Upcoming and Past Trips
Upcoming Trips
Canoeing the Cascades
This could be the most beautiful trip ever- We will canoe on Waldo Lake- known for having the clearest water in Oregon. The plan is to drive south to Eugene, pick up some canoes at a rental shop and head for the Cascade Range. High up in the mountains we will park our school bus at the shore of this huge crystal clear lake. We'll pack all our gear into the canoes and then head off across the lake. Once on the far side we will set up camp and do some exploring. That evening we will sit around the campfire and eat a nice meal cooked by the group. We will sleep under the stars or in tents. 
The next day we will do some more exploring, maybe a little swimming, before heading back across the lake to where our bus will be patiently waiting for us.
The trip anticipates no canoeing experience, but students should be in reasonable physical condition and comfortable eating and sleeping in groups with their friends.
The cost of the two day trip is $60 and includes canoes, food, and transportation.
The trip is open to students in the Upper School
To sign up send an email to Peter Green at Greenp@catlin.edu
Day Hike in the Columbia Gorge
Join us for a fun hike in the Columbia Gorge. We'll hike up one of the legendary trails of this great landscape, passing through meadows covered with wildflowers and walk among towering old growth trees. No hiking experience is necessary - students should be ready to challenge them selves and should consider this a good opportunity to help ready themselves for fun summer activities. We will meet at Catlin Gabel Saturday morning and return by mid-afternoon. Students should bring a day pack with food and water, some warm clothes, a rain jacket, and sturdy shoes or light boots. 
The trip is open to both Upper and Middle School students.
The cost of the trip is $0 - free
To sign up send an email to Greenp@catlin.edu
Oregon Coast Day Hike
A Classic Oregon day! This day-long adventure will include a hike to the top of Saddle Mountain followed by a short drive and a hike to the top of Neah-Kanie mountain. The group will have spectacular views of the coast and the Oregon landscape. The hiking is not especially strenuous, though students should be in reasonably good condition. The trip will be led by the entertaining duo of Len Carr and Mike Wilson. Following the two hikes the group will enjoy a fine dinner at Camp 18 along US 26 before returning to Catlin Gabel about 8pm.
The trip is free, but students should bring $12-15 for their dinner.
The trip is open to students 14 and older.
To sign up, send an email to greenp@catlin.edu.
Get your Surf-on this summer!
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What better way to kick off summer than by learning to surf! Spend a day with the pros learning how to survey the beach, handle a board, read tides, and best of all how to surf! Oregon has some great surf and this is an ideal way to dive in and try a new sport you may love!
Take advantage of this full day lesson to get you all squared away to surf with friends, family, and Catlin in the future!
Dawn Patrol! We'll meet at 7:30am at Catlin and head out to the beach where we'll go rent wetsuits and boards in Seaside before driving out to the days surf spot. This day has ideal tides with extreme high and low tides early and late in the day leaving us a big window in the middle to get our surf on! We'll meet surf instructors at the beach and hike in with our boards for a full day of surfing. If the conditions are right we'll make a warming fire on the beach and have an awesome day honing our new skills!
This trip is open to all Upper School Students. Participants must be able to swim and be comfortable in water. There will be a 3 and 4:1 instructor ratio with certified lifeguard surf instructors.
We'll be back at Catlin by 7:30pm.
Trip cost: $150 includes wetsuit, board, and private instruction. (financial aid is available, download the form below and return it to Mary Yacob)
Contact Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu to sign up
Columbia Gorge day hike
Another great hike for you to enjoy! Join us for a fun hike in the Columbia Gorge. We'll hike up one of the legendary trails of this great landscape, passing through meadows covered with wildflowers and walk among towering old growth trees. No hiking experience is necessary - students should be ready to challenge them selves and should consider this a good opportunity to help ready themselves for fun summer activities. We will meet at Catlin Gabel Saturday morning and return by mid-afternoon. Students should bring a day pack with food and water, some warm clothes, a rain jacket, and sturdy shoes or light boots. 
The trip is open to both Upper and Middle School students.
The cost of the trip is $0 - free
To sign up send an email to Greenp@catlin.edu
Middle School Learn To Surf for Summer!
What better way to kick off summer than by learning to surf! Spend a day with the pros learning how to survey the beach, handle a board, read tides, and best of all how to surf! Oregon has some great surf and this is an ideal way to dive in and try a new sport you may love!
Take advantage of this full day lesson to get you all squared away to surf with friends, family, and Catlin in the future!
