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:
December 1, 2009 - January 15, 2010

Winter Field Trip Season:
Tuesday, January 19 - Thursday, March 2, 2010, excluding Mondays

Contact Alison or Melissa at 231.347.0991 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 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 explore nature in winter. During the hike, students will explore their surroundings in search of all 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 invigorate their senses! 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
(2-12) 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&4) 1 hour, (5th & up) 1.5 hr
Searching for tracks is one of the most exciting things to do in the winter. 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 animal signs in winter. All students will learn how to identify animals by the tracks and patterns they leave behind. Older students will be exposed to a wider variety of tracking tools, and guided on how to use them.

Winter Navigation
(5th & up) 1.5 hours
Use a compass to create a map while we snowshoe into the deeper parts of a forest. Students will be challenged to use their self-created maps to find their way back. A nice addition to a unit on early explorers. This program is also a good follow-up to the Conservancy’s fall orienteering course..

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.