Nature Connection Arises Through First-Time Experiences in the Snow. Written by CI Field Instructor David Diaz.

Although it was a cold winter morning, 22 students from the Centaurus High School Community Adventure Program (CAP) class eagerly set out for a day in the sunshine outdoors. After picking up their equipment and getting to know the additional three instructors, the group headed into the mountains for an exciting outdoor experience as well as time connecting with nature. Their destination was Caribou Ranch, where students strapped on snowshoes and embarked on a short trek. Upon arrival, they used shovels to build a quinzhee, a unique type of snow shelter. Throughout the activity, students played in the snow, their laughter filling the crisp mountain air as they embraced the adventure.

The group was beautifully diverse, with students speaking Spanish, English, and even Arabic. After exerting a significant amount of effort to build and shape the quinzhee, they inserted sticks into the structure to help it solidify. Students then took a break to enjoy cold pizza, hot tea, and dessert while waiting for the structure to set. Once the structure was ready, students dug a tunnel from one side to the other and took turns squeezing through, capturing photos to commemorate the moment. Building the quinzhee was a new experience for all students, and some students experienced many other firsts on this trip as well. Since the CAP class includes many students in the BVSD Newcomer program (students new to the U.S.), for many this was their first time using snowshoes and other snow gear as well as spending the day outdoors in snowy conditions.

One of the highlights of the day was demolishing the quinzhee. Students eagerly jumped on it, using their hands and bodies to bring it down in a flurry of snow and laughter. As the day wrapped up, the group made their way back down the mountain. They were tired but beaming with satisfaction from their winter adventure. They all came away with a new understanding of the properties and capabilities of snow through their hands-on day of playing and building with it. While satisfaction and fatigue may have been top of mind for the students during the drive back, we know that nature connection and appreciation are also byproducts of these days of outdoor adventure, and that each outdoor experience builds on the others.

A big thanks to the funders and supporters that make the CAP class possible, including: Enterprise Holdings Foundation, Great Outdoors Colorado, Patagonia, Thorne Nature Experience, Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program and the Xcel Energy Foundation.

If you are also passionate about getting students outdoors to have valuable first-time experiences, please consider making a donation or becoming a monthly donor! You’ll help invest in our students, programs, and long-term sustainability and success!