Research Day: Tracks and Snow Pits.

Adding color to the pages.

Emily rubs the colors to blend them into natural hues.

Delali Sketches out her thoughts in interesting designs.

We had two research groups. One looked for answers in a snow pit, while the other hunted for tracks in different ecotones.

The trackers search the Sagebrush Ecotone.

There is always time for some play.

Sarah finds an air-pocket and sinks up to hear knee despite wearing snowshoes.

Now Genevieve knows what sage tastes like.

Charlie brushes off the looser snow to find the layers.

With the layers revealed, Delali can measure them for their research data.

One of the snow pits was dug in the Aspen Ecotone.

It takes a group effort to collect all of the necessary data.

Sarah sits in the snow to record her data about the tracks she has discovered.

Mrs. VanRiper and Genevieve have found some tracks to identify deep in the Conifer Ecotone.

The pines leave only small openings to the sky.

Sarah nearly stumbled upon this resting moose.

The mountains appeared for us today, momentarily, through a light veil of cloud.

Listening to Michael Booth recite examples of poetry.

Time to share.

A momentary glimpse of the mountains.

Getting the shot.

Snow clings to the roofs like marshmallow goo.

Elk find good nibbles by the river.

Coyote bounces across the snow in search of a small morsel.

We got up pretty close to the Elk.

Guess what we saw in Eagle Tree?

Students huddle close to stay warm on the sleigh ride through the Elk Refuge.

Big Horn Sheep on the ridge of Miller’s Butte.

We jumped in the snow around the TSS sign for a group shot.

Our students gathered with the Whitefish Bay students for a concert by Beth McIntosh.

Will we see the Teton Mountains if we get closer? Not today.

Our second moose nibbles just across the road from the dinning hall.

Where is the dining hall you ask? It’s right across the road from the moose.

Gather ’round the map. So where are we in relation to the Tetons?

Our instructor demonstrates how the Teton mountains were made.

A small stream slithers beneath the snow. We crossed this stream on a narrow foot bridge.

The snow makes some amazing shapes.

A short climb doesn’t slow down the troops.

Snowshoeing through the landscape is a feast for the soul.

What is there to take pictures of? Look in any direction.

The snow has a story to tell. But you have to do a little digging. Wait; is that the sun up there?

Once the pit is dug, and the snow begins it’s stories, you have to listen. The students collected data for later analysis.