Winter Tours
Mesa Verde National Park, San Juan Mountains Association, and the San Juan/Four Corners Native Plant Society have teamed up to offer a series of winter hikes during the 2012-2013 winter season. Come enjoy the outdoors during this special time of year while exploring the local winter ecology. See below for hike descriptions, dates, and times. If you have questions or want to sign up for a hike, use the information below to contact the appropriate agency.
Snowshoes and poles will be available during each hike for those who need them. Visit www.nps.gov/meve for maps and information on self-guided snowshoeing and cross-country skiing opportunities in Mesa Verde National Park. Snowshoes are available for loan at the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum and the new Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center (opening December, 2012).
Contact and Reservation Information
Mesa Verde National Park (MVNP)
www.nps.gov/meve
• For reservations contact:
Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum
970-529-4631
meve_education@nps.gov
San Juan Mountains Association (SJMA)
www.sjma.org/education/Education/education.htm
• For reservations contact:
Gabi Morey gabi@sjma.org 970-385-1256
MK Thompson MK@sjma.org 970-759-9113
San Juan/Four Corners Native Plant Society (SJFCNPS)
www.swcoloradowildflowers.com
• For reservations contact:
Al Schneider
970-882-4647
MARCH 2013
Winter Plant Identification Hike
at Mesa Verde National Park (SJFCNPS)
Saturday, March 9
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Winter months strip many plants of their foliage and make winter identification of these plants difficult. Join the San Juan/Four Corners Native Plant Society on the second winter plant identification hike in Mesa Verde National Park to learn how to identify plants in the winter.
• Limited to 15 people. Recommended for high school age to adult.
• Advance reservations required. For information and reservations contact Al Schneider with SJFCNPS at 970-882-4647.
Animal Evidence
at Andrew’s Lake
Saturday, March 9
Take the kids snowshoeing with the San Juan Mountains Association and certified interpretive guide MK Thompson. Snowshoes are available for kids under 120 pounds. No snow? No problem. We will go exploring anyway.
Email or call today to reserve your spots! Contact MK at SJMA.
DECEMBER 2012
Winter Discovery Walk for Families
at Boggy Draw, Dolores (SJMA)
Saturday, December 15
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
SJMA Winter Discovery Walks are based on what we can ‘discover’ in the natural world in the winter. Our December walk will include a special focus on our senses – how does winter look, smell, sound, feel, and even taste different from other seasons, and why?
• For ages 4 to 10, accompanied by an adult.
• Meet at the Boggy Draw parking lot. For directions, see below.
• Advance reservations requested. Contact Gabi at SJMA
Plant & Animal Adaptations
at Morefield Campground (MVNP)
Saturday, December 22
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Park biologists and interpretive rangers will lead a hike to explore the amazing ways that animals and plants survive in the cold winter environment of Mesa Verde National Park. The hike will tour the winter habitats of plants and animals in the Morefield Campground area.
• Limited to 20 people, ages 7 to adult.
• Meet at the Morefield Village parking lot at Morefield Campground, 4 miles from the park entrance.
• Advance reservations required. Contact MVNP.
JANUARY 2013
Winter Discovery Walk for Families
at Echo Basin, Mancos (SJMA)
Saturday, January 12
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
SJMA’s Winter Discovery Walk in January in the Echo Basin area will focus on animals in winter, as well as snow studies. Learn about tracks – is a snowshoe hare a bounder, waddler or galloper? And examine snowflakes – are there really no two snowflakes that are exactly alike?
• For ages 4 to 10, accompanied by an adult.
• Meet at end of plowed County Road 566, Mancos. For directions, contact SJMA
• Advance reservations requested. Contact Gabi at SJMA.
Conifers Coexist
at Cascade Creek (SJMA)
Saturday, January 19
Take the kids snowshoeing with the San Juan Mountains Association and certified interpretive guide MK Thompson. Snowshoes are available for kids under 120 pounds. No snow? No problem. We will go exploring anyway.
Email or call today to reserve your spots! Contact MK at SJMA.
Animal Tracks and Signs
at Morefield Campground (MVNP)
Saturday, January 26
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Learn how to discover what animals are out and about during the winter months at Mesa Verde National Park. Hikers will learn how to look for and identify animal tracks and sign, and then explore the hillsides around Morefield Campground. Past animal Mountain lion tracks in snow tracks observed in the area include weasels, rabbits, mountain lions, mice, and coyotes.
• Limited to 20 people, ages 7 to adult.
• Meet at the Morefield Village parking lot at Morefield
Campground, 4 miles from the park entrance.
• Advance reservations required. Contact MVNP.
FEBRUARY 2013
Track Trails
at Junction Creek (SJMA)
Saturday, February 2
Take the kids snowshoeing with the San Juan Mountains Association and certified interpretive guide MK Thompson. Snowshoes are available for kids under 120 pounds. No snow? No problem. We will go exploring anyway.
Email or call today to reserve your spots! Contact MK at SJMA.
Winter Discovery Walk for Families
at Hawkins Preserve, Cortez (SJMA)
Saturday, February 9
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Winter Discovery Walks are based on what we can ‘discover’ in the natural world in the winter. Hawkins Preserve is found at a lower elevation than our other Discovery Walks, but with or without snow, a winter walk in Hawkins is a special visit. On this day we will talk about plant and animal adaptations for winter, and look for evidence of both.
• For ages 4 to 10, accompanied by an adult.
• Meet at the entrance to Hawkins Preserve, at the end of S. Cedar Street, Cortez.
• Advance reservations requested. Contact Gabi at SJMA.
Full Moon
in the La Platas
Saturday, February 23
Take the kids snowshoeing with the San Juan Mountains Association and certified interpretive guide MK Thompson. Snowshoes are available for kids under 120 pounds. No snow? No problem. We will go exploring anyway.
Email or call today to reserve your spots! Contact MK at SJMA.
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Directions
Boggy Draw walk
Meet at Boggy Draw parking lot, north of Dolores in the
San Juan National Forest. From Dolores, turn north off of Highway 145 onto
11th Street and follow the road (which becomes County Road 31) up to the top
of the mesa. Turn right (east) on Road W and travel one mile until you cross
a cattle guard and the forest boundary. The parking lot and trailhead is
located on the left side of road.
Echo Basin walk
Meet at end of plowed County road 566, Mancos. Turn north
on County Road 44 in Mancos going towards Echo Basin. Travel about 3.5
miles, following CR 44 as it turns into CR 566. CR 566 will dead-end in a
plowed parking area.
Hawkins Preserve walk
Meet at: Entrance to Hawkins Preserve, at the end
of S. Cedar Street, Cortez
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Snowshoe Tours
Purgatory Ski Area
Half and full-day guided snowshoe tours are available upon request and can accommodate groups or individuals. Inquire and register at the Purgatory Guest Services office at 385-2147.
Winter Discovery Programs
Winter Discovery Programs can include both indoor and outdoor components. Discovery time
indoors will include activities discussing snow properties and track patterns
of animals; Discovery Time outdoors will include snowshoeing (snow-dependent),
looking at snow, snowflakes and evidence of animals, including tracks. Winter
Discovery Programs can be done at your school, or in the forest, and they are
free! Call soon to reserve your date: 385-1256 or gabi@sjma.org
SJMA is now part of a national program called SnowSchool that gets kids
outside in the winter, having fun, exploring nature, and learning winter
ecology. For more information, visit www.snowschool.org
