Frequently Asked Questions
- I heard you have to take prep classes before you go to Montana. Is that true?
- I have no experience in Geology/Ecology. What courses do I need to take to be ready for this course?
- When will we be in Montana?
- What do I need to bring to Montana?
- Will we be camping and/or roughing it while we are there?
- How do I get to Montana?
- What is the food like?
- What is the workload for the course?
- I am not an MES student. Can I still take the course?
- What are the costs associated with this course?
- I am not a current Penn student but would like to attend this course. Can I attend?
I heard you have to take prep classes before you go to Montana. Is that true?
Yes. However, you can be anywhere that has a computer connected to the Internet to take the classes. The pre- and post- trip classes are all online via Blackboard. The pre-trip classes prepare you for the field portion of the course by familiarizing you with the basics of Geology and Ecology through the use of slide shows and short quizzes. Post-trip discussion boards are also online and are used to discuss results of projects and progress on final reports.
I have no experience in Geology/Ecology. What courses do I need to take to be ready for this course?
None. There are no pre-requisites for this course though some experience in Geology and/or Ecology is preferable. Pre-trip classes have been designed to prepare you for the trip by teaching you the basics of Geology and Ecology through the use of slide shows and short quizzes. Weekly chat sessions with the instructors prepare you for projects done in the field.
When will we be in Montana?
The dates for 2009 are: July 3-18, 2009
You should plan to arrive in Montana around mid-day on July 3rd and depart around mid-day on July 18th. Cabin space is limited at the camp and it is unlikely that we will be able to provide housing for you before or after the dates listed above. If your plane arrives a day early or departs a day later, you should make arrangements for a hotel in Billings.
Most students fly into Billings, Montana [we will provide ground transportation from the airport in Billings to the camp in Red Lodge], but some prefer to drive or take a bus. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from Billings or Red Lodge.
What do I need to bring to Montana?
First, the necessities:
- Sleeping bag
- Pillow
- Heavy field jacket
- Serious rain gear (no flimsy disposable types!)
- Broad-brim or baseball-type hat
- Flashlight
- Canteen or sturdy water bottle
- Pocket knife
- Heavy field boots (break in first)
- Underwear (a week's supply), including heavy socks for use with field boots
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Small back pack for lunch and day's specimens
- Spending money (ATMs are available, but widely spaced in Montana and Wyoming)
- Towel and face cloth
- Toilet articles
- 1 or 2 sport shirts/slacks
- Small first-aid kit
- Bug spray
- Bathing suit
- Field shorts
- Loose-fitting field pants with large pockets
- Long-sleeved light-weight field shirts
- Sweater
- Flannel shirt
- Waterproof field notebook
- 10x hand lens
- Geologic hammer (pick or chisel head, if you have one)
- Permanent-type waterproof black-ink pens (Do not use ball-point pens for field notes)
- Colored pencils, eraser, protractor and hand calculator with trig functions are useful, but not required
HIGHLY DESIRABLE TO BRING: Suggested in part by former students [Plan to buy only simple items in Red Lodge - it's a tourist town]
- Wrist watch
- Camera
- Field glasses (especially if you are a bird watcher, but also if you want to see some great mammals up close)
- White-out correction fluid
- Sneakers for volleyball, not field use
- Fishing rod
Will we be camping and/or roughing it while we are there?
The course is based at the Yellowstone-Bighorn Research Association (YBRA) Camp near Red Lodge, a small town in southwest Montana. Field courses from Southern Illinois University, Pennsylvania State University, and other institutions are resident at YBRA during the summer. The camp also accommodates faculty and graduate students conducting research nearby, and is the site of alumni gatherings from several colleges.
Lectures, labs, and informal discussion sessions are held in the large classroom buildings designed and constructed for those purposes. Recreational facilities at the camp are limited; there is a volleyball court, a ping pong table, and a horseshoe pitch, but the camp adjoins the Custer National Forest and offers unlimited opportunities for hiking, jogging, and other physical-fitness endeavors.
