Page 37 - 71187_NSAA_FallJournal2016

“Of all man’s works of art, a cathedral everyone’s eyes to what surrounds them while playing on the
is greatest. A vast and majestic tree is
greater than that.”
—Henry Ward Beecher
O ne of the best things about visiting a ski area is the
immersion into the beauty of the alpine environ-
ment. Whether taking in the stunning views at the
top of a run in January or whizzing through the forest can-
opy on a bike trail in June, the experience is synonymous
with the surroundings.
To capitalize on the all-season allure of the mountains,
ski areas from Southern California to Northern Vermont are
increasingly offering their guests guided, interpretive nature and snowshoes) tours, since fewer kids tend to participate in
programs and tours that provide a better understanding of
the plants, trees, and wildlife they see while traversing the
slopes and riding the lifts.
Educational programs like these are one more recreation
option that ski areas can offer to enhance the guest experi-
ence. But more important, they can heighten guests’ knowl-
edge, awareness, and appreciation of the mountains, make
them feel more connected with a specific ski area and its sur- ence examining samples of pine cones and needles from local
roundings, and reinforce the importance of preserving that
environment for future generations.
TREE WORSHIP IN CALIFORNIA
The query “What kind of tree is that?” has long been
a lift-conversation staple. Tapping into this curiosity,
Mammoth Mountain Resort in Southern California offers
“Naturalist Tours” focused on teaching skiers and snow-
boarders about the resort’s flora, fauna, and geology. Led
by volunteer US Forest Service naturalists, the tours also
include information on the region’s geologic history and
weather patterns.
Offered Fridays through Sundays (and some holi-
day Mondays) from mid-December though mid-April, the
tour begins with a ride up the mountain on the Goldrush
Express (Chair 10). A valid lift ticket is required, and par-
ticipants must be able to ski or snowboard at an intermedi-
ate level. The tours are quite popular, and Mammoth’s nearby
sister resorts—June Mountain and Tamarack Cross-country
Ski Area (no lift ticket required at Tamarack)—offer simi-
lar excursions, said Lauren Burke, Mammoth’s communica-
tions manager.
“Providing guided interactive programs in all of our
locations helps our guests connect to the mountains bet-
ter,” said Anna Allen, who manages the tours as the direc-
tor of Mammoth’s Host Program, noting that the free nature
programs support increased visitation. “By opening up
mountains, we believe they gain not only a level of respect
but also a level of interest that builds their desires to keep
coming back to the mountains.”
The ski and snowboard tour capacity is seven, and while
it draws both adults and children, it is most popular with
adults (one child per five adults, usually). “That said, chil-
dren are often the most enthusiastic learners on the tours,”
said Allen. “They ask great questions and keep our guides
focused on making it interesting!”
As expected, there are more children on the Mammoth
and June (alpine) tours than the Tamarack (cross-country
cross-country skiing and snowshoeing than alpine skiing and
snowboarding. The snowshoe tour is by far the most pop-
ular, as large as 25 participants, most likely because people
who snowshoe are already at a relatively slowed-down pace,
so they are naturally more inclined to have a heightened
awareness of the surrounding environment, Allen said.
All three tours offer participants a hands-on experi-
trees. Each guide offers his or her own expertise about facts
such as how tall the trees can grow, whether there are any
threats to their livelihood, and what efforts, if any, the ski
area does to help keep the forest healthy.
“Because we are surrounded by volcanic history and sit
on the edge of the third largest caldera in the world, more
of our guides have become interested in sharing that geol-
ogy, regardless of their location,” Allen said. “Mono Lake is
an important feature close to June, so discussion about water
usage is a common topic as well.”
The Mammoth tour also includes a display of animal
skins provided by the US Forest Service and the California
Department of Fish and Wildlife, including bear, coyote,
mountain lion, beaver, bobcat, and rabbit. Time permitting,
the tour includes a stop at the resort’s Eleven53 Interpretive
Center, anchored into volcanic rocks at 11,053 feet. The
Center showcases the region’s climate, ecosystems, geology,
natural history, and wildlife—including the feeding habits of
North American black bears.
“We focus on the proper use of the backcountry, respect for
the wildlife, and knowledge of how everyone impacts the sur-
vival or our surroundings,” Allen said. “We often focus more
on bears because everyone asks, but since we’ve had a large bark
beetle infestation at June Mountain killing an abundant num-
ber of trees at the higher elevation, we speak to that concern
often. The Forest Service has been actively involved in thinning
trees in many locations in an effort to keep the beetles from cre-
ating the devastation we see at June Mountain.”
FALL 2016 | NSAA JOURNAL | 35