Winter Updates

Semester students have spent the last few days familiarizing themselves with the area, including snowshoeing on a dwindling spring snowpack, navigating with map and compass, and using the snow as building material.  Medically, they're focusing on cold injuries, hypothermia, and altitude sickness.

Everyone has been experimenting with a variety of fire starters, including this handful of pitch, lichen, and twigs.  They discovered the lichens don't burn well at this time of year because of the high humidity, and that the pitch will do well only once a pretty sturdy fire has already been started with other material.  

These guys are planning out their route indoors on the warm floor (in-floor heat!)  before heading out into the field.  

Stream crossings can be tricky at this time of year, so it's helpful to find big, fallen trees to use as travel corridors across the water.   

Snug inside a winter survival shelter constructed with snow and tree boughs.