Hall, Seattle

$15 to $60

In the din of the escalating contro-

versy about global warming, the calm

voice of journalist Elizabeth Kolbert

calls for sober analysis and concerted

action. Kolbert’s award-winning series

“The Climate of Man,” published in

The New Yorker, became the basis

for her best-selling book Field Notes

from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature

and Climate Change (2006). Drawing

on interviews with environmental

scientists from Alaska to Greenland,

Kolbert elucidates the science,

deciphers the politics and shares the

stories of people living near the North

Pole whose livelihoods are literally

melting away. This important program

is co-sponsored by Seattle Arts &

Lectures and tickets may be ordered

by calling (206) 621-2230 or www.

lectures.org.

Jon Riedel and Erin PettitIn Our Own Backyard: Climate Change in the North CascadesWednesday, December 6; 7 p.m.

REI, Seattle (Meeting Room)

Free

Jon Riedel, geologist, and Erin Pettit, University of Washington

glaciologist, will provide an insider’s look at how global warm-

ing is changing the Northwest landscape we love so much. Jon

manages hydrologic and geologic resources for North Cascades

National Park and has up-close and relevant experience with

climate change and shrinking glaciers. In addition to her teaching

and research schedule, Erin leads Girls on Ice—a remarkable

North Cascades Institute program that teaches young women

leadership, science and wilderness confi dence-building skills on

Mt. Baker’s shrinking Easton Glacier—and spends part of each

year in Antarctica. Their remarks will be accompanied by stunning

photographic images of the North Cascades.

Richard GammonAre We the Weathermakers?Thursday, December 7; 7 p.m.

Village Books, Bellingham

Free

Richard Gammon teaches in the ocean-

ography and atmospheric science depart-

ments at the University of Washington

and is an authority on climate change. He

has a keen interest in translating science

into public understanding and will dis-

cuss a number of current books and fi lms

related to the topic, including Elizabeth

Kolbert’s Field Notes from a Catastrophe,

Tim Flannery’s award-winning book, The

Weathermakers and Al Gore’s fi lm, An

Inconvenient Truth.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT OUR WEB PAGE AT www.ncascades.org

© B R ET T B A U N T O N / B R ET T B A U N T O N . CO M

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“In the end, we conserve only what we love,” Margaret Mead once wrote, “we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.” North Cascades Institute strives to put Mead’s wise philosophy into action, and our volunteer Stewardship Program is one of our proudest successes. For example, since 1992, our Eagle Watchers program has played a vital role in protect-ing bald eagles by managing the attention they attract and helping to deepen people’s appreciation for one of the North Cascades’ most vital species.

Thanks to abundant runs of wild salmon, the Skagit River Watershed boasts one of the largest wintering popu-lations of bald eagles in the Lower 48 states. As the eagles arrive in December, perfectly in tune with the salmon spawn, so do thousands of people vying for views of the majestic birds roosting in riverside trees or eating fi sh along gravel bars. You can help us this winter by volun-teering as an Eagle Watcher to educate visitors about eagle and salmon biology and the Skagit River watershed.

As the seasons change, so do our volunteer oppor-tunities. Trade in your eagle-viewing scopes for hiking boots or a pick mattock and volunteer with us as a Mountain Steward or Native Plant Steward. All of our Stewardship programs include professional training from Institute staff and our partners.

STEWARDSHIPGET INVOLVED—

EAGLE WATCHERS NEEDED

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VOLUNTEER! CALL US AT (360) 856-5700 EXT. 209 OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.NCASCADES.ORG /STEWARDSHIP

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November 4-5, 2006 (Saturday night–Sunday morning)

North Cascades Environmental Learning Center s$175

Years ago, Subhankar was toiling as a computer consultant at Boeing while nurturing a photography habit on the side. Today, he travels the world as one of the most prominent voices for the conservation of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, sharing his vivid photographic record of the Arctic’s dramatic landscape and teeming wildlife in galleries, museums and natural history centers across the country.

His photos of moose and muskoxen, sandhill cranes and slaty-backed gulls took center stage in the political debate about the fate of the Arctic Refuge when Sen. Barbara Boxer held up his work on the fl oor of the U.S. Senate in 2001 to refute the Bush Administration’s claim that the Refuge was “a fl at, white nothingness.”

Subhankar contributes to North Cascades Institute’s exami-nation of climate change with a special presentation at our Learning Center focusing on Alaska’s arctic regions, from the Western Arctic to Teshekpuk Lake to the Wildlife Refuge. In addition to his most recent photographs from this year’s journey, Subhankar will share his fi rsthand observations of the effects of global warming in the northern latitudes. He will also address how climate change infl uences resource confl icts and look at the challenges of balancing oil and coal extraction with the Arctic’s fragile ecology and ancient indigenous cultures.

This special overnight event will take place at the Wild Salmonberry Dining Hall on Diablo Lake, and will feature an infor-mal gourmet dinner of local and organic foods prepared by chef Charles Claassen. A fi reside presentation by Subhankar will follow, with plenty of time for questions, discussion and getting acquaint-ed with others. Your ticket includes overnight accommodations in our cozy lodges (shared occupancy) as well as a continental break-fast and an optional naturalist-led walk the following morning.

TERRA INCOGNITA:COMMUNITY, CONFLICTS AND

AN EVENING WITH SUBHANKAR BANERJEE

CRIMES

“TO LOOK AT HIS PHOTOS IS TO WALK INTO THE WILD”–SEATTLE P-I ART CRITIC REGINA HACKETT

Caribou along Teshekpuk Lake in western

Alaska, home to a 26,000-member caribou

herd and summering grounds for more

than 60,000 molting geese. The region was

opened to oil exploration last winter.

© S U B H A N K A R B A N E R J E E , 2 0 0 6 / W B B P H OT O . CO M

TO REGISTER FOR THIS VERY SPECIAL EVENING, CALL US AT (360) 856-5700 EXT. 209.

www.ncascades.org

THUNDER ARM

Writing RetreatThunder Arm Writing Retreat [41]

GARY FERGUSON, KATHLEEN DEAN MOORE AND ANA MARIA SPAGNA

October 10-14, 2006 (Tues–Sat) 2c/24 ªNorth Cascades Environmental Learning Center S$575, P $725

Each year, North Cascades Institute invites a few of our favorite writers to come to the North Cascades and share the secrets of their craft with us. From Ann Zwinger on fi eld studies to Tim McNulty on evocative imagery, Barbara Kingsolver on narrative arcs to Robert Michael Pyle on metaphors, and from William Dietrich on research to Scott Russell Sanders on voice, our teach-ers have established a legacy of writing instruction excellence unparalleled in the Pacifi c Northwest. This year’s eighth annual Writing Retreat, to take place October 10-14 at our Learning Center in the wild heart of the North Cascades, is no different. For the benefi t of writers both polished and green, we’re bringing Gary Ferguson, Kathleen Dean Moore and Ana Maria Spagna to the shores of Diablo Lake for four days of productive writing prac-tice, exchanging ideas, sharing work and engaging in dialogue with fellow writers.

