Kids in the snow

Learning goes both ways when school kids get fitted with snowshoes

- JOE ANDERSON

In the fall of 2018, I was asked by Sara Rolfs to get involved in taking elementary students snowshoeing.

Since I was a retired schoolteacher, EMT, retired ski patrolman and the present snowshoe guide for Mission Ridge, she thought it would be a perfect fit. It was.

On my first assignment in December of 2018, I was asked to teach 25 first graders how to snowshoe. Oh my goodness! They were so cute.

They got off the bus all smiles and eagerness in the Squilchuck State Park. I placed them in a circle and with the help of volunteer parents and their teacher, we finally got all their snowshoes halfway on.

I played a few games and took them on a little hike. After all, they needed to learn how to walk on their new feet.

One part I was not ready to see was when I stopped, they would immediately sit down and rest. I liked this idea and will incorporate that into my retirement lifestyle. Who says old dogs can’t learn new tricks?

It was during the rests that I taught them about snow.

Well, I discovered I did not know enough about snow, the snow pack and its importance.