PSA - Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Summer 2017
Explore the Roaring Fork Valley with ACES this summer!
Contact: Eliza Burlingame, [email protected], 970-925-5756, www.aspennature.org
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) looks forward to a lively summer season of programs and events that introduce locals and visitors of all ages to the incredible natural environment surrounding Aspen.
Community events include four annual gatherings for all ages. Members are invited to kick off summer at the Picnic on the Preserve on June 12th at Hallam Lake. The Raptor Fair on July 3rd will features ACES resident birds of prey and visiting raptors, including a Bald Eagle for the first time in the five-year history of this family event. The annual Mushroom Fair takes place on Friday, July 28th with experts Vera Evenson and Dr. Andrew Wilson. After a stellar first year, Stars Above Aspen will return to the top of Aspen mountain for a community Astronomy event at on August 14th!
ACES Jessica Catto Dialogue series will bring two prominent environmental leaders to Aspen for free public lectures. Marcus Eriksen, author and ocean health advocate, will present “More Ocean, Less Plastic” on June 22nd at Harris Hall. Renowned National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale will discuss her focus on today’s most compelling wildlife and environmental stories at the Hotel Jerome Ballroom on August 9th.
From June 17th through September 4th, ACES offers free guided hikes daily to explore popular spots like Aspen Mountain, the Maroon Bells and Snowmass' Nature Trail. Green World Day Hikes and River Run Sunset Hikes explore Castle Creek Valley and the Ashcroft Ghost Town with gourmet lunch or dinner at the Pine Creek Cookhouse. For a bespoke experience, ACES’ Hire a Guide program offers tours that can be customized to suit various interests, such as wildflowers, birds, or geology.
In-depth Naturalist Field School offerings for lifelong learners include a variety of adult day hikes and field classes. Programs range from weekly birding outings to watercolor and bird-photography workshops to field hikes. In-depth courses offered for graduate credit will focus on stream health, plant ecology, and more. A variety of free hikes at North Star Nature preserve (offered in partnership with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails) will access areas of the preserve that are otherwise off-limits. New adult programs at Rock Bottom Ranch include a behind-the-scenes look at high altitude vegetable production and weekly Garden & Gather events to learn and work alongside ACES agriculture staff.
Fun and educational kids’ camps are offered at both Hallam Lake in Aspen and Rock Bottom Ranch in Basalt and include drop-in, week-long and overnight options for kids age 4-14. A camp shuttle from Hallam Lake to and from Rock Bottom Ranch will run during July and August. For the first time, ACES has partnered with Ajax Adventure Camp to offer sleep-away options for ages 8-15.
At Rock Bottom Ranch, daily Farm Tours explore the gardens and pastures and discuss food systems. A new Contra Dance event on September 7th invites adults to grab their partners for line dancing with a band and caller! Fresh and ultra-local food from Rock Bottom Ranch is available for purchase at the Ranch during open hours, and at the Aspen Saturday Market and Basalt Sunday Market. Products includes pork, lamb, chicken, Cap-K/RBR beef, eggs, over 100 varieties of vegetables, and cut-flowers. Eggs are available at Hallam Lake.
ACES welcomes the public to our visitor centers: Hallam Lake, a 25-acre nature preserve in the heart of Aspen, Rock Bottom Ranch, an educational farm between Basalt and Carbondale. Both sites are open Monday – Saturday, admission is free. Explore on your own or join ACES for scheduled programs at both sites! ACES at the Catto Center at Tokat, an historic lodge at the headwaters of Castle Creek, is open daily where the Gonzalez family, ACES’ Artists in Residence from Oaxaca, Mexico, sell their hand-woven rugs.
