Cascades Camp and Conference Center

What Cascades Camp and Conference Center does

Cascades Camp and Conference Center is a private nonprofit Christian camp and retreat center founded in 1989 and headquartered on nearly 1,000 acres in Yelm, Washington. The organization operates as a ministry of the Pacific Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church and delivers year-round programmed camps and facility rentals for three primary customer segments: youth (Grades 1-12), families, and adults. Core program offerings include youth overnight camps (Camp Timber Rock, Sunrise Farms), a day camp (Rainier Kids Day Camp), a tiered leadership development program (S.A.L.T. — Spark, Ignite, Ablaze for grades 10-12), family holiday camps (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day), and specialized adult retreats such as Work & Worship, Fishing Faith & Fellowship, and the Grandparent & Grandkid Retreat. Supporting infrastructure comprises seven lodging options, an adventure course with zipline, a waterfront on Elbow Lake, and an on-site kitchen serving home-crafted meals.

Operationally, the center runs on standard third-party platforms rather than proprietary technology: CampBrain for online registration and waitlists, QGiv for donations and the Evergreen Circle monthly giving program, Square for the Cascades Gift Store, and Google Forms for S.A.L.T. applications. There is no disclosed proprietary platform, mobile application, API integration, or AI system. Day-to-day leadership consists of a small management team including a Director of Operations, a Registrar, and a Volunteer and Internship Coordinator.

Revenue is generated through three streams: tiered program registration fees (Tier 1 unsubsidized 'true cost' and Tier 2 subsidized with approximately 15% off for family camps), individual donations and the recurring Evergreen Circle monthly giving program, and ancillary retail through the Square-powered gift store. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via self-serve online registration, with promotion through the company website, email newsletter, and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, Vimeo, Flickr). External funding rounds, institutional investors, and disclosed financial figures are absent from the available data.

Name

Cascades Camp and Conference Center

Legal name

Cascades Camp and Conference Center

Website

https://cascades.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cascades Camp and Conference Center is a nonprofit Christian camp and retreat ministry in Yelm, Washington, serving youth, families, and adults across the Pacific Northwest with year-round programmed camps, leadership training, and conference facilities on nearly 1,000 acres, affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Camp and Conference Center Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI), Conference Retreat Hotels (THAGALAG), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Conference Centers & Dedicated Meeting Venues (THAHAAAB)

Keywords

• Christian camp retreats
• Youth summer camps
• Family retreat programs
• Conference center facilities
• Outdoor adventure recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Yelm

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Camp and Retreat Registration Fees: Primary revenue from tiered registration fees for youth camps, family camps, and adult retreats. Fees vary by program type, lodging selection, and meal plan inclusion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cascades Camp and Conference Center operates a nearly 1,000-acre Christian camp and conference facility in Yelm, Washington, providing programmed youth camps, family retreats, adult retreats, and customizable group conference services. Its core deliverable combines lodging (seven options from tent camping to lodges), home-crafted on-site dining, adventure activities (zipline, archery, waterfront), and faith-based programming delivered on-site at the Yelm campus.

