As we approach the giving season, we invite you to consider supporting Ascend Wilderness Experience with a donation. Your generous contribution will help us execute our summer programs in, providing youth, teens, and adults throughout the region with the opportunity to explore and connect with the wilderness. In addition to supporting our life-changing outdoor programs,...

In the depths of fall, a hardy crew of eleven—two Ascend Wilderness guides, nine volunteers from across the Bay Area, North Coast, and Central Valley, and one Shasta-Trinity U.S. Forest Service representative—set out for a week of stewardship and adventure in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. Their mission: to restore and reopen the Boulder Creek Trail,...

This summer, Ascend Wilderness Experience led an unforgettable five-day Teen Field Science Trip deep into the heart of Northern California’s Trinity Alps Wilderness. The expedition brought together eight adventurous teens, two experienced guides, and a professional botanist, creating a dynamic and immersive outdoor classroom that stretched over 30+ miles of remote trails and through some...

Russian Wilderness – Siskiyou County, CA | July 14–18, 2025 Twelve adventurous youths, accompanied by three experienced guides(Dave, Liz, and Lily), set out on a five-day backpacking trip through the stunning Russian Wilderness in Siskiyou County, California. The trip offered not only a physical challenge but opportunities for connection, reflection, and discovery that left a...

(Photo: USFS Representative, Dustin, talking to wilderness career interns) In late July(July 21-25), our team of eight teens and two wilderness guides(Dave and Andrew) set out into California's stunning Trinity Alps Wilderness for a five-day backpacking adventure designed not just to explore wild places, but to explore wilderness careers as well. Our route took us...

We have an exciting new training opportunity created for people ages 15-24 to gain hands-on work experience in a variety of environmental careers and skills. Whether you’ve spent time building trails, exploring the Trinity Alps, or simply found inspiration in wild places, this is your chance to keep that momentum going. Now, you can grow...

Nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts have a unique opportunity this summer to combine wilderness adventure with meaningful conservation work. From August 9–13, Ascend Wilderness Experience is hosting the Klamath Mountain Adult Backpacking & Botany Trip, a five-day guided journey through one of California’s most botanically diverse regions. Set in the Kangaroo Lake Botanical and Geologic...

Do you love to nerd out about plants? Do you like to volunteer? Do you like to backpack and hike? If yes, consider joining Ascend during our Adult Botany Trip where you'll get to learn from field experts and help collect data for a Klamath Mountain Botany Survey in the Kangaroo Lake Botanical Area of...

Thanks to the hard work of dedicated volunteers, sections of the Haypress and Let’er Buck trails in the Marble Mountain Wilderness are now cleared and fully accessible for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. The Ascend Wilderness Experience Crew restored 3 miles on the Haypress Trail, which includes a portion of the upper Let’er Buck Trail. Their...

Thanks to the hard work of a dedicated crew, the Waldorff Crossing Trail is now in much better shape for hikers to enjoy. From the trailhead to Raymond Flat—about 1.5 miles—crews completed major maintenance, including installing new signage, clearing 16 downed trees, brushing back overgrown sections, and restoring about a mile of trail tread. The...