Celebrating the Park s First 100...

2015 Rocky Mountain Field InstituteEducational Adventures in Rocky Mountain National Park

www.RMConservancy .org

Celebrating the Park’s First 100 Years!

July 10 Secret Places in Rocky Mountain National Park 17July 10 Kids’ Fly-fishing & Stream Ecology (ages 7-15) 8July 11 Diversity in Wildflowers 18July 11 New Ways to Decipher the Past: The Spectacular Geology of RMNP 18July 12 Grasses of RMNP 18July 13 Hummingbirds: Field Research 18July 14, 28 Hollowell Park Nature Hunt: A Virtual Geocache Adventure (ages 9-13) 7July 16, 30 Making Memories: Kids’ Photojournaling in Rocky (ages 7-12) 7July 17 Macroinvertebrates: The Underwater World of Insects & Other Small Creatures in RMNP 18July 17-19 Mountain Ecology: Unique Interactions in Nature 18July 18 North American Bears: Ecology, Behavior & Evolution 19July 18 Shooting the Stars: Night Photography 13July 18 History of Fisheries of RMNP 19July 19 Native Americans & the Wickiups of Rocky 23July 20 Enos Mills’ Wildlife: Then & Now 24July 23 Bugs, Beetles & Butterflies: Tiny but Amazing Creatures of Rocky (ages 4-6) 9July 23 Rocks & Minerals: Exploring the Foundation of RMNP 19July 24 Geology of Trail Ridge Road 19July 24 Bighorn Sheep: Ecology & Management 19July 25 Rocky Mountain National Park Butterflies: East of the Divide 20July 25 Periglacial Processes & Landforms 20July 26 Day-tripping Photography: A Day in the Field Photographing Wildlife 13July 27 Rocky Mountain National Park: A Centennial History 24July 30-31 Watercolor Brushstrokes: Painting the Landscapes of RMNP 13

August 4 Upper Beaver Meadows Nature Hunt: A Virtual Geocache Adventure (ages 9-13) 8August 4, 11, 18, 25 Grand Lake Safari: An Educational Adventure by Bus (all ages) 6August 5 Rocky Mountain Trailblazers: Kids’ Hiking Series (ages 7-15) 8August 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 Journey to the Top! A Trail Ridge Road Bus Adventure (all ages) 6August 6 Bugs, Beetles & Butterflies: Tiny but Amazing Creatures of Rocky (ages 4-6) 9August 6-8 Photographing the “Small Wonders” of RMNP 14August 7 Kids’ Fly-fishing & Stream Ecology (ages 7-15) 8August 7, 14, 21, 28 Sunset Safari: An Educational Adventure by Bus (all ages) 6August 8 Geology of the Western Slope 20August 10-11 Sketchbook Journaling: Wilderness, Wildlife & Wonder in Watercolor 14August 11 Hollowell Park Nature Hunt: A Virtual Geocache Adventure (ages 9-13) 7August 12 Plant & Wildflower Identification with a Naturalist 16August 12 Connections: Real Stories of Life Interacting with Life 16August 14 Secret Places in Rocky Mountain National Park 17August 14-16 Mastering the Art & Craft of Landscape Photography 12August 15 Rocky Mountain National Park Butterflies: West of the Divide 20August 15-16 Plein-air in the Park: Oil Painting 14August 17 Mushrooms & Other Fungi 20August 17 100 Years of Environmental Change in RMNP 21August 21 Floods: Going to Extremes 21August 22 When Ice Ruled the Park 21August 22-23 Mountain Lion: RMNP’s Top Predator 21August 23 Day-tripping Photography: A Day in the Field Photographing Wildlife 13August 28 Hike with a Naturalist: Lawn Lake 11August 28 The Life & Times of Moose 21August 29 On the Wing Again: Autumn Bird Migration 22August 31 History of Stewardship in Rocky 24

September 2, 3 Journey to the Top! A Trail Ridge Road Bus Adventure (all ages) 6September 4 Hike with a Naturalist: Mount Ida 11September 4 Sunset Safari: An Educational Adventure by Bus (all ages) 6September 5 Climate Change in the Rockies 22September 5 The Persevering Pika: Secrets of Alpine Survival 22September 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28 Elk Expeditions (all ages) 6September 11 Hike with a Naturalist: Loomis Lake 11September 12 River Otters of Rocky 22September 18 Hike with a Naturalist: Chasm Lake 11September 18-20 Photographing Wildlife: When, Where & How 14

October 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17 Elk Expeditions (all ages) 6October 2, 3 Banding Boreal & Saw-whet Owls: A Service Learning Class 22October 4 Photographing Elk & Aspen 14

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January 16 Avalanche Awareness & Outdoor Safety in Winter 10January 24 Winter Ecology: A Snowshoeing Trek for Kids & Families (all ages) 7

February 7, 14 Winter Ecology: A Snowshoeing Trek for Kids & Families (all ages) 7February 27 - March 1 Light & Snow: Winter Photography 12February 28 Winter Survival Skills 10

March 7 Beginning Watercolor for the Nature Enthusiast 12March 7, 21 Winter Ecology: A Snowshoeing Trek for Kids & Families (all ages) 7March 28 Coyotes: Song Dogs of the West 15

April 17, 18 Mysterious Owls of Rocky 15April 23 North with the Spring: Bird Migration 15

May 8 Behind the Scenes of RMNP 23May 14 Hawks in Flight: Birds of Prey 15May 15 Life Signs: Tracking the Invisible 10May 28 Birds at Twilight 15May 30 Orienteering for Beginners: Map & Compass Basics in RMNP 10

June 6 North American Eagles 16June 6 Technology of Your Ancient Ancestors: Primitive Survival Skills 10June 8 Boreal Toads: Amphibians at High Altitudes 16June 9, 16, 23, 30 Grand Lake Safari: An Educational Adventure by Bus (all ages) 6June 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25 Journey to the Top! A Trail Ridge Road Bus Adventure (all ages) 6June 10, 24 Plant & Wildflower Identification with a Naturalist 16June 10, 24 Connections: Real Stories of Life Interacting with Life 16June 11, 25 Summer Birding with a Naturalist 16June 12 Unexpected Beauty: The Orchids of RMNP 16June 12, 19, 26 Sunset Safari: An Educational Adventure by Bus (all ages) 6June 12-14 Mastering the Art & Craft of Landscape Photography 12June 13 Birds of the Kawuneeche Valley 17June 13-14 Pen-&-Ink Sketches with Watercolor: A Travel Sketchbook 12June 14 Day-tripping Photography: A Day in the Field Photographing Wildlife 13June 16, 30 Hollowell Park Nature Hunt: A Virtual Geocache Adventure (ages 9-13) 7June 17, 24 Art Adventures (ages 6-9) 7June 18 Making Memories: Kids’ Photojournaling in Rocky (ages 7-12) 7June 18, 25 Campfire Ghost Stories: Living History Tales of the West (all ages) 9June 19 Birds without Borders: Migratory Birds of RMNP & Costa Rica 17June 19 Kids’ Fly-fishing & Stream Ecology (ages 7-15) 8June 19-21 This is for the Birds: When, Where & How to Photograph Wild Birds 13June 20 Shooting the Stars: Night Photography 13June 23 Upper Beaver Meadows Nature Hunt: A Virtual Geocache Adventure (ages 9-13) 8June 24 Rocky Mountain Trailblazers: Kids’ Hiking Series (ages 7-15) 8June 25 Who Pooped in the Woods? A Mammal Mystery (ages 7-12) 8June 25 Bugs, Beetles & Butterflies: Tiny but Amazing Creatures of Rocky (ages 4-6) 9June 26 Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies 17June 26 Secret Places in Rocky Mountain National Park 17June 27-28 Rocky Mountain National Park: The First 100 Years 23June 27-28 100 Years, 100 Flowers: Wildflowers of RMNP 17

July 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 Journey to the Top! A Trail Ridge Road Bus Adventure (all ages) 6

July 1, 15, 29 What’s Hiding Underwater? (ages 8-12) 9

July 2, 9, 16 Summer Birding with a Naturalist 16

July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Sunset Safari: An Educational Adventure by Bus (all ages) 6

July 3, 17, 31 To Be a Tree (ages 4-6) 9July 7, 14, 21, 28 Grand Lake Safari: An Educational Adventure by Bus (all ages) 6 July 7, 21 Upper Beaver Meadows Nature Hunt: A Virtual Geocache Adventure (ages 9-13) 8July 8, 15, 29 Plant & Wildflower Identification with a Naturalist 16July 8 Connections: Real Stories of Life Interacting with Life 16July 8, 22 Rocky Mountain Trailblazers: Kids’ Hiking Series (ages 7-15) 8July 9, 16 Campfire Ghost Stories: Living History Tales of the West (all ages) 9July 9, 23 Who Pooped in the Woods? A Mammal Mystery (ages 7-12) 8July 9-11 Right Brain Photography: Beyond F/Stops 13July 10 Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies 17

22 0 1 5 F i e l d I n s t i t u t e P r o g r a m C a l e n d a r2 0 1 5 F i e l d I n s t i t u t e P r o g r a m C a l e n d a r

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Call 970-586-3262, or visit www.RMConservancy.org to register.

The Rocky Mountain Conservancy (formerly the Rocky Mountain Nature Asso-ciation) was established in 1931 to provide educational literature to RockyMountain National Park visitors. Its founders hoped to stimulate interest in thepark’s natural and cultural history. As a nonprofit organization allied with the Na-tional Park Service, and now with Colorado State Parks, the U.S. Forest Serv-ice, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,the Conservancy has developed special programs through the Rocky MountainConservancy - Field Institute to cultivate enthusiasm for our public lands.

Rocky Mountain Conservancy

Field Institute AdventuresWelcome to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy - Field Institute adventures! It’sour 53rd year offering exciting, in-depth and educational field-based learningexperiences in Rocky Mountain National Park. Discover and explore a widerange of topics, including custom educational adventures, special classes,youth and family programs, and courses on hiking and skill-building, photog-raphy, art, natural history, and cultural history. For more information aboutspecific classes, view the different course descriptions in the catalog or onlineat www.RMConservancy.org. Tell a friend, and share this great experience!

Rocky Mountain National Park serves as a premier classroom withoutwalls. This spectacular landscape encompasses montane meadows, subalpine forests and alpine tundra rising from trout-filled streams and glacier-carved valleys to the summit of Longs Peak at 14,259 feet.

The Rocky Mountain Conservancy’s Field Institute program is committed to educating the public through the talents of excellent instructors.Most classes include lectures and field trips that enable participants to experience the park in an atmosphere of personal instruction. Most classes require hiking, introducing an element of difficulty because of thehigh altitude and variable weather. Participants must be in good health and arrive equipped for sudden weather changes.

Partners in Education A perfect alchemy: The partnership between the Rocky Mountain Conservancyand RMNP is the perfect alchemy whereboth organizations, by working together,have the potential of creating transforma-tive experiences for each park visitor. Au-thor Robert Pirsig wrote, “One of the mostmoral acts is to create a space in which lifecan move forward.” I love that idea: to cre-ate a space for new ideas to flow, new thoughts to take shape,for new projects and programs to develop and grow. Since 1931,the Conservancy and the park have been creating space foreach other to grow. Through collaborative work on educationalprograms and research projects, we provide opportunities tothose who want to steward this land for future generations.

As we continue to create space for each other to explore, I hopeyou, too, will explore your part of this alchemy. I encourage youto take advantage of all the opportunities that the Conservancyprovides, especially these Field Institute classes. As Enos Millssaid, “In our great national parks we have an unrivaled outdoorschool that is always open.”

