Please email information.ascend@gmail.com or call (530) 739-1177 to let us know which experiences interest you!
A note on COVID 19: We are committed to safety in the backcountry and in 2021 that means adapting to COVID-19 protocols. We are monitoring the most up to date standards and guidance. We currently anticipate that in summer 2021, COVID-19 prevention practices such as monitoring for illness, hand sanitation, masking and social distancing will still be relevant and therefore a part of all Ascend trips. We encourage youth, adults and families who already mingle and are part of the same 'cohort' to consider participating together in Ascend summer programs.
You still have time to make those end-of-the-year donations to Ascend Wilderness Experiences. We are looking forward to getting the youth back into the woods for 2021 after such a tumultuous and mysterious 2020.
Click on our "donate" button to the right. You can also send a check to Ascend at: PO Box 3263, Weaverville, CA 96093. Or visit our online fundraising page: https://fundly.com/giving-tuesday-2085
Though we had to postpone our Mountain Prom this year, Ascend still needs your support! We wish we could be boogying down and dancing the night away, but since 2020 had other plans for us, we are announcing an online fundraiser for this holiday season.
As Thanksgiving comes our way, we hope you remember your favorite wilderness experience for this year's Giving Tuesday. To donate, you can sponsor a youth hiker or simply give what you can at the link below between now and the end of the year. We look forward to achieving our goal of $5,000 (and partying together at next year's prom).
Be a part of keeping our next generation grounded and changing the world....one backpacking trip at a time.
Join Ascend on the trail this summer by participating in our 2020 Summer Scavenger Hunt. We have come up with some fun hike itineraries that each include a Scavenger Hunt Challenge with a description of a special feature to be discovered during the hike. Take one of our hikes, take a photo of the special feature described and email it to information.ascend@gmail.com to receive a prize.
Ascend also encourages hikers to accept our Stewardship Challenge by collecting garbage on any hike you take. Post a photo of the trash you collected to our Facebook page and you'll earn a chance to win a fabulous Trinity Alps Wilderness bandana.
Ascend Wilderness Experience has made the very difficult decision to cancel 2020 programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After considering guidance from public health officials, schools, youth organizations and community members we have concluded that, under the circumstances, canceling our summer backpack trips and day hikes is in the best interest of our organization and the youth and community we serve.
Thank you to all the youth and families who applied to participate in our 2020 activities. Your enthusiasm and trust means so much to us. We are going to use this time of decreased public activities to fine tune some of our internal operations and do some exciting future planning.
We will also still, from a distance, facilitate local youth getting outside this summer and so we will be inviting young people and their families to participate in series of social-distancing-friendly scavenger hunts, following clues to make discoveries on the trail. Stay tuned for more information.
Taking a hike is a great way to support mental and physical health. Here are a few tips on social distancing while enjoying a hike. Hike locally and avoid popular locations. Do not congregate in trailhead parking lots. Take a hike during non-peak hours. Avoid touching any surfaces, such as handrails and benches that other hikers are likely to touch. Be prepared for facilities, such as restrooms and trash cans at trailheads, to be unavailable. Practice excellent hygiene and leave no trace. Avoid higher risk activities. Have a mask handy and wear it if you encounter another hiker on the trail. Ascend wishes you happy, healthy hiking!
