BogusSnowSchool - About the Bogus Basin SnowSchool Program

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Why SnowSchool?

SnowSchool Sponsors

REI has generously supported the national SnowSchool program with a recent contribution to support the Bogus Basin SnowSchool and start another at Snoqualmie Pass in Washington state. We thank REI for their invaluable partnership.

Trailbreaking Partners $5,000

Atlas Snow Shoe Company

The only thing more demanding than winter weather is the group of snow fanatics that we’re happy to call our customers and partners, like the dedicated folks at the SnowSchool and Winter Wildlands Alliance. When snow falls, you won’t find them retreating to the fireside; you’ll see them heading for winter trails, snowy jogs and rugged peaks. To get there, they need dependable snowshoes that are easy to use, comfortable to hike with, and durable enough to stand up to anything along the way.

Atlas snowshoes are available at sporting goods and outdoor retailers world-wide. For more information about Atlas Snow-Shoe Company, please visit http://www.atlassnowshoe.com

Touring Partners $2,500

Mountain Safety Research ®

At MSR (Mountain Safety Research ®), we understand the draw of the outdoors and the lessons nature can teach us, about ourselves and the world at large. That's why we are proud to support the Winter Wildlands Alliance SnowSchool and help protect public lands and wilderness areas for recreational use while introducing the wonders of winter outdoor recreation to our youth. MSR snowshoes are subsidized for SnowSchool sites throughout the country.

MSR snowshoes are available worldwide at general sporting goods and specialty outdoor retailers. For more information about MSR, visit http://www.msrgear.com or call 800.531.9531.

SnowSchool at Bogus Basin began....

back in the winter of 2005 as a collaborative effort between the Bogus Basin Nordic Center, the Boise National Forest and the Winter Wildlands Alliance. The three organizations teamed up to design and implement a snowshoeing field trip program where elementary school kids could experience the wonders of the winter landscape and learn a few things about science and ecology along the way.

SnowSchool is actually a national program run by the Winter Wildlands Alliance that operates at 35 independent sites across the Snowbelt. WWA teams up with local nonprofits, ski areas, nature centers and national parks to get kids out to explore the winter on their own two feet.

Employees from the Boise National Forest had led snowshoe outings at the Frontier Point Nordic Center for years and this partnership created the foundation for what was to soon grow into a formal winter field trip program. The SnowSchool field trip leaders are a group of dedicated volunteers who have a passion for human-powered winter recreation and an interest in ecology.

The Bogus Basin Nordic Center is the perfect home for the SnowSchool program since it was intended from the onset to be an educational facility. The surrounding forest terrain and extensive trail network, with its gorgeous views of the Treasure Valley and the Seven Devils range in the distance, provides an incredible landscape for kids to explore on foot.

SnowSchool is open to 4th through 6th grade youth groups during the months of January, February and March. The program operates Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2:00pm. Groups of up to 45 kids can be accomodated thanks to a generous $5,000 grant from the local REI that allowed the purchase of MSR and Atlas snowshoes.