For intensive exposure and in-depth learning opportunities in Rocky MoutainNational Park, the Rocky Mountain FieldInstitute program is unparalleled. Explorethe park with expert instructors who sharetheir natural and cultural history specialtiesof this amazing place with abandon. Yourparticipation in these unique classes supports and enhances one of the oldest national park fieldprograms in the country! Come, immerse yourself in an in-credible learning experience that can only be obtained througha field studies course. Enjoy your journey through the majesticRocky Mountains, and let us be your guide!

W e l c o m e t o F i e l d I n s t i t u t e A d v e n t u r e s

Rich FedorchakChief of Interpretation and EducationRocky Mountain National Park

Rachel BalduzziEducation DirectorRocky Mountain ConservancyPhoto: Joan Nesselroad

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsRegistration, Physical Rating & Credit Information................4 Custom Educational Adventures............................................5Educational Adventures by Bus............................................. 6Youth & Family Classes ........................................................ 7-9Hiking & Skill-building Classes ............................................. 10-11 Photography, Art & Writing Classes ...................................... 12-14 Natural History Classes ........................................................15-22 Cultural History Classes ....................................................... 23-24 Conference Room Rental...................................................... 25 Instructor Profiles................................................................... 26-27

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Go to www.RMConservancy.org for more information.

R e g i s t r a t i o n I n f o r m a t i o n

Registrations can be made online at www.RMConservancy.org or by telephone at 970-586-3262. Members of the Rocky MountainConservancy receive a discount on most adult Field Institute programs and tours. To receive this discount immediately, join theConservancy when you register. Registered participants will receivea syllabus for each class (via e-mail or U.S. mail).

Programs are cancelled one week before the scheduled meetingdate if minimum enrollment has not been met. Please register early! We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover cards.

Register Online: www.RMConservancy.orgRegister by Phone: 970-586-3262Register by Mail: Rocky Mountain Conservancy - Field Institute

1895 Fall River RoadEstes Park, Colorado 80517

Refund PolicyCancellations received at least 14 days prior to the start of a class will qualify for a refund minus a cancellation fee of $25 perparticipant for a one-day class and $50 for a multi-day class, $5 perkids’ classes and $15 per bus tour seat. Cancellations received lessthan 14 days prior to the start of the program will not generate a refund. If the Field Institute cancels a program, every effort will bemade to place the participant in another class; otherwise, a full refund will be given.

Become a Member and Save!Conservancy members receive 5% off all classes (except kids’ programs), as well as 15% off items in the Conservancy’s NatureStores in the park, and at our online Nature Store.

Become a member and save —- and make a difference to RockyMountain National Park! www.RMConservancy.org

Photo: Ann Duncan

A significant portion of most field classes is spent outdoors, andprograms are held rain or shine. Mountain weather can be unpredictable; so be prepared for sudden weather changes. Rainwear, comfortable hiking boots or shoes, layers of clothing, andhat and gloves are standard gear for summer classes. Participantsshould also carry plenty of drinking water to prevent dehydration,nausea and dizziness, which are common at the park’s elevation.

Participants must honestly evaluate individual levels of physical fit-ness. Participants assume full responsibility for their safety, providetheir own health and accident insurance, and must sign a health/riskand hold-harmless waiver.

Teachers can receive teacher recertification units for full-day andmulti-day classes, as approved through the Centennial Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES). Each full day of classtime is equal to 0.5 unit of credit. Credit fees are in addition to class fees and are $25 per semester or threaded series of classes. For more information on threads and additional creditdetails, go online at www.RMConservancy.org.

University credit is available from Colorado School of Mines (CSM)for some full-day and multi-day classes. A complete listing of classeseligible for teacher recertification credit through CSM can be foundon page 27 of this catalog. Additional credit details are available bycalling the Field Institute at 970-586-3262.

How Strenuous Is My Class?Registering for a Field Institute Program

The Rocky Mountain Conservancy gives special thanks to the followingphotographers for contributing their images for this catalog: MarleneBorneman, Cynthia McKee Brady, Connundrums Blogspot, CrystalBrindle, John Conroy, Dick Coe, Ann Duncan, Lyn Ferguson, DaleFriedrich, Jack Glover, Liza Grant, Phyllis Holst, Julie Klett, Lee Kline, JimLouik, Joan Nesselroad, Gene Putney, Glenn Randall, Scott Rashid, For-rest Shafer, Lisa Thompson, Randy Traylor, Jim Ward, Madeline Wilson,Linda Wold, Jo Wurst.

Cover photo: Fred Clatworthy Collection, hand-colored by Cheryl Pennington

Level I: Short-distance walks on maintained trails and/or indoor classroom sessions in accessible buildings u

Level II: Short-distance walks throughout the day primarily on level terrain uu

Level III: Moderate hikes of less than five miles per day with elevation gain of less than 1,000 ft. uuu

Level IV: Hikes of more than five miles per day with elevation gain of more than 1,000 ft. uuuu

Earn Credit with Field Institute Programs!

5C u s t o m P r o g r a m s


CUSTOM EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURES

NEW!

Historic Homesteads

by Horseback: Touring the Estes Valley

Centennial Celebration SeriesOn-demand:$140 per person ages 16 and olderInstructor: Tim Resch

This is an interpretive horsebacktour of historic Homestead Mead-ows, Laycook and Boren Home-steads. Learn about what it tookto survive and thrive in the late1800s. You will have hands-on in-struction on how to be comfort-able in the saddle and build arelationship with your horse.(Horses and guide provided) ♦

On-demand:

Day-trek Adventures

with the Rocky

Mountain Conservancy

Starting at $15 per personVarious Instructors

Select from a variety of educationalopportunities including geo-caching, hiking with a naturalist,bus tours and photography. Thesehalf- to full-day classes are designed to introduce youth, families and other groups to thewonders of nature through guided discovery. You select the day and the topic, and we will provide a morning of exploration and learning.

On-demand:

Stream Ecology &

Fly-fishing$100 per person (minimum 2 people)Instructor: Dr. Tom Adams

Enjoy customized stream ecologyand fly-fishing classes designedto match both your level of experi-ence and preferred level of physi-cal activity. Find solitude within ahalf-mile of popular trailheads, orhike deep into the backcountry toaccess remote lakes and streams.Discuss aquatic insect life cycles,how to match the natural hatchwith artificial fly selection, stream-side stealth, casting techniquesand ethics for preserving Rocky’spristine stream ecology. (Fly-fish-ing rods, reels and flies provided)♦♦♦

CUSTOM EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURES

Adventure Awaits!Contact us to arrange your

Custom Adventure this summer.970-586-3262

On-demand:

Wintertime Wonders

Bus Tour

$200 for up to 4 people, $50 per each additional adult and$25 per each additional childages 12 and under Various Instructors

Rocky is an amazing place to visitduring the winter as elk and deergraze along the road, and snow-capped peaks rise majestically inthe distance. Join a naturalistguide on a trip through the park inwintertime. From the comfort of aheated 14-passenger bus or 12-passenger van, guests can experi-ence the serenity of areas such asTrail Ridge Road (to Many ParksCurve) and the Bear Lake corridor.On-demand options include shortwalks of the group’s choice and/ora modified schedule to meet theneeds of individual participants.

Entrance into Rocky Mountain National Park and complementaryhot beverages are included in theregistration fee.

On-demand:

Motor Coach Tour:Step-on Naturalist Guide

Enjoy a custom tour of RockyMountain National Park from thecomfort of your own vehicle! TheRocky Mountain Conservancy willprovide a naturalist guide to meetyour vehicle at the Beaver Mead-ows Visitor Center or the Fall RiverVisitor Center. Let us tailor a pro-gram just for your group.

Prices for vehicles of 7 or morepeople:

0-4 hours/half day $240 4-8 hours/all day $360

(Price does not include entrancefees to Rocky Mountain NationalPark.)

Photo: Dale Friedrich

Note:Most of the regularly scheduledbus tours and classes canbe customized for a groupwith advance notice.

Custom programs designed just for your

group near Estes Park and Grand Lake

6 E d u c a t i o n a l A d v e n t u r e s b y B u s

NEW!

Sunset Safari:

An Educational Adventure

by Bus Dates: June 12, 19, 26; July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; August 7, 14, 21, 28; September 4$40 per adult; $20 per child ages 12 and under Instructor: TBA

Take a sunset safari over Trail Ridge Roadto experience the changing light, activewildlife, and the calmness of dusk with anascent in elevation from 7,522 feet in EstesPark to more than 12,090 feet. Along theway, a professional education guide willlead interpretive walks and talks to discussgeology, flora, fauna and the cultural historyof Rocky at a number of pull-outs, before ar-riving at Rock Cut to view the sunset over theNever Summer Mountains. Participants willhave opportunities to take photos while enjoy-ing the comfort of a 14-passenger bus or 12-passenger van. ♦♦

Admission into Rocky Mountain NationalPark is included in the registration fee.

EducationalAdventuresby Bus

Elk ExpeditionsDates: September 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 21,24, 25, 26, 28; October 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 17 $40 per adult; $20 per child ages 12 and underInstructor: TBA

The fall rut is a spectacular display of elk matingbehavior featuring bugling, posturing and herding displays. This extraordinary event will beavailable for viewing from the comfort of a 14-passenger bus, or 12-passenger van, staffedby a professional educational guide who willdiscuss elk ecology, interpret activity and answer questions about elk. Elk artifacts suchas antlers, skulls and fur will be available for participants to see and touch. ♦

Admission into Rocky Mountain National Parkis included in the registration fee.


Journey to the Top!

A Trail Ridge Road Bus

AdventureDates: June 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25; July 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30; August 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27; September 2, 3 $65 per adult;$35 per child ages 12 and underInstructor: TBA

One of the premier attractions of RockyMountain National Park is Trail Ridge Road,the nation’s highest continuous paved high-way. Trail Ridge Road meanders throughvarious life zones on its way through thepark and over one of the largest, most pris-tine stretches of alpine tundra in the lower48 states. During this tour, participants re-ceive a unique overview of the park’s his-tory, flora, fauna and geology while viewingpassed landscapes from the comfort of a14-passenger bus or 12-passenger van,with opportunities for taking pictures at themany stops along the way. Some of themore notable sites to visit include RainbowCurve, Milner Pass and the Alpine VisitorCenter. ♦

Both lunch and admission into Rocky Moun-tain National Park are included in the regis-tration fee.

Grand Lake Safari:

An Educational Adventure

by Bus Dates: June 9, 16, 23, 30; July 7, 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11, 18, 25 $85 per adult; $55 per child ages 12 and under Instructor: TBA

Rocky Mountain National Park containsbreathtaking scenery, abundant wildlifeviewing, and opportunities to connect withthe past along Trail Ridge Road, theawe-inspiring byway across the ContinentalDivide. Participants will receive a uniqueoverview of the park’s history, flora, faunaand geology while viewing landscapesfrom the comfort of a 14-passenger busor 12-passenger van. Stops includeRainbow Curve, the Alpine Visitor Centerand Milner Pass, Holzwarth Historic Site,and the historic town of Grand Lake. ♦

Both lunch and admission into RockyMountain National Park are included inthe registration fee.

Photo: Jo Wurst Photo: Jo Wurst Photo: Jo Wurst

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Yo u t h & F a m i l y C l a s s e s

Hollowell Park

Nature Hunt: A Virtual Geocache

Adventure

Dates: June 16, 30;July 14, 28; August 11 $10 per child ages 9-13Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

Discover the natural treasuresfound around the ecologically diverse area inside RMNP knownas Hollowell Park. Kids will learnabout the various plants and animals that live around this riparianarea and experience the adventureand fun of using a GPS unit to findhidden clues around the meadow.(This class is recommended forfirst-time geocachers.) ♦♦

Entrance into Rocky Mountain National Park is in-cluded in the registration fee forthis class. Ask for details whenyou register.

