What Should You Bring to Outdoor Science School?

Below is a packing list for teachers, so that you will be prepared and comfortable for the week, as well as a suggested packing list for your students and cabin leaders.  If you have any questions about what to bring, don't hesitate to contact us!

Personal Packing List

In the spring and the fall, temperatures might get quite warm during the day, but can get very chilly at night.  While you are not likely to see snow (though you never know!), do prepare for the possibility of rain or snow. The winter months can be quite cold and snow is likely. You will be outside much of the day, no matter what the weather, and you will be hiking on trails and sitting on the ground, so plan accordingly! Layers are the best bet for changeable weather - a sweatshirt, jacket or windbreaker that can be tied around your waist is very helpful. The sun is strong, so a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses are a good idea, too.

Outside Clothes

• Good walking shoes - 2 pairs if possible. Tennis shoes, running shoes, cross-trainers, light hiking boots, etc. Comfortable, functional shoes that can be tied snugly work best. We will be hiking on rocky, sometimes steep trails and you need the support! Students wearing loose shoes have been known to trip and fall, so they need comfortable, snuggly tied shoes.

• Extra socks - bring more than you think you need. Keeping your feet dry and warm is the best way to avoid blisters and discomfort (smells better, too).

• Clothes you don't mind getting dirty! (But our dirt washes out - really.)

• Long pants are a must. We require students wear long pants to protect legs from getting scratched and scraped on the trail, and it's more comfortable to sit on the forest floor of pine needles if you are wearing jeans or sturdy pants! 2-4 pairs of long pants are recommended.

• Tee shirts. Please no tank tops or belly shirts as the risk of sunburn increases at elevation. Please keep clothes and messages on clothing appropriate for school. Bring some light colored and dark colored tee shirts - wear the light colors on hot days and the dark colors on cooler days! But plan to get them dirty, no matter what color they are.

• Overshirts - long sleeved shirts or sweatshirts or sweaters or jackets or windbreakers to layer over the tee shirt - something not too bulky that can be tied around the waist is a great idea. We ask students to bring it on the trail if the weather might turn cool, so make sure it is something you don't mind carrying! Plan to get it dirty. You will probably be sitting on it much of the time!

• Hat for sun (or to keep your head warm when it's cold!)

• Clothes for cold or wet weather:

  • A warm jacket for evening activities. Not just a light sweatshirt or windbreaker, something warmer. If you don't have something warmer, bring more layers - an extra sweatshirt and a windbreaker that fits over two will help. We have warm jackets to loan out to visitors who need them, so don't worry if you don’t have one you can bring.

  • A rain jacket or poncho. Windbreakers are not waterproof. We have rain ponchos to loan out if you don't have your own, so don't worry if you don't have one.

  • Waterproof boots are nice, but if it gets really messy, we have rain/snow boots to loan out.

  • Hats, gloves, scarves. These are nice to bring. We do have a few extras to loan out if you don't, though. The gloves may not match, but they'll keep your hands warm!

  • Hats! Hats protect you from the sun when it's hot and they keep your head warm when it's cold. If you have them, bring both a sun hat and a warm cap.

• Sunglasses - the sun is brighter at 6,000 ft. Please send sunglasses and/ or a hat that shades the eyes.

• Chapstick - the air in the mountains is much drier than most people are used to at home. Chapstick/lip balm is needed throughout the day to keep lips from becoming chapped and uncomfortable.

Inside Clothes

• Pajamas - please bring something to sleep in! sweats are fine. Silky lingerie not so much. Good ol' PJs are great!

• Slippers or sandals to wear in the cabin - shower shoes are a good idea, too. Protect your feet - you'll be using them all week!

• You can wear shorts in the cabin and to meals, but not on the trail. Please make sure shorts and all clothes are school appropriate.

Bedding

• Sleeping bag or warm blankets/sheets

• Pillow (if you forget one, just stuff some clothes into a sweatshirt and that makes a great pillow!)

Toiletries

• Towel and washcloth

• Soap and shampoo

• Hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant (please bring stick or roll-on, not spray - see what not to bring for why)

• Sunscreen, chapstick, lotion (it's very dry up here)

• Note on bug repellant: we don't really have bugs here, because it is so dry. If you must bring bug repellant, please ONLY bring lotion and NOT SPRAY. Aerosols are not allowed in cabins to avoid accidents.

Personal Items for Students (and Adults)

• Water bottle: we will have water bottles on the trail, but having your own will make your week much easier. They are also helpful for having in the cabins at night so you don't need to get up to get a drink. If you bring disposable bottles, please plan to re-use them (our water is good right out of the tap) and recycle them when you are done! Hint: shorter water bottles fit under the sink faucet to refill more easily.

• Camera - be sure to label it!!! Students bring up cameras, and many look alike. LABEL it before leaving home.

• Pencils, pens, paper - You will be given a journal and homework every night - bring a pencil (or several)!

• Flashlight - Be sure to label it!

• A great attitude! This is going to be fun, fantastic week! A positive attitude is your best insurance that you will have a great time. 

Winter clothing (December, January, February, March)

In winter, in addition to the clothes listed above, you should also bring the following, if possible:

• Extra extra socks!! Lots of them! If you have wool socks, even better!!

• Waterproof snow boots are great if you have them, waterproofed high top hiking boots are pretty good, but if all you have is tennis shoes or low-topped boots, we do have insulated waterproof boots to loan out. Still, if you step in a snowbank that is deeper than your boot is tall, you will have wet feet! So, again, bring extra socks!!

• Warm Jacket - if you don't have a really warm jacket, layers work great, too. If needed, we also have some really warm jackets we can loan out for the week, so speak up if you are cold!

