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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260806T100000
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UID:10001409-1786010400-1786032000@grandfather.com
SUMMARY:Adult Field Course: Fungi in the Cloud Forest
DESCRIPTION:This event is SOLD OUT. To be placed on the waiting list\, please email judi@grandfather.com with your name\, phone number and the number of tickets you are interested in reserving. \nThe southern Appalachians are world-renowned for different types of fungi\, from mushrooms to lichens\, and are home to more than 2\,000 species. Here’s a chance to learn about the lifestyle and habitats of fungi\, as well as observe many kinds of fungal fruiting bodies\, including mushrooms growing at higher elevations. Participants will learn how to identify them by size\, shape and color. You will also inoculate a log with shiitake mushroom mycelium to take home with you. After an interactive introduction to the fungi kingdom\, that includes inoculating the logs\, we’ll take a short slow stroll in search of mushrooms growing on the mountain to collect representatives of different fungal families to study back in the classroom. Through this workshop and field exploration\, you’ll learn about fungal habitats\, toxicology and the important roles fungi play in the forest ecosystem. The workshop is designed for beginners\, but veteran foragers will also glean new insights. \nJulie Mullis has been smitten with all aspects of fungi for the past 25 years\, starting when she keyed out an interesting-looking mushroom during a slow\, rainy park ranger season. She has taught many fungi programs and workshops for the community and for the parks where she has worked. She is currently in her 14th season as an interpretive ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway\, currently working north of Boone at Brinegar Cabin in Doughton Park. She has also enjoyed seasons as an environmental educator in Tongass National Forest in Alaska\, W. Kerr Scott Reservoir in Wilkesboro and at Grandfather Mountain. \n \nProgram Itinerary\n10 a.m. – Meet at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Introductions\n10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Interactive illustrated discussion on the fungi kingdom and the key families \n\nFungal lifestyles and how they eat\, grow and reproduce\nImportance of fungi to humans and other organisms\nIntriguing representatives of various fungal families\n\n12 – 12:30 p.m. – Lunch (Bring your own or purchase from Mildred’s grill)\n12:30 – 2 p.m. – Inoculate shiitake logs\n2 – 3:15 p.m. – Stroll along Woods Walk Trail to look for mushrooms and other fungal fruiting bodies\n3:15 – 4 p.m. – Discussion back in classroom about mushrooms and fruiting bodies found on stroll with wrap up and evaluations \nTickets\nThis event costs $60 for general admission and $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club – plus tax. Registration opens on this page on June 8\, at 10 a.m. Limited to 12 participants. \nThis event is SOLD OUT. To be placed on the waiting list\, please email judi@grandfather.com with your name\, phone number and the number of tickets you are interested in reserving. \nWhat’s included?\nYour program cost includes admission into the park\, field instruction and transportation during your program (you may drive your own vehicle to visit sites on the mountain if you would prefer). It does not include meals or lodging. Bringing a bagged lunch is recommended for most field courses\, although Mildred’s Grill will be open to attendees. \nTips are not accepted for field courses. However\, donations to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are accepted if you would like to recognize a program. \nGeneral Clothing List\nMuch of your time will be spent outdoors. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing\, equipment and footwear are very important. \nEquipment:\nWater Bottle\nDaypack with rain jacket\, snack and possibly binoculars\nPencil/Pen and Notepad \nEquipment Specific to this Course:\nClothes you don’t mind possibly getting wax or sawdust on\nField guides (if you have them)\nHand lens for up close observations of mushrooms and other fruiting bodies\nCell phone for taking pictures or uploading identification app \nRefunds/Cancellations\nAdult Field Courses generally sell out and have a waiting list associated with the event. If you cannot attend the field course that you are registered for\, please let us know. Full refunds will be given to individuals who reach out to us at least five days before the event. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. To cancel your registration\, please call 828-833-6332 or email judi@grandfather.com. \nWe ask that individuals who are sick with any illness to stay home to ensure the health and safety of other participants\, our staff\, and the field course instructors – refunds will be granted to these individuals. \nLearn more about the adult field course series.