NEW!

Art AdventuresCentennial Celebration Series

Dates: June 17, 24 $15 per child ages 6-9Instructor: Kristen Mosier Hill

Children will learn about naturethrough various forms of art. Activities will include learning toview art in nature (leaves, butter-flies, cones, rocks, lichen, etc.)and to express appreciation ofnature through sketching, paint-ing, making collages and sculp-tures. Children will be inspired bylearning and creating in RockyMountain National Park. ♦♦

Winter Ecology: A Snowshoeing Trek

for Kids & Families

Dates: January 24; February 7, 14; March 7, 21 $10 per adult/child; Children 5 and under FREEInstructor: Olson Fellow

Discover the serene beauty ofRocky Mountain National Park inthe winter during this four-hoursnowshoe hike. This fun and educational program will lead participants through snow-covered pine, spruce and firforests to learn how plants andanimals survive winter usingunique adaptations and keen survival skills. Learn about theproperties of snow, and get outside to enjoy it yourself! ♦♦♦

Making Memories:

Kids’ Photojournaling

in Rocky

Dates: June 18; July 16, 30 $15 per child ages 7-12Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

Sharing photographs and stories isa great way to tell others about afun and exciting vacation. Combinethe art of taking photos with writingabout time spent in RMNP to createa journal that will last a lifetime.Stroll along the Big ThompsonRiver for inspiration; capture images of wildlife and beautifulscenery; then, find a quiet spot toreflect and write about all the fun.(Journals will be provided.) ♦♦

Entrance into Rocky MountainNational Park is included in theregistration fee for this class. Askfor details when you register.

Youth &FamilyClasses

Photo: Rachel Balduzzi Photo: Rachel Balduzzi Photo: Rachel Balduzzi

Photo: Rachel Balduzzi

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Who Pooped in the

Woods? A Mammal Mystery

Dates: June 25;July 9, 23$10 per child ages 7-12 Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

Who doesn’t love a good mys-tery? This program will have yousolving real-life mysteries fromstart to finish. Learn to recognizedifferent animal signs like scat (afancy word for poop) and tracks,and make your own cast of an animal track to take home! ♦♦

Rocky Mountain

Trailblazers: Kids’ Hiking Series

Dates: June 24 (The Pool); July 8 (Cub Lake); July 22 (Gem Lake);August 5 (Emerald Lake) $10 per child per hike or $30 per child for all four!Ages 7-15Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

The Trailblazers’ Hiking Seriesgives kids a chance to hike to fourdifferent beautiful locations inRocky Mountain National Park.Along with a guide, kids will lookfor evidence of animals, identifyplants and flowers and discoverthe sport of hiking. All Trailblazerswill receive Trailblazer passportsto record details of the trip (op-tional), and at the completion ofeach hike, will receive trailpatches to proudly wear on back-packs or clothing. ♦♦♦

Admission into Rocky MountainNational Park is included in theregistration fee.

NEW!

Kids’ Fly-fishing &

Stream Ecology

Dates: June 19; July 10; August 7 $20 per child ages 7-15Instructor: Geoff Elliot

Fly-fishing is a sport that datesback centuries. In Rocky Moun-tain National Park, it draws begin-ners and seasoned anglers alike.In this unique opportunity, kidswill get a taste of what fly-fishingis all about — learning about whatlives in the riparian ecosystem,the aquatic food web, fly-castingtechniques — and finally get achance to dip their lines in thewater to try to catch fish of theirown. (All fly-fishing gear will beprovided.) ♦♦


NEW!

Upper Beaver Meadows

Nature Hunt:A Virtual Geocache

Adventure

Dates: June 23; July 7, 21;August 4 $10 per child ages 9-13Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

Using a GPS unit, discover thenatural treasures along the UpperBeaver Meadows trail. Follow theclues left in nature to uncover thehidden mysteries located in thisupper montane ecosystem. Thisclass is designed for kids and

parents who want to spend timein Rocky Mountain National Parklearning about nature while enjoy-ing the adventure and fun of practicing a new skill. (This classis recommended for first-time geocachers.) ♦♦


Photo: Rachel Balduzzi Photo: Rachel Balduzzi Photo: Rachel Balduzzi

Photo: Rachel Balduzzi

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Centennial Celebration SeriesCampfire Ghost Stories:

Living History Tales of the WestLiving History Tales of the WestPeople from the past come to life in these hour-long presentations por-traying the colorful history and adventures of past residents and visitorsto the Estes Valley. Join these characters as they recount tales of humor,exploration and danger, and discover what life was like for them duringtheir stay in and around Rocky Mountain National Park. Time for camp-fire questions and roasting marshmallows will follow the presentation. ♦

Iron Thumb Date: June 18 $10 per adult/child, children 5 and under FREEInstructor: Jan Manning (Iron Thumb)

Iron Thumb is a fictitious character representation of a 19th century fur trapper ofthe West. Participants will hear tales of hunting beaver, view the historical clothingof the times, and see the tools the trappers used to get their jobs done.

Isabella Bird Date: June 25 $10 per adult/child, children 5 and under FREEInstructor: Sue Langdon (Isabella Bird)

Englishwoman Isabella Bird was a wealthy traveler and writer in the late 1800s.Participants will hear of her adventures as told to the Geographical Society and ofher famous climb of Longs Peak before most women dared to do such things.

Enos MillsDate: July 9 $10 per adult/child, children 5 and under FREEInstructor: Kurtis Kelly (Enos Mills)

Enos Mills’ 1884 arrival in Colorado at age 14 was the start of a lifelong rever-ence for the mountains and nature. Five years later, a chance encounter withJohn Muir inspired him to wonder: could he do for the Rocky Mountains whatMuir did for Yosemite? Hear the dramatic story of Enos Mills in this first-personnarrative evoking a time when grizzlies and wolves still roamed Colorado and a

national park was an elusive dream.

NEW! F.O. StanleyDate: July 16 $10 per adult/child, children 5 and under FREEInstructor: Kurtis Kelly (F.O. Stanley)

Meet F.O. Stanley, the enterprising New Englander who landed in Colorado bychance and whose visionary spirit paved the way for future generations to share hisjoy of discovery in the Rocky Mountains. In addition to providing financial supportand encouragement to Enos Mills in the establishment of RMNP, Stanley also isknown for building the Stanley Hotel and for bringing elk back to RMNP.

Photo: Marlene Borneman

What’s Hiding

Underwater?

Dates: July 1, 15, 29 $10 per child ages 8-12Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

Kids have a natural curiosityabout water and want to examineliving things up close. Exploresome of the microscopic organ-isms along the shallow waters ofthe Sprague Lake shoreline usinga microscope and hand lenses.Bugs, worms, algae and snailsare just a few of the things thatmay be found in the water alongwith some very small creaturessuch as amoeba, euglena andparamecium. Discuss the role thedifferent organisms play in the foodweb. ♦♦

Entrance into Rocky MountainNational Park is included in theregistration fee for this class. Askfor details when you register.

Bugs, Beetles &

Butterflies:

Tiny but Amazing

Creatures of Rocky

Dates: June 25; July 23; August 6 $10 per child ages 4-6Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

Bugs are often seen as annoyingand gross, but they are actuallyquite extraordinary! They are ableto lift impressive weights, fly fardistances, and jump to astonishingheights. Learn the basics of our lit-tle bug friends through art and exploration as we capture bugswith nets, study them with magni-fying glasses and create our ownto take home. Learn what bugsare and what they need to live; itmay shock you to discover whatour tiniest of neighbors are capable of doing! ♦♦

Photo: Lisa Thompson

NEW!

To Be a Tree

Dates: July 3, 17, 31 $10 per child ages 4-6Instructor: Bailey/Olson Fellow

Experience a whole new worldwith an up-close exploration ofthe world of trees! Using multiplesenses, kids will investigate thedifferent trees of Moraine Park,including the four main parts of atree, how different trees relate totheir environment and how theyare connected to everythingaround them — including humanbeings! Kids can also make theirown tree crafts to take home. ♦♦ Entrance into Rocky MountainNational Park for this class is in-cluded in the registration fee. Askfor details when you register.

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Hiking & Skill-building Classes

Orienteering for Beginners:

Map & Compass

Basics in RMNP

Date: May 30 $35 per adult Instructor: Peggy Ellis

This course is intended for therecreational hiker who has little orno experience reading a topo-graphic map or working with a compass. Learn about mapsources, map vintage, next gener-ation U.S. topo maps by U.S.G.S.,map symbology, reading contourlines, recognizing landforms, cal-culating percent and angle ofslope, compass components,compass bearings and correctingfor magnetic declination, using acompass to point yourself in anarbitrary direction and correctingfor magnetic declination, overlandnavigation via map and compassand triangulation. The class willcombine indoor instruction withoutdoor practice at a nearby loca-tion. (All materials provided, with compasses available for loan) ♦♦

Photo: Cynthia McKee Brady

H i k i n g & S k i l l - b u i l d i n g C l a s s e s

Life Signs:

Tracking the Invisible

Date: May 15 $70 per adult Instructor: Kevin J. Cook

A swelling on a twig or a hole ina stem, a stray feather or apiece of eggshell, an abandonednest or a mound of soil: somany different things tattle thecomings and goings of secretivecreatures that otherwise remaininvisible. Discover the processof acquiring, then developing,the observation skills necessaryto read wild life signs as if theywere a newspaper. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

NEW!

Avalanche

Awareness and

Outdoor Safety

in Winter

Date: January 16$35 per adultInstructor: Eli Helmuth

This course offers an overviewof the avalanche phenomenonwith instruction about identifyinghow, when, where and why ava-lanches are likely to occur inRocky Mountain National Park.Classroom avalanche study willbe followed by a trip to HiddenValley for a two-hour hike to ex-amine the snowpack and theterrain aspects of avalanches. Abasic review of avalanche rescue techniques also will beincluded. ♦♦

NEW!

Technology of Your Ancestors:

Primitive Survival SkillsCentennial Celebration SeriesDate: June 6 $70 per adult Instructor: Doug Hill

Every person alive descended from an-cestors surviving – and thriving! – in theStone Age. More than 99% of our time asa species was spent in the Stone Age.Explore how the three innovations of cre-ating fire, a sharp edge, and cordagefrom plant fibers changed the world for-ever. Through an overview of the peo-pling of the Earth, we’ll learn how theseinnovations look in the archaeologicalrecord of Colorado. Then we’ll create fire,stone tools, and cordage for ourselves.♦♦

Photo: Crystal Brindle

NEW!

Winter Survival

Skills

Date: February 28 $70 per adult Instructor: Doug Hill

From the original inhabitants ofthe Americas to mountain mento modern-day recreationists,people have passed throughthese mountains (or called themhome) for thousands of years.Explore contemporary, historic,and prehistoric strategies forsurviving in the Rockies – evenin winter. Discussion aboutbasic survival needs for short-and long-term survival situationswill be held; then, participantswill put their skills to the test out-side – building shelter and making fire in the snow. ♦♦

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H i k i n g & S k i l l - b u i l d i n g C l a s s e s

NEW!

Hike with a Naturalist:Lawn Lake

Date: August 28 $50 per adult Instructor: Geoff Elliot

Follow Roaring River up to LawnLake, site of the 1982 flood, toview the lake in its now-naturalstate. Along the way, see the re-sults of the flood while contem-plating the rich pine forests andstream ecosystems of the park.At Lawn Lake, flanked byMummy, Hagues, and FairchildMountains, experience breath-taking views of 13,000-ft. peakssurrounded by subalpine andalpine meadows. Occasionally,one may view bighorn sheepand other wildlife along this life-filled corridor. ♦♦♦♦

NEW!