• Waterproof layer -Snow is pretty dry when it falls, but when it hits your warm clothing, it melts and soaks in and can get you wet and cold. We have rain ponchos to loan out, if needed, but if you have a waterproof shell or poncho of your own, please bring that.

• Warm Hat - So much body heat is lost through your head! Bring a warm hat. Warm hoods help, too. We do have some hats to loan out if you need one, but your own is always so much nicer! Don't forget to label it, or you might add to our collection of interesting hats...

• Gloves or mittens - fingers get really cold, especially when they just can't resist picking up snow. Wool is great, insulated with a waterproof shell is great. Those little stretchy cotton gloves don't do much at all, and get wet easily, but they can be better than nothing sometimes. We do have warm gloves to loan out if needed, but they probably won't match! It's better to bring your own, and don't forget to label them, or you'll add to our collection!

•  Long warm pants - if you have rain or snow pants, great! If not, bring extra pairs. Jeans and sweats, especially, will get very wet in snow, and you will need extra pairs to wear while your wet clothes are hanging up to dry in your cabin. In very snowy weather, expect to change 2 or more times a day!

• Long underwear - if you have long underwear, that's great! It's not absolutely necessary, but it will keep you more comfortable when it's really cold out.

• LAYERS are always good - even in winter, it can get warm when the sun comes out, so being able to peel off those top layers will keep you more comfortable. And if the day starts out warm, it can turn cold very quickly in winter, so having that warm layer along in your backpack is a must.

This is the list of things we ask Students and Cabin Leaders NOT to bring.  Although it does not apply to Teachers, it's a good idea to take a look so that you are aware of what the students and cabin leaders should NOT have in their possession at Outdoor School.  Thanks!

• Gum, Candy, food of any kind. We feed visitors 3 meals a day plus snacks, and you don't want any "uninvited guests" coming into the cabins and into your luggage! (and they will!)  If you have special dietary needs, please see our dietary needs page. (Cabin Leaders can store their own snacks with the teachers for their time off.)

• Radios or Phones - you will be listening to the "music of nature"! Wake up to the mountain “songs” of birds and squirrels!

• Expensive toys - NO electronic games, Stereos, MP3 players, iPads, Gameboys, etc. We have two reasons for this:

  • We don't want anything to get lost or stolen that is expensive. This has not been a problem in the past, mainly because we don't allow these items to be brought up - we don't want any temptation to be there for such a thing. It could ruin your week.

  • We want you to try living during your short stay without electronic entertainment. It may be hard but it could change your life - and possibly lower anxiety.

• Knives (even the handy Swiss Army Knife - sorry!), matches, lighter or anything else that you wouldn't be allowed to bring to school that could hurt people or property.

• Make-up - We are casual here! We want you to spend cabin time working on homework, practicing your skit, cleaning up or playing games.

• Sprays of any kind - hair spray, bug spray (bring lotion if you must), cologne, etc. The cabins are too small with too many people using them that might be allergic or otherwise affected by breathing the sprays.

•  Inappropriate clothing - no tank tops, short shorts, belly shirts, low pants that show your undies...the ususal stuff not worn at most schools! No inappropriate logos or slogans on tee shirts, either.

• Cell phones or two-way radios: We do not allow students to have or use cell phones during Outdoor Science School.  Teachers and Cabin Leaders may bring cell phones, but we ask not use it in front of the students, for calling, texting, or browsing.  Thank you!

• Expensive clothes or jewelry

Meals are a very important part of Outdoor Science School. Everyone meets in the dining hall to fuel their bodies for hiking and learning and to enjoy time together. The kitchen staff prepare the meals “in house” with most items from scratch, including the sunflower seed butter and the legendary homemade trail bars.

Breakfast and Dinner are served in the Dining Hall “family style”. Lunch ingredients are packed in the morning and are eaten on trail “picnic style”. Snacks, such as apples and homemade trail bars, are served throughout the day. Second helpings on all meals are available. Student cabin groups share the set-up and clean-up responsibilities in the Dining Hall on a rotating basis.

Dietary Restrictions

Our kitchen staff works hard to serve excellent food to all students. If a child, Cabin Leader or Teacher has dietary restrictions, we are happy to accommodate in ways that we are able. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free options are available. We have peanut-free and tree nut-free options as well. Visitors with dietary restrictions are encouraged to communicate about food needs with the participating teacher and Outdoor Science School in advance to help us to better serve your needs. If you have any questions about the food at Wrightwood, please contact the participating teacher at your school.

Note: This is a sample menu for a typical 5-day week.

Information for Teacher

What Does the Los Angeles County Outdoor Science School Offer?
LACOSS is a unique experience.  We are here to offer your students a week-long science program based on NGSS and phenomena while also designed to fit your needs.  Any specific topics, skills, or development activities that you would like covered, please mention to our Lead Teacher and Naturalist Instructors so that we can design our program just for your school’s needs!

Teacher Facilities at Outdoor Science School
Click here to see visiting teachers special accommodations for the Wrightwood site, called the Huddle Hut. 

Outdoor Science School Rules
Click for the details about our rules system and consequences.

Common Situations at Outdoor Science School
This sections contains brief descriptions of the most common issues we encounter at Outdoor Science School, and a few tried-and-true pointers on how to effectively deal with them.  Remember - our staff has heaps of experience with these issues and is always here to help out.  If ever you need anything, just ask!

The Daily Schedule
Click the link to see a typical schedule at Outdoor Science School.

Sample Menu
While you are at Wrightwood, our dining service will provide you with Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and two or three Snacks per day.  No need to bring your own food!  Click the link for the sample menus to see what we may offer for each meal.