In 2025, Reconnect Earth returned to the North Cascades for one of our most exciting summers yet! From climbing to the base of a mountain glacier, to hiking through alpine meadows and old-growth forests, to standing under centuries-old trees, participants on our summer backpacking trips had some truly unforgettable experiences in Mount Baker National Recreation Area and Mount Baker Wilderness Area.
But Reconnect Earth’s work isn’t only about enjoying and appreciating what makes the North Cascades special (though that’s certainly part of it!). Our backpacking trips also about developing skills to make the world a more just, sustainable place. Students on our trips learned about and discussed important topics including Indigenous history and colonization, impacts of climate change on alpine environments, tools for taking action in our communities, and much more.
Summer 2025 also featured the first-ever Western Washington University class based on Reconnect Earth’s groundbreaking curriculum. Over the course of ten days, eight students in this one-of-a-kind class took their understanding of local, regional, and global environmental issues to a new level while in the field with us. And, they earned precious college credits along the way!
Didn’t make it on a trip this year? Check back here soon for news about our 2026 trips. In the meantime, check out these photos from the summer:
Join Reconnect Earth in Summer 2025 for an experience you’ll never forget: hiking, camping, and exploring social and environmental issues in Washington’s North Cascades mountain range. You might sleep in an alpine meadow, hike through groves of ancient old-growth trees, climb to the base of an alpine glacier, or stand on a ridge looking out at forest and mountains stretching countless miles into the distance. Along the way we’ll discuss important topics like Indigenous land rights, colonization, impacts of climate change, and how make a difference on issues you care about.
Whether you’re looking to earn class credit in the field as a college student, or participate in a non-credit backcountry experience for folks ages roughly 18-29, Reconnect Earth has a trip for you. Read on to learn about specific opportunities this summer.
Earn college credit on the experience of a lifetime!
Photo by Nicole Weeks
In Summer 2025, for the first time ever, students will be able to have the full Reconnect Earth experience while earning college class credit in a field-based course offered through Western Washington University. The class itinerary is closely based on our flagship trips on Kulshan (Mount Baker) focused on exploring regional environmental issues, social justice and harnessing your power as an agent of positive change.
On day one of the course we’ll meet on the main WWU campus to get oriented, then leave the following morning for nine days in the backcountry of Mount Baker Wilderness and National Recreation Areas. You’ll experience some of the most beautiful, wild places on Kulshan while learning about local Indigenous history and resistance to colonialism,exploring your relationship to the more-than-human world, studying alpine and old-growth forest ecology, and much more.
By the end of our time in the field, you’ll have earned two college class credits and participated in the experience of a lifetime! Course dates are August 4-13, with a pre-class meeting at WWU’s main campus on Aug 2.
Space is limited to just ten students, so be sure to apply soon!
More opportunities
Photo by Jo Butenhoff
Are you eager to get into the field with Reconnect Earth, but not looking to earn college credit? No problem! Our July 18-21 Mountain Glaciers & Meadows trip is open to all college students or folks of roughly college age–interpreted roughly as 18-29. Over the course of four days on Kulshan (Mount Baker), get to know some of the spectacular ecosystems that make alpine environments unique, while exploring important environmental and social issues.
After a year of reorganization and building new alliances, Reconnect Earth will be returning to the field in Summer 2025. For the first time ever, students will experience Reconnect Earth’s groundbreaking curriculum while earning college credit through a new Western Washington University class. And, we’ll continue offering low-cost programs open to all college-age students.
Doing this important work requires funding. That’s why on Thursday, Nov 14 from 6:00-7:30pm, we’re holding a special Virtual Trivia Night, all proceeds of which will go to our students scholarships program. Register here, and join the event from anywhere!
Our Virtual Trivia Night will be a fun evening of learning and community-building, all in support of a very good cause. Proceeds will allow lower-income students to participate in our summer backpacking trips focused on exploring environmental issues, social justice, and grassroots organizing. See testimonials from past trip participants here.
For four amazing summers, Reconnect Earth has run backpacking trips in the North Cascades for college students and folks of roughly college age. Together, we’ve climbed mountains, hiked through some of the wildest parts of the Northwest, and had countless conversations about environmental issues, social justice, and grassroots activism.
Now, it’s time to reimagine what taking this work into the future in a way that’s sustainable for everyone looks like. With this in mind, Reconnect Earth will be putting our summer backpacking trips on pause for 2024. Our goal is to be back to running summer backpacking trips in 2025–and while they might look slightly different then, the goal of getting outside to build skills and knowledge for creating a better world stays the same.
Putting summer trips on hold for this year doesn’t mean we won’t be doing any work with students and educators. Projects we’ll be working on in the upcoming months include:
– Converting our extensive curriculum, built on years of experience, into a form that’s accessible to other educators.
– Partnering with student groups to offer shorter outdoor experiences during the school year.
– Providing students with information about opportunities to get involved in taking action.
In the long run, taking this pause will allow Reconnect Earth to come back stronger than ever as we continue working for a just and sustainable future. We hope to see you in the mountains in 2025!
Reconnect Earth 