Hike with a Naturalist:Mount Ida

Date: September 4 $50 per adult Instructor: Geoff Elliot

This hike on the western slope ofRocky Mountain National Park affords panoramic views of theNever Summer Mountains,Gorge Lakes and both sides ofthe Continental Divide as partici-pants traverse subalpine and tun-dra terrain to the top of MountIda. Possible sightings ofbighorn sheep and elk can be experienced from the many look-out points along the way. ♦♦♦♦

NEW!

Hike with a Naturalist:Loomis Lake


Explore the subalpine ecosys-tem of Rocky as you hikethrough spruce/fir forests on aless-traveled trail to a tucked-away mountain lake with beauti-ful views of the ContinentalDivide. Fall colors, mushroomsand a variety of berries gracethe trail along with opportunitiesto view elk, beaver and moose.Beauty and solitude await thoseseeking adventure on the trail tothis hidden gem in Rocky Moun-tain National Park. ♦♦♦♦

NEW!

Hike with a Naturalist:Chasm Lake


Enjoy miles of open tundra andsensational views of LongsPeak, Mount Meeker and thetowns along the Front Range asyou climb to a picturesquecirque lake at the foot of theiconic Diamond on Longs Peak.Marmots, pika and krummholztrees can be viewed along theway as well as spectacular geo-logic formations such as smalltarns and boulder fields. Sea-sonal changes in alpine plantsand wildlife will be discussed asautumn colors can be seengracing the sides of the sur-rounding mountains on thisbreathtaking hike. ♦♦♦♦

Photo: Madeline Wilson

Photo: Forrest Shafer Photo: Madeline Wilson

20152015HHIKINGIKINGSSERIESERIES

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P h o t o g r a p h y, A r t & W r i t i n g C l a s s e s

Photo: Crystal BrindlePhoto: Crystal Brindle

Photography,Art & WritingClasses

Photo: Gene Putney

Light & Snow:

Winter

Photography

Dates: Feb. 27 - March 1$250 per adultInstructor: Glenn Randall

Winter provides landscape photog-raphers with both unique opportuni-ties and special challenges. Learnhow to understand Rocky MountainNational Park’s turbulent winterweather and how to plan shoots tobe in the right place at the righttime. Master the logistical problemsof cold weather, and learn how toexpose snow scenes for realisticallybeautiful results. Explore manyother essential elements of goodlandscape photography, such aslighting, composition and atmos-pheric optics, discovering some ofthe best techniques for photograph-ing high-contrast scenes. ♦♦♦

Beginning

Watercolor for the

Nature Enthusiast

Date: March 7 $70 per adultInstructor: Karen Ramsay

Start your watercolor journey andlearn the fundamentals of the wa-tercolor medium and the excitingmethods of applying paint in afresh and vibrant way. Discoverthe varied techniques, how to setup a palette of colors, and the im-portance of shapes and values.This information will be the jump-start you need to become a watercolor artist both indoors andout in nature! ♦

Mastering the Art &

Craft of Landscape

Photography

Dates: June12-14; August 14-16 $250 per adultInstructor: Glenn Randall

The best landscape photographs areboth true to their subject and yet,somehow, larger than their subject inthe way they capture the universal inthe particular. This course will helplow-intermediate to advanced-inter-mediate photographers take the nextstep in their artistic development.Study essential elements of goodlandscape photography, such as light-ing, composition and atmospheric op-tics, and enjoy two sunrise shoots andone sunset shoot at prime locations inRMNP. Slide shows will explain thetechniques behind the instructor’sbest images. ♦♦♦

Pen-&-Ink Sketches

with Watercolor:A Travel Sketchbook

Dates: June 13-14 $140 per adultInstructor: Suzie Garner

Capture your surroundings in awatercolor sketchbook using pen-and-ink techniques combined withwatercolor. Discuss materials,composition, drawing and wetmedia techniques in a variety oflocations in the park. Field demon-strations with friendly, constructivecritiques will be offered toward improving skills and capturing theessence of a scene. This contem-plative approach to experiencingnature is a perfect way to slowdown and absorb a sensory experience. It is a lifetime skill that can be used in a personal andunique way to capture important memories. ♦♦

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Photo: Randy TraylorPhoto: Glenn RandallPhoto: Jim Ward

Right Brain

Photography:Beyond F/Stops

Dates: July 9-11 $250 per adultInstructor: Eli Vega

The best photographs are pro-duced where technical know-howand creative aesthetics meet.Nowadays, photographers spenda lot of time learning about thetechnical side of photography. Asimportant as that is, sharpeningnot just our left brain, but also ourright brain is integral to creatingthe best images. In this course,learn from the instructor’s own models/paradigms to producegreat images. ♦♦♦

Shooting the Stars:

Night Photography

Dates: June 20;July 18 $125 per adultInstructor: Glenn Randall

Recent advances in digital cam-era technology have made it pos-sible to capture the magnificentnight sky as we see it, with no ap-parent movement of the stars.Even older cameras can capturethe graceful arcs made by stars asthey appear to move across theheavens. Focus on techniques forfinding and shooting the glowingheart of the Milky Way; learn howto use Skygazer and the Photographers Ephemeris. Studyfocusing at night and achievingcorrect exposure to reveal thelargest number of stars. A sunsetshoot from Trail Ridge and shotsof the Milky Way over Longs Peakwill cap off the day. ♦♦

NEW!This is for the Birds!

When, Where & Howto Photograph WildBirds

Dates: June 19-21 $250 per adultInstructor: Lee Kline

Wild birds fascinate most of uswith their colors, behavior andbeauty. Equally, capturing greatimages of birds in the wild can bemaddeningly frustrating! Thiscourse will introduce photogra-phers of all experience levels tomethods and acceptable behaviorfor photographing wild birds. Thephotographic equipment andtechniques to further understand-ing, development and enjoymentof making great images of birdswill also be studied. ♦♦

Watercolor Brushstrokes:

Painting the

Landscapes of RMNP

Dates: July 30-31 $140 per adultInstructor: Karen Ramsay

Learn the techniques to capturethe park’s landscapes in water-color. Open your eyes to the surrounding beauty and learnways to paint skies, mountains,water, trees and much more.Basic drawing skills and familiar-ity with watercolor skills are required.This class will consist ofpart classroom and part in thefield, on location. ♦♦

NEW!

Day-tripping Photography:

A Day in the Field Photographing Wildlife

Dates: June 14;July 26; August 23 $125 per adultInstructor: Lee Kline

Spend a day in Rocky MountainNational Park with your camera,photographing whatever wildcreatures may be encountered.This course will allow photogra-phers of all experience levels tobecome more familiar with theirequipment and photographictechniques for outdoor situations,and it will further their under-standing, development and enjoy-ment of making great images inthe outdoors. ♦♦

Photo: John Conroy

Photographing Elk

& Aspen

Date: October 4 $125 per adultInstructor: W. Perry Conway

Autumn is a truly magical time tobe in the high country. This class willfocus on two seasonal events offering photographers an outstanding opportunity to capturememorable moments on film — fallcolors and bugling elk. This photographic experience in RockyMountain National Park will encompass lectures, fieldwork andcritiques. ♦♦

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Photo: Liza Grant

Photographing Wildlife:

When, Where & How

Dates: September 18-20 $250 per adultInstructor: Lee Kline

Great wildlife images don’t justhappen. Creating a wildlife photo-graph and being ready requires aunique combination of skills, including knowledge of wildlifebehavior and habits, understand-ing photographic equipment andtechniques, and a large portion ofpatience, practice and persever-ance. Discover acceptable methods for approaching wildsubjects and the photographicequipment and techniques necessary for creating greatwildlife images. ♦♦

Photo: Jim Ward Photo: Jim Ward

Plein-air in the Park:Oil Painting

Dates: August 15-16$140 per adultInstructor: Margaret Jensen

Rocky Mountain National Parkprovides varied and dramatic sub-jects for painting outdoors. Join alocal artist to explore choosing asubject while focusing on compo-sition, values and color. Partici-pants will be given individualattention, and ongoing critque ofthese important themes will punctuate this two-day course.(Participants should have gooddrawing skills and have practicein painting with oil paints.) ♦♦

NEW!

Sketchbook

Journaling:Wilderness, Wildlife &

Wonder in Watercolor

Centennial Celebration SeriesDates: August 10-11 $140 per adultInstructor: Karen Ramsay

Toss your sketchbook and somesimple tools into your backpack,and explore Rocky Mountain Na-tional Park with us! Throughguided exercises and free explo-ration, create a record of personal,authentic interaction. Learn (orsharpen) basic sketching and observation skills; then head outto various locations in the park toput these skills to work. Approacheswill include simple sketches withpencil, ink, and colored pencil orwatercolor. Guided activities forobserving, sketching, and (brief)writing will help participants dis-cover the many ways they inter-act with their environments.(Beginners are welcome and encouraged.) ♦♦

NEW!

Photographing the

“Small Wonders” of

RMNPCentennial Celebration SeriesDates: August 6-8 $250 per adultInstructor: Eli Vega

For the past 100 years, the parkhas provided us with majesticmountain vistas, stunning reflec-tive lakes, iconic elk, moose, bearand other wildlife in their naturalhabitats.The park also offers“small wonders” for its millions ofannual visitors. Learn to look forand find and photograph themany, often-overlooked, “smallwonders” in Rocky Mountain National Park. ♦♦

15N a t u r a l H i s t o r y C l a s s e s


Photo: Scott Rashid Photo:Jim Ward

Natural History Classes

Coyotes: Song Dogs of the West

Date: March 28 $70 per adultInstructor: Jared Gricoskie

Coyotes are among thiscountry’s most successfuland resourceful predators.Often misunderstood andmaligned, the coyote’s impacton our everyday life is pro-found. Explore the naturalhistory of North America’ssecond largest canine, Native American stories, coy-ote discovery by Lewis andClark, and the animal’s ex-pansion to the East. Examinethe coyote’s anatomy and biology; then, head intoRocky Mountain NationalPark to explore coyote habi-tat, social structure and interactions. Learn how thecoyote interacts with theecosystem, its prey and humankind, and how wolvescould impact coyotes in thefuture. ♦♦

(CSM credit available)

North with the Spring:

Bird Migration

Date: April 23 $70 per adultInstructor: Jeff Maugans

April in the high country iswhen we welcome back birdsthat have wintered in warmerclimates. Ducks, shorebirds,warblers, swallows, flycatch-ers, sparrows, sapsuckers,bluebirds and many othersreturn for the nesting seasonor stop to refuel before head-ing farther north. Exploreseveral locations in andaround Estes Park andRocky Mountain NationalPark to identify as manyspecies as possible by sightand sound while learningabout each bird’s unique nat-ural history. ♦♦♦

(CSM credit available)

Mysterious Owls

of Rocky

Dates: April 17, 18 $70 per adultInstructor: Scott Rashid

Investigate the six species ofowls that inhabit Rocky andthe Estes Valley: greathorned, long-eared, boreal,northern saw-whet, northernpygmy and the flammulatedowls. A presentation cover-ing the natural history ofeach species will begin thisclass; then, we will travel intothe field to find as many owlsas possible. ♦♦♦

Hawks in Flight:

Birds of Prey

Date: May 14 $35 per adultInstructor: Jeff Maugans

The diversity of birds of preyin Estes Park and RockyMountain National Park during spring is impressive.In a few hours of field time,it’s possible to locate turkeyvulture, osprey, golden eagle,bald eagle, Cooper’s hawk,sharp-shinned hawk, north-ern goshawk, red-tailedhawk, prairie falcon, pere-grine falcon and more. Ourfocus will be on this group ofdiurnal hunters, but we’ll notignore the opportunity to ob-serve other spring migrantsand year-round residentspecies as well. Join the dis-cussion about the birds’ natu-ral history as we watch andenjoy these magnificentpredators. ♦♦♦

Photo: Lee Kline

Life Signs:

Tracking the

Invisible

Date: May 15 $70 per adultInstructor: Kevin J. Cook

(See description under Hiking & Skill-building Classes, p.10.)

