Upcoming and Past Trips
Upcoming Middle School Trips
Spring Climbing and Hiking in Central Oregon
Keep your fingers crossed for spring sunshine on this exploration of the central part of the state. This trip is open to all Middle School students. On Saturday, we will load up the bus and head down to the canyons of the Deschutes River outside of Bend. Our first stop will be the beautiful Meadow Camp along the Deschutes River Trail. A short walk will lead us to the base of rimrock, where we will set up a few ropes so that students can try their hand at rock climbing. After an afternoon of teaching, learning, and climbing in the sun, we will head to a campground for the night. Sunday will be filled with hiking and exploration of the Whychus Creek canyon and the spectacular Alder Spring. We will return to Portland by 6pm on Sunday.
The estimated cost of this trip is $50. Students should bring a lunch for Saturday. All interested students should email David Zonana (zonanad@catlin.edu) to sign up.
Hike beautiful Dog Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge
Get outside on on the weekends! This is what makes Oregon so great! (even though the hike is in Washington) Dog Mountain is the gem of the Columbia Gorge. In the spring hikers will find this moderately difficult hike covered with an unparalleled show of wildflowers in bloom. Our little group from Catlin Gabel will meet at the school on Saturday morning and drive out to the trailhead. We'll grab our day packs and water bottles and hike up to the top- where the views up and down the gorge are fabulous.
This trip is open to Upper Schoolers and Middle Schoolers.
The trip is FREE.
To sign up, send an email to zonanad@catlin.edu
Oregon Coast Exploration and Camping
Have you ever wanted to hike all the way from Seaside to Cannon Beach, passing over the beautiful coastal headlands and through stands of wind-swept sruce trees? On this two-day adventure, we will have the chance to explore this famous coastline and camp along the way! The Oregon coast is full of hidden treasures, and all Middle School students are invited to join the Outdoor Program for a weekend of exploration. Bring your camera, hiking boots, and frisbee!
This trip is open to all Middle School students. The estimated cost for this trip is $45, which includes transportation, instruction, and most food. Interested students should email David Zonana (zonanad@catlin.edu) to sign up.
Annual Graduating 8th Grade Mount St. Helens Summit Attempt
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All 8th graders are invited to come and take part in this Outdoor Program tradition. We will attempt to climb to the summit of this Northwest landmark, and will hopefully have a chance to peer down into the impressive crater. On June 9th, our enthusiastic group will drive up to the climber's bivouac where we will set up our camp with many of the other climbers who will be poised to hike the mountain the following day. With a bright and early start, we will make our way through the forest until reaching timberline where we will then gain the prominent Monitor Ridge. The ridge should still have plenty of snow on it, which will make our walking a lot easier. We will continue up the mountain, reaching as high as we are able. After some glissading on the descent, we will get back on the bus and head back to Portland for some well-deserved rest.
There is no experience necessary, and you do not need to be an athlete to complete this climb. You do need to be in good physical condition and willing to work hard in a group setting. All participating 8th graders must attend one of the three conditioning hikes offered through the Outdoor Program in the month leading up to the climb.
The cost of this trip is $125. This fee covers permits, transportation, instruction, and most food. This trip is only open to graduating 8th graders. You can sign up by sending an email to David Zonana at zonanad@Catlin.edu
Biking the Springwater Corridor
Portland is vying for the crown as "Bicycle City USA" and its crown jewel is the Springwater Corridor. On this trip we will meet at Catlin Gabel in the morning and drive in our little school bus over to the Sellwood area. Once there our group will mount our trusty bicycles (road bikes or mountain bikes ae fine) and start off on this magnificent trail. The best part is that the rouet is almost flat! We will travel through neighborhhoods on this newly paved bike path, past industrial installations, through framlands and frolicking horses and all the way out to Boring. The entire bike trek will take about five hours and will cover perhaps twenty miles. The strength of the group and the weather conditions will determine exactly how far we go, so students need not worry about it being excessively challenging.
The trip is open to Middle Schoolers. Students should be in good physical condition and certainly must be comfortable riding a bicycle for most of the day. Students should plan to bring their own bicycles.
The cost of the trip is $15 and includes a box lunch.
To sign up, send an email to Greenp@catlin.edu
Serene Lake Backpacking Trip
What a great place to explore in the Summer sun! Over the course of three days, we will head to the Clackamas River watershed, south of Mt. Hood, and hike into beautiful Serene Lake- one of the great gems of the Pacific Northwest. This wonderful, and seldom-visited lake is part of the newly designated Roaring River Wilderness. Along the way, we will hike to Rock and Upper Rock Lakes, before ending at the shore of the legendary Serene lake. We'll pitch our tents in an amazing campsite, build rafts and hang out in the sun. During the evening we will cook a fine dinner over our trustee little camp stoves. Marshmallows, s'mores and storytelling around the campfire will close each perfect day. This area is rich in wildlife and features to explore, including newts, floating logs, and old-growth forests..
This trip is open to all Middle Schoolers. You do not need to be an expert backpacker, but students should be comfortable in the outdoors, and eager to learn and work hard.
The estimated cost of the trip is $90. Interested students should email David Zonana (zonanad@catlin.edu) to sign up.
Past Middle School Trips
