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As our fifth-grade students prepare for the transition to middle school, they embark on a 3-night, 4-day experience at the Keystone Science School. In addition to traveling through the natural areas around the school on cross-country skis to explore snow science, the Colorado River watershed, and avalanche science, students practice the team-building skills they have used in their weekly ADventures challenges.
Day 1
Day 1
Hello from Keystone Science School! We are excited to be up in the mountains for this adventure. Students are settled into their bunkrooms after a full afternoon of getting fitted for cross-country skis and then trying them out on the grounds of Keystone Science School. Students took part in some team building activities after dinner, then headed off for bed to rest up for our first full field day tomorrow.
Day 2
Day 2
We woke to a cold, windy day. After learning about the basics of avalanche science on campus, we loaded our skis, poles, and daypacks–plus a couple of shovels–into KSS vans to look at snow layers along trails in the area. After some skiing and a trailside lunch, students dug snow pits and identified the different layers of snow. They learned about three types of snow grains: rounds, facets, and depth hoar. About this time the wind picked up and heavy snow started falling, so we headed back to Keystone to review what we had seen in the field and to play some games.
For our evening program, the snow was still falling fairly heavily, so we had oven s’mores (still delicious!) and had some “campfire” fun.
Day 3
Day 3
Today was colder but not as windy and snowy. To start our field day, groups reviewed the elements that influence the formation of avalanches (weather, terrain, and snowpack) and went over the types of measurements that can be taken in a snow pit to help assess the risk of avalanche. Then each group went by van to a different location to ski along trails in search of a place to dig their snow pit. Students helped to measure the stability of the snowpack, to record the temperatures at different layers of the snow pit, to measure the height of the snowpack, and the depth of the different layers. Students were noticeably more comfortable using their cross-country skis today.
The students took part in a variety show as their evening program, and we were treated to jokes, skits, dances, a display of cat’s-cradle, and more. Since we need to have our luggage out of our cabins before breakfast tomorrow, students put out their clothes for tomorrow and packed the rest.
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