SnowSchool Field Update
Check out photos and updates from across the snow globe this season!
Photo by Swan Valley Elementary School’s Creative & Communications Director, Andrea DiNino.
SnowSchool annually engages over 35,000 participants across 72 sites and this winter is no different. Our sites across 17 states along the US snow-belt engage K-12 students, teachers, and volunteers to venture out on snowshoes as part of a fun and educational science-based field trip. Over 50% of participants are underserved and a majority are first time snowshoers!
Winter Wildlands Alliance works year-round with organizational partners nationwide to establish new SnowSchool sites each year and help bring this important experience to the communities and students that need it most.
While there have been plenty of challenges to public lands and outdoor education this winter, we are excited to share pictures and quotes taken from successful SnowSchool outings across the snowglobe this winter so far!
Photo from Great Basin Outdoor School
“The BEST thing about the snowshoe trip was: hiking, playing coyote and rabbit, the games, learning, snowshoeing, the bingo game, exploring the forest, the view, the snow, learning new things, getting to see pretty places and activities, seeing animal tracks, the exploring.”
-Quotes compiled from multiple students’ post assessments at the end of a two-night, three-day trip at Lake Tahoe via Great Basin SnowSchool.
“Salmon youth are learning about natural resource topics and careers in Salmon Valley Stewardship’s monthly Friday program. In January, we welcomed local avalanche educator Lara to teach students about snow science, and demonstrate how to use an avalanche beacon and probe for safe winter recreation! We’re also offering community members the ability to borrow our inventory of cross country skis and snowshoes so get outside and explore this winter.”
Photo by Swan Valley Elementary School’s Creative & Communications Director, Andrea DiNino.
At Swan Valley Connections’ Snow Science Day in Condon, Montana, K-8 students from Swan Valley Elementary spent the afternoon learning to identify wildlife tracks in the snow and exploring snow science concepts, such as Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) and the subnivean zone. As part of their youth programs, SnowSchool has created engaging and memorable experiences outside the classroom.
“Best day ever!”
“Most of our photos this year are from training, as I think we have a tendency to get caught up in teaching and forget to take pictures with the kids!”
– Frankie Beard, Wild Bear Nature Center
“It just warms my heart seeing all these students outside. They need this to learn about connecting with nature and our outdoor spaces.”
“Many students commented on how much they enjoyed finding how much water is in the snow and they didn’t realize it was something you could do and in some cases get paid to do it. Also, many mentioned how much they loved snowshoeing and wished they could take their family snowshoeing as it was many students first time!”
“We had a blast! It was the first time out on snow shoes for all of them and they really loved it.”
-Kelle Bruno, 1st Grade Lead Advisor at Pagosa Peak Open School
“Best day ever!”
– 4th grader at Bogus Basin SnowSchool
“Students from Innovation HS participated in SnowSchool with The Lands Council on Mt. Spokane. They discussed the importance of our mountain snowpack, learned about plant and animal adaptations to winter, performed an avalanche search-and-rescue activity, and dug emergency snow caves!”
“Students from Taos Day School, Taos Pueblo spent the day exploring the Carson National Forest and the ancestral Lands of the Red Willow People…the 5th/6th grade class dug snow pits and studied the snowpack, recording their findings in order to learn about their watershed. Students also looked at how the amount of shade and sun exposure affects the snowpack.”
– Alastair Keith, Field Institute of Taos, Taos, NM
“Bringing local youth out on our winter landscapes is a critical part of MSI’s mission to connect community to their natural landscapes. Historically, we have seen higher volumes of forest and water field trips during warmer times of year, but getting those students out in the snow connects them to the pivotal moment for our SW water system. We connect them to our mountains water bank, and help to teach them how the snow throughout our winter will change how we live through our spring, summer, and fall. Seeing the students expand their comfort levels in the outdoors while getting a better understanding of their mountain systems and what it means for their communities is a highlight of my job here at MSI.”
-Jewell Coleman, Mountain Studies Institute staff
“Ranger Liz took us out on the snowshoeing adventure and taught us so much. The activities were fun, held the childrens’ attention and taught them a lot about the animals that live in Glacier National Park. I think all who attended learned something. I’ve been teaching 32 years and this was an exceptional field trip. Thank you for all the effort, energy, and talent that you put into today.”
“When we got back to the school, the kids couldn’t stop talking about things they learned and the activities. Their favorite facts were learning how snow was made and what animals do during the winter.”
“I learned that Whoomp is bad”“I learned how to detect avalanches and where the layers are”“I learned that animals use snow to survive”“SnowSchool is AWESOME!!”“I am proud because that was my first field trip and it is fun!”“Today is the best day ever”
“For the majority of my students, this was their first experience snowshoeing and for some it was their first experience doing any outdoor activity in the snow besides playing at recess. I am so grateful we got to give them this adventure today!” ….“Thank you for being so engaging and so patient! We loved it. The kids asked if we can go snowshoeing everyday!”
We taught lessons about watersheds and the snow water equivalent, which materials are best at keeping us warm, how to build snow shelters and survive a storm, why scientists keep track of our snowpack, what causes avalanches, animal and plant winter adaptations, the subnivean zone, and more! Let it snow!
-Nick Mitchell, Field Instructor at SWEP
In California’s Sierra Nevadas, Sierra Forever, Friends of the Inyo, partners and volunteers unite in ‘it takes a village’ spirit to teach local kids about snow science.
“It’s a wonderful experience for them to get outside and learn about our local area and science in a very hands-on way,”
-Meghan Avila, Bishop Elementary fifth grade teacher who was participating in SnowSchool for the fifth time, but for the first time together with her fifth-grade daughter, Eliana.
“It’s actually hard to keep up with them. They’re excited, they’re curious, and they’re trying to get ahead of us.”
-Mark Bir, first-time volunteer of Bishop, CA
In Central Idaho, students at Basin Elementary ventured out into their local winter wildlands on snowshoes, turning snow-covered forests into living classrooms.
Kindergarteners followed animal tracks in the snow. Fourth graders became citizen scientists, measuring snowpack depth and contributing to real-world research. Meanwhile, 6th graders examined the geospatial variability of mountain snow and discussed nearby SNOTEL data , gaining firsthand insight into the science behind their local watershed.
This year’s Snow School experience was one of the best for our students!
– Jamie Pilkerton, Basin Elementary Principal
