Day 2 of Winter Trek had us enjoying warming temperatures and delighting in all we, and the 5th graders, experienced at the top of Heavenly.

We learned the history of the Washoe and their early snowshoes.  While these native people migrated off the hill during the winter, freak snow storms would make these tools necessary.

Bears claw tree trunks to mark their territory.  This was evident on several of the pines we passed, while trekking.  It was like a treasure hunt for all of us, looking for animal evidence.

We saw a lot of American Marten tracks.  This weasel like mammal  is the size of a small domestic cat, but very slender. They are agile climbers and often hunt tree squirrels and birds in branches of trees. They are indicator species- watched to make certain they are doing well.  If the populace is healthy, it indicates that the forest is as well.  Based on all the tracks we saw, the Tahoe forest is doing well.