For more information, see descriptions below or visit www.aspennature.org
Event Calendar (event descriptions below)
June 12 - Annual Membership Dinner | Picnic on the Preserve (Hallam Lake)
June 17 - Daily tours begin
June 22 - Jessica Catto Dialogue | Marcus Eriksen (Harris Hall)
June 23 - Farm to Table Dinner (Rock Bottom Ranch)
June 24 - Farm to Table Dinner (Rock Bottom Ranch)
July 3 - Raptor Fair (Hallam Lake)
July 13 - An Evening on the Lake (Hallam Lake)
July 15 - Hunter Creek Volunteer Weed Pull
July 21 - Farm to Table Dinner (Rock Bottom Ranch)
July 22 - Farm to Table Dinner (Rock Bottom Ranch)
July 26 - Colorado Mushrooms Lecture (Hallam Lake)
July 28 - Mushroom Fair (Hallam Lake)
August 9 - Jessica Catto Dialogue | Ami Vitale (Hotel Jerome Ballroom)
August 11 - Farm to Table (Rock Bottom Ranch)
August 14 - Stars Above Aspen | Astronomy Night (Sundeck on Aspen Mountain)
September 4 - Daily Tours end
September 7 - Contra Dance (Rock Bottom Ranch)
September 28 - Fall Colors Membership Potluck Dinner (Catto Center at Toklat)
October 14 - Harvest Party (Rock Bottom Ranch)
VISITOR CENTERS
ACES at Hallam Lake
Open Monday – Saturday, 9AM – 5PM
Free admission
Hallam Lake is a 25-acre nature preserve and educational visitor center in the heart of downtown Aspen. Guests of all ages are welcome to borrow a pair of binoculars for a walk around the lake, or pick up a self-guided tour booklet to learn more about the area. Meet ACES resident Golden Eagle, Great Horned Owl, and Red-tailed Hawk, as well as indoor animals like the ball python and bearded dragons. Kids are encouraged to borrow an Adventure Backpack to complete the Junior Naturalist Activity booklet, featuring hands-on, age-appropriate activities. Naturalists are on site and available to answer questions. ACES offers programs for all ages at Hallam Lake, visit aspennature.org for more information.
ACES at Rock Bottom Ranch
Open Monday – Friday 9AM – 5PM and Saturday 9AM – 1PM (May 1 – October 13)
Free admission
Rock Bottom Ranch is an educational farm, wildlife preserve, and visitor center next to the Roaring Fork River in Basalt. ACES unique brand of eco-agriculture at the Ranch melds 113 acres of wild lands and pristine riparian habitats with agriculture production and education. In 2015, Rock Bottom Ranch was the first farm in Colorado to be Certified Wildlife Friendly and our livestock operations are Animal Welfare Approved. Visitors will enjoy exploring the Ranch on the Eco-Ed trail system and bike byway with 5 interactive outdoor classrooms, seeing the farm animals and gardens, and learning where food comes from. Ranchers are on site and available to answer questions. ACES offers programs for all ages at Rock Bottom Ranch, visit aspennature.org for more information.
NATURALIST FIELD SCHOOL: ADULT CLASSES & KIDS CAMPS
ACES offers classes and camps for kids and adults at both Hallam Lake in Aspen and Rock Bottom Ranch in Basalt. Programs for adults vary from weekly birding outings to in-depth field school classes offering graduate credit, to field hikes, to RBR Kitchen cooking demonstrations and more. For kids ages 4 - 14, daily drop-ins, week-long camps and even over-night campouts for an exciting, educational, and memorable summer! Full schedule and registration at aspennature.org
ROCK BOTTOM RANCH PRODUCTS
Enjoy fresh and locally-sourced meals this summer! Our livestock are pasture-raised, GMO-free, Certified Wildlife Friendly and Animal Welfare Approved, ensuring that they were raised to the highest animal welfare standards. Products include: chicken eggs, pork, whole chickens, lamb, RBR/Cap-K Ranch beef, salad greens, over 100 varieties of vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, and more. Products can be purchased at the Ranch Store during open hours, Monday – Friday 9AM – 5PM and Saturday 9AM – 1PM; at the Aspen Saturday Market and Basalt Sunday Market. Eggs only are for sale at Hallam Lake during open hours. More information at aspennature.org
DAILY HIKES & TOURS
Hire a Guide – offered daily by reservation
Explore and learn about the Aspen area with ACES! Hire a Naturalist Guide, available by the hour, to lead you on private adventures that may be customized to your interests such as birding, wildflower hikes, and more. Locations include but are not limited to: Independence Pass, Lost Man Lake, American Lake, Cathedral Lake, Linkins Lake, Weller Lake, Snowmass, Ashcroft, Hunter Creek and others. A snack or lunch can be provided for an additional cost. Basic guide fee is $50/hr per guide, with a two-hour minimum. Please call Emily Chase at 970.925.5756 for more information and to reserve your guide. 48-hours notice recommended for tour reservations. If you call after 5pm your call will be returned by 9am the next business day. More information at aspennature.org
Green World Day Hike - 10:30AM, offered daily by reservation
This hike has it all: join a Naturalist guide to explore the historic silver mining ghost town of Ashcroft, wander up along Castle Creek encountering wildflower meadows and spectacular mountain vistas on a 3.5 mile roundtrip hike. This enriching Aspen activity includes a gourmet lunch at the Pine Creek Cookhouse. $90 includes tour, lunch, tax and tip (unless ordering a la carte then the tour is $50). Two-person minimum. Please call Emily Chase at 925-5756 for more information and to reserve your guide or or visit aspennature.org. 48-hours notice recommended for tour reservations. If you call after 5pm your call will be returned by 9am the next business day. Tours led by a certified interpretive Naturalist and take place on gentle terrain at a leisurely pace.
