During the summer months, those stationed in the Pacific Northwest take full advantage of every sunny weekend to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. With all that there is to do here, sometimes opportunities get overlooked.

Many people don’t know there is a confidence building course at the Jim Creek Recreation Area. Located just outside Arlington, an hour and a half north of Seattle, Jim Creek offers almost every activity one can enjoy outdoors. 

Early this year, Mike Petrowski, lead facilitator for Jim Creek, asked Dave Myers, NAS Whidbey Island Moral Welfare and Recreation’s outdoor recreation manager, for volunteers to assist with the operation of their confidence tower. 

Myers presented Aviation Electronics Technician (AT) 3rd Class Erik Sinor a prime volunteer opportunity and he ran with it.

Sinor didn’t just volunteer his time, he gathered three other Sailors from Fleet Readiness Center Northwest (FRCNW) to help with the confidence tower. Since early March, AT2 Jesse Mohn, AT3 Erik Sinor, AT3 Marcus Pouliot and ATAN Sarah Isaacson have been giving up their weekends to volunteer at Jim Creek.

These four spent their Saturdays working at Jim Creek Naval Reservation alpine tower challenge course/rock wall. With varying climbing experience, each of these volunteers gave over 80 hours of their time ensuring that campers have the opportunity to tackle the confidence tower. 

Consisting of a network of logs, ropes and cables, the tower is used as a team building experience for everybody from Microsoft to church groups and military units. Additionally, the tower is used to introduce campers, who otherwise might have never tried it, to the thrill of climbing. 

To make reservations to use the alpine tower, contact Mike Petrowski at (425) 304-5367 or