URL:https://grandfather.com/event/adult-field-course-fungi/
LOCATION:Grandfather Mountain\, 2050 Blowing Rock Highway\, Linville\, NC\, 28646\, United States
CATEGORIES:Adult Field Courses,Featured Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260812T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260812T160000
DTSTAMP:20260529T183406Z
CREATED:20250505T163349Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260529T183406Z
UID:10001407-1786528800-1786550400@grandfather.com
SUMMARY:Adult Field Course: Appalachian Woodcraft
DESCRIPTION:The hardy settlers who made these mountains home were resourceful and made what they needed from what was at hand\, and what was at hand was wood. We will examine the types of things Appalachian people have made for themselves from the forests around them like chairs\, bowls\, spoons\, tool handles and more. We will also observe the tools they used to make these items. After taking a walk through the forest which was the pioneer’s lumber yard\, where we will identify trees and some of their uses\, we will focus on a hands-on project – each participant will make an example of that ubiquitous piece of pioneer woodcraft\, the hook. Made from a small\, forked tree branch\, often of rhododendron\, these hooks were found in homes\, barns and outbuildings to hang cloths\, tools\, horse harness and more on the wall in an organized fashion. \nJason Lonon is a craftsman and teacher living and working in the same valley his ancestors have called home since the 1840s. Concurrent to serving an apprenticeship in traditional woodworking\, Jason began blacksmithing as a teenager in the late 1990’s. Today\, Jason and a team of highly skilled craftsmen produce a line of specialty carving tools for traditional woodworkers. Over the years\, Jason has taught welding\, blacksmithing\, woodcarving and other skills in a wide variety of settings from the community college system to wilderness camps. \nProgram Itinerary\n10:00 a.m. – Welcome and Introductions\, Examples of woodwork\, tools and techniques\n11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – Tree identification hike and lunch\n1:00-3:30 p.m. – Hands on project\n3:30-4:00 p.m. – Closing and evaluation \nTickets\nThis event costs $60 for general admission and $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club – plus tax. \nRegistration opens on this page on June 12\, at 10 a.m. Limited to 12 participants. \nBridge Club Members\, click here to purchase tickets.\nYou will need to use your Bridge Club member number (located on your card below the barcode) to purchase. \nNon-Bridge Club Members\, click here to purchase tickets. \nWhat’s included?\nYour program cost includes admission into the park\, field instruction and transportation during your program (you may drive your own vehicle to visit sites on the mountain if you would prefer). It does not include meals or lodging. Bringing a bagged lunch is recommended for most field courses\, although Mildred’s Grill will be open to attendees. \nTips are not accepted for field courses. However\, donations to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are accepted if you would like to recognize a program. \nGeneral Clothing List\nMuch of your time will be spent outdoors and all programs are held rain or shine. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing\, equipment and footwear are very important. \nEquipment:\nDaypack with enough room to carry extra clothing\, water\, lunch\, camera\, etc.\nWater Bottle\nSunglasses\nSunscreen\nSturdy hiking boots or closed-toed shoes are required\nNotebook and pencil \nRefunds/Cancellations\nAdult Field Courses generally sell out and have a waiting list associated with the event. If you cannot attend the field course that you are registered for\, please let us know. Full refunds will be given to individuals who reach out to us at least five days before the event. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. To cancel your registration\, please call 828-833-6332 or email judi@grandfather.com. \nWe ask that individuals who are sick with any illness to stay home to ensure the health and safety of other participants\, our staff\, and the field course instructors – refunds will be granted to these individuals. \nLearn more about the adult field course series.
