Our North Cascades crew is off to a fantastic start! Soon after arriving at Sea-Tac Airport (which brought a few adventures of its own!), we began the two-hour drive to our home for the next week. After navigating busy airport pickup lines with a trailer in tow, we loaded up Bethany, our beautiful van, and hit the road. We spent the drive getting to know one another as we passed through Seattle and into the mountains, singing along to BTS, Noah Kahan, and Olivia Rodrigo. Before long, we pulled into camp beneath towering, moss-covered trees.
We set up our tents in the dim forest light before preparing our classic Alpengirl burritos for dinner. They were a hit, as always! After we ate, Audrey and Ellington took to the fire pit to build the perfect first-night campfire, while Marla, Clementine, and Nomi crafted an entire family of stick people to welcome into the Alpengirl community. We ended the evening sharing M&M’s around the warm fire and imagining which artifact from our lives would one day belong in a museum. It was the perfect way to kick off our adventure together.
Day two brought a well-earned chance to sleep in before enjoying stuffed strawberry French toast, prepared by Olive and Torinn. After breakfast, everyone worked together to create our group bandana and talk about what we wanted our week to look like and how we hoped to show up for one another. It was such a special conversation. We also covered natural hazards, Leave No Trace principles, and everyone committed to earning skill beads throughout the week.
After a quick lunch, we headed to the Lower Sauk River for an epic whitewater rafting adventure! Before launching, our wonderful river guides led us on a short hike, sharing the history of the land and river. We learned about the five species of salmon that call these waters home and even discovered how to “read” the language of Sasquatch in the wild.
Then it was time to hit the river! Under a light drizzle, our guides, Ben and Mars, led us through a thrilling afternoon full of laughter, cheers, paddle high-fives, exciting rapids, and plenty of spins. We paddled hard, leaned into the waves, and embraced every splash along the way.
We wrapped up our time on the river with an unforgettable raft slip-and-slide into the cool, refreshing water. Audrey and Kate were the first to give it a try, encouraging everyone else to join in. Before long, the entire crew had taken the plunge. Everyone was incredibly brave!
Back at camp, we changed into warm, dry clothes while Frankie and Nora prepared dinner: delicious garlic broccoli pasta served alongside dried apricots, goat cheese, almonds, and honey. We enjoyed our meal beneath our super-vibey “vibe tent” (our tarp strung with fairy lights) while a gentle drizzle fell around us. Between laughs, we talked about the meals we want to cook once we return from our backpacking adventure – which begins today!
We tucked in for the night into our cozy tents, listening to the rain and dreaming about the alpine lakes, rugged peaks, and incredible scenery waiting for us in North Cascades National Park over the next few days. We can’t wait to share what comes next. We’ll see you on the other side!