Education Programs - Touch the Earth - Programs - Division of Recreational Services

Moonlight Ski & S'Mores

Date: Friday, February 22, 2008
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: Macbride Nature Recreation Area
Cost: FREE and open to the public

Enjoy a romantic evening with your hunny or a fun filled night out with friends cross-country skiing or snowshoeing on the trails at night at Macbride Nature Recreation Area. We will have the park open late for this evening activity. Have fun cross-country skiing or showshoeing through the forest and the cozy up next to a campfire, enjoying s'mores and hot chocolate.

No snow?!?! Well we are in Iowa, known for unpredictable weather. Don't fret, if we do not have enough snow, the even will go on and we will have a night hike instead.

Need equipment? Don't forget to rent a pair of skis or snowshoes at the Outdoor Rental Center ahead of time.

Adventure Trip Slideshow Presentation

Date: April 10, 2008
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Outdoor Rental Center
Cost: FREE and open to the public

Come see pictures from Rock Climbing the Red River Gorge in Kentucky; Winter Adventures in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons National Park; Sea Kayaking in Florida; a multi-sport trip to Moab, Utah; Sea Kayaking the Apostle Islands; and Climbing Mount Harvard in the Collegiate Peaks of Colorado.

WMI Wilderness First Responder RECERT

Dates: May 16-18, 2008
Location: Macbride Nature Recreation Area (Solon, IA)
Cost: $225 for early registration (by Friday, March 14 at 7:00 PM) or $250 for late registration
Space Limited To: 30 participants

This 3 day Wilderness First Responder (WFR) re-certification course is offered through Touch The Earth and taught by Wilderness Medical Institution (WMI). This course is fast-paced and engaging, designed for people who have complete the 10 day WFR course but need to refresh their skills and renew their certification. You'll spend time reviewing critical skills in the classroom as well as doing hands-on training and realistic scenarios in the outdoors. WMI's curriculum encompasses a wide range of topics including long-term patient care, wound management, straightening angulated fractures, reducing dislocations, litter packaging and administering medications. Heartsaver Adult CPR is included.

This course will take place May 16-18 at Macbride Nature Recreation Area in Solon, Iowa. Free camping is available at MNRA.

Registration

Deadline for early registration is Friday, March 14th, 2008 at 7 PM
Advanced registration is accepted, 1/2 of the course cost is due as a deposit to reserve a place at the time of registration
Deposit is non-refundable
Registration takes place at the Outdoor Rental Center. Participants may also register by phone or US mail.

Contact Dave Patton 319-384-1223 for additional information.

WMI Wilderness First Responder Course

Dates: May 20 - 29, 2008
Location: Macbride Nature Recreation Area (Solon, IA)
Cost: $550 for early registration or $595 for late registration
Space Limited To: 30 participants

This 10 day Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course is offered through Touch The Earth and taught by Wilderness Medical Institution (WMI). This course is essential for anyone who spends significant time in remote places or who has a professional career in the outdoors, the WFR course will prepare you to make difficult medical decisions. This course is fast-paced and engaging. You'll spend half your time outside of the classroom doing hands-on skills and realistic scenarios. WMI's curriculum encompasses a wide range of topics including long-term patient care, wound management, straightening angulated fractures, reducing dislocations, litter packaging and administering medications. Heartsaver Adult CPR is included.

This course will take place at Macbride Nature Recreation Area in Solon, Iowa . Free camping is available at MNRA.

Registration

Deadline for early registration is Friday, March 14th, 2008 at 7 PM
Advanced registration is accepted, 1/2 of the course cost is due as a deposit to reserve a place at the time of registration
Deposit is non-refundable
Registration takes place at the Outdoor Rental Center. Participants may also register by phone or US mail.

Contact Dave Patton 319-384-1223 for additional information.

Tandem Bike Clinic

Date: Friday, June 20, 2008
Time:
Location: Outdoor Rental Center (Located on Prairie Meadow Drive)
Cost: $25 per couple
Space Limited To: 5 Couples

Learn the basics on how to ride with ease and comfort on a bicycle built for two. The clinic will include an instructional session about the tandem bike, practice session on the bike and a bike ride to a local ice cream shop.

The clinic cost is $25 per couple. This includes the tandem bike and helmet rentals.

Registration

Deadline is 7:00 pm on Friday, June 13, 2008.
The full cost is due at registration.
The registration cost is non-refundable.
Register at the Outdoor Rental Center.

Past Programs

Preserving the Utah Canyonlands
Presentation

Clayton Daughenbaugh, the Midwest Field Organizer for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, spoke about Canyonlands National Park and the groups efforts to preserve this pristine area. More information available at www.suwa.org.

K2: The World's Hardest Mountain
Presentation

K2, the world's second tallest mountain, claims one life for every four people that trespass on the summit. Chris Warner, the leader of the 2007 Shared Summits K2 Expedition recounted the teams experience as well as gave a sneak peak of footage his team filmed during the 3 month adventure for an upcoming special on NBC. For more information about the expedition, visit Shared Summits. This is defenitely a presentation you don't want to miss!

Tandem Bike Clinic

Participants learned the basics on how to ride with ease and comfort on a bicycle built for two. The clinic included an instructional session about the tandem bike, a practice session on the bike and a bike ride on the nearby Coralville bike trail.

Cross Country Ski Waxing and Maintenance Clinic

Participants learned about the art of waxing cross-country skis. Ttopics included wax types for specific temperatures and a demonstration of proper waxing technique.