Nature Discovery Center

Love the outdoors but want to learn more about the natural and cultural histories of the Vail Valley? Gore Range Natural Science School’s award-winning interpretive programming can help you explore and appreciate the natural world, whether you’re atop Vail Mountain or alongside the banks of Gore Creek. To make summer planning a breeze, programs occur the same time, same place and are ideal for families, adults, visitors and residents. What are you waiting for? Get outside and explore!

Located in an all-seasons yurt atop Vail Mountain, the Nature Discovery Center is a community-based partnership between Vail Resorts, the US Forest Service and Gore Range Natural Science School (GRNSS). During the summer, GRNSS naturalists provide daily nature hikes that explore Vail’s high alpine habitat and assist walk-in visitors with natural science learning. Winner of the 2004 Environmental Business Awardfrom the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education.

SUMMER HOURS

Sat - Thurs	10 am to 4 pm
Fridays	10 am to 8 pm

SEASON: Open June 25 through August 30, 2009
COST: Free to all
PHONE: 970-754-4675

 

GUIDED HIKES
Join a Gore Range Natural Science School Naturalist for an hour long hike through the forest atop Vail Mountain.

Guided Hikes from the Nature Discovery Center
DATES:	Daily
TIME:	11 am and 2 pm: 60 minutes in length
LOCATION:	Nature Discovery Center: All-seasons yurt adjacent Eagle's Nest gondola and Adventure Ridge atop Vail Mountain.
COST:	Provided courtesy of Vail Resorts, USFS, and GRNSS

 

 

Nature at Night
DAYS:	Thursday and Saturday
TIME:	6pm (30-45min)
LOCATION:	Meet at the Discovery Center
COST:	Provided courtesy of Vail Resorts, USFS, and GRNSS
Meet at the Discovery Center for a family nature talk followed by outdoor activities under the stars. Topics include astronomy and nocturnal animals. No reservations required

 

 

Moonlight Snowshoe Tour - Call 970-754-4675 to reserve space
DATES:	January 8, 9, & 10
	February 5, 6, & 7
	March 5, 6, & 7
RESERVE:	Call 970-754-4675 to reserve your space in advance of the program.
TIME:	7 - 8:30 pm
LOCATION:	Nature Discovery Center: All-seasons yurt adjacent Eagle's Nest gondola and Adventure Ridge atop Vail Mountain.
COST:	Provided courtesy of Vail Resorts, USFS & GRNSS
Journey into the night under the captivating glow of the full moon. Learn about astronomy and the habits of nocturnal animals while you snowshoe through the pristine silence of the moonlit mountains. Snowshoes provided

 

 

Winter Wanderings
DATES:	December 19, 2008 through April 10, 2009
TIME:	Fridays, 1:30 – 3:30 pm
LOCATION:	Meet at the Holy Cross Ranger District Visitor Center at the Minturn exit just off I-70
COST:	Provided courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service and GRNSS. Limited snowshoe supplies. Bring your own if you have them.
Join a Gore Range Natural Science School naturalist for a snowshoe hike over the meadow and through the woods. Follow animal tracks in the snow and watch for elk on the distant hillside. Revel in the stillness and beauty of winter as you learn how this seemingly calm season is alive with activity. Gore Range Natural Science School partners with the U.S. Forest Service to offer weekly snowshoe tours from the front steps of the Forest Service Minturn Visitor Center, just off Interstate 70 at the Minturn Exit. Provided courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service and Gore Range Natural Science School.  Minturn Visitor Center 970-827-5715

 

High Country Speaker Series 2009

People, Paths, Perspectives: Exploring Native Migrations
7th Annual High Country Speaker Series

Gore Range Natural Science School and the Eagle Valley Library District invite you to three dynamic evenings featuring engaging speakers who will share their knowledge and views of our unique western landscape. These events take place in the Avon Library community room and are free of charge.

Craig Childs

Tuesday, January 27th at 6:30pm

Author, master story-teller, and commentator for NPR's Morning Edition, Craig Childs will take us on a journey back in time with his talk, The Anasazi Code. A thousand years ago the Southwest was a matrix of trade routes and elaborate stone pueblos, the trappings of an up and coming desert civilization. Around AD 1275 everything changed. People walked away, their population centers left in ruins. Childs offers a detailed explanation for what happened to these people, who they were, and where they went. Following ancient migration routes, he walked over a thousand miles from the Four Corners into northern Mexico on the trail of the Anasazi. Craig Childs is a writer focusing on natural sciences, archaeology, and mind-blowing journeys into the wilderness and his books include The Animal Dialogues, House of Rain, and The Secret Knowledge of Water. We are grateful to the Bookworm for providing his books on site for purchase. Mr. Childs will be available for autographs.

Space is limited, so advance registration isrequiredby January 21.Library at 949-6797.

Bill Kight

Tuesday, February 10th at 6:30pm

Bill Kight currently is the Heritage Resource Program Manager for the White River National Forest and has over 30 years experience in cultural resource management. He is passionate about saving the past while honoring America’s indigenous Peoples. For over a decade he has demonstrated his commitment to indigenous People and the public by using the Forest Service’s Passport in Time program to successfully complete the Ute Trail Project. His program, Walking the Red Road: A Timeless Journey, presents his experiences of walking in the steps of the Ute ancestors by telling of his journey along the Old Ute Trail with Ute Elders, scientists and Passport in Time volunteers. Though used for thousands of years, it has only been studied by anthropologists for the last 25 years. The story of the Ute Trail Project will unfold from a unique perspective, one of being allowed to step through the threshold of not only another culture but of another time.

Space is limited, so advance registration is recommended. To reserve your space, please call the Avon Public Library at 949-6797.

Peter Decker

Tuesday, February 24th at 6:30pm

Peter Decker will share a slide presentation on the incidents that led to the forced exit migration of the Utes. His lecture will cover events during the 19th century including the migration of the settlers into native territory and the Meeker Massacre. Peter has had a varied career, including merchant seaman, college professor, rancher, and government official. Author of various articles and the book The Utes Must Go!, Peter is currently a director of the National Western Stock Show and continues to operate his cattle ranch in Ridgway. Space is limited, so advance registration is recommended. To reserve your space, please call the Avon Public Library at 949-6797.

Sincere thanks to The Christie Lodge for their support of this program.