Winter Ecology & Snowshoeing
*Note: Snowshoes are available for 2nd grade on up.

Snowshoeing is a fun way to learn about the outdoors during chilly months, but also a great way to exercise and beat off those winter blahs! 

How & When to Sign up
for Snowshoeing

Registration Period:
Monday, November 28 - Friday, December 15, 2011

Winter Field Trip Season:
Tuesday, January 17 -
Friday, March 2, 2012


Contact Melissa at 231.344.1004 with your program and field trip location of choice. Please be ready with 2-3 possible dates available, grade & number of students. Please schedule early, especially if you have a large class or classes.

Bus reimbursement is available. Please call LTC for more information.

*Special Considerations for Groups of Two or More Classes: Please call to reserve an outing as soon as possible. It is much easier to be flexible for groups like this before our schedule fills up. If you have a large group, prefer a specific nature preserve, or would like to have two or more classes back to back, please call early.

For a Quality Program: no more than 30 students maximum.

Snowshoe Program Options

Winter Wonders
(PreK)
45 minutes (no showshoes)
You can never be too young to enjoy nature in winter.
During this playful hike, students will be encouraged
to discover their surroundings in search of all the
winter wonders they can find. We will learn to make
tracks, find food, and look for shelter just like the
animals do!

Winter Explorers
(K-1) 45 minutes (no showshoes)

Our snowshoes don’t fit smaller adventurers, but K-1
students can still enjoy a winter hike to stimulate their
senses! As we actively explore nature, we will learn
all about animals and their behaviors in winter. We’ll look at animal tracks and other interesting signs as we explore nature in winter. Please make sure students are prepared with sturdy winter footwear.


Snowshoe Adventure

(2-6) 1 hour

A great way to experience snowshoeing and learn about nature in winter. This program focuses mainly on the sport of snowshoeing and getting students outside during the winter months. Some ecology will be introduced, but the main idea is to have them enjoy physical activity in our colder months.

Winter Tracks & Signs
(3-5) 1 hour; (6th & up) 1.5 hour

Searching for tracks is one of the most exciting winter activities. Snow is an excellent surface for tracking an animal and learning about its behavior. This program introduces students to common tools and techniques for identifying signs of wildlife in winter. All students will learn how to identify tracks, track patterns and signs animals leave behind. Older students will be exposed to a wider variety of tracking tools, and encouraged to use them through cooperative learning.

Introduction to Wilderness Survival
(6th and up) 2 hours

This course is an introduction to the skills and mindset needed in a winter survival situation. We will cover the importance of being prepared and informed before venturing out as well as strategies for addressing a winter survival situation. Skills include shelter building, fire building and identifying winter essentials. Discussion will include the importance of attitude in survival situations as well as the need for self-reliance and sound decision making.

Students encounter many signs of wildlife such as tracks, scat, winter habitats, and what non-hibernating animals do for nutrition.  Other topics discussed range from migration and hibernation to snowshoe history and winter safety.