Come explore the wild rivers and gorges of the North Shore at its seasonal zenith, the end of winter. The unique combination of ice, snow, and sun conditions that generally occur at the end of winter provide excellent travel opportunities for those who want to explore. We will travel up one of the river gorges of the North Shore on snowshoes. We will learn risk management regarding ice conditions and navigating frozen waterfalls, rapids, and currents (ice permitting). We will duck into caves etched out over thousands of years and poke around in rock formations generally inaccessible to humans except for during these few precious weeks. The class includes a hot meal together, either served around a fire on the river or shared back on campus between the morning and afternoon outings. We will use teachable moments to identify flora, fauna, and geology. Students meet on campus and carpool to the river. Open to families—for kids under 12 please call to discuss. Your materials fee includes lunch. Participants should be reasonably fit and able to snowshoe three miles.

Required Tools

• Appropriate winter clothing including: non-cotton layers, wool socks, lined boots, head and hand gear
• A pair of snowshoes
• Ski poles 
• If children are coming, a plan regarding sleds or other accommodations must be made in advance
• Water bottles
• Backpack or knapsack for extra clothing is highly recommended

Optional Tools

• Camera 
• Snacks
• Backpack with extra clothing