Birds at Twilight

Date: May 28 $35 per adultInstructor: Jeff Maugans

Twilight marks the transitiontime when nocturnal birds become active. While manydaytime species still can belocated, Wilson’s snipes,owls, common nighthawksand common poorwills starttheir nightshift hunting atdusk. Explore the haunts ofthese birds, seeking to bothsee and hear these elusivecreatures, and discuss theirnatural history and ecologyas we visit, search and listen. ♦♦

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N a t u r a l H i s t o r y C l a s s e s

NEW!

Boreal Toads:

Amphibians at

High Altitudes

Date: June 8 $70 per adultInstructor: Dr. Erin Muths

Dire headlines about theplight of amphibians con-tinue to be splashed acrossthe news, and amphibiansin Colorado are suffering asimilar fate. Of the five amphibian species listed tobe in the park, only four remain, and one of those,the boreal toad, is in dangerof extirpation. Learn about amphibian decline within thecontext of the species inRMNP and the RockyMountains. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

NEW!

North American

Eagles

Date: June 6 $70 per adultInstructor: W. Perry Conway

Colorado has both NorthAmerican eagle species; thepark has only the golden.The evolution, ecology, behavior, anatomy and pop-ulation status of both thebald and the golden will bediscussed using a highly illustrated lecture. A live female golden eagle, with a7’ wingspan, will reinforcethe lecture. Come preparedfor short hikes to the bestviewing areas when wetravel to nearby nests. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Photo: Cannundrums blogspot Photo: Lyn Ferguson

Summer Birding

with a Naturalist

Dates: June 11, 25; July 2, 9, 16 $35 per adultInstructor: Jeff Maugans

Spend the morning dis-cussing the migration, nest-ing, habitats, conservation,natural history and ecologyof mountain birds. Have funin the field while learning toidentify, enjoy and appreci-ate these feathered beings.Learn to identify as manyspecies as possible, both bysight and by songs/calls,and thus develop a goodsense of what birds arenearby. ♦♦

Plant & Wildflower

Identification

with a NaturalistNew Flower Families!

Dates: June 10, 24; July 8, 15, 29; August 12 $35 per adultInstructor: Kevin J. Cook

Join a professional natural-ist to explore the diversity ofRocky Mountain NationalPark’s wildflowers. Eachweek will focus on a differentfamily, learning identificationskills, unique characteristics,life cycles, and interestingfacts about common andnot-so-common speciesfound in the area. ♦♦


Unexpected Beauty:

Orchids of RMNP

Date: June 12$70 per adultInstructor: Kevin J. Cook

The orchids comprise theworld’s second most diversefamily of wildflowers; yet,perceived as plants of tropi-cal rainforests, they canseem out of place in theRocky Mountains. Learningthat perhaps as many as 30orchid species grow wild inColorado seems remarkableenough, but finding orchidsgrowing wild in RMNPmakes the place seem allthe more magical. In someplaces, certain orchids maybe among the park’s mostabundant wildflowers. Learnwhat botanical traits make awildflower an orchid; then,take that information afieldto find them; once we findthem, we’ll discuss their connectedness to other wild life. ♦♦(CSM credit available)

NEW!

Connections:

Real Stories of Life

Interacting with Life

Dates: June 10, 24; July 8;August 12$35 per adultInstructor: Kevin J. Cook

Pollinating bees reveal theecological concept of mutual-ism, and hungry hawks exem-plify the basics of predator-prey relationships. Suchwildlife interactions fuel ourcomprehension of life’s intri-cate connectedness. This series of classes will revealthe hidden connections between seemingly unrelatedwild life species. ♦♦

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Birds without Borders:

Migratory Birds

of RMNP & Costa Rica

Date: June 19 $70 per adultInstructor: Jeff Connor

Learn about an exciting projectbetween RMNP and protectedareas in Agua y Paz BiosphereReserve in Costa Rica. Visit willow, aspen, ponderosa pineand alpine tundra habitats to viewsongbirds that breed in the parkand winter in Costa Rica. Studythe types of habitats and the edu-cational and exchange programsin both areas. Focusing on fourspecies, the yellow warbler, Wil-son’s warbler, Swainson’s thrushand the western tanager, we willdiscuss important park manage-ment issues related to migratorybirds and visit exclosures that areimproving aspen and willow habitat for songbirds. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Photo: Jack Glover

Birds of the

Kawuneeche Valley

A Grand Lake Area Class

Date: June 13$70 per adultInstructor: Jeff Maugans

This all-day birding excursion willbegin with a brief indoor sessionfollowed by a day spent in thefield within Rocky Mountain National Park. We will identifybirds by sight and voice and learnabout their natural history. This isprime time to find birds nesting,and we expect to locate wood-peckers, bluebirds, swallows andwrens at their cavity nests. Wewill break for lunch at a restaurantin Grand Lake and then resumeour field explorations in theKawuneeche Valley. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Photo: Jim Ward

Secret Places in

Rocky Mountain

National ParkNew Locations!

Dates: June 26; July 10; August 14 $35 per adultInstructor: Kevin J. Cook

A prudent sense of safety keepsus looking at the ground as wewalk, and trails trick us into lookingstraight ahead to see what’s coming. The consequence ofthese habits is that we miss what’saround. Marvelous old trees,spectacular wildflower assem-blages, hard-to-find animals, andother wild life surprises can remainhidden in secret places near thetrails that allow us to pass throughunaware. Explore just off familiarbeaten paths with a mind for dis-covering the natural richness thatbestows character on place. ♦♦

Edible & Medicinal

Plants of the Rockies

Plants for Hunger & Health

Dates: June 26;July 10$70 per adultInstructor: Abby Schreiber

Explore the flora of the park witha former RMNP interpretiveranger and Master Herbalist.Focus on plants that have beenused historically as food and med-icine by Native American tribes.Herbal remedies based on popu-lar traditions, herbal lore and cul-tural customs will be comple-mented with knowledge of thera-peutic value discovered by scien-tists for a holistic portrayal ofmedicinal plants found in theRocky Mountains. Discover the edible plants, and learn how toprepare them. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

NEW!100 Years, 100 Flowers:

Wildflowers of RMNPCentennial Celebration SeriesDates: June 27-28$140 per adultInstructor: Leanne Benton

Explore the wonder and diversityof the park’s wildflowers with a former Rocky Mountain NationalPark interpretive naturalist.Thepark’s vertical topography allowsfor a variety of habitats; this classwill search out lush wildflower displays from montane meadowsto high alpine ridges. Get up closewith the mountain flora to discovertheir adaptations for survival andinteresting stories behind theirbeautiful faces. Hone identificationtechniques, and gain confidenceusing a flower key. Day 1: montane and subalpine wildflowers;Day 2: alpine wildflowers. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

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Mountain Ecology:Unique Interactions

in Nature

Dates: July 17-19$250 per adult for 3 days or$100 for each dayInstructor: Dr. John Emerick

Besides having a spectacularlandscape, Rocky Mountain National Park is home tomany ecosystems typical ofthe southern Rocky Moun-tains. Explore some of theseecosystems, examining theirdominant plants and typicalwildlife species. Discuss keybiological, geological and climatic processes that, overtime, have formed and char-acterize each ecosystemtype. Visit sunny mountainmeadows and shrublands,moist riparian ecosystems, avariety of forest habitats andTrail Ridge Road for some ofthe best examples of alpinetundra easily accessible. ♦♦♦(CSM credit available)

Photo: Phyllis Holst Photo: Dick Coe Photo: Julie Klett

Grasses of RMNP

NEW East Side Location!

Date: July 12$70 per adult Instructor: Karin Edwards &

Jim Bromberg

Grasses are found justabout everywhere you mightplant yourself. While such aubiquitous family breeds acertain amount of assumedfamiliarity, to really know thegrasses requires some focused attention. Learn thespecific terminology forgrasses and similar plants,and discover the eye-opening process of keyinggrasses with the help of anexcellent grasses key. Benot afraid! ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Macroinvertebrates:

The Underwater

World of Insects & Other Small

Creatures in RMNP

Date: July 17 $70 per adult

Instructor: Dr. Boris Kondratieff

Learn basic identificationand biology of the insectsmost commonly encounteredin freshwater habitats. Focuson identification of aquaticinsects and other insectsoften associated withstreamside vegetation andimportant aspects of their biology, such as life cycles,habitat preferences, feedinghabits, adaptations to environments and functionsin ecosystems. ♦♦♦(CSM credit available)

Hummingbirds: Field Research

Date: July 13$50 per adultInstructors: Tena &

Fred Engelman

Learn about Rocky’s hum-mingbird populations andtheir habitats while observ-ing field ornithologists asthey safely capture andband these remarkablebirds. Marking individualbirds remains essential toassess population size, migration corridors, and survivorship. Genetic andstatistical analyses are complementing and expand-ing understanding of theseimportant migratory pollina-tors. Visit typical habitats, observe and identify types offood sources, and learnabout factors influencinghummingbird survival. ♦♦

Diversity in

Wildflowers


Date: July 11$70 per adultInstructor: Marlene Borneman

Explore the west side ofRocky Mountain NationalPark to find common andnot-so-common wildflowers.Learn about the diversity ofthe park’s plant life whilespending the day afield with an experienced naturalist. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

NEW!New Ways to

Decipher the Past:

The Spectacular

Geology of RMNP

Date: July 11$35 per adult

Instructor: Joshua Johnson

Underlying the jagged peaksand incredible vistas of themountainous terrain of thispark is a fascinating andcomplex geologic story thatspans nearly 1.8 billionyears. Discuss recent re-search conducted in thepark utilizing a powerfultechnique called helium ther-mochronology to uncoverthe previously shrouded history of RMNP. Enjoy afield trip to several overlooksand short walks off TrailRidge Road to view thepark’s geology and obtaingreater understanding of the geologic history of thepark and the importance of the park as a natural laboratory. ♦♦

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Photo: Jim WardPhoto: Linda WoldPhoto: Lee Kline

Rocks & Minerals:Exploring the

Foundation of RMNP

Date: July 23$35 per adultInstructor: Dr. David Lindsey

Learn to identify commonrocks and minerals, anddiscover what they can tellus about the geologic past.After an introduction in theclassroom, journey to theLawn Lake Alluvial Fan toidentify minerals in bouldersthat have been scrubbedclean by floods. Crawl overrock outcrops at Horse-shoe Park Overlook to seehow rocks and mineralsform over geologic time.This class is open toteachers and aspiringrockhounds alike to lay asolid foundation for ongo-ing geologic studies.(Bring a hand lens or mag-nifying glass if you haveone.) ♦♦

Geology of Trail

Ridge Road

Date: July 24 $70 per adultInstructor: Dr. David Lindsey

Become acquainted with the vastness of geologic timeand the power of geologicprocesses through the studyof rocks and physical fea-tures along one of the high-est and most spectacularroads in North America. Ex-amine the ancient metamor-phic rocks and granites, andlearn how they formed. Discover geologically recentvolcanic rocks along theroad, and imagine the volca-noes that produced them.Learn to recognize featuresformed by glaciers thatflowed through the park asrecently as a few thousandyears ago. Experiencepanoramic views and discus-sions of the geology alongTrail Ridge Road in RockyMountain National Park. ♦♦(CSM credit available)

North American

Bears: Ecology,

Behavior & Evolution

Date: July 18 $70 per adult

Instructor: W. Perry Conway

Bears are the iconic symbolof the American wilderness,and North America hasthree of the world’s eightspecies. Historically, thepark had two of the three –now only one. Learn thenatural history of all threeNorth American species –their evolution, behavior andhabitat needs. Through illus-trated classroom sessionsand field trips, learn whichareas of the park provideproper black bear habitat,what they eat, their popula-tion status and where toview and safely photographNorth American bears. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

