South Lake Tahoe, CA…The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is pleased to announce the return of the popular Winter Trek Conservation Education Program at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Winter Trek is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, and will continue through Wednesday, March 30, weather permitting. Field trips are approximately three hours long and will be offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning at 10 a.m. Reservations are required.

Led by Forest Service rangers and community volunteers, the Winter Trek program offers fifth graders an outdoor winter ecology learning experience that takes place at 9,100 feet via the gondola at Heavenly Mountain Resort. The program includes a physical education snowshoeing adventure, while learning about water conservation, land stewardship, and fire and forest ecology of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we want to ensure that the safety of all participants remains our top priority. Therefore, we will require all participants to wear a mask when indoors and to practice social distancing. Additionally, all schools must continue to follow their school district’s COVID-19 policies and guidelines.

All Forest Service volunteers are either fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or required to provide a weekly negative COVID-19 test to participate in the program and must follow all COVID-19 safety protocols including wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.

Winter Trek is a cooperative effort between the Forest Service, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Great Basin Institute, and the Lake Tahoe Visitor Authority’s Explore Tahoe Visitor Center.

For more information or to reserve a spot, contact Elisa Escobar at elisa.escobar@usda.gov. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis and can fill up quickly. Visit go.usa.gov/xtRfn to download forms and materials.

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