The Thunder Arm Writing Retreat is about more than writ-ing. Your four days spent at the Learning Center include cozy overnight accommodations in a breathtaking mountain setting, scrumptious dinners in our beautiful dining room featuring fresh and organic foods from local producers, naturalist-led hiking and canoe adventures and time for socializing, introspection and rest.

GARY FERGUSON is the author of sev-

eral books that explore the natural and cultural history

of the Rocky Mountains, including The Great Divide: The

Rocky Mountains in the American Mind, Hawk’s Rest: A

Season in the Remote Heart of Yellowstone and his most

recent title, Decade of the Wolf: Returning the Wild to

Yellowstone, winner of the 2005 Montana Book Award.

Gary’s writing deftly combines personality, politics

and poetry, and he crafts narratives that one reviewer

described as moving “with the exhilaration of a kayak

run in a mountain river.”

ANA MARIA SPAGNA comes

from the Institute’s own backyard, joining us from the

small town of Stehekin, where Lake Chelan and the

North Cascades meet. When not working on a trail

crew or building her own house, Ana creates essays

that emerge from her time spent in the wild. Her

fi rst collection of essays, Now Go Home: Wilderness,

Belonging, and the Crosscut Saw, is a personal

memoir deeply anchored in the landscape and full

of wry humor balanced by a broad sense of wonder.

Ana’s latest work has appeared in Orion, Utne Reader,

Open Spaces, Backpacker, Oregon Quarterly, Best

Essays NW and the new anthology A Mile in Her Boots:

Women Who Work in the Wild.

KATHLEEN DEAN MOORE combines her

roles as mother, wife and

Distinguished Professor of

Philosophy at Oregon State

University to create rare essays

that are deep, wise and full of

heart. “Possessing the soul of a

poet and the voice of a trouba-

dour,” says Amazon.com, “Moore

writes luminous essays about

what it means to love a place

not in the glib way one ‘loves’ a

cold drink on a hot day but pas-

sionately, a love that is so deep,

so ingrained, it must be encoded

in one’s DNA.” Her books include

Riverwalking: Refl ections on

Moving Water, Holdfast: At Home

in the Natural World and The Pine

Island Paradox. Kathleen teaches

Environmental Ethics and the

Philosophy of Nature at OSU, and

is also the director of the Spring

Creek Project for Ideas, Nature

and the Written Word.

GARY FERGUSON

KATHLEEN DEAN MOORE

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By the time this catalog reaches you, the days will be shorter and the nights longer as another summer slides by. Autumn and winter bring new opportunities to explore and enjoy nature, and North Cascades Institute offers many ways to get outside and experience our spectacular corner of the planet. From several birding outings to a salmon stroll, you can discover the wildlife with whom we share this special place. Nature journaling and a fi eld sketching class offer pathways for your creativity to reach out to your surroundings, while our Thunder Arm Writing Retreat and a handful of writing workshops will provide neces-sary exercise for your muse during the dark days ahead. Join Loa Ryan to learn Tshimshian cedar basketmaking, hunt for mushrooms with Fred Rhoades or meet your local salamanders alongside David Drummond. Our instructors are the very best in their fi elds—from Learning Center architect David Hall to Methow Naturalist publisher Dana Visalli to swan guru Martha Jordan—and each fi eld seminar is a unique opportunity to share in the hard-won insights gained from a lifetime spent carefully observing the phenomena of nature.

At North Cascades Institute, we believe people who experience the particularities of their home ground fi rsthand are liable to care more deeply about its well-being. Out of that care grows the passion to conserve and restore Northwest environments. From the braided Skagit Delta to the snowy North Cascades, our new line-up of seminars will take you deeper into the spirit of this vivid place, enriching your life in ways both sudden and subtle. So grab a rain-coat, put on your sense of adventure and join us outside .

FIELD SEMINARSNATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY

Understanding the Universe: Astronomy’s Big Questions [42]

KARL SCHROEDER

October 20-22, 2006 (Fri-Sun) 18 ªLearning Center S$245, P$345

The heavens unfurled over billions of years in an infi nitely complex and beautiful manner, birthing, in part, the dazzling blue planet we call home. Join Karl Schroeder for an in-depth look at the big ques-tions: How was the universe created and how does it continue to evolve? What are the origins of matter and how did it lead to life as we know it? Does life exist elsewhere? Mixing telescope time with lectures and experiments, we’ll address these issues and more while viewing celestial objects in the day and night sky. This course will focus on several topics in astron-omy and cosmology, including the birth and death of galaxies, dark matter, black holes and astrobiology.

SEE YOU IN THE FIELD!

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Gifts of the Rain: Northwest Mushroom Ecology [43]

FRED RHOADES

October 20-22, 2006 (Fri-Sun) 1c/18 ªLearning Center S$245, P$345

Autumn rains nourish a proliferation of mush-rooms in western Washington. Look closely and you’ll see a spectacular variety of fungus among us. As we explore shadowy forests and open meadows, we’ll learn about identifi cation techniques and how mushrooms have evolved to become the remarkable organisms they are today. Although mushrooms are an ever-popular delicacy, this course will focus on habitats, interrelationships and microscopic study, though our talented kitchen staff will showcase tasty mushroom treats at one of the dinners. This is an introductory seminar, but experienced mycolo-gists are welcome.

Pages from Nature: Field Journals and Observation [44]

HEATHER A. WALLIS-MURPHY

October 27-29, 2006 (Fri-Sun) 1c/18 ªLearning Center S$245, P$345

“Painting is just another way of keeping a diary,” Pablo Picasso said. Come along with Heather, wild-life biologist and artist, for a three-day workshop cre-ating your own unique nature journals. We’ll learn outdoor painting and drawing techniques to record plant and animal observations with an emphasis on fi eld identifi cation of the natural world. Expect inspi-ration from art and science during the weekend, as

journals fi ll with intriguing notes, fi eld sketches and watercolors that trace the unique details of wildlife and landscapes of the Diablo Lake area. Heather, who fi nds “studying and painting nature brings order from chaos,” will help students explore both the solitude and the energy of natural systems dur-ing the weekend course. Scientists, naturalists and artists of all skill levels are welcome.

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First-timer 20 percent discountIf you’ve never taken a fi eld seminar with us, you’re eligible for a 20

percent discount. See page 19 for complete details.

Pricing and scholarships S (shared occupancy) is the tuition for sharing a room with other

participants. P (private occupancy) is the tuition for a room for one

person (limited). To make seminars available to a wide audience,

we offer scholarships for our Field Seminars to students, teachers,

seniors over 60, environmental educators, conservation profes-

sionals, low-income participants and others. Applications available

online or by phone.