River Run Sunset Hike – 5PM, offered daily by reservation
The evening version of our Green World Day Hike, this Naturalist guided adventure will explore the majesty of the Castle Creek valley at sunset. Experience the bustling activity of early evening followed by dinner at Pine Creek Cookhouse while the alpenglow lights up the valley. $100 includes hike, dinner, tax, and tip (unless ordering a la carte then the tour is $50). Two-person minimum. Please call Jim Kravitz at 925-5756 x103 for more information and to reserve your guide or visit aspennature.org. 48-hours notice recommended for tour reservations. If you call after 5pm your call will be returned by 9am the next business day. Tours led by a certified interpretive Naturalist and take place on gentle terrain at a leisurely pace.
Free Guided Hikes and Programs
June 17 – September 4
Travel along mountain streams and ridgelines, through alpine forests and beautiful valleys while learning about mountain ecology, natural history, and more on ACES guided hikes. Beginning June 17, free tours led by a Naturalist are offered daily on Aspen and Snowmass mountains and at the Maroon Bells. All tours take place on gentle terrain at a leisurely pace. No reservations, more information at aspennature.org.
Aspen Mountain tours are offered daily on the hour from 11AM to 3PM. Meet at the top of the Aspen Mountain gondola. 45 minute one-way tour, approximately 1 mile.
Snowmass Wildflower Walk tours are offered daily at 10AM. Meet outside the Ice Age Discovery Center in the Snowmass Village Mall. 2 hour round-trip tour, approximately 3.5 miles.
Snowmass Ice Age Discovery hike is offered daily at 1PM. Meet outside the Ice Age Discovery Center in the Snowmass Village Mall. 2 hour round-trip tour, approximately 3.5 miles.
Maroon Bells Crater Lake tours are offered twice daily at 10:15AM and 1:15PM. Meet at the Maroon Lake information center. 2 hour one-way tour, 1.8 miles
Maroon Bells Maroon Lake tours are offered twice daily at 10:15AM and 1:15PM. Meet at the Maroon Lake information center. 45 minute one-way tour, 1 mile.
ONGOING PROGRAMS
Farm Tours
Rock Bottom Ranch
Monday – Saturday, May 1 – October 13
11AM
$5 suggested donation / $10 per family / FREE for members
Join Rock Bottom Ranch staff to explore the Ranch, animal paddocks, hoop houses, and gardens while learning the science behind our vegetable production and livestock rotational grazing system. Tours are appropriate for all ages and provide opportunities to interact with our livestock and learn where your food comes from!
Garden & Gather Wednesdays
Rock Bottom Ranch
Wednesdays, May 24 – August 2
4:30-6:15pm
FREE
Head to Rock Bottom Ranch on Wednesdays throughout the summer to work and learn alongside Rock Bottom Ranch agriculture staff! We’ll get our hands dirty during these fun evenings as we work together to help with a variety of garden chores and tasks, which may include weeding, transplanting, harvesting, seeding, and more. These programs will provide the opportunity for gardeners of all ages to learn about where your food comes from, pick up gardening tips, and meet fellow farmers and neighbors.
