On June 12, Venturing Crew 310, chartered by Cascade Leadership Challenge (CLC) in Seattle, Wash., began an expedition to climb Denali, the highest peak in North America.

Keeping with its philosophy that “being out in the world is the only way to find our place in it,” CLC provides challenging adventures for young people to gain valuable life skills to assist them in becoming better leaders.

The crew started its expedition with a flight from Seattle to Anchorage, Alaska, and then travelled to Talkeetna for a National Park Service briefing before flying to Kahiltna Base Camp.

Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women 13–20 years of age. Its goal is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. Primarily consisting of young men and women from the Seattle school system and Scout troops from the Seattle area, Crew 310 members are experienced youth and adult climbers.

Denali is the highest peak in North America with an elevation of 20,320 feet. It is extremely cold with temperatures as low as -55° Fahrenheit (-48° Celsius). Of the 1,151 climbers who attempted Denali in 2013, 68 percent succeeded. Fifty-three percent of climbers have reached the summit since 1903.

For up-to-the-minute progress on Crew 310’s Denali expedition, and how Scouting provides life-changing experience you can’t get anywhere else, follow them on Twitter and Facebook at http://www.cascadechallenge.org/denali.