Dawn Patrol! We'll meet at 7:30am at Catlin and head out to the beach where we'll go rent wetsuits and boards in Seaside before driving out to the days surf spot. This day has ideal tides with extreme high and low tides early and late in the day leaving us a big window in the middle to get our surf on! We'll meet surf instructors at the beach and hike in with our boards for a full day of surfing. If the conditions are right we'll make a warming fire on the beach and have an awesome day honing our new skills!
This trip is open to all Middle School Students. Participants must be able to swim and be comfortable in water. There will be a 3 and 4:1 instructor ratio with certified lifeguard surf instructors.
We'll be back at Catlin by 6pm.
Trip cost: $150 includes wetsuit, board, and private instruction. (financial aid is available, download the form below and return it to Mary Yacob)
Contact Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu by Friday January 19th to sign up for this trip.
Annual 8th Grade Graduates Mt St Helens Climb
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 15th, 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.
The cost of this trip is $125. This fee covers permits, transportation, instruction, and most food. Financial Aid is available (download the form below and return it to Mary Yacob)
This trip is only open to graduating 8th graders. You can sign up by sending an email to Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu
The Ascent of South Sister
Oregon's South Sister is the third highest peak in the state at 10,250'!. Our attempt to reach its lofty summit will be a noble adventure, featuring a spectacular camping location and a small amount of travel on a live glacier. The trip will commence on Sunday June 16th with a drive to the south of Bend where we will hike in on the Green Lakes trail for hree hours. After a fine meal of grass-fed Oregon beef and certified organic vegetarian options we will bed down under the stars. Monday will be climb day. An early start will get us onto the legendary prouty Glacier and, if fortune is with us, to the summit before noon if conditions are favorable. We will spend another evening at our gorgeous camp, swapping stories and playing cards. On Tuesday we'll make the hike out to the bus and drive back to Catlin Gabel, arriving in the early evening.
The trip is open to students 14 and over. Students should be in good physical condition, able to carry a backpack, and comfortable camping in the outdoors. Students do not need prior mountaineering experience though it is helpful to be comfortable on steep snow. 
The cost of the three day trip is $95.
To sign up, send an email to Greenp@catlin.edu
Attempt to Reach the Summit of Mount Hood
The highest peak in Oregon, Mount Hood, is prominent on the skyline from over half the state. Standing at 11,245 feet, Mount Hood is home to rugged glaciers and dramatic rock faces. Climbing to the summit of the peak is a strenuous yet rewarding undertaking. This year students from Catlin Gabel will make an attempt to reach this high summit via the south side route. The clmb will be led by Mike Wilson, a veteran mountaineer and experienced leader of teenagers in the outdoors. He will be accompanied by two assistant leaders. The climb is open to nine students. The plan is to leave from Catlin Gabel late in the morning of Sunday June 16th and spend the night in Goevrnment Camp at a lodge. The climb will commence during the very early pre-dawn hours of Monday June 17th. The team will return to Portland before dionner on the 17th.
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Interested students must be in excellent physical condition, comfortable being in cold environments and able to take care of themselves under challenging circumstances. Students are required to complete two conditioning hikes prior to the ascent. (Students who don't think they will have two different days on weekends available for conditionng hikes in advance of the trip should not sign up). Students may complete these hikes on their own or with the group on June 1st and June 8th.
The trip is open to students who have completed 9th grade and are in good physical condition.
The cost of the trip is $120. The cost includes two conditioning hikes, transportation to all three activities, all food before the climb, overnight lodging, and leadership. The cost does not include renting boots and crampons. The school is able to provide ice axes, helmets, ropes, emergency gear and harnesses. Students should locate appropriate clothing on their own, guided by a detailed equipment list to be provided.
To sign up, send an email to Peter Green at Greenp@catlin.edu
Middle School Goat Rock Alpine Lake Adventure
We’ll pile into the school bus at Catlin and head up North of Mt Adams, South of Rainier and East of St Helens to Goat Rocks a wonderland of rocks, woods, and forest lakes.
On our three day 10 mile backpacking trip we’ll take in stunning views of the South Cascades including the near perfect cone of Mt Adams! We’ll hit the trail and climb through dense pine forest, cross a few shallow creeks, and gain elevation arriving eventually at a spacious ridge line. Here we will stash out big packs and take a short side trip up the .5 mile trail to Nannie Peak where we will be surrounded by 360 degree views of mountaintop meadows, Mt Rainier, St Helens, Mt Adams, and Goat Rocks Peaks! We’ll pass the shallow warm sheep lake and continue down to Walupt Lake before closing our loop and heading back to Portland!