History of Fisheries

of RMNP

Date: July 18$70 per adultInstructor: Chris Kennedy

Discover the difference between the historic condi-tion of fisheries when thefirst white settlers enteredthis area and current condi-tions in what is now RMNP. Explore current cutthroattrout management and re-cent research on cutthroattrout taxonomy. Following amorning classroom session,travel to significant sites inthe history of RMNP fish-eries and observe an electrofishing demonstrationwhere we expect to captureboth native cutthroat troutand non-native troutspecies. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Bighorn Sheep:

Ecology &

Management

Date: July 24 $70 per adultInstructor: Jeff Connor

The bighorn sheep is thesymbol of Rocky MountainNational Park and the stateof Colorado. It represents themajestic rugged mountainsof the park. Discover theecology of bighorn sheep,how to identify a ram from aewe, a yearling from a lamb,what they eat and how toage sheep by the rings ontheir horns. Learn to distin-guish the scat of sheep fromelk, deer and moose, anddiscuss how sheep can livein such mountainous terrain.Visit two mineral licks to explore their importance tothe sheep’s survival, and discuss important park management issues relatedto bighorn sheep. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Photo: Jim Louik

20 N a t u r a l H i s t o r y C l a s s e s


Geology of the

Western Slope


Date: August 8 $70 per adultInstructor: Keith Graham

The western part of the park offers a grand opportunity to seesome of the oldest rocks in Col-orado and some beautiful examplesof very recent (geologically speak-ing) glacial features. Learn how ge-ologists interpret the nature andhistory of the rocks and theprocesses that created and formedthem. Look far back in time anddeep into the earth to understandhow metamorphism changed sedi-ments into the 1.75-billion-year-oldschists and gneisses that dominatewestern RMNP’s bedrock. Examinethe effects of tectonic forces thatbegan more than 60 million yearsago and caused these rocks to beheaved more than two miles abovesea level. ♦♦(CSM credit available)

Photo: Marlene Borneman Photo: Phyllis HolstPhoto: Lisa Thompson

NEW!

Periglacial Processes

& Landforms

Date: July 25 $70 per adultInstructor: Dr. Jason Janke

Spend a day along Trail RidgeRoad examining periglacial land-forms and processes. Learnabout earth hummocks, stonepolygons, thermokarst depres-sions, talus slopes, and solifluc-tion lobes. Collect groundtemperature measurements fromboreholes and examine permafrost or other material thatremains below 0°C for two ormore years. Discuss the presentextent of its occurrence and examine landcover factors thatimpact its formation. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Mushrooms & Other

FungiNew East Side Location!

Date: August 17 $70 per adultInstructor: Kevin J. Cook

Long regarded as atypical members of the plant kingdom,the fungi are now classified in aseparate kingdom of their own. Mushrooms are so visible and figure so prominently in foods anddrugs that we tend to think ofmushrooms as the fungi them-selves. But they aren’t. Rather, amushroom is merely the repro-ductive structure of a much moreexpansive organism. Learn whatfungi are and are not, the attrib-utes that make a creature a fungus, and the challenges to befaced in recognizing one fungusfrom another. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

RMNP Butterflies:West of the Divide


Date: August 15$70 per adultInstructors: Paul Opler &

Evi Buckner-Opler

Learn basic butterfly biology, be-havior and identification, and visitseveral different habitats on thewest slope of the park to searchfor late summer species, such asRocky Mountain Parnassian, Scudder’s sulphur, silver-bor-dered fritillary, mourning cloakand dark wood-nymph. Discusslife histories and ecology, host-plant associations, and conserva-tion concerns, including the impact of loss of lodgepole pinestands to bark beetles. Observa-tion will rely on binoculars; how-ever, the instructor will have anet-and-release permit to allowparticipants a close-up look at avariety of species. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

RMNP Butterflies:East of the Divide

Date: July 25$70 per adultInstructors: Paul Opler &

Evi Buckner-Opler

Butterflies are easily observed inevery life zone of Rocky MountainNational Park. Learn basic butter-fly biology, behavior and identifi-cation. In the field, visit severaldifferent habitats on the eastslope of the park to search forsummer species, such as paleswallowtail, blues, several fritillar-ies, hoary comma and Weide-meyer’s admiral. Learn to identifythese species, and also discusstheir life histories and ecology,host-plant associations and con-servation concerns. Observationwill rely on binoculars and digitalphotography; however, the in-structor will have a net-and-re-lease permit to allow participantsa close-up look at a variety ofspecies. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

21



Photo: Jim WardPhoto: Lee Kline

NEW!There’s More to This

Place than Meets the Eye:

100 Years of

Environmental

Change in RMNPCentennial Celebration Series

Date: August 17 $70 per adultInstructor: Dr. Ellen Wohl

This course provides an overviewof the history of environmentalchange in the park, emphasizinghuman-caused change. Discussthe history of mining, water engi-neering, recreational develop-ment and tourism, atmosphericinputs of dust and nitrates, wildlifemanagement, and climate changein the context of protecting andrestoring natural environmentswithin the park. Understand howpast human activities influencecontemporary ecosystems andoptions for management of natu-ral resources within the park. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

When Ice Ruled

the Park

Date: August 22 $70 per adultInstructor: Dr. Vince Matthews

Much of today’s magnificentscenery in Rocky Mountain National Park can be attributed tothe erosional effects of ice morethan a thousand feet thick. Begin-ning at the terminal moraine of an ancient glacier, traverse up OldFall River Road through its U-shaped canyon and into its cirqueeight miles away. Observe depo-sitional and erosional featuresalong the way, and on the returntrip along Trail Ridge Road, ob-serve and discuss many interest-ing glacial and periglacialfeatures, including rock glaciers,felsenmeer, patterned ground and sackungen. ♦♦(CSM credit available)

Mountain Lion:

RMNP’s Top Predator

Dates: August 22-23 $140 per adultInstructors: Caroline Krumm

& Dr. Don Hunter

Explore mountain lion ecology,ongoing research, human-moun-tain lion interaction, and commu-nity stewardship of wildlife resources during morning lec-tures followed by hands-on instruction in the field. Demon-strations of research methods,tools and data collection will beincluded with practical instructionon how to “read” the signs left bymountain lions. Mountain lionsafety, current research techniques,key management issues, andhow communities across theWest are becoming involved alsowill be discussed. ♦♦♦(CSM credit available)


NEW!

Floods: Going to

Extremes


This course studies floods alongColorado’s Front Range, includ-ing basic concepts such as floodrecurrence interval (What is a100-year flood?), and the physicaland ecological importance offloods. Recent floods in the areaof Estes Park, including the Sep-tember 2013 flood, will be dis-cussed. Visit two sites affected bythe 2013 flood: the Lawn Lake Alluvial Fan in RMNP and FishCreek in the city of Estes Park.Gain greater understanding of thecauses and consequences offloods and of strategies that canbe used to heighten the beneficialaspects and reduce flood dam-ages to human communities. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

NEW!

The Life and Times

of Moose


Date: August 28$70 per adultInstructor: Kevin J. Cook

Moose naturally occurred in Col-orado then naturally vanishedfrom the state long before peoplebrought them back. Thus themoose has a prehistory and a his-tory in this region plus a naturalhistory as well. By distinguishingbiological realities from culturalperceptions, discussion will clarifyboth the taxonomic relatednessand the ecological context of themoose as a species. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

22


Photo: Phyllis Holst Photo: Scott RashidPhoto: NPS


Banding Boreal &Saw-whet Owls

A Service Learning Class

Dates: October 2, 3 $35 per adult Instructor: Scott Rashid

Join a wildlife researcher as hetraps and bands boreal and northern saw-whet owls in RockyMountain National Park. Learnabout the birds’ habitat require-ments, nighttime activities andgeneral ecology while assistingwith the capture and release ofthese elusive, yet important,species. Learn proper handlingand capturing techniques, and discuss Scott’s current park research. Learn why caring forthese nocturnal creatures is crucial. ♦♦♦

NEW!

The Persevering Pika:

Secrets of Alpine Survival

Date: September 5 $70 per adultInstructor: Chris Ray

Watch the American pika demon-strate its alpine survival strategy.Pikas and their hibernating neigh-bors — yellow-bellied marmots,chipmunks and squirrels — areeasy to watch in the summer andfall as they forage among thealpine wildflowers. Learn to spotdifferent animal behaviors thatprovide clues to surviving thelong, cold winter. Pikas don’t hibernate, so you’re sure to learna few survival tips from these resourceful little beasts. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

NEW!

River Otters of Rocky


Date: September 12 $70 per adultInstructor: Dr. Merav Ben-David

River otters were extirpated frommuch of the southwestern UnitedStates by the early 1900s butwere reintroduced into westernColorado from the 1970sto1990s. Otters from Alaska,Michigan, Minnesota, Newfound-land, Oregon, Washington andWisconsin were released in sev-eral Colorado rivers.The first ofthese reintroductions was inRMNP. Because RMNP offersprotection for otters, it is an important location for their futuremanagement, and since 2001,scientists have been surveyingthe Colorado River within the parkfor river otter sign. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Climate Change

in the Rockies

Date: September 5 $70 per adultInstructor: Dr. Timothy Kittel

During the past few decades, cli-mate has been changing in theRocky Mountain National Parkvicinity, and the prospect for futurerapid climate change should give uspause in our thinking about thepark. What will its landscapes looklike in the decades to come?Spend a day in the field exploringthe ways in which montane forestsup to the alpine tundra are vulnerable to a shifting climate. Dis-cuss the complex ecological climateinteractions that affect the plants,birds, mammals and aquatic sys-tems we currently associate withpark ecosystems, and explore uncertainties about natural systemsand how they relate to the manage-ment of park resources. ♦♦(CSM credit available)

NEW!On the Wing Again:

Autumn Bird Migration

Date: August 29$70 per adultInstructor: Jeff Maugans

Summer passes all too quickly,and with the passing of the nest-ing season comes another part ofthe annual bird cycle: the south-ward fall migration. Summer residents have departed to be replaced by migrants and newlyfledged young from the northheaded to wintering grounds asfar south as Argentina. Searchfor migrating warblers, flycatch-ers, hawks, bluebirds, sparrows,swallows and others. Find year-round residents including wood-peckers, jays, finches, chickadeesand nuthatches, and look forwhite-tailed ptarmigan and goldeneagles on the alpine tundra. ♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

23C u l t u r a l H i s t o r y C l a s s e s

Cultural HistoryClasses


Campfire Ghost Stories:

Living History Tales

of the West

Iron Thumb June 18 Isabella Bird June 25Enos Mills July 9NEW! F.O. Stanley July 16

$10 per adult/child, children 5and under FREE

(See descriptions under Youth& Family Classes, p. 9.)

Historic photos from the Fred Clatworthy Collection; hand-colored by Cheryl Pennington

Behind the Scenes in RMNP

Date: May 8 $35 per adultInstructor: Rachel Balduzzi

Are you curious about what ittakes to run a national park likeRocky? Here’s your chance to ex-plore the secrets of park opera-tions behind the scenes. Strollalong paved pathways to discoverthe functions of the backcountryoffice, fire management building,ranger operations station, parkgreenhouse and museum storagefacility. End your journey at theRocky Mountain Conservancy, and discover new ways to be involved with the park today! ♦♦

NEW!

