winter outdoor adventures catalog inside - Yosemite Online

EDUCATION PROGRAMSOutdoor AdventuresBy offering a reduced number of courses this summer,we're pleased to have had a higher rate of courses beingfilled and fewer that were under-enrolled . This has provenhelpful to our bottom line and therefore to the park . Nextyear we'll probably add just a few seminars to this modestschedule."Meet Yosemite," our experiment with walk-ininterpretive programs in Yosemite Valley and TuolumneMeadows, went well this summer. Junior rangerprograms, a wildlife safari and birding walks provedto be the most popular with visitors.We've had a great year for Custom Adventures,providing one- to three-day specialized educationalprograms for individuals, families, friends and variousorganizations to connect with the park. We didbirding trips for Europeans, Half Dome backpacks forMidwesterners, a history tour for the St. Louis ScienceCenter, a park overview for science teachers from Koreaand numerous personal excursions for couples andfamilies from all over . We hope to continue expandingthese programs to reach more park visitors with highquality,in-depth natural and cultural history experiences.We are very excited about next fall's YA excursionto explore our two sister parks in China . These WorldHeritage Sites compare with Yosemite for scenery,wildlife, waterfalls and mountain peaks, but withastounding differences . If you're interested in a uniquetravel program focused on hiking, nature and meetingChinese park rangers in Jiuzhaiguo and Huangshan, havea look at the information on our website and make plansto join us next October.Our field courses have slowed down for the season,but our classroom is dynamic and beautiful every dayand YA is pleased to host field seminars twelve monthsa year. "Woodpeckers : the Quest for Eleven " gets us outinto the field in early December to seek the inordinateYosemite diversity of this guild. When the leaves are offthe trees and migrant species have gotten out of the way,a day focused on just this one group of birds offers goodvalue to both veteran and beginning birders . Starting inJanuary we 've got winter photography, some fine snowshoeadventures, and a unique chance to assist the park'sWilderness crew with a snow survey. You'll find our wintercourses outlined in the Outdoor Adventures catalogin the center of this journal . If you look at the seminarschedule on our website, www.yosemite.org/seminars,you'll see everything in the printed catalog described inmore detail.Yosemite has something to teach you ; we're happy tofacilitate your "higher education ."18 YOSEMITE ASSOCIATION, FALL 2007InternsNine students from UC Merced spent their summer inthe park doing interpretive programs, roving on bearwatch and patrolling wilderness trails . Helping to protectpark resources and contribute to visitor experiencesstrengthened these students' skills in public speaking,technology, resource management, search and rescue,wildlife biology and many other park functions . All hadtheir eyes opened to the important work of public landstewardship, and we hope they'll remain connected toYosemite through college and into their careers . They hadterrific examples to follow in the form of three of ourprevious interns, who worked as NPS seasonal employeesthis past summer.Yosemite Art & Education CenterLocated at the quiet end of Yosemite Village, but closestto the day use parking area, this facility has provided uswith a good, long season . Gretchen Mominee coordinatedinstruction from different artists each week, via free publicart classes that have been uniformly well-received . The"Meet Yosemite" interpretive programs were based hereand helped spread the word about YA 's many contributionsto the park. For the first time in the Center 's history,it will open on weekends for art supply sales throughmuch of the winter, and run weekend naturalist programsfor visitors during snow season . If you haven't stopped atthe Center yet, we hope you'll swing by.YOSEMITE ASSOCIATIONPARTNERS WITH LEAVENO TRACETo support the National ParkService in promoting sensitive useof Yosemite's popular wildernessand frontcountry, we 've joined withthe nonprofit Leave No Trace, Inc. to help spreadthe word about the practices and philosophy oftraveling gently on the land . Look in our bookstoresfor literature that addresses LNT issues.The seven principles of LNT are:•Plan ahead and prepare;•Travel and camp on durable surfaces;• Properly dispose ofwaste;•Leave what you find;•Minimize fire impacts;•Respect wildlife;• Be considerate of other visitors.