The winter trip is the first overnight trip of the semester. We often head to Manning Park for 3 days, to enjoy cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snow camping. From the lodge the students clip on their skiis and glide along the trails while enjoying the view. It is often the first time cross country skiing for many of them but they pick it up quickly. At camp the students get their tents up in the snow and start cooking early while it is still light out. We are fortunate to have a warming hut for our evening fire and activties but often choose to head out under the stars for a walk or some dancing under the moonlight.
The next day following the traditions of centuries of travel in the winter, our students take to the snow and wander along the trails as did the First Nations in the past.The snowshoe is such a simple yet ingenious device. You can imagine the frustration of 'post-holeing' in deep snow and the energy required to travel in the snowy forests and over the vast tundra. To overcome these difficulties, snowshoes were devised by the first nations to assist in their daily activities of hunting and gathering. While buckled into our snow shoes we head up to a local peak for a beautiful view while enjoying our lunch.
This trip is the first opportunity to work with their group memebers on their newly learned skills. Their is sometimes some small cooking adjustments or gear preperation that is learned on this trip that benefits the students for the rest of the semester. It is an experience of a lifetime that the program's alumni students continue to come back and share stories about.
“Teaching children about the natural world should be treated as one of the most important events in their lives.” – Thomas Berry
