Wild Within Camp Out

July 21-24

Girls Ages: 10-13

Location: Mt. Hood National Park (TBA)

Cost: $640

A girls and female identifying forest mentorship adventure.

In this coming of age journey into the wild, we come together to grow, dreaming into who we want to become and how we want to show up in our community.

We forge strong friendships and deepen our awareness of the natural world through adventures, games, campfire tales, & wildcrafting.

Reserve Your Spot

What We’ll Do

Camp Fire

The dancing flames evoke in us something primal, something magical. Learning to build, tend, and extinguish a fire is an elemental practice that invites us to be truly present. From that presence come stories and songs. We share the deepest parts of ourselves in the ember and flame.

Introspective Solo Time

In a safe and supportive container, participants will spend time alone with the wild. Though they are not far from camp, the solitude allows for deep introspection & new insights to share with the group.

Weaving & Wildcraft

We connect to the earth through ancestral skills such as basketry, tracking, shelter building, and orienteering. We learn to read the language of the forest and find our way through the woods.

Hiking & Adventure

Trees like the arches of a cathedral above our heads, moss beneath our feet, we breath in the forest air and adventure out into something new.

Foraging & Wild Medicinals

We learn to identify wild edible and medicinal plants, learn the practice of ethical harvesting, and sample the bounty the earth has to offer.

Arts & Ephemera

Each student will have the opportunity to create in many different forms, whether it’s drawing and painting in their nature journal or making miniature worlds in tide pools. Creativity is the balm of the soul.

Meet Your Instructor

Sara Murphy

Outdoor Educator & Student of the Forest

Sara believes in the magic of the natural world. She is a lifelong educator who is passionate about cultivating meaningful connection to the wild, both outside of us and within. She developed her teaching style through years of outdoor education in public schools and private organizations. Whether teaching a basketry class or leading a group of kids in the forest, she is determined that each step lead us deeper into a place of gratitude for and reciprocity with the earth.

Sara spends her free time whistling at birds, exclaiming over mushrooms, and brewing up herbal remedies. She can often be found singing over her plants or creating wild magic in the woods.

Our Core Principles

  • Wilderness Awareness

    Through time and reflection in nature, we learn the language of the wild world. Whether it is the call of a bird or the movement patterns of beaver, we let it settle into our very bones. We talk to the trees and we hum with the bees. We put our feet in the water and breathe in the smell of sunshine on fir needles. Our senses begin to remember what our ancestors once knew.

  • Ancestral Skills

    From whittling to shelter building, tracking to weather mapping, we re-wild our hearts and minds – gaining critical skills that allow us to grow in connection with the land.

    We stand on the ancestral land of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin, Kalapuya, Molalla, and many others. We seek to honor that through the teaching of Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge and by supporting indigenous teachers, artists, and activists.

  • Community & Reciprocity

    At Wild & Free our community includes all living things. We nourish relationships through non-violent communication, honest introspection, and the abundant celebration of each beautiful soul.

    Through acts of connection and reciprocity, we give back to all of the more than human community in recognition of the gifts freely given to us.

Trip Details

Departure:

Tuesday

9:40-10:00 am

Drop off window. We will meet at a central SE Portland location. Students can load up their gear into the van. The Van departs at 10:15am

11:30am

Stop in Welches, OR for a quick bathroom break and lunch.

12:30pm

Arrive at campground and begin set up.

Return:

Friday

12:00pm

Lunch & Pack up camp

1:30pm

Depart campground and begin journey home

2:30- 3:00pm

Pick up at central SE Portland location.

Additional Details:

Be advised camp activities may include:

  • hiking

  • water play

  • fire building

  • whittling & knife safety

Two large tents will be available for campers & counselors

Students may choose to bring their own tent at the discretion of the instructor

Transportation is provided to and from the location

Parents may choose to transport their own child if they wish.

Vegetarian meals will be provided for all 4 days

Students may bring their own snacks if they choose. However all snacks must be stored in the camp vehicle and may not be left in tents.

Food allergies can be accommodated.

Group size is limited to 6 campers

This allows us to maintain the quality and safety of the program, while also providing student autonomy and choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Each child should have:

    • A backpack that is comfortable to carry all day.

    • A 16oz bottle of water

    • Clothes for 4 days including warm layers and socks

    • Sleeping bag and Pad

    • Hiking boots & Water shoes

    • Sunscreen & Protective clothing

    A full gear list will be included with the welcome packet upon registration

  • Yes, we will have a passenger van available for transport.

  • Please reach out to reserve your spot by clicking the “reserve your spot” button above. If spots are still available, we will respond to you with the registration paperwork and a request for a non-refundable $100 deposit that will be applied toward the total cost of the trip.

  • We value small class sizes as it allows students and teachers to have a richer, more grounded experience.

    For this program, our student to teacher ratio is 1:4 .

    When registration exceeds 4 students an assistant will be hired.

  • All activities will begin with safety instructions, assessments of potential risks and how to avoid them.

    The instructor for this program is a former EMT with extensive back country experience. In the event of an emergency, the instructor will assess the situation and make the following choices:

    • Can the injury/ illness be treated easily in camp with no risk to camper?

    • If not, does the camper require emergency medical treatment?

    • If so, the instructor will contact 911 before contacting the family.

    • If not but the injury/ illness is still emergent, the instructor will reach out to the family and provide palliative care while waiting for pick up.

    • In the case of a natural disaster, the campers and instructor will seek refuge and/or regroup in the town of Welches, OR before assessing a full evacuation or activating the family meet up plan.