MealsAll Learning Center seminars include meals prepared by our chef

Charles Claassen and feature local and organic foods. For day trips

and seminars in the fi eld, participants are responsible for their

own meals unless noted otherwise in seminar descriptions.

credit and clock hours Many seminars and retreats are offered for optional academic credit

(400 level) through Western Washington University (WWU). The number

of credits available is listed to the right of the title of each seminar. A

written project is required; grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory

basis. We will send your registration to the university, which will bill

you $48/credit. All credits are pending approval by WWU.

North Cascades Institute is also approved by the Offi ce of the

Superintendent of Public Instruction to grant teachers clock hour

certifi cation. The fee is $3.50/clock hour. The number of clock hours

available appears with a ∫ symbol to the right of each seminar.

SEMINAR INFORMATION

Gathering Experience: Natural History Essay II [45]

SUSAN ZWINGER

November 10-12, 2006 (Fri-Sun) 1c/18 ªLearning Center S$245, P$345

Taking your writing to the next stage is the goal of this new seminar taught by one of the Pacifi c Northwest’s best natural history writers. Dozens of Susan’s previous students have asked for an advanced writing class with challenging new exer-cises. Nature in the North Cascades will be the inspiration for writers with some experience or who simply want to push their prose to the next level. A weekend fi lled with intense writing exercises, pro-cess discussions and nature wanderings will offer specifi c new techniques and tips. Poets, novelists and purveyors of other genres will also benefi t from exploring this elegant fi rst-person art form.

Weaving History: Tsimshian Basketry [46]

LOA RYAN

November 10-12, 2006 (Fri - Sun) 18 ªLearning Center S$345, P $495

Create your own traditional ‘Yuusl, or berry basket, under the guidance of Tsimshian weaver Loa Ryan. Drawing from historic and prehistoric basketry methods, we’ll use strips of natural, richly dyed cedar bark to plait a basket. The design will be open to the individual, from a clean, simple design to the beautiful checkerboard patterns of Nigilhwa’d, or “opposite pattern.” As our baskets take shape, Loa will share insights into the Tsimshian cul-ture. Tsimshians are known as the “people of the Skeena,” refl ecting their home along the Skeena River in northern British Columbia, including Prince Rupert and throughout the coastal islands. Materials are provided.

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Totem of the Pacifi c Northwest: Sauk Chum Salmon [47]

STAN WALSH

November 18, 2006 (Sat) 12 ∫Sauk River Valley $75

Late fall is a wonderful time to explore salmon-bear-ing rivers and streams. Join Stan for an easy three-mile ramble along the Sauk River, the major tributary to the Skagit River, for an engaging discussion of the natural river processes that form salmon habitat and shape salmon life histories. If water levels and turbid-ity permit, we’ll observe chum spawning behavior, examine the differences between males and females and discuss the role of salmon as an important source of marine-derived nutrients in the riverine ecosystem. Our day on the banks of Sauk River will put us in touch with the lifeways of the salmon, a bellwether species of the Pacifi c Northwest.

The Cycle of Life: Bald Eagles and Salmon of the Skagit River [1]

LIBBY MILLS

January 6, 2007 (Sat) 6 ªSkagit River $75

Each winter, hundreds of bald eagles migrate from Canada and the San Juan Islands to feast on salmon in the Skagit River. Bundle up, grab your binoculars and spend the day with Libby, a naturalist who has studied this phenomenon for more than 20 years. We’ll visit several spots along the Skagit to see eagles feeding, perching and spiraling on invis-ible updrafts or fl ying toward night roosts hidden in wooded valleys. We’ll examine the interrelated biology of salmon and eagles, their adaptations and migratory zeal, as well as conservation strategies for these intertwined species. Tuition includes van transportation from Sedro-Woolley.

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Feathers and Form: Birds as Art [2]

LIBBY MILLS

January 7, 2007 (Sun) 6 ªPadilla Bay $75

When Libby Mills heads into the fi eld to observe wildlife, she never forgets her sketchpad and pen-cils. Field sketching has long been a crucial skill in the naturalist’s toolbox, and John James Audubon and David Allen Sibley both relied on quick, accu-rate drawings created in the elements to further their comprehension of avian life. Join Libby, a talented naturalist and artist, for a day appreciating the beauty of birds by way of the sketchbook. A day’s focus on feathers and form will help you to see birds in a fresh way. Our goal will be drawing from museum birds, photos and life, including focused fi eld time in the Padilla Bay Reserve. Open to all skill levels.

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BOTH of Libby

Mills’ seminars–

a weekend full

of birds, art and

Skagit Valley

explorations—

and SAVE $10!

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Talon and Beak: Falcons of the Flats [3]

DAVID DRUMMOND

January 27, 2007 (Sat) 6 ªSkagit and Samish Deltas $75

In wintertime, the Skagit and Samish deltas are fi lled with movement, sound and song. The habitat-rich fl ats are renowned for their diversity of winter birds. Discover this avian Shangri-la with David Drummond, founder of the Merlin Project and one of the Skagit Valley’s most experienced bird researchers. We’ll learn about the life histories, behaviors and feeding strategies of a broad range of species, focusing on hawks and falcons, but per-haps spying shorebirds, waterfowl and snow geese along the way. After an indoor presentation in the morning, we’ll head into the fi eld to study hunting adaptations, wintering ecology and habitats. Tuition includes van transportation from Sedro-Woolley.

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Avifauna Afl oat: Birds of Bellingham Bay [5]

DON BURGESS

February 3, 2007 (Sat) 6 ªBellingham Bay $105

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Venture onto the teeming waters of the Puget Sound aboard the warm and comfortable Snow Goose, a spacious 65-foot research vessel. Led by an enthusiastic fi eld ornithologist, we’ll cruise Bellingham Bay in search of a variety of seabirds, from harlequin and long-tailed ducks to loons

and western grebes. Savoring the whims of weather and sea, we’ll enjoy outdoor and indoor activities, including Don’s step-by-step fl ying lesson that illustrates the physiological and aero-dynamic principles of bird fl ight. Tuition includes boat charter.

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Winter Visitors: The Ecology and Conservation of Trumpeter Swans [6, 7]

MARTHA JORDAN

February 10, 2007 (Sat) and February 18, 2007 (Sun) 6 ª(Due to high demand, we are offering this

seminar twice this winter!)

Skagit Delta $75

Each winter, the Skagit Valley hosts one of the larg-est wintering populations of trumpeter swans in the United States. Led by Martha, a passionate biologist and founder of the Trumpeter Swan Society, we’ll observe these graceful and beautiful birds as they gather in the Johnson/DeBay Slough Swan Reserve near Sedro-Woolley. Broadening our scope to include tundra swans and other waterfowl, we’ll cover their biology, life histories and habitats. We’ll also discuss conservation strategies designed to protect these birds and their wintering grounds. Transportation included.