There is no experience necessary, and you do not need to be an athlete to complete this backpacking trip. You do need to be in good physical condition and willing to work hard and cary your own gear as well as some group gear.
This trip is open to all middle schoolers
The cost of the three day trip is $100.
To sign up send an email to Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu
White Salmon White Water Day Trip
We will leave Catlin Gabel Sunday June 23 at 10:00am drive to our raft put in on the White Salmon river in Husum ,WA where we will meet our Guides from Zollers. We’ll stop on the way to eat our bag lunches we brought from home and watch wind surfers on the mighty Columbia. Zollers will outfit us and provide brief river training in Husum. They will outfit us with wet suits and booties, and we’ll hit the river. The class III rapids of the White Salmon River will get us working as team and whet our appetites for whitewater. This is a gorgeous stretch of river that offers continuous excitement. After the river trip we will head to Beacon Rock for an exhilarating ascent before heading across the Columbia River for dinner at Charburger in Cascade Locks. We will return to Catlin later in the evening after dinner.
This trip is open to all Middle Schoolers.
The trip cost is $60 (plus about $10 cash for your dinner)
Financial aid is available (download the form below and return it to Mary Yacob)
Contact Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu to sign up
City of Rocks Climbing Trip
With 3000+ climbs to choose from, it is a perfect location for beginning climbers as well as aspiring leaders.We will focus on climbs mostly in the 5.7-5.11 range, climbing primarily on traditional gear-protected routes, but there are many bolted routes (5.8 and up). We will set up top ropes on many climbs, and do a few multi-pitch routes as well, depending on skill levels. Students who have passed the leading on rock course and wish to practice leading will find this a good location. The rock is superb quality. Each day we will climb from the morning until dark (or after) and walk back to the vehicles for the short drive back to the campsite. We'll return to Portland on Saturday evening.
Both adults and trained students will belay those who are climbing. Although no previous climbing experience is necessary, participants will need to be responsible for their behavior, alert at all times and follow all the rules established by the group and the leader.
The cost of this six-day trip is $375. The trip is open to graduating 8th graders and all Upper School Students. You can sign up by sending an email to Peter Green at Greenp@catlin.edu
Getting nutty on the N.U.T. (North Umpqua Trail) Backpacking Trip
Schools out but the Cascades are still deep under snow and the Willamette Valley soaked in rain and WE ARE NOT WORRIED! We're heading south to frolic along the Umpqua River, past waterfalls and madrones! The North Umpqua Trail (N.U.T.) is a 79 mile stretch of riverside trail in the Umpqua National Forest outside Roseburg Oregon.
We'll head south on I-5, gear up, and hit the trail for four days of backpacking, exploring, fun with friends and three nights camped by the river renowned for its emerald green waters.
No previous backpacking experience is necessary, but participants should be comfortable engaging in physical activity, working as a group, pushing themselves and carrying their personal and some group gear for extended periods of time.
This trip is open to all upper schoolers.
The cost of the trip is $200.
To sign up for this trip email Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu
White Salmon Rafting Overnight
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WIth its headwaters high on the flanks of Mt. Adams, the exciting White Salmon River flows through lush forests and steep gorges before emptying into the Columbia River. On this trip, we will spend one day rafting and exploring the most exciting sections of this Wild and Scenic River and a second day exploring caves and other adventurous sites in the area.. With the help of a commercial guiding company on the river, we will descend the famous S-Turn, Flume, and Rattlesnake Rapids, and may even take the plunge of Husum Falls. The water is crystal clear, and the sun should be shining!
Students do not need rafting experience, but should be willing to learn, work as a team and paddle hard. This trip is open to all Upper School students and graduating 8th grade students.
The estimated cost of this trip is is $135. This fee covers rafting instruction and gear rental, permits, transportation, and most food. All interested students should email Peter Green at Greenp@catlin.edu.
Scrambling and backbacking in the North Cascades
The Switzerland of America! Our greatest National Park! The largest concentration of glaciated peaks in the country outside of Alaska! This is where the action is-
Join us for a five day trip through the old growth forests and high country of this northern Washington paradise. Our group of ten students and two leaders will backpack about 6-8 miles each day and stay at various camps along the way. We will scramble to the summit of one or two peaks during our adventure- providing tremendous views and lifelong memories. Each night we will cook as a group over camp stoves and sleep in tents or out under the starry night sky.
Intetersted students should be in good physical condition and comfortable with travelling in the outdoors. Students will carry their own gear and a portion of the group's gear during each leg of the trip.
The trip is oppen to current 9th-12th graders.
The cost of the trip is $195 and includes transportation, leadership, and all food (except the first lunch).