Eagles, Hawks and Owls
Hallam Lake
Monday – Friday at 4PM and Saturday at 2PM, June 17 - September 2
$5 suggested donation / $10 per family / FREE for members
Learn all about raptors in this close-up encounter with our resident, non-releasable birds of prey the Golden Eagle, Great Horned Owl, and Red-tailed Hawk. Visitors of all ages will enjoy this one-hour interactive program!
Sunset Beaver Walks
Hallam Lake
Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 20 – August 31
7:30PM
$5 suggested donation / $10 per family / FREE for members
Join an ACES Naturalist to explore the nature preserve during sunset - the best time to catch a peek at Hallam Lake’s beaver family. Visitors of all ages will enjoy a tail slappin’, stick chewin’, bark eatin’ evening at Hallam Lake learning everything there is to know about beavers!
Wild Yoga
Hallam Lake
Tuesdays, June 20 – August 15
5:15PM (arrive promptly, doors close at 5:20)
$10 suggested donation
Join ACES Education Director Arin Trook and the ACES/Aspen Yoga Society WildYoga teachers for an outdoor yoga class along the edge of Hallam Lake. Drawing on the wild roots of yoga, this all-levels class blends philosophy, asana (posture) practice, and contemplative exploration of ACES’ magical nature preserve into a playful and holistic experience. Classes are donation-based and rewarding for both, those new to yoga as well as accomplished practitioners. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to visit and experience the Hallam Lake nature preserve during evening hours throughout the summer. Please bring your own mat and come on time – we will start walking towards the lake at 5:15PM. Proceeds from these donation-based yoga classes benefit ACES environmental science education programs.
Family Saturdays at Hallam Lake
Hallam Lake
Saturdays, June 24 – September 2
10AM – 3PM
$5 suggested donation / $10 per family / FREE for members
While in Aspen make sure that your family discovers Hallam Lake – a wild place right in the heart of Aspen! The 25-acre preserve is home to native plants and animals in a variety of ecosystems including aspen forest, wetlands, and meadows. Visitors of all ages will enjoy exploring the preserve on our short trail system and meeting our resident birds of prey and other educational animals. Come visit us for some fun nature-inspired activities and interactive stations - pick one activity or do them all and make a day out of it!
Do-it-yourself interactive activities throughout the day include: pond dipping, nature crafts, a scavenger hunt, birding, and our Junior Naturalist Activity Guide.
Scheduled activities include:
1PM – Afternoon Nature Story
2PM – Birds of Prey program followed by a feeding demonstration
No registration necessary
Know Your Trees
Hallam Lake
Mondays, June 19 – August 28
4PM
$5 / FREE for members
Firs and spruces, aspens and cottonwoods… how many trees do you know? Come explore the ACES backyard with us and discover up to a dozen species of conifers and deciduous trees. And let’s not forget about the great variety of tall shrubs that are all around us!
Join the Naturalist Program Director Jim Kravitz or the Forest Program Director Adam McCurdy on this hour-long walk around the Hallam Lake neighborhood to identify local trees. Participants will walk away with The Rocky Mountain Tree Finder booklet and basic knowledge about the native trees that grow in our neighborhood.
ACES Astronomy Nights
Hallam Lake
Select Mondays
June 19, 8:30pm
July 3, 17, 31 8:30pm
August 28, 8:30pm
$5 / FREE for members, RSVP required
ACES invites you to Hallam Lake this summer to look up and learn about the night sky! Each evening starts with a 15-minute lesson covering basic astronomy concepts such as life-cycle of a star, reasons for meteor showers, Zodiac constellations, or how phases of the moon work. After the mini lecture we will gather outside for the stargazing portion of the evening. Aspen High School Astronomy Club member Ricky Wojcik or other local astronomy enthusiasts will be on-hand to guide you through the phenomena of the mountain night sky.
ACES Astronomy Nights are bi-weekly gatherings throughout the summer to appreciate the spectacle of the night sky. Join us for one evening or all of them, as you will see and learn something different each time.
RSVP required at aspennature.org - each evening is limited to 50 people.
Mark you calendar for August 14th for the second annual Astronomy Night on Aspen Mountain, Stars Above Aspen! Presented by ACES and hosted by Aspen Skiing Company.