Salamanders, Newts and Frogs: Amphibians of the Puget Lowlands [8]

DAVID DRUMMOND

March 31-April 1, 2007 (Sat eve-Sun) 1c/12 ªAnacortes and Padilla Bay $135

Amphibians love Washington State, including 14 native species of salamanders and 10 native species of frogs. In fact, two of our salamander species live nowhere else on the planet! Join David, a fi eld-honed naturalist, to learn about the natural history, behavior and adaptations of these delightful creatures. We’ll investigate several local lakes and wetlands. Dip nets and fl ashlights in hand, we’ll search for rough-skinned newts, treefrogs and red-legged frogs in a variety of forested and wetland habitats. Come night-fall, we’ll tune our ears to the evening chorus and celebrate the songs of spring. Participants are respon-sible for their own meals and accommodations.

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Writing on the Water: Place and Narrative [9]

CLYDE FORD

April 14, 2007 (Sat) 18 ªBellingham Bay $165

Writing that is informed by the environment makes for a stronger, more vivid story, but how exactly does one bring a sense of place into their work? This new seminar is an on-the-water workshop for writ-ers that explores the essential interaction between narrative and place. Join award-winning author Clyde Ford for a day-long workshop aboard the 65-foot trawler Snow Goose while cruising the San Juan Islands. Through discussion, individual and group exercises and short writing assignments, we’ll explore how to allow the environment of the Pacifi c Northwest, particularly the waters and islands, to infl uence the stories we tell. More than simply the background upon which our stories unfold, we’ll investigate the power of place as a character in our fi c-tion and a motivating force in our nonfi ction. At the conclusion of the day, we’ll read selections of our written work that captures signifi cant aspects of our time on the water. All levels and genres welcome.

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Environmental Architecture [10]

DAVID HALL AND RUSS WEISER OF THE HENRY KLEIN PARTNERSHIP WITH JEFF MUSE

AND ERIC DEAN

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY DAVID MILLER OF THE MILLER/HULL PARTNERSHIP, AUTHOR

OF TOWARD A NEW REGIONALISM: ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECTURE IN THE PACIFIC

NORTHWEST

April 20-22, 2007 (Fri-Sun) 1c/18 ªLearning Center S$265, P$375

ENVIRONMENTAL ARCHITECTURE:

GREEN BUILDING

Spend Earth Day weekend with the Learning Center’s architects, director and facilities manager examining green building design and operation–including the chal-lenges we face in “walking the talk” at our year-round campus. Nestled at the foot of Sourdough Mountain in North Cascades National Park, the Learning Center will be awarded silver certifi cation from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Program. Highlights range from effi cient heating and lighting, minimal waste and site restoration to construction with salvaged, recy-cled and low-impact materials such as 84 percent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certifi ed wood. Along with behind-the-scenes tours and group discussions, we’ll learn about LEED’s commercial and residential programs, which provide helpful strategies for any-one interested in environmental

architecture.On Saturday night, special guest David Miller, author of the Toward a New Regionalism: Environmental Architecture in the Pacifi c Northwest, will join us to share insights about building with geography, culture and ecology in mind. Sunday afternoon, we’ll visit the director’s green-built home, designed by David Hall and built by Indigo Construction. Located in nearby Rockport, the “Pacifi c Rim farmhouse” combines a strong sense of place with a no-fuss layout featuring passive solar design, blown-in cellulose insulation, radi-ant ceiling panels, salvaged and FSC-certifi ed wood and fl ooring with bamboo, linoleum and stone.Whether you’re an architect, build-er, homeowner or a sustainable design enthusiast, you’ll love this class. Inspired and informed by new friends and colleagues, you’ll leave the weekend with fresh ideas and energy for your own green building projects.DESIGN AND OPERATION

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The Language of Birds: Tracking Avian Life [11]

CHRIS CHISHOLM

April 27-29, 2007 (Fri -Sun) 18 ªNewhalem Campground $195

When listening to a birdcall, do you wonder who it is or what the call means? Each species has its own language for marking territory, mating, begging, aggression and alarm. Roam forest, meadow and stream with Chris, a naturalist who specializes in bird vocalizations and wildlife track-ing. Rising early and staying out late, we’ll track a variety of avian life by studying calls and songs along with prints, feathers and scat. We’ll gain a deeper appreciation for and understanding of rap-tors, water-loving birds and perching birds while enjoying the beauty of the North Cascades from Newhalem Campground and beyond.

The Natural Flow: Sustainability Lessons in Nature [12]

DANA VISALLI

May 5-6, 2007 (Sat-Sun) 12 ªMethow Valley $195

Explore how nature works in terms of energy fl ow and resource cycling, using our wild surround-ings as springboards for inspiring lessons, in this timely new seminar. Join Dana for a weekend of spring hikes, creative brainstorms and deep discus-sions amid the profuse wildfl ower meadows of the east slope of the North Cascades. As our culture approaches the peak of global oil production, we’ll discover what we can learn from the ecology of pre-vious civilizations and the natural pathways leading toward sustainability. Participants will leave with an understanding of the benefi ts and challenges of liv-ing a less energy-dependent lifestyle.

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A late-summer sunThreads the needles of McMillan Spires

And disappears in a reef of coral cloud.

Winds roll the mountain trees,

Batter the shutter props.

I light a candle with the coming dark.

Its refl ection in the window glass

Flickers over mountains and

Shadowed valleys

Seventeen miles north to Canada.

Not another light.

The lookout is a dim star

Anchored to a rib of the planet

Like a skiff to a shoal

In a wheeling sea of stars.

Night sky at full fl ood.

Wildly awake.

—TIM MCNULTY

From Through High Still Air: A Season at Sourdough MountainPleasure Boat Studio, 2005

NIGHT, SOURDOUGH MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT

FOR MORE ON FIRE LOOKOUTS IN THE NORTH CASCADES, TURN TO PAGE 28

© T O D D B U R L E Y / T B U R L E Y P H OT O G R A P H Y. CO M

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18 www.ncascades.org

Part of being a responsible backcountry traveler is to be pre-pared for whatever situations the unpredictable wilderness might serve up. With this in mind, North Cascades Institute and Remote Medical International are once again teaming up to offer two courses that teach essential backcountry emergency preparedness skills. Join us to earn Wilderness First Responder or Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician certifi cation in the North Cascades. Both experiences will open up new professional career opportunities and help you become more self-reliant and skilled at adjusting to dynamic conditions in the fi eld.

Wilderness First Responder [50]

December 10-18, 2006 (Sun-Mon)

Learning Center S$750

Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certifi cation is considered the industry standard for guides, outdoor educa-tors and expedition medical person-nel in remote areas. Wilderness First Responders should be able to effectively make decisions when a hospital is hours, or even days, away. The Remote Medical International teaching style emphasizes wilderness assessment and care, decision-making, hands-on skills and theoretical knowledge necessary to function in remote areas.

