Adventure CLIMB!

Looking for Adventure CLIMB? It's been renamed. Go to Mazama Base Camp.

Adventure CLIMB is an overnight summer camp for young adventurers ages 11–14. Based at the Mazama Lodge on the slopes of Mt. Hood, we'll take day trips to local Mt. Hood crags and trails to refine and learn new outdoor climbing skills. Our final night we'll camp under the stars and celebrate a great week of climbing and adventuring around the campfire. Throughout the entirety of camp, climbing instructors will coach your camper at a ratio of four campers to one instructor. When not climbing we'll explore trails through the evergreen forests of Mt. Hood, learn outdoor and camp craft, and make friendships to last a lifetime!

At Adventure CLIMB, we believe outdoor climbing is a perfect way to learn personal responsibility, confidence, teamwork and an appreciation for the outdoors. Throughout the week, our campers will not only become outdoor crushers, but better outdoor stewards, problem solvers, and friends.

Is Adventure CLIMB right for me?

If you are between the ages of 11–14, and love to rock climb, adventure in mountain environments, and meet new friends, then yes! The camp is appropriate for youth who have been climbing before but want to learn more skills or refine what they know, or seasoned indoor climbers ready to get climbing outside!

This camp is not designed for campers hoping to use advanced outdoor climbing techniques such as lead climbing, traditional gear placement, self rescue, or anchor building and cleaning. There will be opportunities to practice these skills from the ground if campers show specific interest.

Camp Details

We’ll begin camp at the Mazama Mountaineering Center (MMC) climbing walls, getting to know each other, reviewing our gear for the week, and getting in some climbing! We’ll review outdoor climbing gear, knots, safety checks, climbing commands, and learn how to belay. Don’t worry if you don’t have these skills mastered before camp, we’ll use this time and the rest of the week to hone our skills.

After our work at the MMC, we’ll load up and head to the mountain! We’ll take the afternoon to move in to the historic Tyee Lodge, in Government Camp, OR. That night, we’ll review our next four days of fun! Our group will base from Tyee for the next three days, climbing at various crags in Mt. Hood National Forest. When not climbing, we’ll be sure to take advantage of the great NW forest trails, lakes and views of Mt. Hood. On Thursday morning, we’ll pack up and spend the night camping under the stars for our final night together to celebrate our amazing week.

Meet our staff!

Micaiah"Kerplunk" Meyer (pronounced my-KAY-uh) grew up in Sandy Oregon and has always loved the outdoors. She enjoys rafting, backpacking, snowboarding, backcountry splitboarding, kayaking, mountaineering, and most of all, rock climbing. She worked on Rec Staff at a local summer camp running the zipline, rockwall, and other activates for 3 years, and that’s when she found her passion for leading kids in outdoor recreation. This led her to start attending Mt. Hood Community College as a junior in high school so she could get a head start in their Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education Program, which she just graduated from this summer. The program has allowed her to get many certifications including, Wilderness First Responder, High Angle Rescue Technician, Climbing Wall Instructor and Top Rope Guide. She’s worked as the outdoor climbing field assistant for MHCC classes and is a rockwall monitor and route setter there as well. Always being down for adventure, Micaiah is heading off to Maryland after the summer for a camp internship position so she can teach more kids how to have fun outside!

Zach "Wolf" Heidel

Zach "Wolf" Heidel is a native Portlandian who has been rock climbing since 1999 and backpacking/camping since he was a kid. He is a Certified Climbing Wall Instructor, Top Rope Guide and High Angle Rescue Technician. Whille studying in the Wilderness Leadership and Experiantial Education Program at MHCC, he has worked as a Field Assistant in the Rock Climbing, Backpacking and Wilderness Survival classes. Zach is certified in Wilderness First Aid and is a former Army Medic/EMT. He was a Combat Medic Advanced Skills Training (CMAST) Instructor at Ft. Lewis in 2006 and has taught Land Navigation Skills as an Army Reverve ROTC Instructor.

Adventure CLIMB 2019 Camp Schedule

July 29 - Aug 2: Overnight Climbing Camp for ages 11-14.

Mazamas Education Programs operate under a special use permit with the Mt. Hood National Forest. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, the Mazamas is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.