This past week students from the Bay School came to the Clair Tappaan Lodge on Donner Summit to create original research projects around snow science in the Sierra Mountains. This trip not only kicked off their field intensive course on California ecology but also gave the students hands-on experience studying the source of over half the state’s drinking water. In between collecting data for their research projects, students also had fun sledding and learning to cross country ski on the trails around the lodge.
“My favorite part about this trip was the group activities such as snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and sledding down hills. The organized group activities were really fun and nice. I also loved the freedom of choosing your own project and going on experiments walks without adults. Thank you!” – Phoebe
Here are a few highlights from the groups’ research projects:
- Two research teams investigated amounts of particulate matter in the snow to better understand how human activity can affect snow albedo and melt rates. They found that snow with higher levels of particulate matter was warmer and denser.
- A group of students interested in the bright green poisonous Wolf Lichen surveyed the different types of trees in the area to find out which tree species offered the best lichen habitat. They found that Red Fir trees had the highest amounts of Wolf Lichen, likely due to it’s heavily crevassed bark.
- Another set of research teams focused on how the snowpack changes with altitude as snowfall in the Sierra is often dependent on elevation. They covered lots of ground to see how snow temperature and density changed with elevation around Donner Summit. They found snow at lower elevations was warmer, denser, and shallower in depth.
Headwaters team of scientists had a great time with this group in the snow and was especially impressed by the caliber of their presentations at the end of the trip. You can check out all of the groups’ presentations here. In addition to learning about the role snow plays in the California water cycle, students also gained valuable presentation skills and got to experience first hand what field-based science involves. Based on their survey data several of these students developed a greater interest in the sciences. Between pre and post-program surveys, the percentage of students who reported being interested in a science-related career increased by 25%.
A special thank you goes out to Tahoe Donner XC for donating rental snow shoes and the Auburn Ski Club for donating rental skis for the student to explore with during this trip.
