Winter EduTrips Schedule
The schedule for the 2007-2008 Mount Washington Observatory EduTrip season is as follows. Because of the limited number of trip openings – no more than nine participants on any trip – you are encouraged to call ahead (1 800 706-0432 x 203) to check availability before sending in your registration form. We do keep waiting lists for all full trips.
- December 8-9 (Saturday-Sunday) The Ecology of the White Mountains.
- Bob Bittenbender, of Raven Interpretive Wildlife Programs, will offer this program to help participants better understand the diversity of life in the White Mountains, from the forests of the notches to the rugged alpine tundra. The ecology of both of flora and fauna – and how they survive in the mountains' challenging environment – will be experienced and investigated. This trip is presented in conjunction with the Maine Audubon Society.
- January 10-11 (Thursday-Friday) Alpine Photography for the Hiker and Mountaineer.
- A trip for the recreational photographer who wishes to capture the beauty of nature and the excitement of outdoor adventure. Jerry Monkman, of EcoPhotography, will share his years of experience in photographing mountain scenery, outdoor landscapes, and outdoor recreation, and will consider such topics as equipment selection, photo composition and the special challenges of photography under severe conditions: extreme cold, high winds, blowing snow and omnipresent moisture. Suitable for the interested novice as well as for the experienced photographer.
- January 12-13 (Saturday-Sunday) Mount Washington in Winter: Field Aspects of Mountain Meteorology and Climatology.
- David Glidden will lead this non-technical weekend, intended for those interested in exploring the field aspects of mountain meteorology and climatology, and how these may relate to historical climatology and global change issues. It will include comparative wind climatology and some of the challenges with measurement in extreme environments. Comparison of data from Mount Washington and other mountain regions, including the Rockies and the high peaks of Alaska, will be considered.
- January 17-18 (Thursday-Friday) A Special Mount Washington EduTrip for New Hampshire Teachers.
- Steve Roberts, of the New Hampshire Science Teachers Association, will lead this trip, which will introduce participants to several Earth Science topics for which Mount Washington is such an important natural laboratory. These topics will include meteorology, geology, astronomy and climatology. Teachers will learn several lab/classroom activities for use in their classes. This experience will qualify for up to 16 staff development hours. Please contact the Observatory for additional information about this special trip.
- January 19-20 (Saturday-Sunday) Weather Basics.
- Marsha Rich of the American Meteorological Society's "Project Atmosphere," will lead this trip, which will give participants an introduction to the fundamentals of meteorology. Learn about fronts, pressure systems, weather observations and how a forecast is made. There will be special emphasis on mountain weather, and on Mount Washington's incredible extremes.
- January 24-25 (Thursday-Friday) Glacial Geology of the Presidential Range.
- Thom Davis of Bentley College, will serve as leader for this trip, which will investigate the impact that glaciers, both continental and alpine, had on the White Mountain landscape. Learn what glacial features we can visit today, and discover how the study of today's glaciers elsewhere on earth gives us hints about the glaciers that once covered northern New Hampshire.
- January 26-27 (Saturday-Sunday) Implications of Global Climate Change.
- The earth's climate has often changed – but how do we know the details? Join scientists Michelle Day and Kim McCracken in this exploration of an increasingly important topic. What evidence do we have of past alterations in our planet's climate? What can we learn about possible climate change today - and its causes? What are the hints of past changes to regional and global ecosystems that can help us understand the implications for our future?
- January 31-February 1 (Thursday-Friday) New England Winter Weather: The Perfect Snowstorm, and more
- Sam Miller, Assistant Professor of Meteorology at Plymouth State University and Mount Washington Observatory Trustee, will take a look at some of the classic hurricane-like Nor'easters which can plague – or bless – New England. What causes such severe storms? How can they be forecasted? What are some noteworthy historical storms – and how variable can "typical" New England winter weather be?
- February 7-8 (Thursday-Friday) The Ecology of the White Mountains
- Renowned naturalist Chris Lewey, of Raven Interpretive Wildlife Programs, will offer this program to help participants better understand the diversity of life in the White Mountains, from the forests of the notches to the windswept and rugged alpine tundra. The ecology of both of flora and fauna – and how they survive in the mountains' challenging environments – will be experienced and investigated.
- February 9-10 (Saturday-Sunday) Wind and Mountain Climatology in Severe Environments: Field Studies in Rocky Mountain National Park, Denali National Park, Icy Bay and the Saint Elias Mountains and on Mount Washington
- David Glidden will lead this non-technical weekend, which is designed primarily for those who are interested in exploring extreme environments and in mountain field science. We'll look at the dynamics of mountain weather, the special instrumentation required to measure it, and the problems associated with those measurements. A special feature of the weekend will be consideration of how to improve girls' and women's participation in the sciences, so anyone with an interest in such outreach efforts is especially encouraged to participate.
