Olympic Mini Adventure Highlights
A Mini Olympic Adventure ~ Beach backpack, kayak & lavender farm overnight
Dates
Jun 23 - Jun 30, 2024Ages
12-14 (rising 7th-9th)Tuition
$2395 (airfare not incl.)Destination
WashingtonStatus
Open- Camp in Washington state
- Dungeness Spit and Lighthouse
- Kayak Straits of Juan de Fuca
- Tidepool exploration
- Coastal Backpack & Beach Camp
- Ocean and Lake Swims/Dips
- Lavender farm overnight
- Ozette Backpacking Loop
I can't thank you enough for providing Michele with an awesome Montana camp experience. She hasn't stopped talking about it and showing off her pictures. She loved all of you and in fact one of the first things she told me was that as much as she was upset about me leaving her at...
Trip Description
A Quick & Refreshing Overnight Adventure Camp for Teen Girls in Washington State
Pacific Northwest coastal backpacking, beach camping and tidepooling in Olympic National Park, combined with sea kayaking, day hiking, and an overnight stay at an organic lavender farm is just what you need – the perfect way to kick off the summer!
This is a quick adventure for teen girls looking to squeeze in an outdoor adventure trip this summer – it’s an action-packed 8 days outdoors as campers test their limits in nature, alongside new friends.
Alpengirl’s mini trips were created to meet high demand for a shorter overnight adventure camp experience to fit into an already full summer schedule for girls that are stoked to fit in more outdoor camping time with friends this summer!
Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome to Alpengirl!
Arriving at SeaTac International Airport in Seattle, WA, your Alpenguides will greet you and introduce you to the rest of your camp group. Icebreakers, name games, and get-to-know-you fun abound before you and your new expedition mates hop in the van and drive to our first campsite.
Once we arrive, we'll learn how to set up our tents and enjoy the first of many delicious and fresh camp meals before settling into our tents for the night.
Day 2: Warm-up hike!
Waking up refreshed and renewed, you'll grab your sleeping pad and set up for your first daily morning yoga session. After a strong morning stretch, we’ll fill our bellies with a yummy Alpengirl breakfast – perhaps Warmed Cinnamon Apple Topped French Toast.
We’ll start off strong as we attempt to complete an 11-mile round-trip day hike along the beaches of the Dungeness Spit – the longest natural sand spit in the United States. At the end of the spit, we’ll get the chance to explore a historic lighthouse, and enjoy the wonders of this protected National Wildlife Refuge!
Day 3: To the sea!
It’s time for sea kayaking! We’ll pack up camp early and head out for our morning sea kayaking trip. After meeting our professional guides, we’ll get paddle-ready in our tandem or triple sea kayaks. Following the designated Whale Trail, we’ll kayak along the beautifully rugged and rocky cliff shoreline of Freshwater Bay on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Along the way, we’ll enjoy searching for bald eagles, otters, marine birds and other nearshore species. Our outfitter guides know the best places to take us for wildlife sightings, as well as how to keep us protected from wind and weather conditions, making this a great introduction to sea kayaking.
After kayaking and lunch, we’ll head out to the coastline of Olympic National Park and spend the evening getting prepped for our beach backpacking trip!
Days 4-6: Backpacking time!
For the next three days, we’ll follow the famous Ozette Triangle trail on our mellow backpacking and camping trip along the majestic coast of Washington State in Olympic National Park. Before we drive to the trailhead, your Alpenguides will teach you how to properly pack your backpack and adjust and carry it throughout the expedition. Packing only the essentials, we’ll leave our van and extra gear behind, grab our cameras, and hit the beach!
Our first day of backpacking will be a leisurely 3-mile walk through the coastal forest on a cedar-planked boardwalk, leading us to our first campsite in the woods just above the beach. Perhaps our Alpenolympic Talent Show Event will take place tonight!
Waking up the next day, we’ll enjoy yoga on the beach, and continue our beach hike for another 3 miles along the ocean shoreline. We’ll pass petroglyphs carved into the rock, and possibly head up and over a headland trail to add a personal challenge and avoid the high tides! We’ll set up camp above the beach again and continue on a day-hike to explore the ebb and flow of tidepools and play some beach Alpenolympics. Tonight is a great night to set up a small campfire that might allow us enough flames to roast a s'more or two!
Our final day, those who dare will have a chance to take a dip in the frigid waters of Washington’s Coast before we hike the final 3 miles away from the beach and enjoy lunch en route before arriving back at the trailhead. We’ll hop back in the vans and head to Lake Crescent for a quick hike to splash around in a swimming hole before arriving back in the front country. We’ll spend the evening freshening up with hot showers, perusing the Alpengirl Camp Store, and enjoying the views overlooking the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the distant shores of Canada.
Day 7: Life’s a beach!
For our last hurrah together, we'll spend the day exploring tidepools near our campsite and sunning on a sandy private beach. Then, after packing up, we’ll hit the road again and make a brief stop to explore the heart of downtown Port Angeles for a bit of shopping and treats. We’ll spend our final evening at a local organic lavender farm where we will have our traditional End of Session Awards ceremony, pizza party, and celebrate with our new Alpenfriends!
Day 8: It’s time to go home!
Exchanging hugs with your friends, you’ll depart from SeaTac International Airport in Seattle, WA, knowing that you’ve had a ton of fun and accomplished great things as an Alpengirl and will be a part of our fantastic community for life. See you next summer!
PLEASE NOTE: Alpengirl reserves the right to cancel or alter any aspect of a program, before or during the session, including program itinerary, activities, or location for reasons including but not limited to weather, environment, logistics, or health hazards. If itinerary changes occur, we will substitute comparable alternatives, if possible. If there are significant itinerary changes, parents will be notified by email.
Trip Campsites & Amenities
Five nights are spent in tents in public “front country” campgrounds where we have pre-assigned campsites with neighbors and campground hosts nearby, running potable water, and private outhouses or flushing toilets.
Two nights are spent in tents in wilderness “backcountry” areas where we will purify our water before drinking and learn to practice basic Leave No Trace camping skills such as how to select a campsite, how to go to the bathroom, and how to keep clean outdoors.
Why Choose This Trip
This one is for the birders, the beachcombers, the lavender lovers, the whale watchers, the sea star spotters, and the adventurous kayakers and hikers that are eager to start off their summer with adventure and ocean sunsets. This 8-day whirlwind adventure trip will fit into your already packed summer schedule, and the beach time will leave you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed for the summer ahead! Limited to 10 campers in the group.
