As our fall season comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the successful year we’ve had and looking ahead to 2027. We’ve served over 1,400 youth and 20 schools from five different counties! We would not have been able to do that without generous grants, robust partnerships, and support from our community. In the spring, we will continue our field trips and host even more Outdoor School programs than 2026.
Read on to hear about our fall adventures, our continued field trip successes, and how YOU can help us prepare for winter.
Falling for Outdoor School
Outdoor School in the fall is special. Students get the chance to bond on a deeper level with each other at the start of the school year, new students get to know their classmates, new teachers get to bond with their students, and everyone gets less mosquito bites. Most importantly, unlike spring and summer, it’s actually dark after dinner, which created opportunities for phenomenal campfires this year.
This season, we got to try out our new waders and underwater viewers thanks to a grant from the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. The waders were a huge hit, making macroinvertebrate surveys the favorite lesson of the season. These allowed us to find a lot more macroinvertebrates (water bugs) than we typically do. Macroinvertebrates are indicators of river health, because many of them cannot survive polluted water. Students also had the opportunity to get their feet wet and measure water quality through nitrate, pH, and dissolved oxygen tests.
One highlight of fall Outdoor School were the campfires. With early sunsets and dark skies come campfires that feel extra cozy. Our director, Kevin, shared the Klamath Tribes origin story of Crater Lake, we played Poison Dart Frog (a camper favorite), and sang many camp songs. Some campers shared songs we hadn’t heard before, which we may add in the spring. It was incredible to see the stars over camp and do night hikes.
We were sad to see the campers go, but feel confident their schools will return in the future, based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received from campers and staff alike.
Gearing up for Giving Tuesday
Each year, Giving Tuesday reminds us that the holiday season isn’t just about getting presents and eating copious amounts of food, but also about giving back to our communities.
This Giving Tuesday we will be focused on fundraising for the materials to complete a small yurt for teachers, instructors, on-site volunteers, or students that require privacy. Grant funds allowed us to purchase a yurt kit, but in order to assemble it, we must first build a platform. We cannot afford to have a contractor build it for us, but even figuring volunteer labor, materials are expensive. Our goal is to raise $20,000 for materials, design, and permits.
So far, we’ve already raised $2,000!
Getting Out and About with Field Trips
This season, we ran our Eco Investigators series and Geology Rocks series, as well as single visits to Tulelake Wildlife Refuge. Some schools have been coming on these field trips for years, so it was good to see familiar teachers and students. Notably, our board Vice President, Jeff Sparks, was able to bring his 4th graders out for Geology Rocks.
“Students enjoyed their time at the Tulelake NWR. The instructors were engaging, and the activities were both fun and educational. And the weather was perfect! We are looking forward to our next trip with KOSS,” says Jeff.
One of our favorite parts of Geology Rocks is getting the opportunity to open up geodes. Our series heavily focuses on igneous rocks, so what better way to get students excited about geology than giving them their own geode to crack into? We also love that we were able to bring students to the Lava Beds National Monument. It’s important for local youth to learn about the Modoc War and how the Modoc are still living here today, on top of learning about the incredible volcanic legacy Medicine Lake shield volcano has left behind. And of course, students love getting the opportunity to explore caves and inspiration to come back with their families to explore further. The staff at the Lava Beds have been great with us and even provided a virtual cave tour to a student who uses a wheelchair who couldn’t access the caves.
Our Eco Investigators series is also special to us. We’re a forestry-focused organization, since our camp is on State Forest land. Students explore Moore Park beyond the playground and measure trees using real forestry instruments. They also learn quite a bit about birds and migration at the Tulelake Wildlife Refuge as part of our partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Three Cheers for Volunteers!
To date, volunteers have recorded 1,610 hours in service of KOSS! Volunteers are hugely important to the success of our organization from keeping our buildings in working order, creating defensible space, and this fall all of the meals at our overnight programs were made with volunteer hands. We truly appreciate the time and dedication our volunteers have put into KOSS throughout our organization’s history, but especially this past year. As we prepare for the end of the year, volunteers will be meeting at KOSS on November 7th to winterize camp.
If you would like to get involved, please contact our board president, Marj Glass, at marjorie.glass@klamathoutdoorschool.org or fill out our volunteer interest survey here.
Protecting the Mazama Newt
The first ever Mazama Newt Festival, ‘Fall for the Newt’, happened during the first weekend of October at Crater Lake. The Mazama Newt is a subspecies of the Rough Skinned Newt found West of the Cascades. This newt has a darker belly, no poison sacks, and is endemic to Crater Lake. Recently, crawfish have been threatening their existence by consuming the newts’ foodsource as well as young newts. The Oregon Zoo has created a Mazama Newt rearing program to raise young newts to life stages that can withstand the crawfish. Interns from SOU spent a semester researching this issue by doing field work at Crater Lake, mapping out where the newts live and viable locations for them to be repopulated.
