Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center

Learning Adventures Outdoors

Come to Wolf Ridge, a nationally respected and accredited K-12 school and residential learning center, for memorable outdoor learning adventures. We offer activities and programs that focus on natural and cultural history, outdoor skills, team-building, and personal growth.

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You can now register on-line for Summer Camps, Explorer Trips, Family Vacation, and Family Canoe Trips, and Grandparent/Grandchild Exploritas (formerly Elderhostel) programs.

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Naturalist's Journal

March 2
Snow Melt Around Trees

Air temperatures have increased over the past few weeks causing snow to melt around the base of trees. The snow dips down around the trunk in an artistic circle forming a bowl like structure. This beautiful shape occurs because trees, dark in color, absorb more energy from sunlight than the surrounding white snow. They also absorb the sunlight reflected off the snow’s white surface. The tree radiates this heat into it’s roots and the surrounding snow, causing the snow to retreat. Keep an eye out as these bowl shapes become bigger and bigger!
-Karrin Pearson


- photo © Karrin Pearson

See past Naturalist Journal entries













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