Field Experience: Silverton, Colorado - Course Synopsis
What: A four credit
hour, week long field course in Silverton, Colorado taught by two
UCCS geographers, Dr. Skop, a cultural geographer, and Dr. Vogt, a physical
geographer. The course is offered for undergraduate or
graduate credit.
When: Winter Interim
Where: Silverton, Colorado (population ~500; elevation 9,318
ft.)
Transportation: On a Monday morning in
January at 8:00 a.m., the group
departs Colorado Springs in 4x4 rental vehicles. After stopping briefly in Gunnison for
lunch, the group continues towards Silverton via Blue Lake Reservoir, Montrose, Ridgway, Ouray, and
Highway 550's notorious Red Mountain Pass. The group departs Silverton Sunday morning
immediately after
breakfast for a late afternoon return to Colorado Springs.
Meals: Breakfasts and dinners are
catered by Elevated
Fine Foods and are served in the dining area of the Avon
Hotel, an historic property in Silverton. Lunches can be
cooked in the hotel or purchased from one of a handful of restaurants
that remain open during the winter.
Lodging: Lodging is provided by the Mountain Studies Institute
(MSI) in the Avon Hotel. Linens are not provided at the Avon, so participants
must bring a sleeping
bag, bottom sheet, and a towel. Lodging fees, which are typically $15 - $20 per
night, are not included in registration.
Costs: In addition to UCCS registration fees, the trip
costs
approximately $400 out-of-pocket. This estimate includes accommodations, food,
gas,
and snowshoe or cross-country ski rental.
Physical Requirements: The trip
involves extensive walking in/around town, snowshoeing along gentle terrain, and shoveling snow for brief periods. Participants must be
able to exert themselves at high altitudes (11,000 to 12,000 ft.) in cold to very cold winter conditions (Winter 2008's trip included a night at -28 degrees Fahrenheit
with highs typically in the single digits to teens).
Learning Objectives:
1) Instill fundamental understanding of physical mountain environments and processes
2) Introduce deeper appreciation of mountain town culture and life
3) Develop field observation and interpretation skills
Format: During the course of a week, the group
discovers Silverton’s cultural and physical landscape through
guest speakers, a scavenger hunt through town, interacting with
locals, and reading instructor-provided research articles, book
chapters, newspaper articles, and various reports. At the beginning
of the week, participants are provided with a set of overarching, central
questions related to
Silverton. Students pick one question from the set that
matches their interests. The questions range in focus from
cultural to human-environment to physical. Each day begins
with breakfast at
7:45 a.m. followed by field activities until 5:00 p.m. At
6:45 p.m., participants gather for dinner, which is typically followed by a guest speaker.
Students
are expected to spend one or two hours each day writing daily observations in
a field book (provided). The final day of the week is reserved for students to write a comprehensive essay
that addresses the question pondered throughout the week. On
the final evening of the trip, students orally present answers to
their question to the group, invited guests, and the instructors.
Interested?
To register, all students must obtain course registration number from Brandon
Vogt or Emily Skop. Contact us!
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