URL:https://grandfather.com/event/adult-field-course-appalachian-woodcraft/
LOCATION:Grandfather Mountain\, 2050 Blowing Rock Highway\, Linville\, NC\, 28646\, United States
CATEGORIES:Adult Field Courses,Featured Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260919T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260919T140000
DTSTAMP:20260727T191002Z
CREATED:20260422T161734Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260727T191002Z
UID:10001814-1789804800-1789826400@grandfather.com
SUMMARY:Adult Field Course: The Birds of Grandfather Mountain: The Wonders of Migration
DESCRIPTION:This event is SOLD OUT. To be placed on the waiting list\, please email judi@grandfather.com with your name\, phone number and the number of tickets you are interested in reserving.  \nGrandfather Mountain is an amazing diversity hotspot for breeding birds in the southern Appalachians with more than 120 species detected during the nesting season. But those numbers go up even more during spring and fall migration. Its position along the escarpment and the quality\, diversity\, and extent of forests and other habitats nearby make it a magnet for migrant species of all types. From warblers to hawks to hummingbirds\, migration is a wondrous period of the year for birders and nature enthusiasts alike. \nThis course provides the opportunity to visit several locations on the mountain to learn about the diversity of migrants\, the timing and mechanics of migration\, and hopefully see dozens of species using Grandfather as a staging area on their long flights to Central and South America. Our classroom program will take a deeper dive into the science of migration and some of the technology unlocking the secrets of bird movement. \n \nSteve Dowlan is a retired natural resource specialist\, formerly with the U.S. Forest Service in northwest Pennsylvania and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in Oregon. He was the editor of Oregon Birds and the Journal of Oregon Field Ornithology in the 2000s. As a natural resource specialist for the BLM\, he conducted surveys and monitored known sites for northern spotted owls\, assisted with graduate research projects on harlequin ducks\, operated a MAPS banding station in the Old Cascades near Estacada\, conducted a study on fox sparrow subspecies in Oregon and assisted with training sessions for federal and state biologists who conducted standardized bird point counts in the Pacific Northwest. He has been a N.C. High Country resident since 2016 and is currently working on an independent study on common mergansers on the Watauga River. \nProgram Itinerary\n8:15 a.m. – Meet at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Introductions\n8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Birding at a variety of locations on the mountain\n12 – 12:30 p.m. – Lunch break\n12:30 – 2 p.m. – Classroom presentation \nTickets\nThis event costs $60 for general admission and $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club – plus tax. \nRegistration opens on this page on July 20 at 10 a.m. Limited to 15 participants. \nThis event is SOLD OUT. To be placed on the waiting list\, please email judi@grandfather.com with your name\, phone number and the number of tickets you are interested in reserving.  \nWhat’s included?\nYour program cost includes admission into the park\, field instruction and transportation during your program (you may drive your own vehicle to visit sites on the mountain if you would prefer). It does not include meals or lodging. Bringing a bagged lunch is recommended for this field course\, although Mildred’s Grill will be open to attendees. \nTips are not accepted for field courses. However\, donations to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are accepted if you would like to recognize a program. \nGeneral Clothing List\nMuch of your time will be spent outdoors and all programs are held rain or shine. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing\, equipment and footwear are very important. \nEquipment: \n\nDaypack with enough room to carry extra clothing\, water\, lunch\, camera\, etc.\nWater Bottle\nSunglasses\nSunscreen\nHiking Books\nBinoculars\nNotebook and pencil\n\nEquipment specific to this course:  \n\nCellphone for taking pictures or uploading to an identification app\n\nRefunds/Cancellations\nAdult Field Courses generally sell out and have a waiting list associated with the event. If you cannot attend the field course that you are registered for\, please let us know. Full refunds will be given to individuals who reach out to us at least five days before the event. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. To cancel your registration\, please call 828-833-6332 or email judi@grandfather.com. \nWe ask that individuals who are sick with any illness to stay home to ensure the health and safety of other participants\, our staff\, and the field course instructors – refunds will be granted to these individuals.
