Finally it seems there is a moment to reflect on the wonderful short months of summer 2026, marked by an absolutely stellar group of high school Stewardship Interns and another memorable Klamath-Siskiyou Outdoor School (KSOS), the week-long overnight summer camp led by MKWC. KSOS was held in June, with 22 youth and 8 adults coming together from up and down the Klamath River for 6 full days of outdoor adventures. On day one, we all packed our backpacks and by the first evening we were up in the mountains near the headwaters of the South Fork Salmon River, camped out under the stars. The following morning we set out on the trail for our four-day backpacking trip, which is truly the heart of KSOS. Among the moments that stick with me most are the whimsical car rides; planning and cooking delicious meals together; the accomplishment (and other mixed emotions) of a challenging hike that wasn’t quite as “mostly flat” as I had promised; the steadfast determination by campers to catch fish at any time of day; the brilliant creativity when it came to cartoon-drawing, improv acting, and rapping; magical sunsets and sunrises on the ridge above our lake; and so much treasured silliness that only exists in the special space of KSOS.

One afternoon, a small group of us broke off for a short and steep hike up to the tallest peak on the ridge above our camp. We stood at nearly 7,800 feet, surrounded by a dreamscape of wildflowers, lakes, and mountain peaks. Below us, Siphon Lake glittered with sunlight, and the splashes of kids playing in the water. Spread out around the edge of the lake, kids dutifully fished in peaceful solitude. A wisp of smoke rose from our campfire, circled by a small group of people who I could only imagine were tying intricate colorful friendship bracelets. Laughter overwhelmingly rang up from the basin, and in moments of quiet I could hear the faint sounds of campers working together to build shelters in the woods. A calm bird’s eye view of the beautiful chaos that is the Klamath-Siskiyou Outdoor School. How grateful I felt to be there in that moment, how lucky I feel to be part of this incredible program!

A bird’s eye view of KSOS - looking down on Siphon Lake with Mt. Shasta rising in the background.

Thank you to all of our amazing campers and counselors for making KSOS 2026 so special!

Hiking home in the light rain was far more enjoyable than hiking in the blazing sun.

This program was supported by generous donations from Costco, Los Bagels, and North Coast Co-Op. KSOS is entirely grant-funded, with support this year from the CA Natural Resources Agency and Humboldt Area Foundation.

Pods of campers and counselors cooked meals for each other

Journaling on the ridge as the sun begins to set

We can’t wait for next summer’s KSOS trip. Stay tuned for details on our website or social media pages.

Summer Reflections: 2026 Klamath-Siskiyou Outdoor School