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            EXPERIENCE HEAVEN ON EARTH
       BY EXPLORING CASCADIA AS PART OF
           OUR SCHULZ ADVENTURE FAMILY

   Schulz Guided Cascadian Wilderness Adventures is a locally family owned and operated company offering intimate guided wilderness adventures via hiking and backpacking, led by mother and son duo, Misty and Jacob Schulz. As an honorary member of our family on our tours, we will share with you the special and secret locations we have discovered over the past 40 years of hiking, backpacking, fishing, and mountain climbing in the Pacific Northwest. As 7th and 8th generation Oregonians we appreciate the wondrous beauty that the Cascadia Bioregion has to offer: mountains, beaches, waterfalls, temperate rainforests, sandstone formations, deserts, gorges, alpine lakes, wildflower meadows, wildlife, and the fertile Willamette Valley which drove the Oregon Trail Pioneers to this place. Learn how to treasure, survive, and respect nature. Have you ever wanted the perfect adventurous family, friend, solo, or pet photo in an awe-inspiring location? Have you ever wanted to learn about edible plants, rare wildflowers, or the grand trees of the PNW? Have you ever witnessed a sunrise, sunset, or starry skies in an alpine landscape? Have you ever summitted a mountain? Have you seen wildlife such as bears, mountain goats, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, marmots, pika, or an elusive rarely seen wolf? By exploring with us you may have the chance of beholding one of these magical moments. Join us on your next adventure for memories to last a lifetime!

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Schulz Guided Cascadian Wilderness Adventures, Misty Dawn Schulz and Jacob Michael Schulz

   Living in Oregon, dubbed the "Pacific Wonderland", generations of our family have enjoyed nature and exploring the wild areas of the Pacific Northwest. Our ancestors came across Oregon on mountain trails to the Willamette Valley and were even the first settlers to conduct cattle drives over Santiam Pass twice per year from their lands in the Willamette Valley to Elliott Ranch in the Ochocos. Following in the footsteps of his grandparents, my father Robert Gardner went backpacking on the Skyline Trail circa 1952. After a massive heart attack in 1986, threatened his life, our family began hiking together on a weekly basis to rebuild my father's heart. In fact, my parents were married behind North Silver Creek Falls! In 1998, my future husband, Ron Schulz and I had our dates by exploring on hiking trips in the Cascades, the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon Coast, and at Smith Rock. I knew I was in love with him and knew he was the man I wanted to marry as we sat on a shoulder of Broken Top looking down on Green Lakes and across to the Three Sisters. It was breath-taking! For him to share a place so special with me was magical. As he had hunted the area for years, he knew secret off trail places to see that no one really knew about. We walked through the woods and half a dozen deer walked right up to us. As a hunter and fisherman, he knew to walk quietly and to respect nature. Our adventures often incorporated hiking, photography, and fishing whenever possible, such as backpacking trips in the Cascades and the Wallowas. Once we were married in 1999, we carried on this outdoor tradition by raising our sons, Jacob and Justin, with a sense of adventure by going hiking, backpacking, fishing, boating, and mountain climbing, all the while exploring every region to its fullest as we went. Through the years friends, family, and schools have all enjoyed hiking and backpacking with our family. With a special interest in photography, I was driven to capture unique photos in nature. As our family went on our adventures it also became tradition to get our family photos in the wilderness, atop mountains, on secluded beaches, at bases of waterfalls, and with alpine lakes. Growing up in Oregon, we knew which leaves and berries we could eat, which water was safe to drink, and which fish we could catch. As a family in the wilderness, we were rather self- sustaining. Over the years we have traveled, learning about nature, wildlife, geology, and plants in Cascadia. Unfortunately, we have witnessed disrespect to nature which we strongly disagree with. Our creed has always included: tread lightly, explore safely, experience tranquility, and leave nature how you found it. For years, we have been told we should offer guided hiking as no one else could offer the same adventurous experience that we could. So here we are, my son Jacob and I are going for it!       

                        - Misty Dawn Schulz, Wilderness Guide & Photographer

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Professional Guides

Beautiful Trails

Lifelong Memories

HIKING & BACKPACKING ADVENTURES

   Our Wilderness Adventures include both day hiking and outfitted overnight backpacking trips. Special photos will be taken during the adventures for you to keep so you can always cherish the memory of your trip and to share them with your loved ones who may have missed out. With only six people joining our two wilderness guides, our tours offer a more intimate experience with nature. We offer private adventures for an additional fee.  (We can occasionally accommodate larger groups upon special request to certain locations). We offer tours for various skill levels and ages. Our tours are great for families, friends, special occasions (such as proposals, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.), or just getting out on your own. We even offer dog friendly options. As guides and outfitters, we provide backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, food for meals, bowls and utensils, as well as the cook stove, water filter, first aid supplies, and bear spray carried by the guides. Everyone carries a backpack on the overnight backpacking trips which includes the individual's sleeping supplies at minimum. Backpacks and sleeping supplies are sized individually to suit the needs of each person. Guides will assist in setting up camp and will cook the meals. Meals are included on our day hikes and backpacking trips. Prearranged transportation to trailheads is provided in certain circumstances and based on availability. Our guides are trained and certified in CPR and First Aid in case of an emergency. We are insured, however entering the wilderness does have risks, so we will give a safety briefing before each trip and require the signing of a hold's harmless agreement. We suggest training by going on our easy and moderate hikes, to prepare for our more strenuous hikes and backpacking trips. Our Wilderness Adventures offer the opportunity for wildlife sightings, beautiful views, and wildflowers seasonally and weather dependent. Our tours continue snow, rain, or shine. Though views of mountains, are generally best under sunny skies, waterfalls flow best when it rains, and sometimes the best time to see wildlife is in the rain or snow. Whether you choose a day hike or a backpacking trip, rest assured you are in for a fun, once in a lifetime adventure where you will be treated like family. We look forward to seeing you on our next adventure! 

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HEAR FROM OUR EXPLORERS

"Our Schulz Family has been taking friends, family, classes, and schools on hiking and backpacking trips for decades now. We offered these trips free of charge for school auctions as well. We love to share the beauty of Oregon with those we care about. We have shown them how to respect nature, taught them about edible plants, wildflowers, wildlife, survival skills, map reading skills, terrain recognition, fishing, photography, geology, mountain climbing, and how to properly hike and backpack in the wilderness. We now would love to share the wonders of our magnificent state of Oregon with anyone who will respect nature and our environment. As stewards of the land we participate in the Oregon Gambler 500 which is a garbage retrieval on backroads accessing trailheads and wild areas. This helps to keep our state green, as we are the Green State. We look forward to having you join us on upcoming adventures. Call, text, or email us to schedule a hiking or backpacking trip. See you soon!"

Misty Dawn Schulz

SCHULZ WILDERNESS ADVENTURES

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SHARE YOUR
#SCHULZ GUIDED CASCADIAN
WILDERNESS ADVENTURES MOMENTS!

We would love to see what a fun time you had on our adventures

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