DATE AND TIME:
Saturday, September 20: 9am-4pm with optional evening activities
Sunday, September 21: 7am-2pm
Group Campground available for check-in as of Friday September 19 at 2:30 pm.
LOCATION: Pearrygin Lake State Park: 625 Bear Creek Rd, Winthrop, WA 98862
A NOTE FROM THE PROGRAM TEAM:
Thank you for registering for Methow Valley Bird Language. We are excited to meet you! This page contains information that you will need to prepare for this program. Please read it carefully.
If you have any questions regarding your registration, please contact Wilderness Awareness School at (425) 788-1301 or [email protected]; our office hours are 8:00am,-4:00pm, Monday through Friday.
If you have any questions about registration, refunds, or transfers, please visit our Cancellation and Transfer Policy.
Sincerely,
Heather Durham
Lead Instructor
Shivani Gogna
Program Manager
WHAT TO EXPECT:
We will be diving deeply into the world of bird language during our time together. In keeping with the experiential learning style of Wilderness Awareness School, expect a fun and engaging mix of active embodiment, storytelling, group sharing, and sensory awareness exercises interspersed with the more formal bird sit, mapping, and focused bird wanders.
We will spend the weekend outside regardless of the weather. When you leave your car/campsite, please bring all the food and gear you need to be out the entire day. Be prepared to dress in layers so that you can adjust easily (see attached gear list).
We strive to balance theory with hands-on practice in a safe learning environment. We ask you to turn off your electronic devices in class and to only access it for essential needs.
FACILITIES:
We will spend the weekend at the secluded group campground and area trails of 1,186-acre Pearrygin Lake State Park outside Winthrop, Washington. Potable water and a pit toilet is available at our campsite, however there is no electricity. Flush toilets and showers may be accessed in the main campground about a half mile from our site. Our camping area accommodates tents only, a short walk in from the parking area, so will not accommodate vehicle camping or RVs. Those with RVs or wanting to extend their stay on either end can find park reservations information here. Those wanting to make other lodging arrangements in the area, such as in the nearby town of Winthrop, are welcome to do so.
Meeting Location: Group Camp #1. There is limited parking available at our campsite, so please carpool if possible. If you might be interested in carpooling from the Snoqualmie Valley, email lead instructor Heather at [email protected] with where you will be coming from and your preferred timing, and she can help you connect with others. Once we fill the small parking lot at our site, additional vehicles will need to park in overflow parking about ¾ mile away in the main campground (though you may drive in to drop off gear).
FOOD:
Food is not provided for this course. There will not be an opportunity to leave the program site midday to buy lunch, so make sure to bring packable lunches and snacks for our class days, as well as breakfast and dinner food. There is a BBQ/ fire pit at the campground that may potentially be used for cooking morning and evening meals, however, fire bans are common in the region so best not to count on it.
WHAT TO PACK:
Please bring the following items. This list is designed with your comfort and safety in mind and takes into account the variable weather possibilities during winter in Western Washington.
REQUIRED GEAR FOR CLASS DAYS
- Notebook and pen/pencil (rite in the rain paper recommended)
- Two full 1-liter water bottles or equivalent
- Lunch and snacks
- Daypack to carry gear
- Clothing that can be worn outside, get dirty, etc. appropriate to the weather.
- Appropriate footwear (closed-toe preferred)
OPTIONAL GEAR
- Wristwatch (We will be keeping track of time during our bird sits and having a watch can be helpful)
- Crazy Creek/Camp Chair/Sit Pad for campground and bird sits
- Binoculars
- Bird field guides of your choice. We will have some to lend, but the more the merrier!
OVERNIGHT GEAR
- Food and cookware for the weekend (including packable lunch food, containers for lunches, snacks, stove, cookware, cooler, etc.)
- Tent w/rain fly and ground tarp
- Sleeping bag and pad (w/temperature rating appropriate for season)
- Toiletries and personal medications
- Flashlight or headlamp