In addition to the Lodge, in which the lounge, dining room, and kitchen are located, the camp includes cabins and dorms scattered among the pines and aspen for as many as 80 faculty, students, and staff. Two modern bath house facilities are located adjacent to sleeping accommodations, which are rustic but comfortable.
Four days and three nights will be spent in Yellowstone National Park where students will stay either in rustic cabins similar to those at YBRA or tents depending on availability at the park. We will use sleeping bags, and indoor plumbing is available close to the cabins.
The course utilizes Roadside Geology and Ecology whenever possible, since we have limited time while in Montana. However, limited hiking will be required and we encourage all participants to get in shape and break in their boots prior to their arrival at camp.
How do I get to Montana?
BY AIR: The fastest (and most expensive) way to travel to Montana is by air.
Those travelling by air should fly to Billings, Montana. A field-course van will meet students outside the baggage area at the Billings Air Terminal on the first day of the course, if the student requests this in advance. If you plan to fly, get information on fares and reservations early. Billings is not served by many airlines, and the competition that exists has not resulted in attractive fares. Flights with less expensive seats are filled early, and others do not arrive until too late in the evening (You must arrive by 4:00 pm).
BY CAR: Many students choose to drive, often car pooling to reduce costs. If you have the time, it is a great way to see some of the country.
HOW TO REACH THE YBRA RESEARCH CAMP:
From the center of Red Lodge, Montana, go southwest on U.S. Highway 212 for about four miles to the only prominent ridge of Madison limestone, which comes down to the highway. About one-quarter mile southwest of this, there is a private dirt road (Howell Gulch Road) leading southeast (turn left) across Rock Creek and straight up the hill about one mile to the camp. There should be a small brown sign at the beginning of this road labeled "Yellowstone-Bighorn Research Association" in yellow letters.
BY BUS: Another alternative is to take a bus.
Billings is served by Greyhound Bus. A field-course van will meet students outside the Billings Bus Terminal on the first day of the course, if the student requests this in advance.
You should plan to arrive in Billings, Montana around mid-day on the first day of class and depart around mid-day on the last day of class. Cabin space is limited at the camp and it is unlikely that we will be able to provide housing for you before or after the dates listed above. If your bus arrives a day early or departs a day later, you should make arrangements for a hotel in Billings.
What is the food like?
Montana is meat-and-potatoes country, but our cook, Jeanette, does an excellent job of providing balanced meals with a reasonable variety of vegetables and salads. When there is sufficient demand, we offer a vegetarian table. Most students in the follow-up evaluation rate the food as first class. There is always plenty of peanut butter and jelly, cheese, and whole-wheat bread available. Fresh fish is not available in Red Lodge and is never on the menu. You will pack your own lunch from a selection of bread, meat, cheese, fruit, and cookies every day for the field. In operation of our camp it is not possible to arrange for the kitchen to prepare special diets, nor is it possible to provide cooking facilities for individuals.
What is the workload for the course?
Pre-trip work includes viewing slideshows, taking quizzes, writing 1-2 page papers and participating in weekly live chat room discussions.
Once in Montana, we will go out each day for the entire day (rain or shine) to work in the field. We will return for dinner and a short break before meeting for lecture or to work on maps, plant identifications, or plan strategies for the next days work. Two final papers are due at the end of the summer and will be based on work done in the field.
I am not an MES student. Can I still take the course?
Yes. However, you will need to apply online. Class size is limited, and MES students have priority over other students..
What are the costs associated with this course?
- Transportation to and from Billings/Red Lodge, MT.
- Room and board charges during the field portion of the course (excluding food while in Yellowstone) will be $1,000 for 2009. This charge will appear on your Bursar Bill once you are registered for the course.
- Summer tuition
- Spending money for souvenirs, etc.
I am not a current Penn student but would like to attend this course. Can I attend?
Yes. Whether you are a student from another school, a person who is not currently enrolled in another school, or a Penn Alum, you can attend this class. You will need to apply to Penn Summer Sessions as well as the course application found here. Penn Alum can apply through our expedited application; download the Alumni Registration Form.