Rocky Mountain

National Park:

The First 100 YearsCentennial Celebration Series

Dates: June 27-28 $140 per adultInstructor: Mary Taylor Young

Cover a billion years of park his-tory… in a weekend! Roam thepark with the author of the park’scentennial history Rocky Moun-tain National Park: The First 100Years. Discover traces of parkhistory that lie beneath the sur-face and off the beaten path. Seebillion-year-old rocks, a gamedrive wall used by prehistorichunters, Apache Fort, site of anearly Indian battle, and the loca-tion of the 1915 Dedication Cere-mony. Discover the “phantom” BigThompson River park entranceand old entrance road. Exploreearly ranches and the remnant ofa guest lodge, and witness thechanges floods in two differentcenturies have left on the park.♦♦♦ (CSM credit available)

Native Americans &

the Wickiups of RockyCentennial Celebration Series

Date: July 19 $70 per adultInstructor: Curtis Martin

The first residents of the RockyMountains, the highly mobile Uteand Arapaho Indians, built sheltersfor themselves called “wickiups,”conical wooden structures sort oflike small tipis. These expedientshelters primarily were sleepingplaces rather than full-time residences. When it came time tomove on in search of wild gameor ripening nuts and berries, theyleft these “bedrooms” behind. Anumber of these fragile featuresstill can be found in Rocky Moun-tain National Park and elsewherein Colorado. Spend the morningin the classroom learning aboutwickiups and the people whomade them. In the afternoon, we’llgo outdoors and build one of ourown replica wickiups. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

24 C u l t u r a l H i s t o r y C l a s s e s


NEW!

Rocky Mountain

National Park:

A Centennial HistoryCentennial Celebration Series

Date: July 27 $50 per adultInstructor: Dr. James Pickering

Review the “national park idea” and thesix-year-long campaign to create RockyMountain National Park; then, spendthe day visiting the sites associatedwith the park’s first century, includingearly farming and ranching, the greatlodges and resorts, in-holdings and famous summer visitors, the building ofOld Fall River and Trail Ridge Roads,the Civilian Conservation Corps and theGreat Depression, and Mission 66.Historic sites include, the 1915 Dedica-tion Site, the convict cabins along OldFall River Road, the Hondius ranch inUpper Beaver Meadows, the WilliamAllen White cabin, Sprague’s Ranch,Stead’s Hotel in Moraine Park and theCCC camp sites in Hollowell Park. Thecontrast between “then” and “now” willbe highlighted through the use of historic photographs. ♦♦

NEW!

History of

Stewardship in

RockyCentennial Celebration Series

Date: August 31$70 per adultInstructor: Geoff Elliot

The landscapes of RockyMountain National Park havebeen visited and used by people for thousands of years.Whether it was ancient peopleshunting on the tundra, early settlers homesteading themountain valleys, ski resortsdeveloping the slopes, or con-servation corps workers build-ing camps, each of these useshas affected the landscape andmodified the way in which theNational Park Service managesthe cultural and natural resources. Explore these areasand the ways in which each ofthese uses has shaped the philosophy and managementplan of the National Park Service in RMNP. ♦♦♦(CSM credit available)

NEW!

Enos Mills’ Wildlife:

Then & NowCentennial Celebration SeriesDate: July 20 $70 per adultInstructor: Jared Gricoskie

Enos Mills was known for many accomplishments, but one of hisbiggest contributions was his obser-vation of wildlife in the Rocky Moun-tain region. We’ll explore the park,looking at the changes the park hasfaced since Enos’ time including theextirpation of wolves and grizzlybears, the reintroduction of elk andtheir impact over the past 100years, and bighorn sheep popula-tion declines. Then we’ll share thestories of mountain bluebirds, pikas,and other animals that graced thepages of his works, including one ofhis favorites, the beaver. ♦♦(CSM credit available)

NEW!There’s More to This

Place than Meets the Eye:

100 Years of

Environmental

Change in RMNPCentennial Celebration Series


This course provides an overviewof the history of environmentalchange in the park, emphasizinghuman-caused change. Discussthe history of mining, water engi-neering, recreational develop-ment and tourism, atmosphericinputs of dust and nitrates, wildlifemanagement, and climate changein the context of protecting andrestoring natural environmentswithin the park. Understand howpast human activities influencecontemporary ecosystems andoptions for management of natural resources within the park. ♦♦ (CSM credit available)

25

Call 970-586-3262, or visit www.RMConservancy.org to reserve.

A Professional Meeting Space

This beautiful facility was purchased forour Field Institute program in 2001through donations and grant funds. Located along the Fall River corridor inEstes Park, it’s just two miles east ofRocky Mountain National Park. We havethree meeting rooms, a bookstore, plentyof restrooms, a kitchen facility, free parking for 24 vehicles, and a very pleasant mountain atmosphere.

Contact us at 970-586-3262 for more information. Support the Field Institute program by considering this excellent facility for your next gathering!

Conference Room Rates:

u $65 for single room, half day

(up to 4 hours)

u $95 for single room, full day

(more than 4 hours)

u $65 per additional room

u $65 for catering facilities including

kitchen (catering not included)

Additional Services and Rates:

Audio-visual equipment available:

u TV/DVD player

u LCD projector

u Overhead projector

u 35mm slide projector

u $30 per day for hot beverages

Please inquire for equipment rates.

Plan Your Next Meeting or

Conference at the Field Institute!

Juniper Room

• Seats 14 around tables

• Seats 20 theater-style

• Comfortable fireplace setting

• Wall-mounted projection screen

Ponderosa Room

• Seats 15 around tables



• Sunroom attached for break-out

sessions Aspen Room

• Seats 8 around the table


• Comfortable fireplace setting


• Large wall-mounted whiteboard

C o n s e r v a n c y C o n f e r e n c e R o o m s

26 I n s t r u c t o r P r o f i l e s


David Adams - David was a ranger andnaturalist in Rocky Mountain NationalPark for 27 years. He also taught eighthgrade earth science at Estes Park Mid-dle School. He has a Master’s degree inintegrated natural science from ColoradoCollege, Colorado Springs.

Dr. Tom Adams - Formerly an elemen-tary school teacher, Tom now spends hisdays astream and skiing, guiding fly-fish-ers for Scot’s Sporting Goods in EstesPark (17 years) and writing an outdoorscolumn for The Greeley Tribune. Herecently retired after 25 years of trainingteachers through the BUENO Center atColorado University-Boulder.

Rachel Balduzzi - Rachel is the educa-tion director for the Rocky MountainConservancy. She holds a Master’s de-gree in education and worked as anRMNP interpretation ranger as well asthe lead education technician for thepark’s environmental education division.Rachel has also taught elementaryschool in Estes Park.

Dr. Merav Ben-David - Merav is anecologist investigating the effects of cli-mate warming, invasive species, pollu-tion, and land-use changes on individualanimals, populations, and ecosystems.She has been conducting river otter research in Alaska, Wyoming and Colorado since 1991.

Leanne Benton - As a ranger-naturalistin Rocky Mountain National Park,Leanne led wildflower walks in the parkfor 18 years. She studied and pho-tographed the park’s wildflowers formore than 25 years. She currently is asupervisory ranger at Colorado’s MesaVerde National Park.

Marlene Borneman - Marlene spendsmuch of her time locating and photograph-ing wildflowers in their native habitats. Shehas studied and photographed Coloradoflora since 1974. She is the coauthor ofRocky Mountain Wildflowers and is a mem-ber of the Colorado Native Plant Society.

Jim Bromberg - Jim works for RockyMountain National Park as a natural re-sources specialist focusing on restora-tion and invasive species issues in thepark. He holds a Master of Science de-gree in plant ecology from ColoradoState University. He also worked on invasive species control and habitatrestoration projects at Point Reyes National Seashore in California.

Jeff Connor - Jeff retired after 25 yearsas a natural resources specialist inRocky Mountain National Park where hewas involved with bighorn sheep man-agement. He also worked in Canyon-lands National Park complex in Utah andwas responsible for the reestablishmentof desert bighorn sheep in Arches National Park.

W. Perry Conway - Perry has been aprofessional nature photographer formore than 30 years. His work has beenpublished in every major wildlife and nature magazine produced in NorthAmerica. He is a former biology teacherwith an M.S. degree in curriculum development in outdoor education.

Kevin J. Cook - Since 1974, Kevin hasexplored Colorado to experience its wildlife firsthand. He writes natural historycolumns for newspapers and maga-zines, edits technical articles for scien-tific publications, leads wildlifeobservation tours, teaches various wildlife classes, and presents monthly lectures at several Colorado venues.

Karin Edwards - Karin earned a forestrydegree from the University of Montana inMissoula. She was a field botanist forthe National Vegetation Mapping Projectfor national parks, monuments, andrecreation areas throughout the West.She coauthored a noxious weed bookletand wrote newspaper articles highlightingproblematic weeds in the Estes Valley.

Geoff Elliot - Geoff manages the Con-servation Corps program for the RockyMountain Conservancy. He graduatedfrom the University of Montana with adegree in philosophy focused in environmental ethics and philosophy.

Margaret (Peggy) Ellis - Peggy spent25 years with the U.S. Geological Survey. During past years, she assistedwith and taught map-and-compass andGPS classes. She teaches classes atthe Bass Pro Shop in Denver and in several parks around Denver.

John Emerick, Ph.D. - John was anecologist with the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration and a facultymember for the department of environ-mental sciences at the Colorado Schoolof Mines. He coauthored From Grass-land to Glacier and authored the RockyMountain National Park: Natural HistoryHandbook. Dr. Emerick is a consultingecologist.

Tena and Fred Engelman - Tena andFred are volunteer field researchers andrecently concluded RMNP’s first surveyof hummingbird species and habitat, giving new insight into hummingbird survivorship, behavior, courtship andnesting area fidelity, migration routesand timing, and populations. Their workprovides useful reference for ornitholo-gists, resource managers and park interpretive personnel.

Suzie Garner - Suzie is art departmenthead and professor of art at ColoradoMesa University. She also is a designer, oilpainter and avid sketchbook artist. She hasconducted workshops in many nationalparks and monuments in the West and hasexhibited nationally and internationally.

Keith Graham - With B.A. and M.A.T.degrees in geology, Keith has taught geology and other earth sciences formore than 35 years. He volunteers onthe west side of the park, leads a weeklyRMNP tundra geology hike during thesummer months, conducts geology fieldtrips and has coauthored several paperspertaining to park geology.

Jared Gricoskie - Jared owns YellowWood Guiding in Estes Park, specializ-ing in nature tours and photo safaris inRMNP. With a degree in environmentalinterpretation, he has worked as a natu-ralist from Colorado to New York andMichigan to Texas. Since 2008, Jaredhas explored and researched the floraand fauna of the Rocky Mountains.

Eli Helmuth - Eli is a professionalmountain guide, certified by the Ameri-can Mountain Guides Association since1991. Eli teaches full-time avalanchesafety courses all winter in RMNP andleads climbing and skiing ventures in thepark, in Alaska and throughout theAndes and Himalaya ranges.

Doug Hill - Doug is the founder and di-rector of Gone Feral, which focuses onkeeping traditional skills and primitive tech-nology alive through hands-on workshops.Doug, a former high school industrial artsteacher, is an environmental educator, naturalist, writer and primitive living skillspractitioner. He is also an adjunct instruc-tor with Red Rocks Community College’sOutdoor Education program.

Kristen Mosier Hill - Kristen holds a de-gree in education with a minor in art andis passionate about lighting the fire forart in children and helping them realizetheir innate artistic abilities. She hasbeen teaching art in Estes Valley since1994.

Dr. Don Hunter - Don helped to establishand run the Rocky Mountain Cat Conser-vancy, a nonprofit, nongovernment organi-zation dedicated to wild cat conservation,research and community stewardship. Cur-rently, he is the science director for RMCC.