Education Manager Mikaela and volunteers Ardie and Jesse held a booth at the festival. They ran the ever-popular mammal skull matching game, and passed out Crater Lake bingo cards and newt coloring pages that Mikaela created for the festival.
Organizers hope to make this an annual event to help raise awareness and funding for the newt rearing program. Long live the Mazama Newt!
Staff Spotlights!
We like to acknowledge how hard working and energetic our instructors and board members are. This issue we are recognizing Lizzie Hyde, a new instructor who has been rocking field trips and Outdoor School, and Megan Skinner, a board member who has been dedicating a great deal of energy toward sustaining KOSS.
Lizzie Hyde
Lizzie joined us this season and has been doing a great job! Her positive attitude and enthusiasm about outdoor education has made a great addition to our small team. We have enjoyed getting to know her and learn from her insights as a member of the Chiloquin community.
What do you enjoy most about working at KOSS?
A handful of students have told me that they have never been on a hike before doing one with us. I think Klamath Outdoor Science School does an excellent job of showing students: look, it is accessible, interesting, fun (and importantly free), to explore the public lands near you! You do not need special or expensive gear. You don’t even need to see a rare or charismatic species. There is plenty of wonder to be found by noticing the goofy honk of Canadian Geese, the intricate tunnels of a beetle gallery, the leisurely creep of the Woolly Bear caterpillar, or the surprising burst from a puffball mushroom. I love sharing these things with students– especially ones who might not otherwise have access.
Do you have a memorable outdoor school experience to share?
The whole experience is memorable. I am consistently impressed with the creativity and critical thinking students bring to open-ended questions about their natural surroundings.
“What do you notice about this tree? How do you think this tree arrived here? What animals might need this tree for their habitat? Why?” Students have such creative answers, and even when they’re not correct, it’s rewarding to hear them noodle through why a natural phenomenon is the way it is.
I’ve also learned so much from my coworkers here. From shark facts, mushroom hunting strategies, Crater Lake folklore, to mountaineering techniques, and beyond. It’s a wonderful group with a lot of heart and know-how. I definitely benefit from their interests alongside the students.
When you're not outside providing high quality outdoor education, where might we find you?
I co-founded a hiking club with my friends Kelsey King and Julia Lindquist, and it has brought me so much joy and purpose.
I enjoy reading–particularly fiction. Lately, I’ve been reading the Olive Kitteridge series by Elizabeth Strout, and I recently finished James by Percival Everett. I recommend both.
Megan Skinner
Megan has joined KOSS in the last year and has wasted no time getting involved. She has been helping us plan for summer camps, have efficient board meetings, and took the lead on writing a big grant that would help us build more character building into our camps.
What are you most excited about for the future of KOSS?
Attending, and later working at, an outdoor science school in Central Oregon was a life-changing experience that shaped who I am today. I also care deeply about the Klamath Basin, my home for over a decade. And as a professional scientist, I know how much it matters to be immersed in scientific thinking early in life.
That’s why I’m most excited about growing KOSS’s science school programs, which introduce kids to the wonders of camp, science, and this place I’m proud to call home. Camp builds character, science builds knowledge, and a deep connection to the outdoors builds the next generation of stewards for our land and planet. KOSS has a critical role to play!
Do you have a memorable outdoor experience to share?
I’m happiest outside and in the mountains, so you’ll likely find me trail running, mountain biking, backpacking, or backcountry skiing! I also love gardening and petting my cat, Joseph.In April 2024, I was descending Garfield Peak in Crater Lake National Park on a quiet solo backcountry ski when an adult black bear burst out of the shrubs and sprinted downhill, away from me. Once I was sure it was a safe distance away and not a threat, I pulled out my phone to film where it had come from. That’s when I noticed a wiggle behind a ponderosa: a bear cub! I quickly skied off to give mama and cub some space, pausing only to snap a photo of the cub posing perfectly against the tree. I rerouted my uphill route and skied a different section of Garfield for the rest of the day, for the safety of all three of us.
It was a magical day in the park, with beautiful light, great snow, the calm and quiet of late winter, and an amazing bear sighting. As I said at the time, it was “a beary exciting day!” I reported the sighting to park staff at the Steele Visitor Center before heading home.
When you're not in a board meeting discussing the future of KOSS, where might we find you?
I’m happiest outside and in the mountains, so you’ll likely find me trail running, mountain biking, backpacking, or backcountry skiing! I also love gardening and petting my cat, Joseph.
Catch Us in Klamath Living!
You may have seen our article on our new Survival Skills Camp in the previous newsletter. Well, Klamath Living Magazine liked it so much, they are including it in their November issue! They have also included us on their Who We Support page where they share these newsletters and information about other organizations in the basin.
Klamath Living shines a light on Klamath County and shares information that is important to the community. If you don’t already, consider becoming a sponsor of this free magazine! klamathliving.com/advertise/
Klamath Outdoor Science School (KOSS) is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization with a mission to inspire a deep appreciation for natural resources, community, and the arts through hands-on outdoor education.
