Our Founder...
Ron Marcos Cole was raised in Ukiah, California, where rivers, wilderness, and imagination shaped his early life. Days spent swimming, fishing, and kayaking on Lake Mendocino and the Russian River forged a lifelong bond with the natural world. The son of a white naval officer-turned-entrepreneur and a Black and Native Bokotan homemaker from Panama, Ron grew up at the crossroads of discipline, creativity, and resilience. From crafting piñatas for friends to organizing beach and ski adventures for his peers, he showed early on a gift for bringing people together through play and purpose.
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That union of play and purpose continues to guide Ron’s life and work. He has founded and led nature-based youth programs rooted in teamwork, service, and self-awareness, supported by a long-standing meditation practice. Influenced by wilderness educators and years of hands-on experience, Ron developed living curricula that blend outdoor skills, disc golf, and performing arts as engaging pathways to presence, confidence, and connection.
Based in Del Norte County, California, since 2002, Ron continues to work alongside youth—learning with them and from them—while building community and listening deeply to the land. He strives to carry forward the values he was raised with: responsibility and care, creativity and joy, respect for many cultures, and a deep relationship with nature. His hope is to help pass these on to the next generation, inviting young people not just to learn or succeed, but to play, to belong, and to remember how to simply "be."
The Kids...
Our campers, ages 9–18, come swirling in from every direction—different homes, cultures, identities, and journeys—yet all land in the same bright circle of belonging. They’re dropped off by parents, grandparents, guardians, and friends, but once they step into camp, the magic takes over: everyone is equal, everyone is safe, everyone is seen.
Whether their spot is gifted through a scholarship or supported by family, each camper enjoys the same wonders—good food, skilled guides, nature adventures, and the spark of new friendships. It’s a place where confidence grows wild, laughter echoes through the trees, and every kid discovers a little more of who they are.
The Mentors...
Our mentors come from all walks of life, but they share one purpose: helping young people connect with nature, with each other, and with themselves. Many are former campers who grew into leaders; others bring real‑world experience as contractors, fishermen, city councilmen, therapists, social workers, lifeguards, and outdoor educators.
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Together, they guide youth through hands‑on survival skills, teamwork challenges, and moments of reflection that build confidence and self‑awareness. Their diverse skills and lived experiences create a supportive environment where every camper feels seen, capable, and part of a community rooted in the natural world.
The Wild Rivers Coast...
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Gateway Education’s programs live where rivers run free and forests meet the sea. On Northern California’s Wild Rivers Coast, the land itself becomes a teacher. Cold, clear rivers demand respect. Dense forests invite patience and attention. Weather shifts quickly, teaching adaptability. Nothing here is curated—everything is honest.
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This rare convergence of undammed rivers, old‑growth forests, rugged coastline, and dark skies creates one of the most intact learning landscapes left on the West Coast. Young people learn survival skills not by conquering nature, but by listening to it—building shelter, reading tracks, sitting quietly by water, and discovering how awareness, breath, and relationship shape resilience.
Here, growth happens naturally. Without spectacle or pressure, campers slow down, reconnect with their bodies, and remember they belong to something larger, steadier, and deeply alive.
