Libby students enjoy Scotchman Peak's Winter Tracks program
Annie Gassman shows Libby Elementary School students a cast of a grizzly bear track Friday morning at the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness event at J. Neils Memorial County Park. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Loretta Hoots shows Libby Elementary School students a bowl made from elk hide Friday morning at the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness event at J. Neils Memorial County Park. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
April Rainey talks about forest ecology with Libby Elementary School students Friday morning at the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness event at J. Neils Memorial County Park. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Keith Meyers helps Libby Elementary School students prepare snacks Friday morning at the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness event at J. Neils Memorial County Park. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Dusty Deans shows Libby Elementary School students a cast of a grizzly bear track Friday morning at the Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness event at J. Neils Memorial County Park. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Libby Elementary School student Jaxon Smith shows off the popcorn he made over an open fire at the Winter Tracks event on Friday, Feb. 10. (Photo courtesy Jessica Thoeny)
Libby Elementary School fifth-grade students enjoy the Winter Tracks event on Friday, Feb. 10. (Photo courtesy Jessica Thoeny)
Fifth-grade students in Wendy Berry's and Jessica Thoeny's classes enjoyed a fun-filled day at the Winter Tracks event on Feb. 10. (Photo courtesy Jessica Thoeny)
The Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness hosted one of its Winter Tracks outdoor education programs at J. Neils Memorial Park in Libby and local elementary school students enjoyed themselves thoroughly.
Friends of Scotchman Peaks (FSPW) had events in Bonner County, Idaho, and Thompson Falls, Montana, before coming to Libby.
Libby Elementary School fifth-grade students and their teachers Jessica Thoeny and Wendy Berry had the pleasure of a morning outside of school where everyone learned about Native American culture, bears, outdoor cooking and tree identification.
Libby resident Brooke Bolin, who is the Montana Outreach Coordinator for Friends, said the non-profit group has held its Winter Tracks for about six years.
“It’s part of our community engagement work throughout the region,” Bolin said.
The event is typically held at the Timberlane Campground, but a less than certain weather forecast and other factors led to the change of venue.
“J. Neils is a great place to hold this event because it’s easier for the school bus to get to and if the weather is inclement, we have pavilions to use, but today we really had great weather for it,” Bolin said.
Loretta Hoots, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes who previously lived in Libby and is now in Lakeside, showed many Native American creations while teaching about tribal history and customs.
One of them was a bowl made of elk hide, which serves many purposes. She also displayed arrow quivers from Kootenai and Blackfeet tribes. A miniature travois taught the kids how tribe members carried their possessions when they moved from one area to another.
“It was common for tribes to move around to find better hunting grounds,” she said.
Annie Gassman and Dusty Deans taught the students about the differences between grizzly and black bears. The kids also had the chance to spray an inert bear spray canister.
A mold of a massive grizzly track drew “oohs” and “ahhs” from many onlookers.
April Rainey, a forester with the U.S. Forest Service, taught forest ecology while Spring Up Libby and Unite for Youth’s Maggie Anderson taught tree identification.
The kids also had some fun engaging in snowshoe races before stopping at the snack station where Keith Meyers and Susan James prepared hot tea and cocoa. A blazing fire also helped ward off the cold as well as provide heat for making popcorn, S’mores and little smokies sausage.
