Base Camp Learning and Lodging

Where: North Cascades Environmental Learning Center
Instructor: Institute staff
Quadruple Accommodations: $90.00
Quadruple (Shoulder Season): $78.75
Triple Accommodations: $103.00
Triple (Shoulder Season): $92.00
Double Accommodations: $128.00
Double (Shoulder Season): $113.00
Single Accommodations: $195.00
Single (Shoulder Season): $165.00
Tuition Includes: Lodging, three organic meals and guided outdoor activities in North Cascades National Park

Base Campers enjoy their pick from dozens of nearby trails that offer adventures for every skill level.

What is Base Camp?

Base Camp is your opportunity to stay and play in the heart of North Cascades National Park for overnight learning adventures with meals and accommodations at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center. Come explore “the American Alps” while enjoying the comforts of our award-winning campus. Each night of your stay includes:

COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Guests enjoy private rooms in our comfortable lodges.

THREE DELICIOUS MEALS
Our lakeside dining hall serves up delicious menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner using locally-sourced, organic ingredients.

OUTDOOR LEARNING ADVENTURES
Our educational staff will guide you on explorations of the natural and cultural history of North Cascades National Park. Sample activities include:

Learn about the ecology of the Diablo Lake area on local hikes
Nature Bingo
Stargazing with a star wheel and starry storytelling
The Fungus Among Us
Conifer Explorations to the Waterfall
Cultural Histories of the Upper Skagit Valley
and more engaging self-guided activities designed by our staff

Institute naturalists offer a daily slate of engaging self-guided activities.

Pricing & Accommodations

Base Camp pricing is determined by how your family or friends group fill a lodge room. All lodge rooms contain 2 bunk sets (4 twin beds).

Please note: Although the Hostel room remains an option on the registration page, it is not available in 2021 due to COVID-19.

SHOULDER SEASON: January - May/November - December

Private (single accommodations) - $165
Couple (double accommodations) - $113 per person
3 People (triple accommodations) - $92 per person
4 People (quadruple accommodations) - $78.75 per person

REGULAR SEASON: June - October

Private (single accommodations) - $195
Couple (double accommodations) - $128 per person
3 People (triple accommodations) - $103 per person
4 People (quadruple accommodations) - $90 per person

We encourage people to bring their own bedding and towels but have linens for an additional rental fee of $10 per person for the duration of your stay. Children under 3 are free.

Our award-winning campus is nestled on the wooded shores of Diablo Lake.

Coronavirus Safety during your stay:

Participant and staff safety are our priority. Vaccination, and pre-travel testing of non-vaccinated participants, is the best way to limit the spread of COVID-19. We strongly recommend that Institute participants complete vaccination or be tested negative for COVID-19 within 3 days of arriving at Institute programs based at the Environmental Learning Center. If you have a positive test result or are exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms, please cancel your registration to receive a full refund.

Please review our Coronavirus Safety Precautions to learn more about how we are are working to keep Institute participants and staff safe.

The evening dam walk is a participant-favorite Base Camp activity.

Learning Center Accommodations

Single, Double, Triple and Quad Accommodations are for families and groups who wish to guarantee lodging with specific individuals during their stay. Triple and Quad Accommodations will require use of an upper bunk, accessible by an easy-to-use ladder. Hostel pricing is the cost for sharing a room with up to three other participants. The number of occupants per room (1-4) will be determined based on the total number of hostel guests each night. We do not guarantee a room with your requested roommate under this option, and you may be lodged in a mixed gender room. Please do not select this if you have participants under 18 in your group.

The Learning Center campus features classrooms, a dining hall, a library, outdoor learning shelters, trails, a canoe dock and an amphitheater. Our three guest lodges have shared gender-specific bathrooms with showers and each room contains two sets of twin bunk beds, desks, wardrobes and wireless internet connectivity. Facilities and local trails are all ADA accessible and a personal mobility vehicle is available. Delicious, healthy meals incorporating local and organic foods are provided in our dining hall. If you have special dietary requirements or food allergies, we will gladly attempt to accommodate them with advance notice. Sorry, but we cannot accommodate pets.

Registration

To register online, click the Register Now button on this page:

By phone, call (360) 854-2599 with your VISA, MasterCard, or Discover card ready.

Or by mail, download and mail a registration form with your credit card information or personal check.