Winter Naturalist Training

1. Winter Naturalist Training WINTER NATURALIST TRAINING 2007

2. 2006/07 Program Schedule Classroom Training: Nov 1nd 6PM – 8:45PM Nov 9th 6PM – 8:45PM Nov 15th 6PM – 8:45PM On-Snow Training: Alta Dec. 2nd 9AM Brighton Dec. 3rd9AM Snowbird Dec. 9th 9AM Solitude Dec. 10th 9AM Snowshoe Dec. 16th 9AM …have your gear ready to go! • All programs begin December 16th • Week of December 25th, Ski/Snowboard during week • Ski/Snowboard Other Holidays: Martin Luther King, Presidents • Other Snowshoe events: Field Trips, Owling Walks, Full Moon, etc.

3. Nov. 1st Training 1. Cottonwood Canyons Foundation 6PM – 7PM Patrick Nelson CCF • Wasatch Mountain Weather 7PM - 7:45PM Dina Freedman KSL 5 Weater 3. Wildlife of the Wasatch 8PM – 8:30PM Patrick Nelson CCF

4. Nov. 9th Training • Geology 6PM – 7PM Bill Parry, Professor Emeritus & Author, “Hiking Guide to the Geology of the Wasatch” • Interpretation 7:15PM – 8:30PM Tara Poelzing Bend in the River CCF Volunteer Extraordinaire!

5. Nov. 15th Training Best Management Practices- USFS 6PM - 7:15PM Paul Flood & Charlie Condrait WCNF Resource Specialists The Salt Lake City Watershed 7:30 - 8:30 Vanessa Welsh & Tracie Kirkham SLC Public Utilities Watershed

6. On-snow Trainings • Competency Test • Welcome from Resort • Tour Route & Material • Site Specific Geology • Trees & Tracking

7. Cottonwood Canyons Foundation A 501(c)(3) nonprofit partnership:

8. OUR MISSION: “Working to maintain and improve the environmental health of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon through public education and stewardship.”

9. Donations: Can be made online or via mail TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

10. www.cottonwoodcanyons.org www.cottonwoodcanyons.org

11. What we do: EDUCATION! Silver Lake Nature Center & Interpretive signs, Fall Field trips, Wasatch Wildflower Festival, Tiger Salamander Treks, Snowshoe Fieldtrips, Owling Walks, Night Hikes, Cottonwood Wildflower Guide. Most are free!

12. More Education:

13. Wildflower Guide

14. STEWARDSHIP: • Projects: • Invasive Weed Mapping • Invasive Weed Pulls with Community Groups • Rare plant restoration • More soon- guess what’s next?

15. More Stewardship: More to come next summer? …grant dependent

16. Other Volunteer Opportunities: Get your office/church/school group/agency to do a Weed pull! Volunteer to monitor rare plants! Be a guide for the Wasatch Wildflower Festival! Lead Snowshoe Owling Walks! Volunteer at Silver Lake during Summer months! Help with Snowshoe fieldtrips! And more: lead fall fieldtrips, night hikes, create interpretive displays… Or…

17. …HELP US FUNDRAISE!

18. Program Basics Who: You, the volunteer for the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation. As a volunteer, you represent the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, the Salt Lake Ranger District of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest and the host Resort . What: A Conservation Education Program that educates resort guests about Public Lands, Watershed, Cultural and Natural History. When: Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. December 16 through the end of March Where: Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude, Solitude Nordic Center (Snowshoeing!) Why: Not simply because you enjoy skiing, riding or snowshoeing! Any guesses? How: Roving the resort, talking to skiers and snowboarders. Giving the daily-guided program.

19. Again… What: A Conservation Education Program that educates resort guests about Public Lands, Watershed, Cultural and Natural History. Emphasis on Public Lands and Watershed…

20. TWO Contact Types: • ROVING: Chat on the lift, in lines, on the slopes, anywhere. Biggest amount of contacts in program • PROGRAM: Guided tour on blue or green run. Lasts 45 min to 1 hour. Formal program, starts at 1:30PM each day. One volunteer guide, one assisting. Volunteers DO NOT give tours each time they volunteer… but you should come READY!

