Outdoor Skills For Everyone - Another Perspective

It's a gusty, snowy morning here at FortWhyte Alive.

The conditions are very similar to those last Wednesday evening, when we ran an Outdoor Skills For Everyone session on essential gear, outdoor trip planning, and general, all-season outdoor safety.

With an eager group who braved wintery roads, I demonstrated a basic all-weather survival kit, discussed minimizing risks in outdoor activity, and then put some of our theory into practice - the group moved outside of the Interpretive Centre, and we built a quick "unplanned-overnight" shelter in the snow.

One of my guests was Jacquie Crone, a writer for Unexpected Manitoba, a Manitoba tourism and travel blog.  Check out her latest post for a participant's perspective on the session! Jacquie was also kind enough to let me use the photo attached to this post.

FortWhyte Alive is offering more Outdoor Skills For Everyone on Thursday evenings in January, February, and March.  A big thanks to those who've come out for the sessions already - and a big "come on down!" invite to everyone out there who'd like to build their skills for playing or working outside!

Bundle up and have fun, everyone!

-Barret

 

TIMBERRRRRRR!!!!

SATURDAY, NOV. 27th - Sawdust flew, snowdrifts shattered, and 9 participants got their chop on as the first ever TIMBERRR! Lumberjack Challenge at FortWhyte Alive went into the books.

The nine hardy racers ran a 2 mile course, laden with logs.  Along the way, they identified trees, worked the saw, chopped kindling, living the adventurous life an early-20th century lumberjack - if only for 45 minutes.

Weather conditions were perfect for the event.  The course volunteers (Thank-you Axeman Jack and Sawmill Gord!) were as excited as the racers.

TIMBERRR!!! was the first in a series of similar events happening at FortWhyte Alive before next summer.  the next event - the Second Annual Spears and 'Shoes Atlatl/Snowshoe Biathlon, set for 1pm on February 19th, 2011.

Thank-you to all the participants and spectators who came out on Saturday - and keep looking here for more details on Spears and 'Shoes 2011!

-Barret

Awesome Program!

Yesterday evening, I had my first outdoor program since the snow fell on FortWhyte Alive.  A combination of vacation and a conference had kept me off the trail since the beginning of November...I was starting to get antsy!

The program: an outdoor skills session with staff and interns at FortWhyte Farms.  For readers who don't know, FortWhyte Farm interns are youth at risk, from inner-city Winnipeg, who come and learn agriculture, business, and life skills while working on the farm.

I ran through a basic outdoor equipment kit, and after an explanation of how fires work, and campfire safety, we went outside.  The group was able to get a beautifully small but warm fire going with only one match.  I was incredibly proud...the youth built a skill, I was able to work alongside my Farm colleagues to deliver a good evening, and seeing it come together left me glowing almost as much as the little campfire!