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Spring Naturalist's Tour of the Rockies
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 Flowers blooming along the Rocky Mountain Front © Jim Steinberg |
Date:
May 17 - 23, 2008
Time:
Full day activities
Overview:
The Naturalist's Tour is designed to encourage ecological understanding through daily field trips in a spectacular landscape. Designed for anyone interested in nature, whether novice or expert, this workshop is alive with exploration, learning and discovery. We will spend the majority of our time outdoors, learning from the land, in a diversity of habitats. During May, the land is alive with spring wildflowers and clean, crisp mountain air. We will explore the Conservancy's immense Pine Butte Swamp Preserve, a fascinating assemblage of wetlands, prairie and foothills hosting the world's last prairie grizzly bears. We will hike into the wild Rocky Mountain Front, a scenic blend of peaks and forests, home to many species of rare wildlife.
Field trips for this workshop will involve a substantial amount of hiking in terrain varying from prairie foothills to mountains. We will be at elevations ranging from 4,000 - 6,500 feet. Round-trip distances of these hikes will vary from 2-8 miles. All of our hikes are moderately paced to accommodate the needs and abilities of the group. We will pause frequently to discuss local natural history along the way.
We will study a wide variety of topics ranging from wildlife and plant biology, geology, archaeology and more. Emphasis for the week will be placed on the art of "reading" the land, the ability to see and interpret the land in a broad ecological sense. Our participants will learn how to recognize and understand plant communities and habitat types. We will learn to interpret animal sign, spot wildlife, and understand the relationships existing between the fauna, flora and the land itself.
A series of brief lectures and audio-visual programs will round out our time spent in the beautiful and peaceful wild lands of northern Montana.
Leaders:
Naturalist Ralph Waldt (author of "Crown of the Continent") and Eric Bergman, Pine Butte's resident naturalist, will lead this workshop.
Cost:
Cost for this workshop is $1700 per person, which includes airport shuttle service to/from Great Falls, food, and lodging at Pine Butte Guest Ranch. We require a non-refundable deposit of $500 per person in order to hold your reservation(s). A portion of your fee ($400) is considered tax-deductible.
Enrollment is limited to 16 participants.
Accommodations:
You’ll stay at the historic Pine Butte Guest Ranch, set in a spectacular mountain valley surrounded by thousands of acres of wilderness. It’s the perfect place to "get away from it all" and enjoy outstanding food and cozy lodging.
Learn more:
• Travel to the ranch
• Reservation form
• What to bring
We look forward to hosting you at Pine Butte Guest Ranch!