Dr. Jason Janke - Jason is a professorand chair of the department of Earth andatmospheric sciences at MetropolitanState University of Denver. He holds aPh.D. degree from the University of Col-orado-Boulder, where he researchedpermafrost distribution in the FrontRange of Colorado. He is currently re-searching glacial and periglacial topicsin RMNP and has written several papersfor scientific journals.

Margaret Jensen - Margaret has exten-sive knowledge of RMNP and primepainting locations. From May throughOctober, Margaret paints plein-air everyweek and leads critiques of the work.She has been included in many juriedshows, featured in the Western Art Col-lector magazine and has studied withmany recognized artists.

Joshua Johnson - Joshua is a Master’sdegree candidate in geology at the Uni-versity of Colorado-Boulder. He hasbeen an interpretive ranger at CapitolReef National Park and is studying theerosional and uplift history of the Colorado Front Range, including RockyMountain National Park.

Kurtis Kelly - A well-known performer,actor and storyteller in Estes Park, Kurtishas portrayed Abner Sprague and ledliving history reenactments of local fig-ures like F.O. Stanley and Lord Dun-raven. He has led ghost story tours ofthe Stanley Hotel and has appeared onNational Public Radio and performed inmany theatrical productions. He is thereference and programs librarian at theEstes Valley Library.

Chris Kennedy - Chris has been a fishbiologist with the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService and has conducted fisheries fieldwork within RMNP since 1997. He hasstudied the history of fish within RMNPand throughout Colorado for more than adecade and has been involved in cutthroattrout management his entire career. He iscoauthor of the latest paper researchingthe taxonomy of cutthroat, work which willguide recovery efforts of this rare species.

Timothy Kittel, Ph.D. - Tim is a re-search ecologist at the Institute of Arcticand Alpine Research, University of Col-orado-Boulder, investigating climatic andecological change across western NorthAmerica. He teaches winter field ecologyfor CU’s Mountain Research Station andsummer overseas field ecology coursesfor non-science majors at Columbia University. Tim is faculty director for CUStudy Abroad Program's ConservationPractice in Brazil Global Seminar.

Lee Kline - A native Coloradan, out-doorsman and amateur naturalist, Lee isan accomplished photographer andwriter. His articles and images have ap-peared in magazines, books, calendars,interpretive displays, advertising andother media. His award-winning photog-raphy is recognized internationally. Heis author of Colorado Wildlife Portfolioand the DVD, Through My Lens – ANorth American Wildlife Picture Show.

27

Call 970-586-3262, or visit www.RMConservancy.org for more information.

I n s t r u c t o r P r o f i l e sDr. Boris Kondratieff - Boris is a profes-sor of entomology at Colorado State Uni-versity and director of the C. P. GilletteMuseum of Arthropod Diversity at CSU.Current interests include insect biodiversitysurveys, aquatic insect ecology, taxonomicrevisions and descriptions of new or poorlyknown species of flies and forensic ento-mology. He has published nearly 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers and is coauthorof four books.

Caroline Krumm - Caroline helped es-tablish and operate the Rocky MountainCat Conservancy, a nonprofit, nongovern-ment organization dedicated to wild catconservation, research and communitystewardship. She is currently the directorof RMCC and recently completed a Mas-ter’s degree studying the issue of mountainlion “prey preference” for chronic wastingdisease-infected mule deer.

Sue Langdon - Sue is a park ranger nat-uralist at Rocky Mountain National Parkwith a B.A. degree in both environmentalstudies and American history and a minorin women’s studies. She admits to beinga “national park addict” and vacations innational parks whenever possible.

Dr. David Lindsey - With a Ph.D. degreein geology from Johns Hopkins University,David served as research geologist/admin-istrator at the U.S. Geological Survey formore than 30 years. He is scientist emeri-tus at the U.S.G.S. in Lakewood, Colorado,and has written three geology pamphletspublished by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Jan Manning - With a degree in wildlife biology, Jan’s passion for American historyled him to begin researching and providingliving history presentations at venuesacross the western United States, includingthe Denver Art Museum, Museum of West-ern Art, National Wildlife Federation andLos Angeles Museum of Natural History.

Curtis Martin - With a Master’s degree inanthropology, Curtis has conducted fieldwork at the Escalante Site, Lowry Ruins,and in Canyons of the Ancients NationalMonument. He has worked for the ColoradoState Highway Department, the Museum ofNorthern Arizona, and at private cultural re-source management firms. Currently, Curtisis a contract archaeologist, principal investi-gator for the Colorado Wickiup Project andprofessor at Colorado Mesa University.

Dr. Vince Matthews - Vince is the stategeologist of Colorado, director of theColorado Geological Survey and authorof Messages in Stone - Colorado's Col-orful Geology; he also compiled TouristGuide to Colorado Geology. He hastaught geology at five institutions ofhigher education and received the ArthurLakes Legacy Award for increasing publicawareness of the region's geologic, prehistoric, historic and natural features.

Jeff Maugans - Jeff worked as a natural-ist for the National Park Service for 32years with a special interest in birds. Withhis degree in outdoor education and natu-ral science, Jeff has worked at MammothCave National Park, Cape Hatteras Na-tional Seashore, Edison National HistoricSite, Gateway National Park, RedwoodNational Park and Cuyahoga Valley Na-tional Park. He came to RMNP in 1990.

Dr. Erin Muths - Erin earned her Ph.D.degree at the University of Queenslandin Australia and has studied boreal toadsin RMNP for 12 years. Dr. Muths is a zoologist with the U.S. Geological Surveyin Fort Collins, Colorado, and studiesamphibians in the Rocky Mountain west.Her publications include a paper on boreal toad demographics in Ecologyand papers in Applied Herpetology,Alytes and Ecological Applications rang-ing from amphibian monitoring to diseaseto population decline.

Paul Opler and Evi Buckner-Opler -

Paul and Evi have been teaching butter-fly natural history classes since 1992, forthe RM Conservancy, Teton ScienceSchool and San Francisco State Univer-sity. Paul is a professor at ColoradoState University and has written the east-ern and western Peterson Butterfly FieldGuides. He is an internationally recog-nized expert on butterfly conservation,butterfly ecology and classification. Evi isa retired school teacher, nature photog-rapher and artist.

Dr. James Pickering - Jim is historianlaureate of the Town of Estes Park and re-cent retiree as professor of English at theUniversity of Houston where he also hasserved as dean, provost and president. Hehas written or edited 29 books on theRMNP-Estes Park region, Colorado andthe West. His most recent book is Joe Millsof Estes Park: A Colorado Life (2013).

Karen Ramsay - A graduate of ColoradoInstitute of Art in Denver, Karen has stud-ied under talented artists including CharlesReid, Burton Silverman, Frank Webb andEric Weingardt. She was recognized in Big Sky Journal as an Artist of the West in 2001.

Glenn Randall - Specializing in Colorado wilderness landscapes, Glennhas been a full-time freelance photogra-pher/writer for many years. His fine-artphotographs are found in galleriesacross Colorado. He has accumulatednearly 1,000 photo credits and soldmore than 10,000 prints. He was thesole photographer for Rocky MountainNational Park Impressions and ColoradoWild & Beautiful.

Scott Rashid - Author/researcher/artist,Scott has studied birds of prey most ofhis adult life. In 1998, he found his firstnorthern pygmy owl nest in RMNP. Hefound northern saw-whet owl nests inthe park in 2000 and documented thefirst flammulated owl nest in RMNP in2004. His book, Small Mountain Owls, isthe only book covering the natural his-tory of northern pygmy, flammulated,northern saw-whet and boreal owls.

Chris Ray - Chris is a research associ-ate with the University of Colorado’s Institute for Arctic and Alpine Researchand outreach coordinator for the NiwotRidge Long Term Ecological Researchprogram. She has studied the Americanpika throughout the western U.S., andhas coauthored many publications onthis species. Her background is in theoretical/mathematical ecology.

Tim Resch - Tim has been living andriding the country in and around Home-stead Meadows and Rocky MountainNational Park for the past 34 years. Formore than a decade, he was employedby RMNP as a mule packer leadingstrings of up to 18 pack mules haulingcargo into the mountains along the Con-tinental Divide. He owns and operatesEstes Park Outfitters providing privatehorseback and snowcat tours, big gamehunting and remote backcountry lodging.

Abby Schreiber - Abby holds a Master’sdegree and has been an environmentaleducator, a national park ranger, a NativePlant Master Trainer for Colorado StateUniversity and a Clinical Herbalist. She at-tended the Southwest School for BotanicalMedicine and then opened a holistichealthcare private practice. Ethnobotanyand ecopsychology are her current pas-sions. She is affiliate faculty at Metro StateUniversity in Denver.

Joann Thomas - Joann is a Master Nat-uralist with the city of Fort Collins andhas developed and taught programs forAudubon Society, Elderhostels and thetelevision program, Instilling a Sense ofWonder, Stewardship & Safety, a showencouraging parents and children to ex-plore the outdoors.

Eli Vega - Eli is an award-winning pub-lished photo artist with more than 20years of experience. He is a presenterand art competition judge for many FrontRange camera clubs. In addition to free-lancing, he also teaches photography forBoulder Digital Arts and the Arvada Arts& Humanities Center and ArapahoeCommunity College.

Dr. Ellen Wohl - Ellen is a professor ofgeology at Colorado State University,holding a Ph.D. degree from the Univer-sity of Arizona. Her research focuses onriver form and function, particularly inmountain streams. She has conductedfield research on every continent exceptAntarctica and published nearly 200 sci-entific papers, two textbooks, and eightnontechnical books about rivers. Shehas been conducting research in RockyMountain National Park for more thanten years.

Mary Taylor Young - A degree in zool-ogy and a life devoted to nature, wildlifeand the environment led Mary to be-come an award-winning nature writer.She is the author of 14 books, includingthe new Rocky Mountain National Park:The First 100 Years, The Guide to Col-orado Reptiles and Amphibians and TheGuide to Colorado Mammals. She haspublished hundreds of newspaper andmagazine articles. Her “Words on Birds”column ran in the Rocky Mountain Newsfor 16 years.

2015 Colorado

School of Mines

Accredited Classes (each day worth .5 credit hour)

Coyotes: Song Dogs of the West March 28

North with the Spring: Bird Migration April 23

Life Signs: Tracking the Invisible May 15

North American Eagles June 6

Boreal Toads: High Altitude Amphibians June 8

The Orchids of RMNP June 12

Birds of the Kawuneeche Valley June 13

Birds without Borders June 19

Edible & Medicinal Plants June 26, July 10

RMNP: First 100 Years June 27-28

Wildflowers of RMNP June 27-28

Diversity in Wildflowers July 11

Grasses of RMNP July 12

Macroinvertebrates July 17

Mountain Ecology July 17-19

North American Bears July 18

History of Fisheries of RMNP July 18

Native Americans & Wickiups of Rocky July 19

Enos Mills’ Wildlife: Then & Now July 20

Bighorn Sheep Ecology July 24

Geology of Trail Ridge Road July 24

Periglacial Processes & Landforms July 25

RMNP Butterflies: East of the Divide July 25

Geology of the Western Slope August 8

RMNP Butterflies: West of the Divide August 15

Mushrooms & Other Fungi August 17

100 Years of Environmental Change August 17

Floods: Going to Extremes August 21

When Ice Ruled the Park August 22

Mountain Lion: Top Predator August 22-23

Life & Times of Moose August 28

Autumn Bird Migration August 29

History of Stewardship in Rocky August 31

Climate Change in the Rockies September 5

Pika: Secrets of Alpine Survival September 5

River Otters of Rocky September 12

Nonprofit

OrganizationU

S PostagePA

IDPerm

it #184

Estes Park,CO

1895 Fall River R

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Estes Park, CO

80517970-586-3262

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Centennial Celebration SeriesA

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1

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