This program is designed for indi-viduals who have a high likelihood of using their training in the fi eld and it provides a strong foundation for progression to more advanced levels of training. Because students must understand how to use and apply specialized equipment during an emer-gency, the course involves real equip-ment. Remote Medical International’s WFR course is recognized around the world—including by the American Mountain Guides Association and the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides—and meets both Washington State and National Guidelines for First Responder Training.

Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician [4]

February 1-March 2, 2007

Learning Center S$2,795

Wilderness Emergency Medical Technicians (WEMT) have opportunities to serve in unique work environments like ski patrol, medics in national parks and on wildland fi re lines, standby res-cue at remote locations and businesses, performing medical duties on expedi-tions and working for urban ambulance services. Remote Medical International’s WEMT program is taught by Remote Site Paramedics and prominently features experienced wilderness EMTs, critical care nurses, paramedics and emergency physicians as guest lecturers. The course format is a combination of lectures, real-istic scenarios in real time and hospital emergency department internships. Unlike many WEMT courses that focus heavily on urban care, this course pre-pares the student for making critical deci-sions when the hospital is not an option.

Taught in the wilderness environ-ment of the North Cascades, advanced subjects include foley catheter insertion, IV therapy, suturing, antibiotic admin-istration, airway management, pain management/narcotic administration, eye assessments, specialized rescue con-siderations, dentistry and primary care.

BACKCOUNTRYMEDICINE

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TO LEARN SPECIFIC CREDENTIALS RECEIVED FOR EACH COURSE, VISIT WWW.NCASCADES.ORG

FIELD SEMINAR REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Registration You can register for seminars online or by

phone with your Visa or MasterCard. Call us at 360

856 5700 ext. 209 or download the appropriate

application from www.ncascades.org. Online regis-

tration is not available for the Subhankar Banerjee

event—please call to register. If you would rather

mail in your payment, registration forms are avail-

able at www.ncascades.org. Upon receipt of your

tuition, we will send a registration confi rmation that

includes an outline of when to expect detailed class

information. We keep seminars small to ensure qual-

ity and enjoyment.

TuitionOur tuition is on a per-person basis unless

stated otherwise and includes a $45 non-refund-

able registration fee. We cannot provide discounts

to participants who arrange alternative lodging.

Attendance at seminars is for paid registrants only.

20 percent fi rst-timer discount

First-timer discount applies to new participants

in adult fi eld seminars only. Offer does not apply

to Subhankar Banerjee or Elizabeth Kolbert events,

Family Getaways, WFR/WEMT trainings or any other

programs and cannot be combined with other offers

or scholarships. Maximum discount is $75. Discount

valid for registrant’s fi rst seminar only. If registering

for multiple seminars at one time, discount will be

applied to most expensive course. Full payment

required at time of registration. Standard cancella-

tion policy applies.

CancellationsOur seminars proceed rain or shine. Participant

cancellations received 21 or more days before the

start of a seminar will receive a full refund minus

a $45 registration fee. Participant cancellations

received less than 21 days before the start of a

seminar will not receive a refund. If we are forced

to cancel a seminar, participants will receive a full

refund or transfer option.

Risk and responsibilityOur programs are conducted in the fi eld and

often involve hiking or canoeing. Participants should

be in good physical condition and prepared to spend

full days outdoors. Some Field Seminars and water-

based classes have special safety concerns and

require preparation. Please read and follow pre-trip

letter recommendations.

Field seminars are for adults only. Children 14

years and older may sometimes participate, pending

approval by the adult education coordinator and

instructor. Approval must be obtained prior to regis-

tration. Approved minors must be accompanied by

a responsible, participating adult. Pets do not make

good participants, so please leave them at home.

We may encounter insects, inclement weather

and other unpredictable circumstances. Weather-

appropriate clothing is required. Participants

assume full responsibility for their own safety and

must provide their own health and accident insur-

ance. You will be required to sign a health/risk and

hold-harmless waiver before the course begins.

Accommodations We provide programs to meet a variety of comfort

and activity levels. Accommodations range from our

Learning Center to various campgrounds. Sleeping

arrangements vary from tents to bunkrooms to

private rooms. Some seminars require participants

to provide their own bedding or camping gear. At

facilities other than the Learning Center, participants

must provide their own food unless meals are noted

in seminar description. Overnight accommodations

are for paid registrants only. We cannot accommo-

date pets or unregistered guests.

The Learning Center is our new fi eld campus on

Diablo Lake. The campus features trails, a canoe

dock, outdoor learning shelters, classrooms, an

amphitheater and a library. Facilities and local trails

are ADA accessible. The Learning Center has three

lodges for housing participants and instructors. Each

lodge has shared gender-specifi c bathrooms with

showers. The bedrooms vary from two to three twin

beds per room. Rooms with three beds are confi g-

ured bunk-style. Bedrooms also include ethernet

ports, one or two writing desks and two built-in

wardrobes. Participants are asked to bring their own

bedding and towels; linens are offered for a small

rental fee. Delicious, healthy meals incorporating

local and organic foods are provided in our lakeside

dining hall for paid registrants only. If you have spe-

cial dietary requirements or food allergies, we will

gladly attempt to accommodate them with advance

notice.

Camping-based seminars take place at reserved

sites in established automobile-accessible camp-

grounds throughout the North Cascades. Participants

are responsible for their own food, often sharing

potluck dinners. Water and restroom facilities range

from primitive to fully modern and are described in

the class materials sent to participants.

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www.ncascades.org

NORTH CASCADES WILD

DAY TRIPS

SUMMER SCRAPBOOK

Top Left: Word spread far

and wide about our free,

naturalist-led canoe and

trail outings at the Learning

Center, and more than 350

people turned out to soak

up the scenery and learn

more about the Diablo Lake

ecosystem.

Below/Left: In partnership with Student Conservation Association and North Cascades National

Park, the Institute took dozens of students out of the city and into the Ross Lake wilderness for a

summer full of campsite restoration work, hikes up Desolation Peak, canoe explorations and the

forming of friendships that will last a lifetime.

20

The summer of 2006 was the busiest season in the Institute’s history. We celebrated our 20th anni-versary at an overfl owing picnic gathering in June and always had several different programs hap-pening simultaneously, both at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center and throughout the Northwest. It was a summer to remember. Here are a few of our favorite memories.

21360 856 5700 ~209

FAMILY GETAWAYS

GIRLS ON ICE

STEWARDSHIPAbove: Glaciologist Erin Pettit led a dozen girls from all over the world onto the icy fl anks of Mt. Baker for an intense week of studying glaciers and climate change, mountaineering skills, fi eld research techniques and leadership experience.

