“The constant in Cascade Challenge has been the willingness of all members and leaders to set audacious adventure goals that could not be met without conscious and purposeful self-improvement, without limits imposed by family and community of origin, gender, immigration status, or perceived ‘minority’ or ‘majority’ status.”

— Mark Steelquist, CLC Founder

The Cascade Challenge

Cascade Leadership Challenge (CLC) was founded in 2008 to challenge young people to walk the hero’s journey.

CLC built an inclusive community of youth and mentoring adults, using COPE (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experiences) to push personal boundaries, whitewater rafting to understand how systems of people, rivers and equipment coalesce, and adventure travel to establish life skills through scaled challenges and natural consequences.

Since its beginning, the foundation of CLC is partnership with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). American Scouting is based on the progressive ideas of Robert Baden-Powell who advocated that young people work together and take responsibility for themselves and each other, develop self-sufficiency and learn through doing.

CLC continues Baden-Powell’s program by fostering service leadership, chartering BSA Venturing Crews and Scouting Troops and supporting other BSA units through high adventure skills training.

Over the years, CLC has extended to other high adventure disciplines—backpacking in the Cascades, Olympic, Rockies, New Zealand and Peru, kayaking in the San Juans and Haida Gwai, rock climbing in the Cascades and Yosemite, mountaineering in the Cascades, Alaska Range, Himalayas and Andes, while continuing rafting in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and the Northwest Territories.

“Rafting, rock climbing, mountaineering, and sea kayaking were chosen as activity pursuits because they provide no gender advantage or disadvantage, they require cooperation, they take the crew off the beaten path, and they actively engage and require the effort of all participants, both youth and adults. This is the core of the program we continue to pursue.”

—Mark Steelquist, CLC Founder

Cascade Leadership Challenge Board

  • Reuben Steelquist

    PRESIDENT

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  • Shannon Horst

    SECRETARY

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  • Lydia Martiny

    TREASURER

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  • Michael Gillenwater

    FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT

  • Katie Davis

    SAFETY & TRAINING: WATERSPORTS

  • Gordon Smith

    SAFETY & TRAINING: ROCK & ALPINE

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  • Dale Rae

    BSA CHARTERED ORGANIZATION REP

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  • TBD

    FUNDRAISING

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