If interested contact Peter Green at Greenp@Catlin.edu
Sea Kayaking the San Juan Islands with the Orcas Trip #1
Imagine paddling your sea kayak over the crystal clear waters through the uninhabited islands of the San Juans, including Jones, Cypress, and Sinclair Islands. In the distance you see Orcas rising, harbor porpoises playing and seagulls wheeling across the sky. Your friends are near and you're having the time of your life! The Catlin Gabel Outdoor Program is sponsoring a 5 day trip to this natural paradise.
Trip participants will head up I-5 to the ferry terminal in Anacortes, WA and take the ferry to our waiting kayaks. Our kayaking guides will show us techniques and introduce us to the equipment. We will spend five days on the water and camping on beautiful beaches near the deep old growth forests.
No previous kayaking experience is necessary, but participants should be comfortable on the water and able to engage in physical activity for extended periods of time.
The trip is open to students ages 14 and older.
The cost of the trip is $450, and covers most food, the ferry ride, kayak rental and instruction, and permits.
To sign up send an email to Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu
Llama backpacking in the Wallowas
Imagine backpacing through the world famous backcountry of the Wallowa Mountains -- but you don't have to carry a pack. Crazy? yes - but true. This is the fourth year in a row we've offered this popular trip to Northeast Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains. The Wallowas offer white granite peaks, sparkling alpine lakes, and lush wildflower meadows. Spend six days hiking and camping in this beautiful area—with gear carried by llamas, delightful animals that we lead down the trail and care for at night. We camp near crystal clear lakes, hike to the top of peaks, and frolic in the wilderness. Each day we hike 6–10 miles to a new mountain camp. No experience is necessary, but students should be fit enough to be active every day.
The cost of the trip is $425.
This trip is open to graduating 8th graders and all Upper School Students. You can sign up by sending an email to Renee Jenkinson at JenkinsonR@catlin.edu.
San Juans Sea Kayaking Trip # 2
Imagine paddling your sea kayak over the crystal clear waters through the uninhabited islands of the San Juans, including Jones, Cypress, and Sinclair Islands. In the distance you see Orcas rising, harbor porpoises playing and seagulls wheeling across the sky. Your friends are near and you're having the time of your life! The Catlin Gabel Outdoor Program is sponsoring a 5 day trip to this natural paradise.
Trip participants will head up I-5 to the ferry terminal in Anacortes, WA and take the ferry to our waiting kayaks. Our kayaking guides will show us techniques and introduce us to the equipment. We will spend five days on the water and camping on beautiful beaches near the deep old growth forests.
No previous kayaking experience is necessary, but participants should be comfortable on the water and able to engage in physical activity for extended periods of time.
The trip is open to students ages 14 and older.
The cost of the trip is $450, and covers most food, the ferry ride, kayak rental and instruction, and permits.
To sign up contact Jenkinsonr@catlin.edu
Biking in the Canadian Gulf Islands
Could there be a better place to bicycle tour than the Canadian San Juan Islands? Join Len Carr and John Mayer for a five-day cycling trek in Canada. Each day We’ll explore by bike, sometimes taking a ferry to another island. we'll explore hidden coves, sandy beaches, and mossy forests—with wildlife and swimming holes waiting around each bend. At night we cook dinner and camp under the stars. Rides are moderately difficult (12 to 25 miles each day with some hills). Extensive bicycling experience is not necessary, but students should be in good physical condition and comfortable riding on road shoulders. Students must provide their own bicycle; either a road bike or mountain bike is fine.
The cost of this 5-day trip is $375. The trip is open to graduating 8th graders and all Upper School Students.
You can sign up by sending an email to Peter Green at greenp@catlin.edu
Middle School Smith Rock Summer Climbing!
Send winter wetness packing on the glorious rocks of Smith Rocks-- This is a perfect trip for students who want to learn what rock climbing is all about. We'll drive down to the Park on Friday morning and spend the afternoon learning the basics of climbing. Saturday will take us down into the park to climb a variety of fun routes.
On Saturday after climbing we’ll cool off in a local swimming hole and head into town for a dinner out. Both nights we will sleep under the stars or in your tents. The Golden rays of the sun will greet you Sunday morning, we’ll make breakfast and head into the park to climb a little more before heading back to Portland.
This trip is open to all Middle School Students
The cost of the two day trip is $120 and includes gear, transportation, and dinner, Students must provide their own sack lunches (two). Financial Aid is available (download the form below and return it to Mary Yacob)
To sign up send an email to Renee Jenkinson jenkinsonr@catlin.edu
Past Trips