Right: Native Plant Stewards continued work on the revegetation of the

Learning Center site while Mountain Stewards taught natural history and

“Leave No Trace” ethics to hundreds of hikers in the Mt. Baker area during

another successful season of volunteer stewardship.

Above: Multi-generational families from around the

country gathered at the Learning Center, getting

closer to nature and to each other, too.

22

North Cascades Institute believes children exposed to nature and educated in the natural sciences gain a valuable connection that will serve them their whole lives. Mountain School, which has served more than 12,000 children since 1989, is our nationally recognized residential environmental education program offered in cooperation with North Cascades National Park. Mountain School students come to the North Cascades for three days and two nights with their school class to learn about ecosystems, scientifi c investigation, geology and the natural and cultural history of the mountains through hands-on, experiential-based activities.

North Cascades Institute offers Mountain School pro-grams for upper elementary through high school students at our expansive new Environmental Learning Center, a wilderness campus located on the shores of Diablo Lake beneath Sourdough Mountain that includes lodges, classrooms, labs, a library and dining hall. A unique network of trails and shelters surrounding the Learning Center provide quick and easy access to the surrounding wilderness and incredible outdoor learning opportunities. Mountain School participants stay in dormitory-style lodg-es and fresh, delicious and nutritious meals are served in the lakeside dining hall.

If you want more information on how your child’s classroom can experience the transformative effects of Mountain School, contact Bree Yednock at (206) 526-2562 or visit our Web site at www.ncascades.org.

MOUNTAIN SCHOOLBRING YOUR CLASS TO THE MOUNTAINS

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Establish your career in environmental educa-tion and earn a M.Ed. while working with the Northwest’s best educators, naturalists and conservation leaders. In collaboration with Huxley College at Western Washington University (WWU), North Cascades Institute’s graduate residency program allows you to spend a year in the North Cascades while exploring all aspects of environmental education, nonprofi t management and Learning Center operations. The program begins each June with fi eld stud-ies throughout the North Cascades region. Our hands-on course-work incorporates teaching and learning place-based education for people of all ages while living and working at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed for environmental education.

At the end of the seven-quarter program, our graduate stu-dents receive a Master of Education in Environmental Education from WWU and a Certifi cate of Nonprofi t Administration, but, equally important, they will have a well-rounded resume refl ect-ing the diversity of skills necessary to become the next generation of environmental leaders.

GRADUATE PROGRAM

FOR DETAILED INFORMATION OR AN APPLICATION PACKET, CALL (360) 856-5700 EXT. 209 OR EMAIL NCI@NCASCADES.ORG.

NEXT PROGRAM BEGINS SUMMER QUARTER 2007.

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CULTIVATING THE ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS OF TOMORROW

24 www.ncascades.org

Bring your group to the North Cascades and host a group meeting or retreat at the Learning Center. Our unique fi eld campus inspires refl ection, understanding and connection to the natural world, as well as to each other.

Group rentals include:

›› Lodging for as many as 40 guests

›› Delicious catering with local and organic foods

›› Conference rooms, trailside shelters and a library

›› Internet access, projectors and other supplies

›› Naturalist-led activities like canoeing and hiking exclusive to your group

The Learning Center primarily serves as a home for North Cascades Institute’s educational programs. However, as our calendar allows, we meet the needs of groups who want to experience the North Cascades through their own retreats and meetings. Conference fees help subsidize our youth education pro-grams and scholarships for low-income participants.

NORTH CASCADES ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING CENTER

GROUP RENTAL FACILITIES

RATES, BOOKING AND OTHER INFORMATION AT WWW.NCASCADES.ORG/LEARNING_CENTER OR CALL (360) 856-5700 EXT. 212

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GIVE TODAYYOUR SUPPORT makes our work possible. Return this form to North

Cascades Institute, call us at 360 856 5700 ~209 or donate online

at www.ncascades.org.

name

address

city state zip

phone (day) phone (evening)

email address

donation amountq $250 q $500 q $1,000 q $5,000 q Other

I would like to pledge $_______ per month for _______ years, for a total

of $_______. Please bill my credit card.

method of payment q Check, payable to North Cascades Institute q Visa q MasterCard

credit card number expiration date

signature (as name appears on card)

NORTH C AS C AD ES I NS TI TU TE810 state route 20, sedro-woolley, wa 98284

Please consider a gift to North Cascades Institute and join our mission to conserve and restore Northwest environments through education. Your support will help us:

share our flagship program, Mountain School, where chil-dren explore North Cascades wildlands up close with their classmates, teachers and chaperones. Children who attend show greater appreciation for their environ-ment and improved attitudes toward classroom learning and teamwork. Mountain School is a life-changing experience for today’s youth.

inspire teenage girls to be leaders and scientists through Girls on Ice, which combines leadership, mountaineering and science. Based on the Easton Glacier in the North Cascades, it is led by professional female glaciologists and mountain guides, and helps girls feel at home in the wilderness while gain-ing a new appreciation for science. Your fi nancial support will help all qualifying girls participate regardless of their ability to pay.

introduce low-income, inner-city youth to the magic of wild places through our new North Cascades Wild. Led by experienced naturalists and wilderness guides, teenagers camp, canoe, hike and participate in the restoration of hiking trails and native plant sites. It’s a powerful way for young people to learn more about their public lands, each other and themselves.

If you believe direct experience in the natural world inspires change, please make a contribution to North Cascades Institute. Help a generation of young people step outside.

HELP US CONSERVE AND RESTORE NORTHWEST ENVIRONMENTS

MEET OUR INSTRUCTORSDon Burgess, MS [5], is on the fac-

ulty at Western Washington University in the

Science, Math, Engineering and Technology

Education Department. An accomplished fi eld

biologist and teacher, Don is renowned for his

contagious enthusiasm for avian life, espe-

cially chickadees, owls and shorebirds.

Chris Chisholm [11] is founder of

the Wolf Camp Cooperative and author of Wolf

Journey: Trail of the Naturalist. He has extensive

training with Tom Brown Jr. and other pioneers

of the earth skills fi eld. Chris is a delightful

teacher who specializes in wildlife tracking, bird

vocalizations, ethnobotany, wilderness survival

and Pacifi c Northwest ecology.

David Drummond [3, 8] is

founder and president of the Merlin Falcon

Foundation. A research wildlife biologist and

principal investigator for the Coastal Forest

Merlin Project in Washington and British

Columbia, he is a naturalist, educator, consul-

tant and worldwide bird guide.

Gary Ferguson [41] is the author

of several books that explore the natural

and cultural history of the Rocky Mountains,

including The Great Divide: The Rocky

Mountains in the American Mind, Hawk’s

Rest: A Season in the Remote Heart of

Yellowstone and Decade of the Wolf: Returning

the Wild to Yellowstone, winner of the 2005

Montana Book Award.