- February 14-15 (Thursday-Friday) The Atmosphere; The Climate-Chemistry Connection
- Since 1932, the Mount Washington Observatory has been involved in the study of our planet's atmosphere. Join Alex Pszenny, Observatory Chief Scientist and Research Associate Professor at the University of New Hampshire, in this trip exploring the global atmosphere - its structure, chemistry, and observed changes in composition that a the basis for concern about global warming – and the interaction of the atmosphere with the oceans, icecaps, land masses, and living things.
- February 16-17 (Saturday-Sunday) Global Climate Change: A View from the Rockpile.
- Join geologists Mark Van Baalen, of Harvard University, and Tim Allen, of Keene State College, in this investigation of the interplay between geology and climate. Current climate fluctuations are relatively small compared to those of the past. The White Mountain landscape records a subtle, occasionally violent, geologic history, culminating in a period of extensive glaciation. What can the study of glaciers, including the glacial history of the White Mountains, tell us about changes in the earth's climate through geologic time?
- February 23-24 (Saturday-Sunday) Climate Change: Secrets of the Ice.
- Join geologist and former Observatory researcher Michelle Day on this trip devoted to exploring what glacial ice can tell us about our changing world. We'll look at things like ice core analysis, high altitude and high latitude glacial study (including glacier and icesheet waxing and waning over time), and the potential for large-scale melting. We'll also consider the impact of ice locally, and how glaciers once covered, and shaped Mount Washington and the Presidential Range.
- March 8-9 (Saturday-Sunday) Meditations in Light: Alpine Photography.
- A reprise of the popular course by professional photographer (and former Mount Washington observer) Peter Bosco. Topics to be covered include managing a camera and other equipment in harsh conditions and learning to see a scene as the camera sees it. The weekend will include fieldwork and classroom analysis of participants' work.
- March 13-14 (Thursday-Friday) Meteorology and the Media
- Join WGME 13 (Portland) TV Meteorologist (and former Mount Washington observer) Sarah Long and MWO Education Outreach Coordinator Michelle Cruz in this exploration of meteorology and the media. What are the responsibilities of TV meteorologists? What sort of training do they need for their job? What's life like behind the scenes at the studio -- How much of their work is science, and how much is show? How are they involved in public education and information? These will only be a few of the topics discussed in this trip focusing on weather and its treatment in various media.
- March 20-21 (Thursday-Friday) Astronomy – A View from the Summit
- Join David McDonald, Director of Education at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, on this intriguing trip which will explore astronomy from the apex of New England. Frankly, Mount Washington's weather may not allow us to see the stars – but if it does, the show will be spectacular! Cooperative weather or not, we'll enjoy learning more about our universe, New England night skies, plus some of the Earth-Sun connections which cause our seasons and impact our climate. The sky is not the limit ... it's just the beginning!
- April 3-4 (Thursday-Friday) Winter Mountaineering Essentials
- Learn the mountaineering skills you need for travel in any of the mountain ranges of the world, and spend the night on top of the highest mountain in the Northeast. Learn the proper use of crampons and ice axes, self-arrest, and navigation as well as avalanche safety and avalanche transceiver use. In the evening, watch a slide show that will take you from Mount Washington to Pakistan. In the morning put your skills to the test with a dawn hike around the summit. Join Joe Lentini, professional climbing guide for over thirty years (with over four hundred winter ascents of Mount Washington) and Vice President of the New Hampshire Mountain Rescue Service, on a trip you will never forget.
- April 10-11 (Thursday- Friday) Winter Mountaineering Essentials II: "What If...?"
- What do you do if your winter mountain adventure doesn't go as planned? We will cover the potential dangers in winter above-treeline travel, and what you can do if you lose your way or if someone in your group is hurt. We will cover use of crampons and ice axes, as well as emergency snow shelters, and topics such as how to survive an avalanche, and how to search for people buried in the snow. In the evening, watch a slide show and discuss how to make a plan for a winter trip. Join Joe Lentini, professional climbing guide for over thirty years (with over four hundred winter ascents of Mount Washington) and Vice President of the New Hampshire Mountain Rescue Service, on a trip to prepare you for "What if...?".
- April 12-13 (Saturday-Sunday) Bringing Weather to the Classroom.
- This World Record Wind Anniversary EduTrip will be geared to teachers to allow them to learn some meteorological fundamentals and to give them some real-life experience in "the world's worst weather", with suggestions of how they can bring the study of meteorology back to their students. Led by Marsha Rich of the American Meteorological Society's "Project Atmosphere".
The schedule for the 2008-2009 EduTrip season will be available in the late summer or early autumn of 2008.