Libby Hostel Base Camp in Libby, Mont., will be sponsoring a unique winter ecology outdoor education program on Saturday, Feb. 8 beginning at 9 a.m. Mountain Time.

The class will meet at the Venture Inn, 1015 W. Ninth Street, Highway 2, in Libby, and begin with a short lecture on winter adaptations and survival techniques of mammals, birds, and coniferous trees and shrubs. The group will also discuss the art of tracking, scatology, and sign interpretation, with some focus on Canadian lynx, White-tailed Ptarmigan, Rocky Mountain elk, Long tailed weasel, Boreal owls, and Wolverine. Participants will then head to the field to examine several sites and habitats.

Please come prepared for the day with proper layers, water, lunch, winter boots, snowshoes (may not need for all sites), ski or hiking poles, hats, gloves, binoculars, cameras, and sense of humor. We will visit private land locations, roadside stop and hops, birding viewpoints, riverside habitats, and undertake a few very short hikes of less than 1.5 miles round trip. Wrap up around 3 pm Mountain Time.

Accommodations may be found at libbyhostelbasecampairbnb.com; the Venture Inn at: VentureInnLibby.com or 406-293-7711; or the Country Inn at montanacountryinn.com or 406-293-2092. In each case, mention that you are taking this class, and get a discount on your room.

The instructor has college education in both forestry and wildlife management, and over four decades of experience including wildlife research projects studying Canadian lynx, Wolverine, Fisher, Pine Marten, Boreal owls, and Northern Goshawks, among others. There is a $50 per person fee for this class, payable to Libby Hostel Base Camp.

There are limited spots available.

Information: Brian at: b_baxter53@yahoo.com him at 406-291-2154