Experiences
Three camps. One rule: eight people, no more.
Every trip is hosted start to finish. Tents standing before you arrive, dinner on the fire, and a guide who has walked the route a hundred times.
Forest camping · Cascade foothills, Washington
Two nights under old-growth fir
Base camp sits at 780 m, forty minutes on foot from the road end, in a stand of Douglas fir that was never logged.
Eight canvas tents on raised wooden decks, each with a real mattress, wool blankets and a small wood stove. A shared kitchen tent, a fire pit with a cast-iron grate, and a spring sixty metres from camp that we test every season.
Days are unstructured on purpose. Walk out with a guide in the morning or stay in camp with a book. In the evening we cook one long dinner over fire and eat together at a single table.
8Max guests
2.4 kmWalk-in
May–OctSeason
$180Per person
What is included
Tent, mattress, wool blankets and a pillow
All meals from dinner on day one to breakfast on day three
Firewood, cooking kit, plates and a very large kettle
Guided morning walk and one evening talk on the forest
Headlamp, dry bag and a woollen hat if you forgot yours
Transfer of your bag from the trailhead to camp
Not included: travel to the trailhead, alcohol, and a sleeping bag liner if you prefer your own.
Lakeside retreat · Olympic Peninsula
Two nights on still water
A tent platform fifteen metres from the shore, a canoe tied to the dock, and nothing on the schedule before nine.
We paddle in from the east shore — about forty minutes with a loaded canoe. Camp is four platforms, a covered kitchen and a wood-fired sauna a neighbour built in 2019 and lets us use in exchange for splitting his firewood each spring.
Mornings are for swimming and coffee. In the afternoon we paddle to the far inlet or walk the old logging road to the falls. Dinner is trout when the lake gives it and a slow-cooked stew when it does not.
8Max guests
40 minPaddle in
Jun–SepSeason
$210Per person
What is included
Canoe, paddle and life jacket for the crossing and the inlet
Tent, mattress and bedding on a dry platform
All meals, plus sauna firewood for both evenings
Fishing kit and a Washington licence for the duration
Two guided paddles or walks, your choice each morning
Bring shoes you can get wet. The lake is 14 °C in July and most people swim anyway.
Ridge treks · North Cascades
Three nights above the tree line
38 km, 1,450 m of climbing, and camps that are already standing when you walk in.
This one is a real walk. Day one climbs 700 m through slide alder to a shoulder camp looking at the glacier. Days two and three traverse high meadow, cross two creeks and finish on a ridge where you can see the coast on a clear afternoon.
You carry a daypack: water, lunch, a shell. A support team moves tents, food and bedding between camps ahead of you, so the weight stays off your back and on the schedule.
6Max guests
38 kmDistance
Jul–SepSeason
$320Per person
What is included
Two guides for six guests, both with wilderness first-aid certification
Tents, bedding and food moved between all three camps
Breakfast, trail lunch and a hot dinner every day
Group shelter, satellite messenger and a full first-aid kit
Pick-up from Marblemount on the morning of day one
You should be comfortable walking five to six hours with 8 kg on your back. If you are not sure, start with the forest camp — most ridge guests have done it first.
Compare
Which one fits your week
All prices are per person, include guiding, food and gear, and are the same whether you book in October or June.
| Camp | Nights | Group | Walking | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | 2 | 8 | 2.4 km, flat | First time, families | $180 |
| Lakeside | 2 | 8 | Short, optional | Slow weekends, swimming | $210 |
| Ridge | 3 | 6 | 38 km, 1,450 m | Walkers who want distance | $320 |
On every trip
The things we never charge extra for
A guide, not a host
Someone who knows the water sources, the weather signs and the way out in the dark. Present the whole time, never hovering.
Real food
Cooked from scratch on fire and a two-burner stove. Vegetables from two farms within 100 km, bread from a bakery in town.
Gear that works
Canvas tents repaired in our own workshop, stoves serviced every spring, and a spare of everything in the truck.
A way to change plans
Free date changes up to 30 days before you arrive. If we cancel for weather or fire, you get the choice of a new date or the money back.
Questions
Before you book
What happens if it rains?
We camp in rain — the tents are canvas with a stove inside and stay dry. If a storm warning or fire closure is issued for the area, we move the trip to the bunkhouse at no extra cost, or give you a full refund for the affected nights.
Do I need my own gear?
No. Tent, mattress, bedding, headlamp, dry bag and eating kit are all provided. Bring boots, a warm layer, a rain shell and a sense of humour about the weather.
How fit do I need to be?
For forest and lakeside, being able to walk 40 minutes with a daypack is enough. For ridge treks, plan on five to six hours a day with 8 kg — if you can do a hilly half-day walk without stopping often, you will be fine.
Can I come on my own?
Yes, and about a third of our guests do. Solo travellers share a tent only if they ask to; otherwise you get your own.
Are children welcome?
Forest camp from age six, lakeside from eight, ridge treks from fourteen. Under-twelves stay free in a tent with a parent at forest camp.
Is there phone signal?
Mostly no, which is the point. Guides carry a satellite messenger and check in with our office twice a day, so you are never actually out of contact in an emergency.
How do payments and cancellations work?
A 30% deposit holds your dates, with the balance due 14 days before arrival. Cancel more than 30 days out for a full refund of the deposit; inside 30 days we refund the balance but keep the deposit unless we can refill the place.
Next step
Tell us the week. We will tell you the camp.
Send your dates and group size and we reply within one working day with availability, a kit list and an honest opinion on which trip suits you.
