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Much of your time will be spent outdoors and all programs are held snow or shine. Participants should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions, and freezing temperatures. Appropriate clothing, equipment, and footwear are very important. Temperatures can range from below zero in the mornings to 35 degrees Fahrenheit in the early afternoons. The layered use of garments for protection against the wind, sun, and temperature extremes should guide your clothing choices. Loose fitting layers allow you to maintain a comfortable and dry body as outside temperatures change and as your own body’s temperature and moisture output changes with different levels of exertion.
Clothing:
- Insulating Underwear. Capilene, silk, polypropylene, or similar. Should have ability to wick moisture away from the body.
- Midweight Insulating Layer. A light 200-weight synthetic fleece or wool shirt/pullover.
- Heavyweight Insulating Layer. Can be wool, down, heavy-weight fleece, or other synthetic fabric. A heavy winter coat with a water resistant shell will suffice for less active courses.
- Waterproof and Windproof Outer Layer. Should be breathable if possible. Both jacket and pants are recommended.
- Pants. Wool or fleece pants or tights. Absolutely NO cotton.
- Hat. Insulated hat that covers your ears.
- Gloves. Lightweight glove liners, and a pair of heavy wool/fleece gloves or mittens. A water and windproof outer layer is recommended.
- Synthetic or wool neck warmer or neck gaiter.
- Socks. A lightweight liner with heavyweight synthetic or wool socks.
- Gaiters. Knee-high ones to keep the snow out of your boots and to keep your socks and pants dry.
- Insulated Boots. Must have water repellent layers outside, thick insulation inside, and be large enough to fit over thick socks. (Tight boots are the surest way to get painfully cold feet.) General hiking boots will not provide adequate insulation in most cases.
Equipment
- Daypack. With enough capacity to carry extra clothes, water, lunch, camera, binoculars, field guides, etc.
- Water bottle. One quart/liter is the minimum recommended. Camelback or similar hydration systems can freeze in the winter.
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen/Lip Protector. Sun at high altitude can burn unprotected skin quickly.
- Camera, binoculars.
- Notebook/Pencil.
- Pocket Hand and Foot Warmers.
For participants who are staying in the Institute cabins at Lamar
Cabin Sleeping Area
- Sleeping bag
- Pillow
- An extra blanket may come in handy
- Non-electric alarm clock
- Flashlight
Bathroom facilities
- Towel and washcloth
- Toiletries
- Personal First Aid Kit. You may want to bring moleskin or second skin, Band-Aids, medications you require, or pain reliever.
Bunkhouse/Classroom
- Off-duty shoes. Slippers or moccasins for the Lamar Valley Buffalo Ranch. Other comfortable footwear to wear inside and out when not in the field.
Cabins have lights for reading and are heated early in the season as necessary, but there are no outlets for appliances. Cabins contain either two or three beds. Participants may be sharing cabins with other participants. There is also a heated bathhouse with showers and restrooms. Nearby, the main building or bunkhouse, has rest rooms, a fully equipped kitchen and two classrooms.
The kitchen is equipped with two gas stoves, a microwave, toaster, and three refrigerators. Basic cooking and eating utensils (plates, silverware, etc.) are provided. Since space is limited and participants share the cooking facilities, we ask that meals be kept fairly simple. Since we have several students at the facility at a time, refrigerator space is always a premium and we ask that you keep that in mind when you plan your stay. For example, using smaller containers of milk and keeping only a few cans of beverage in the fridge at a time, rather than a six pack, can make all the difference when we have two classes going on at the Institute at the same time. We also have very limited space for coolers to be stored in the kitchen area, so plan your refrigerator food carefully. When you leave, we ask that you be sure to take any leftover food with you or check with the Institute personnel to see if it can be left as community food and labeled as such.
What you don't need to bring
Salt and pepper, dish soap, dish towel, hand soap, regular coffee, sugar, creamer, and basic cooking and eating utensils.
Things you shouldn't bring to Lamar
Because of the isolated locale, the back-to-basics life style, the lack of electrical outlets in cabins, and the ambience of the park environment, the following items are impractical or inappropriate: tape players, radios, TV's, or other electrical appliances such as crock pots, pancake griddles, or hair dryers (our only source of power is a generator).
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