Under the Snow
The following description comes from the event organizer.
In the depth of winter, a deep layer of snow quiets the High Desert's forests. But under the surface, a secret world comes to life. A new High Desert Museum exhibit dives into the snow, where voles, shrews, insects and porcupines build a matrix of tunnels to survive the winter and hide from the predators that lurk just above the surface.
Under the Snow opens at the Museum on Saturday, December 17, 2022. The original exhibit explores the "subnivium" environment, what scientists call this seasonal habitat. In the subnivium, the temperature stays a toasty 32-degrees Fahrenheit, which protects plants and animals from the winter's frigid temperatures.
"As snow blankets the Cascade Mountain Range, we all anticipate the season of snow play," said Museum Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D. "Under the Snow reveals an entire world that thrives in the High Desert right under our feet."
Using interactive graphics, visitors will meet the species that depend on the subnivium environment, including a resilient mammal named Pika, an observant owl called Great Gray and a fruiting fungus known as Fuzzy Foot. These individuals will talk about life in the snow, including their favorite spots to cache food, the best moments to hunt and their favorite types of snowfall.