21. A Day in the Life… 8:45AM Meet at designated locations, receive jacket, day ski pass. Participate in morning briefing from team captain. 9:15am Begin morning Roving contacts. Enter lifts through singles line. Ski/ride in a safe manner, of course. Promote interpretive program. Put up banners if necessary 12:00pm-1:00pm Meet fellow volunteers for lunch. Get any questions answered. Dry gloves, goggles, etc. 1:15pm Arrive at tour meeting spot. Assist on tour where needed. 1:30pm If not giving tour, continue roving Give or assist on Tour! 2:45pm Meet at designated locations, turn in jacket, give team-captain data, etc. 3:00pm End of day… Thanks!!!! Out with the old… …in with the new

22. Volunteer Duties Training New Volunteers: attend 3 classroom training sessions Return Volunteers: attend 2 classroom training sessions, first training required. Attend 1 on-snow training at assigned resort. Attend at least one Mid-season training Volunteer for at least 12 days in a season. Pass Competency test with percentage of 85%, take test at On-snow training Program Membership Dues of $30 Return manuals by no later than April 15th or pay replacement fee. Workdays Be able to ski/ride blue diamond groomed runs with ease. Wear black pants while volunteering. Wear uniform on days worked. Contact at least 15 individuals per day. Arrive at 8:45 on assigned workdays. Do not ride lifts with other volunteers, family or friends during workdays. However, you may ski with them! At end of workday, turn in all relevant data forms. Prepare and present 45-minute interpretive program to resort visitors. SNOWSHOE VOLS: Wear provided Snowshoes & Uniform: Start time 10AM

23. Criteria for Dismissal The following list spells out actions which would lead to the dismissal of a volunteer for the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation’s Winter Naturalist Programs (Ski/Snowboard/Snowshoe Programs.) This list is not intended to be complete, but to act as a general reference. • Failure to complete a scheduled day without prior notification to a team captain. • Violating a Ski Area regulation. • Violating a Forest Service regulation. • Past violation of any Ski Area regulation. The list of Ski Ranger volunteers will be sent to each Ski Area for review regarding past violations. • Failure to correct an identified problem within a prescribed timeframe. Verbal and written warnings will be provided identifying the problem and the required changes needed. • Two no call/ no shows • Violation of no-bias attitude during program or roving contacts. • Repeatedly showing up late • Failure of Competency Test

26. Please volunteer the full 12 days.

27. Snowshoe Naturalist

28. 2006 Snowshoe Fieldtrips

29. What’s New Signage & Marketing @ Resorts Increased marketing around resorts New banners, signage, etc. Emphasis at Snowbird and Brighton.

30. Return Volunteers: • Please make sure you volunteer the required amount of days. • Brush up on background information, tour material and study the manual… we are going to edit programs again this year.

31. NEW Volunteers: • Ask questions • Use your fellow volunteers as a resource • Don’t be intimidated by material, you know more than most resort skiers

32. ALL Volunteers: • REVIEW the manual • Check out resource page on website: www.cottonwoodcanyons.org/volunteer/resource.htm • Encouraged to attend December 5th Wildlife Training

33. SAFETY: SKI/SNOWBOARD • EQUIPMENT CHECKUPS:Get equipment checked before you start skiing or snowboarding with the program. Have bindings adjusted, equipment tuned, etc. • PERSONAL FITNESS:Skiing and snowboarding are physically demanding sports. Please take adequate measures to prepare your body for the sport and the upcoming season

34. SAFETY: SKI/SNOWBOARD • BE HONEST: This program is not a place to learn how to ski, snowboard, telemark or to learn how to ski or snowboard terrain above your ability level. Please be sure that you can safely ski blue groomed runs. • BE CAREFUL: While working volunteer days, please ski under control and on terrain that suits your ability. Follow Resort and FS regulations.

35. Skier and Snowboarders: We recommend that you WEAR A HELMET!

36. SAFETY: SNOWSHOE • AVALANCHE CLOSURES: Before the tour, determine whether or not avalanche gates around Silver Lake are OPEN or CLOSED before heading out. • ICE SAFETY: Avoid walking on Silver Lake! • PHYSICAL CONDITIONING All walks are roughly 1 – 1.25 miles in potentially unbroken and unpacked snow on the trail. Please prepare your physical fitness levels accordingly.

37. SAFETY: WINTER DRIVING • DURING STORM DAYS: If you are uncomfortable driving up the canyon, take a bus. If canyons are closed in the morning, the program is most likely cancelled. This will vary from resort to resort. You are under NO PRESSURE to make it to the resort on a storm day. Snowshoe Guides, if you can’t make it please call Nordic Center. More at onsnow trainings. • TAKE THE BUS: Visit www.rideuta.com for schedules. We do not get free bus passes. Snowshoers, bus drops you off directly in front of Silver Lake.

38. CAR POOLING! • PLEASE Carpool • ON-SNOWTraining Discussion: Please think of some locations to create a team meeting place for carpooling in canyons.

39. THANKS! THANKS!