Product overview

Cascades Camp and Conference Center operates as a unified camp and retreat facility offering world-class conference services and programmed camps across nearly 1,000 acres in Yelm, Washington. The product portfolio centers on Youth Camps (Rainier Kids Day Camp, Camp Timber Rock, S.A.L.T. Program, Sunrise Farms Camp, M.U.D. Retreat, Thunder Retreat) and Family Camps (Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day Family Camps, plus specialized retreats for grandparents, fishing, work & worship, and New Year's). Supporting these programs are Facilities & Services providing seven lodging options, adventure activities, on-site dining, and planning tools. The center serves the Pacific Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church and offers a tiered pricing model for financial accessibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rainier Kids Day Camp Week-long day camp for children grades 1-6 running Monday through Friday (9am-4pm) featuring archery, waterfront activities, crafts, nature walks, games, and daily chapel; priced at $275 (Tier 1) or $230 (Tier 2) per session.
• Camp Timber Rock Overnight camp for grades 7-9 focused on spiritual growth through worship, Bible studies, chapel services, and peer leadership alongside adventure activities like zipline and lake swimming; priced at $690 (Tier 1) or $595 (Tier 2).
• S.A.L.T. Program (Servant And Leadership Training) Three-tiered discipleship and leadership training program for high school students: Spark (Year 1, one week), Ignite (Year 2, two weeks), and Ablaze (Year 3, three weeks), providing hands-on service and leadership experience at camp.
• Sunrise Farms Camp Farm-based overnight camp for grades 7-9 centered on creation care, animal care, crop tending, and farm life combined with daily worship, Bible study, and traditional camp activities; August 10-15 session priced at $575 (Tier 1) or $500 (Tier 2).
• S.A.L.T. Reunion Christmas Retreat Post-program reunion retreat for previous S.A.L.T. participants in grades 10-12, featuring festive games, winter activities, worship, optional service projects, and fellowship on December 28-29, priced at $120.
• High School M.U.D. Retreat (Making United Disciples) Weekend retreat for high school students hosted with the Pacific Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, featuring worship, speakers, polar bear swim, color team competitions, zip lines, crafts, and Ultimate Frisbee.
• Middle School Thunder Retreat

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Pacific Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pacific Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church co-facilitates youth retreats including Middle School Thunder and High School M.U.D. (Making United Disciples) at Cascades facilities. This is a core partnership for youth ministry programming.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WinShape Foundation: Faith-based foundation operating summer camp programs (WinShape Camps) and conference/retreat facilities (WinShape Retreat). Comparable Christian mission and dual camp/retreat model, but substantially larger and broader geographic reach.
• Young Life Camps: National Christian youth ministry operating multiple camp properties across the U.S. (e.g., Washington Family Ranch, Malibu Club). Comparable faith-based youth camp mission and conference-style programming at much larger organizational scale.
• Kanakuk Kamps: Larger, multi-site Christian summer camp operator headquartered in Branson, MO, serving thousands of youth annually. Comparable faith-based mission and youth camp focus, but operates at significantly greater scale and broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Warm Beach Camp and Conference Center: Christian camp and conference center in Stanwood, WA, also serving Pacific Northwest church communities with summer camps, family retreats, and conference facilities. Closest direct comparable given overlapping geography, faith-based mission, and dual camp/conference model.
• Lutherhaven Ministries: Faith-based camp and retreat center on Lake Coeur d'Alene, ID, with year-round youth camps, family camps, and adult retreats. Comparable denomination-affiliated camp/conference model operating in the broader Pacific Northwest/Inland Northwest region.
• Sky Ranch Christian Camps: Multi-location Christian camp operator (Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado) offering summer youth camps, family camps, and adult retreats with conference facilities. Comparable faith-based mission, multi-segment programming, and integrated camp/conference model.
• Tall Timber Ranch: Christian camp and retreat center in Leavenworth, WA, offering youth camps, family camps, and adult retreats in a Pacific Northwest setting. Comparable faith-based mission, multi-segment programming, and regional catchment area.
• Forest Home Christian Camp and Conference Center: Long-established Christian camp and conference center in Forest Falls, CA, operating youth camps, family camps, and adult retreats with year-round programming. Directly comparable in faith-based mission, dual camp/conference model, and tiered programming.

Regional players

• CentriKid Camps: Summer camp ministry affiliated with LifeWay Christian Resources serving Southern Baptist churches across the Southeast U.S. Comparable faith-based youth camp programming and church-network distribution, but operates in a different geography.

Emerging players

• YMCA of Greater Seattle-Camp Orkila: Nonprofit residential camp in the San Juan Islands, WA, offering youth overnight camps, family camps, and outdoor education. Comparable multi-segment programming and Pacific Northwest geography, but secular rather than faith-based mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cascadescamp
• YouTubevimeo.com/cascades
• Facebookfacebook.com/cascadescamp
• Instagraminstagram.com/cascades1989

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cascades Camp and Conference Center