Jasper County Conservation naturalist Katie Cantu (above) helps Sergio Perez-Valentin of Grinnell adjust his snow shoes before heading out on a hike during JCC’s Cabin Fever day camp on Thursday afternoon at the Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve south of Grinnell.

The camp invited local middle schoolers to “spend a couple afternoons exploring the park on snowshoes, building outdoor shelters, cross-country skiing and ice fishing.” Campers even learned to make s’mores and apple pies over a wood fire, Cantu said.

“We started this a few years ago, but didn’t have it last year because we didn’t have snow,” she explained. “This year, I decided we were doing it no matter what, but we got lucky and had snow. Sometimes we go ice fishing and skiing too, and there’s food involved!”