Clyde W. Ford [9] writes nonfi ction and

fi ction aboard his Bellingham-based, 30-foot

biodiesel trawler. He won the 2006 Independent

Publisher Award for best mystery/thriller and

was a nominee for the Zora Neale Hurston/

Richard Wright Foundation 2006 Legacy Award

in contemporary fi ction for his series of nautical

thrillers set in the San Juan Islands.

David Hall [10], partner in charge for

the Henry Klein Partnership in Mount Vernon,

is the architect of our new Learning Center.

David has spent 26 years designing sustainable

homes and public buildings. He is an avid gar-

dener, watercolorist and backcountry fl yfi sher.

Martha Jordan [6, 7] is a wildlife

biologist, dog trainer and professional massage

therapist. As a board member of the Trumpeter

Swan Society and consultant to federal and

state agencies, she has worked to protect swans

and their habitats for 25 years.

Libby Mills [1, 2] is a wildlife

biologist, artist and naturalist for the Nature

Conservancy’s Skagit River Bald Eagle

Preserve. She has taught at the Audubon

Ecology Camp in Maine and aboard ships from

Baja to Alaska. Libby records the sights and

sounds of nature in fi eld journals, books and

on audiotape.

Kathleen Dean Moore, PhD [41], a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy

at Oregon State University, has written several

award-winning books including Riverwalking:

Refl ections on Moving Water, Holdfast: At

Home in the Natural World and The Pine Island

Paradox. Kathleen teaches Environmental Ethics

and the Philosophy of Nature at OSU, and is

also the director of the Spring Creek Project for

Ideas, Nature and the Written Word.

Jeff Muse, MS [10], is North Cascades

Institute’s Learning Center director and gradu-

ate residency supervisor. With eight years at

the Institute, he enjoys linking nature study

to the choices we make in building construc-

tion, business practices and community life,

and believes naturalists are pathfi nders for

sustainable design.

Karl Schroeder, MS [42], is an

amateur astronomer, former president of the

Seattle Astronomical Society and a builder of

telescopes. When he is not teaching, working

with the elementary school science program

Project Astro or giving talks to astronomy clubs,

Karl enjoys hosting star parties to show people

the wonders of the heavens.

Remote Medical International [4, 48] has experience in tactical and disaster

medicine, emergency medical services and

search and rescue operations across the globe.

The Seattle-based company specializes in

teaching medical techniques to people who are

far from a hospital. Learn more at www.remote-

medical.com.

Fred Rhoades, PhD [43], teaches

biology at Western Washington University and

specializes in mushrooms, lichens and mosses.

He has conducted fi eld studies in the Northwest

for many years and enjoys sharing his knowl-

edge with all ages.

Loa Ryan [46] was born and raised in

the Tsimshian village of Metlakatla, British

Columbia. A member of the Metlakatla Band,

Tsimshian Nation, royal house of ‘Xpe Hanax

and the Raven clan, Loa prides herself on learn-

ing and teaching about the ancient methods of

Tsimshian basket weaving.

Ana Maria Spagna [41] lives in

Stehekin, where Lake Chelan and the North

Cascades meet. When not working on a trail

crew or building her own house, Ana writes

essays that emerge from her time spent in the

wild. Her fi rst collection of essays, Now Go

Home: Wilderness, Belonging, and the Crosscut

Saw was published by Oregon State University,

and her most recent work is in the new anthol-

ogy A Mile in Her Boots: Women Who Work in

the Wild.

Dana Visalli, MS [12], is a fi eld

botanist specializing in rare plant species. As

director of the Methow Biodiversity Project, he

coordinates a biological inventory of the Methow

River watershed and publishes The Methow

Naturalist , a seasonal natural history journal.

Heather A. Wallis-Murphy [44] is a retired U.S. Forest Service wildlife biologist

with more than 30 years of forestry and wildlife

experience in the Pacifi c Northwest. She is also

a watercolorist and runs her own naturalist

notecard and nature journaling business out

of her home studio in Leavenworth. In 2005,

Heather was selected to represent wildlife and

art at the Smithsonian Institution’s Folklife

Festival in Washington D.C.

Stan Walsh [47] has worked as a

fi sheries biologist for the Swinomish and Sauk-

Suiattle Tribes for 17 years. Stan also works on

hydropower impacts on salmonid species with

Seattle City Light to monitor salmon and steel-

head spawning in the Upper Skagit River, and

has helped to develop minimum fl ow releases

from the Skagit Hydroelectric Project that ensure

successful egg incubation and fry emergence.

Russ Weiser, PhD [10], is the sustain-

able design coordinator for the Henry Klein

Partnership in Mount Vernon. Before studying

architecture, he was on the faculty at Virginia

Tech, studying how plants respond to their envi-

ronment. His passion is combining architecture

and biology to design beautiful buildings that

don’t place stress upon the natural environment.

Susan Zwinger, PhD [45], is

the author of The Hanford Reach, The Last

Wild Edge, Stalking the Ice Dragon, Still

Wild, Always Wild and co-author of Women

In Wilderness. A gifted artist and naturalist

based on Whidbey Island, Susan received the

Governor’s Author’s Award in 1992.

26 www.ncascades.org

Fall/Winter 2006-2007 catalogEditor: Christian MartinDesigner: Jesse Kinsman www.kinsmancreative.com

Cover Art

The cover painting by Skagit artist Rebecca Fletcher is a detail of Mt. Baker’s Easton Glacier, “a particularly dramatic section,” she explained, “all toothy and split and shadowed blue.” A transplant from New England, Rebecca has made the Pacifi c Northwest her home since 1976. Gradually gravitating to the North Cascades, she still remembers how raw and wild the mountains seemed compared to the east, how intimidating yet welcoming. The light and drama of the wilderness is her greatest inspiration. Contact Rebecca at PO Box 453 Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 or bfl etch@wavecable.com.

We are also grateful to be able to reproduce the artwork of Libby Mills and Heather A. Wallis-Murphy.

PhotographyThe Institute is fortunate to have photographer friends who are generous with their work. We are thankful to them for provid-ing evocative images of North Cascadian landscapes and wildlife that make our catalogs works of art in their own right.

An experienced naturalist and outdoor educator, Paul Bannick creates most of his images while kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing in the Pacifi c Northwest. After working in the computer software industry for 15 years, he followed his passion for environmental activism and is currently working with Conservation Northwest. His work refl ects this conservation ethic, and a perusal of his port-folio uncovers images of reptiles, amphibians and mammals of the Pacifi c Northwest, as well as a dazzling array of bird life. www.paulbannick.com

Pat Buller shoots rugged North Cascades landscapes in pursuit of his obsession for capturing remote regions on fi lm. His work often involves strenuous hiking and bushwhacking. “Much of my time is spent off-trail navigating around cliffs and slogging through swamps, windfalls and avalanche tracks,” he said. “I go through all this trouble just to take pictures from lakes that are often nameless, fi shless and far from any climbing route. This might be old hat for some people, but not many, I wager.” www.pdbphoto.com.

