Explore the Berkeley Park area of Mt. Rainier National Park, with wide green valleys, stunning views of Mt. Tahoma, and marmots and chipmunks playing around in the rocks. Over the five days, students can explore the Burroughs, climb to Fremont Lookout, or spend time taking in the trees and wildflowers that fill the valley of Berkeley Park.

We provide all needed gear, including boots and clothing if notified 4 weeks ahead of time. Food from lunch on the first day to lunch on the last day is provided. Transportation is provided from the meet location in Edgewood and back.

Highlights

Mt Tahoma – Wildlife – Exploration

Difficulty Level

Intermediate: Moderate elevation gain and loss

Length

Five days

2023 Schedule:

July 17-21: Middle School
August 14-18: High School The trip on these dates will now be occurring on the Olympic National Park Coast location

Price: $800 per person

Includes gear rental, food, transportation, and all entrance fees, permits, and passes.

Our mission is to make outdoor recreation accessible to all. If you cannot afford the total trip cost right now, send us a brief message to request a sliding scale form.

Itinerary

• Day 1: Gear up day
  • Meet at Sahale Outdoors
  • Gear fitting, classroom, and orientation
• Day 2: Backpack
• Day 3: Hike
• Day 4: Backpack

Learning Goals

• Leave no trace
• Gear management
• Plant and wildlife identification
• Basic backpacking skills such as cooking, campfires, filtering water, first-aid
• Map reading
• Local geography
• Cultural history

Logistics

• Meet Location: Edgewood, WA
• Meet Time: 9 AM
• Pick-up Location: Edgewood, WA
• Pick-up Time: Approximately 4-6 PM, guides will reach out to guardians to communicate ETA

Gear Provided

• Tent
• Backcountry sleeping pad
• Multi-day backpack
• Sleeping bag
• All meals from lunch the first day through lunch on the last day
• All entrance fees, permits and passes 
• First-aid kit and satellite phone
• Group kitchen and food service gear
• Water bottles

Packing List

• Packing Checklist
• How to Not Overpack: What to bring (and not to bring) on your Sahale Outdoors trip

Paperwork

• Waiver
• Photo Release
• Medical History

“It [Lushootseed] is from the beginning strength of the people, and it is from what the Creator put down upon this land for people…. The earth speaks. The animals speak. Everything has a voice.”

Vi Hilbert, Grandmother Video Project

The Puyallup tribe in their own language call themselves a name that means “people from the bend at the bottom of the river.” They are one of twelve Lushootseed speaking tribes in the Puget Sound region. The language of Lushootseed has vast diversity and multiple dialects, with each group having their own way of speaking. All dialects were to be honored and respected, reflecting the values of Lushootseed culture such as ‘Be kind, be helpful, be sharing.’

The Lushootseed speaking peoples called the mountain that dominated their horizon Tacoma or Tahoma, a word that may have meant “the mother of all waters.” The Puyallup tribe is calling on the state of Washington to rename the mountain from its current official name of “Rainier.”

Today, the Puyallup Tribe is a recognizable force in the fight for tribal rights, and were a significant player in the Boldt Decision of 1974, establishing the rights of Native Americans in Washington State to fish using traditional methods.

~ This information was found on PuyallupTribe.com