Discover the serene beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter during this four-hour snowshoe hike. This fun and educational program will lead participants through snow-covered pine, spruce and fir forests to learn how plants and animals survive winter using unique adaptations and keen survival skills. Learn about the properties of snow, and get […]
Coyotes are among this country’s most successful and resourceful predators. Often misunderstood and maligned, the coyote has profound impact on our everyday life. Explore the natural history of North America’s second largest canine, Native American stories, coyote discovery by Lewis and Clark, and the animal’s expansion to the East. Examine the coyote’s anatomy and biology; […]
Discover the serene beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter during this four-hour snowshoe hike. This fun and educational program will lead participants through snow-covered pine, spruce and fir forests to learn how plants and animals survive winter using unique adaptations and keen survival skills. Learn about the properties of snow, and get […]
Start your painting journey through learning the fundamentals of the watercolor medium and an exciting method of applying paint in a fresh and vibrant way. The day will be spent learning varied techniques, setting up a palette of colors, and studying the importance of shapes and values. This information will be the jump-start you need […]
May in the high country is when we welcome back wildlife, such as birds, that have wintered in warmer climates. Ducks, shorebirds, warblers, swallows, flycatchers, sparrows, sapsuckers, bluebirds and many others return for the nesting season or stop to refuel before heading farther north. Explore several birding locations in and around Estes Park and Rocky […]
The diversity of birds of prey in Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park during spring is impressive. In a few hours of field time, it’s possible to locate turkey vulture, osprey, golden eagle, bald eagle, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, northern goshawk, red-tailed hawk, prairie falcon, peregrine falcon and more. Our focus will be on […]
A story exists all around us as we walk through the woods. Animals use the same area we do, but often go unnoticed since much of their activity occurs off trails, at night, or early or late in the day. Do you know how to read the signs they leave behind? If not, this class […]
Both managers and citizens are grappling with the complexity of how climate change may alter fire disturbance regimes. Is fire still a natural disturbance in these mountain forests? What relationship does fire have with other disturbances such as drought and bark beetle outbreaks? Explore the role of fire in mountain forest ecosystems, typical fire regimes, […]
Concerned about threatened or endangered species, and their preservation as part of our natural world? How do species come to be at the brink of extinction, and how can they be recovered? The answers lie in the landmark Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), the emerging science of conservation biology, and the resulting actions taken […]
This course is intended for the recreational hiker who has little or no experience reading a topographic map or working with a compass. Learn about map sources, map vintage, next generation U.S. topo maps by U.S.G.S. and map symbology. Learn to read contour lines, recognize landforms, calculate percent and angle of slope and become familiar […]
Twilight marks the transition time when nocturnal birds become active. While many daytime species still can be located, Wilson’s snipes, owls, common nighthawks and common poorwills start their nightshift hunting at dusk. Explore the haunts of these elusive birds, and discuss their natural history and ecology as we visit, search and listen. Meets at the […]
Participants will explore Rocky Mountain National Park in search of 3-4 species of owls during the spring courtship and nesting season. Students will be listening for the vocalizations of northern pygmy, northern saw-whet, flammulated and great horned owls. The group will head into the field well before dark as pygmy owls are diurnal which provides […]