Todd W. Burley combines his passion for experiencing the great Northwest with his naturalist training to produce images that capture the essence of this place. A Washington native, Todd worked for fi ve years in the North Cascades National Park, volunteered with many NCI programs and currently resides in Seattle where he is an outreach coordinator for a small nonprofi t organization. www.tburleyphotography.com

John Suiter is the author of Poets on the Peaks, an excellent book that tells the stories of Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen and Jack Kerouac serving as fire lookouts in the North Cascades wilderness. The book is rich with Suiter’s dramatic black-and-white photo-graphs of peaks, rivers and other details of the North Cascades. He recently moved to southeastern Pennsylvania after 28 years in Boston, and is currently working on a biography of Gary Snyder, under contract with Shoemaker & Hoard Publishers.

With family roots in the Skagit Valley area that stretch back to before Washington was even a state, Lee Mann’s allegiance to his homeplace is obvious in both his photography and conservation ethic. Lee began his career as a schoolteacher, but his mountain-eering and photography habits got the best of him, and, since the 1970s, he has been devoted full-time to his craft. He now runs a successful business publishing his best work on posters and cards, running a gallery in Sedro-Woolley and managing his Web site. We’re excited to have Lee’s work in our catalog as he provided the cover image for our very fi rst catalog 20 years ago! www.leemannphotography.com

Additional photographs supplied by Subhankar Banerjee, Brett Baunton, Trevor Anderson and North Cascades Institute partici-pants and staff.

Copyright2006 North Cascades Institute. All rights reserved. Art and photo copyrights remain with creators and are used with permission. Jack Kerouac photo © Walter Lehrman. Poets on the Peaks excerpt © John Suiter. Rest of text © North Cascades Institute 2006.

North Cascades Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofi t organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or disability in any of our policies or programs.

Staff and Board listed online at www.ncascades.org.

Jack Kerouac in Mill Valley, California,

May 1956, a few weeks before he arrived at

Marblemount for his stint as a fi re lookout

on Desolation Peak

KEROUACIN THE CASCADES

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DESOLATIONANGELS AT 50

“Those afternoons, those lazy afternoons, when I used

to sit, or lie down, on Desolation Peak, sometimes on the alpine grass,

hundreds of miles of snowcovered rock all around, looming Mount

Hozomeen on my north, vast snowy Jack to the south, the encharmed

picture of the lake below to the west and the snowy hump of Mt. Baker

beyond, and to the east of the rilled and ridged monstrosities humping

to the Cascade Ridge…”

We interrupt this stream-of-consciousness prose to mark the 50th-year

anniversary of Jack Kerouac’s infamous stint as a fi re lookout on Desolation

Peak in the North Cascades. On June 18, 1956, Kerouac hitchhiked north

from the Bay Area to Marblemount and, by July 5, he was ensconsed in his

mountaintop shack at 6,102 feet.

“…Stark naked rock, pinnacles and thousand feet high protruding

from hunch-muscles another thousand feet high protruding from immense

timbered shoulders, and the green pointy-fi r snake of my own (Starvation)

ridge wriggling to it, to its awful vaulty blue smokebody rock…”

Inspired by his friend Gary Snyder, who regaled him with tall tales of

mountain men and vast wilderness, Kerouac took to this remote job in

order to clear his mind, mediate on the Diamond Sutra and work on various

writing projects.

“Hozomeen, Hozomeen, most beautiful mountain I ever seen, like a

tiger sometimes with stripes, sunwashed rills and shadow crags wriggling

lines in the Bright Daylight, vertical furrows and bumps and Boo! crevasses,

boom, sheer magnifi cent Prudential mountain, nobody’s even heard of it,

and it’s only 8,000 feet high, but what a horror when I fi rst saw

that void the fi rst night of my staying on Desolation Peak wak-

ing up from deep fogs of 20 hours to a starlit night suddenly

loomed by Hozomeen with his two sharp points, right in my

window black—the Void, every time I’d think of the Void I’d see

Hozomeen and understand—”

His novel On the Road had not yet been published and

the relatively unknown author spent 64 days of solitude on

Desolation, descending the trail to Ross Lake only once to pick

up a can of Prince Albert tobacco. From his perch, he surveyed

a vast sea of wilderness and high peaks, including Mt. Terror,

Mt. Fury, Mt. Despair and the formidable Mt. Hozomeen. That

is just an excerpt from the fi rst sentence (not fi rst paragraph,

but fi rst sentence!) of Desolation Angels, Kerouac’s classic

1965 novel of his lookout experiences.

©JO

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AS AUGUST TURNED SLOWLY INTO SEPTEMBER, JACK’S SPIRITS SOARED. HIS

LAST DAYS ON DESOLATION—ONCE HE WAS CERTAIN

THEY WERE THE LAST—WERE SOME OF HIS BEST AS

HE REAFFIRMED THE SPIRITUAL QUEST THAT HAD

BROUGHT HIM TO THE MOUNTAIN IN THE FIRST

PLACE. PERHAPS HE HADN’T BEEN GIVEN THE SORT

OF VISION THAT HE’D SOUGHT—AT LEAST NOT THE

HUI-NENG BLAKEAN PYROTECHNICS HE HAD EXPECT-

ED—BUT HE HAD SEEN ANOTHER WORLD. FOR A TIME

HE HAD BEEN PRIVILEGED TO DWELL IN THE REALM

OF THE IMMORTALS, WHERE, AS IN THE OLD ZEN SAY-

ING, HE “WHISTLED AT THE MOON AND SLEPT IN THE

CLOUDS.”

—FROM POETS ON THE PEAKS: GARY SNYDER,

PHILIP WHALEN, AND JACK KEROUAC IN THE NORTH

CASCADES, BY JOHN SUITER

www.ncascades.org

29360 856 5700 ~209

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Learning Center

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North Cascades National ParkNorth Cascades National Park

CanadaCanada

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Winthrop

Bellingham

San Juan Islands

Mt. BakerMt. Shuksan

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Okanogan

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30

FIRST SEMINAR SEASON

1986

MOUNTAIN SCHOOL BEGINS

1990

STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

BEGINS 1993

FIRST ANNUAL WRITING RETREAT BEGINS

1998

FIRST STUDENTS

ENTER GRADUATE PROGRAM

2001

NORTH CASCADES

ENVIRONMENTAL LEARNING

CENTER OPENS 2005

JOIN US TODAY

FIELD SEMINARS MOUNTAIN SCHOOL FAMILY GETAWAYS

SUMMER YOUTH ADVENTURES GRADUATE PROGRAM STEWARDSHIPCelebrating 20 yearsNORTH CASC ADES INSTITUTE810 State Route 20, Sedro-Woolley, Washington 98284360 856 5700 ~209 www.ncascades.org

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