Winter is a special time of year during which we get to observe the patterns and habits of our animal neighbors as they hunt, breed, nest and struggle to meet the demands of winter.

Their tracks give us a better sense of who else shares a place like Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) and what they’ve been up to. Join HVNC for a class entitled “Animal Signs and Tracks in Winter” on Saturday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The class will be led by experienced tracker Meg Gilmartin. Meg started tracking seven winters ago, and since then has completed two in-depth courses in Yellowstone, a 9-month long tracking intensive, and logged countless hours in the woods alone and with friends. She has worked with various tracking clubs, school groups and adult education groups.

Meg will introduce participants to tracking with the help of field guides, drawings, and examples of animal feet, bones and more. Some portion of the class will be spent indoors, but most of the class will be out in the woods at HVNC as students familiarize themselves with descriptors for gait, stride pattern, track shape and other characteristics.

For more information about the class visit www.hvnc.org/registration. The cost of the class is $12 for HVNC members, and $15 for non-members. Participants should dress warmly, and bring a hot drink and lunch. Plan to meet Meg at HI-Hut, which is the small cabin 1/3 of a mile from the parking lot following the main service road.

For more information: wwww.hvnc.org, info@hvnc.org, or 207-200-8840.