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Nature Exploration 2010: July 17 - July 23, 2010
This program is open for enrollment.
The Nature Exploration is designed for those who are looking for a unique outdoor experience in the Colorado Rockies, and is appropriate for ages 8 to 80. Our central location gives us easy access to a variety of elevations and ecosystems, from semi-desert to alpine. Our skilled and very experienced staff knows the right places to go and the easy ways to get there. See the best that Colorado has to offer in plant life, geology, birding, and cultural history.
We’ll meet you at the Colorado Springs Airport and take care of all of the details: wonderful home cooked food that all of our guests rave about, van transportation while here, fun, adventure and all the educational opportunities. We will customize some activities to suite your personal interests (i.e. staff led mountain bike rides, crafts, fishing, rock climbing or other activities based on a pre-program participant evaluation.) Physically, you should be comfortable walking 2 to 3 miles at your own elevation.
Tentative Agenda
Saturday, July 17th Arrival – Get settled in your room, explore the SportsPlex and take a short hike on one of our guided trails.
5:30 PM Social in the Lodge – meet other program members, naturalists and the staff.
6 PM Dinner
7 PM Introduction to The Nature Place and the week’s activities.
Sunday, July 18th
7 AM Early Riser Birding hike with Dr. Richard Coles, our resident Ornithologist.
8 AM Breakfast in the lodge.
9 AM Depart for Goat Mt – this hike is on private property next to Mueller Ranch State Park. It gradually ascends through meadows and aspen groves to a high point where we enjoy a sack lunch as we look out at spectacular Dome Rock and Sheep Nose Rock and the valley below.
2 PM Return to the Lodge
3 PM Hike to A-Bluff for those interested – a wonderful view of our 6,000 pristine acres is gained by walking along a wooded mountain stream.
6 PM Dinner
7:15 Presentation by Dr. Richard Coles – Gain an understanding of how Prairie Dogs thrive in our western states.
Monday, July 19th
7 AM Early Riser Birding hike with Dick
8 AM Breakfast in the lodge.
9 AM Hike to Fossil Bed National Monument to see the best representation of the Oligocene (35 million years ago) on the planet. See fossilized insects, flowers and giant Sequoias. A van will meet us there after a picnic lunch to take us to a private dig site where you can find your own fossils.
1:30 Depart for M Lazy C Ranch for Horseback Riding.
5:30 Social in the Lodge.
6 PM Dinner
7:15 Evening discussion with Dr. Chuck Olmsted, our resident Botanist, about forest health, wildfire history and mitigation in the Bristlecone Conference Room.
Tuesday, July 20th
6:30 AM Option A: Early Birds with Dick (continental breakfast on the trip). This van drive will go into nearby 11 Mile Canyon, visit to historic Quick’s School, the Haymen Fire ignition point and Tarryall Reservoir.
8 AM Others have breakfast in the lodge.
9 AM Option B: Depart for Cripple Creek: Journey 1,000 feet down into the Molly Kathleen Gold Mine & experience a real 1800’s Melodrama.
5:30 Social in the lodge.
6 PM Dinner
8:45 PM Observatory – Enjoy a dramatic look through the State’s 4th largest telescope. See the rings of Saturn, the moons of Jupiter, nebula and other deep sky objects, and craters inside of craters on the Moon.
Wednesday, July 21st
7:30 AM Breakfast in the lodge.
8:30 AM Option A: Depart for Shelf Road – Travel on an old stagecoach road from Canada to Mexico in a day, ecologically speaking. See North America’s first large dinosaur finds and a geologic disconformity where 1 billion years of history are missing. There is a good chance to see bighorn sheep, golden eagle and countless other wildlife on this trip.
10 AM Option B: Depart to go River Rafting on the Arkansas River.
5-5:30 Arrive back at Lodge
6 PM Dinner
7:15 Evening Presentation with Sam Johnson – New information from recent research on insects of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, and what this tells us that is important.
Thursday, July 22nd
4:30 AM Depart for Mt. Democrat – For the energetic and adventuresome! Climb one of Colorado’s famous fourteen thousand foot mountains.
7:00 AM Others depart for Leavick Valley and the Alpine environment with a continental breakfast along the way. Explore the alpine wildflowers at tree line and a glacial cirque, moraine & tarn. Lunch at 12,000 ft!
5 – 5:30 PM Arrive back at the Lodge
6 PM BBQ dinner at Tie Cabin – our beautiful outdoor dinner site.
7:30 PM Final evening closing celebration!
Friday, July 23rd
8 AM Breakfast, good-byes to good friends, and departures.
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