URL:https://grandfather.com/event/adult-field-course-birds-of-grandfather-migration/
CATEGORIES:Adult Field Courses,Featured Events
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261017T230000
DTSTAMP:20260820T134834Z
CREATED:20260415T203401Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260820T134834Z
UID:10001812-1792256400-1792278000@grandfather.com
SUMMARY:Adult Field Course: Grandfather's Starry Skies
DESCRIPTION:This event is SOLD OUT.  \nOctober is one of the best times of year to be stargazing at Grandfather Mountain. The air is cool and clear\, and the summer constellations are still very prominent\, with some early winter sights making their appearance later in the evening. This course also takes place during the time of the Orionid meteor shower\, so hopefully some of these celestial fireworks will grace our skies during our nighttime observing. \n \nStephan Martin has been a stargazer since he was very young growing up under dark skies of South Florida. Steve is also an astronomer\, educator and author who has taught astronomy and physics at colleges\, universities and learning centers across the US and internationally for over thirty-five years.  He has worked as an instrument specialist for the Hubble Space Telescope and as Observatory Supervisor at Williams College\, where he participated in scientific research expeditions around the world to study the dynamics of the solar corona during solar eclipses. \nJoin Martin to create a familiarity with the night sky and learn the basics of stargazing that can be applied on your own on any clear night throughout the year. The course begins in the classroom and transitions to various viewing locations on the mountain\, practicing stargazing skills while looking for meteors and learning about some of the most prominent stars\, constellations and other objects visible this time of year. The moon will be near first-quarter which makes for a wonderful time to study its many craters\, rays\, seas and other features. \nProgram Itinerary\n5 p.m. – Meet at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and Introductions\n5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. – Classroom learning about the night sky and the use of astronomy resources\n7 p.m. – 11 p.m. – Evening observing with the program concluding at the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery \nTickets\nThis event costs $60 for general admission and $51 for members of Grandfather Mountain’s Bridge Club – plus tax.\nRegistration opens on this page on August 17 at 10 a.m. Limited to 15 participants. \nThis event is SOLD OUT.  \nWhat’s included?\nYour program cost includes admission into the park\, field instruction and transportation during your program (you may drive your own vehicle to visit sites on the mountain if you would prefer). It does not include meals or lodging. Bringing a bagged lunch is recommended for this field course\, as Mildred’s Grill will be closed to attendees. \nTips are not accepted for field courses. However\, donations to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation are accepted if you would like to recognize a program. \nGeneral Clothing List\nMuch of your time will be spent outdoors and all programs are held rain or shine. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing\, equipment and footwear are very important. \nEquipment: \n\nDaypack with enough room to carry extra clothing\, water\, lunch\, camera\, etc.\nWater Bottle\nLayers of warm clothing including hats\, gloves and shoes\nBinoculars\nNotebook and pencil\n\nEquipment specific to this course:  \n\nA planisphere\, while not required\, can be helpful in learning the night sky and how it moves throughout the year. There are many good options available on Amazon\, but please be sure to purchase one appropriate for our latitude of 35 degrees north (planispheres for 30 or 40 degrees latitude will be fine).\nA Peterson Field Guide to the Stars and Planets (4th edition\, updated) is not required\, but an excellent guide to the night sky and its many features.\nA red flashlight for navigating paths at night and viewing star charts. These can be purchased through a local or online retailer or you can make your own by covering the lens of a standard flashlight with red cellophane or fingernail polish.\nAstronomy/Stargazing Apps\n\nRefunds/Cancellations\nAdult Field Courses generally sell out and have a waiting list associated with the event. If you cannot attend the field course that you are registered for\, please let us know. Full refunds will be given to individuals who reach out to us at least five days before the event. This allows time for individuals on the waiting list to make accommodations to attend the event. To cancel your registration\, please call 828-833-6332 or email judi@grandfather.com. \nWe ask that individuals who are sick with any illness to stay home to ensure the health and safety of other participants\, our staff\, and the field course instructors – refunds will be granted to these individuals.
URL:https://grandfather.com/event/adult-field-course-starry-skies/
CATEGORIES:Adult Field Courses,Featured Events
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