Morning Birding
With Rebecca Weiss
Hallam Lake, Rock Bottom Ranch
Tuesdays, June 6 – September 26
June 6, 13, 20, 27; 6am – 9am
July 11, 18, 25 6:30am – 9:30am
August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; 7am – 10am
September 5, 12, 19, 26; 7:30am – 10:30am
$25 / $15 members
Birders of all levels are invited to join ACES Bird Guide Rebecca Weiss to discover the diverse birdlife of the Roaring Fork Valley on Tuesday morning outings through the summer. Outings meet at ACES’ Hallam Lake Nature Preserve or Rock Bottom Ranch (see dates for corresponding locations), and begin with a brief orientation, followed by birding in the field. We explore bird activity in a variety of local habitats at ACES sites, as well as other local birding hot spots. Every outing delivers different opportunities to learn about bird behavior, identification, migration, and habitats.
Register at aspennature.org
Cochinilla Color Demonstrations
With Catto Center at Toklat Artists in Residence
Catto Center at Toklat
June 19 – September 1
Daily, 1PM
FREE
Join Artists in Residence Elena Gonzalez Ruiz and Porfirio Gonzalez for a demonstration of the color dying utilized by traditional Oxacan rug weavers.
Cochineal is a traditional red dye of pre-Hispanic Mexico, derived from cochineal, a parasitic insect cultivated the leaves of cacti. The product appears as dark red grain covered in white powder and is used to dye cotton and wool.
Elena and Porfirio will demonstrate the process of dying wool with this traditional method daily at their shop in the Catto Center at Toklat, a heritage site at the headwaters of Castle Creek. They are eager to share their weaving knowledge and passion while talking about their family business and roots in Oaxaca, Mexico.
EVENT DESCRIPTIONS
ACES Annual Membership Dinner | Picnic on the Preserve
Hallam Lake
Monday, June 12
5:30PM
$20 per person in advance, $25 per person at the door, kids under 12 are free.
Join ACES members and staff for our annual membership dinner, Picnic on the Preserve! Head down to Hallam Lake for a special opportunity to enjoy ACES’ 25-acre nature preserve in the heart of downtown Aspen! The event features drinks, a gourmet dinner of local food from ACES at Rock Bottom Ranch, and live music.
Please walk, bike, bus, or carpool to Hallam Lake as parking is very limited.
Generously sponsored by Obermeyer Wood Investment Counsel
Jessica Catto Dialogue | Marcus Eriksen
Harris Hall
Thursday, June 22
6PM
FREE
Marcus Eriksen is the Research Director and co-founder of the 5 Gyres Institute. The organization, which he co-founded with his wife Anna Cummins, is committed to marine conservation through continued research, education, and adventure and teaches about the plague of plastic waste in our watersheds and in the sea. Join Marcus for insights into the strategy he believes works best: from science to solutions!
In his presentation “More Ocean, Less Plastic,” Marcus will discuss the global distribution and ecological impacts of plastic marine pollution based on sailing expeditions in all 5 subtropical gyres, the Bay of Bengal and Southern Ocean, as well as inland lakes and rivers. 5 Gyres recently published the first global estimate of plastic pollution floating in the world’s oceans, totaling 270,000 metric tons from 5.25 trillion particles. The organization also played a role in creating change far upstream in the Great Lakes, where the discovery of plastic microbeads in the lakes led to the federal 2015 Microbead Free Waters Act.
Marcus has authored two books, "Junk Raft" and “My River Home,” chronicling his experiences that have led to a strong conservation ethic and an active fight in the growing movement against plastic marine pollution. Marcus served in the Marine Corps during the Gulf War and received his Ph.D. in Science Education from University of Southern California in 2003.
“We must understand and define conservation and social justice as our collective self-preservation – a rationale that crosses all boundaries between all people.”
RSVP at aspennature.org. RSVP does not guarantee a seat.
Farm to Table Dinners (SOLD OUT)
Rock Bottom Ranch
June 23 &24
July 21 & 22
August 11
6:30PM
$109/$99 members
Celebrate local and sustainable agriculture at Rock Bottom Ranch! Join us for a Farm to Table Dinner and the opportunity to dine at the source with a menu featuring products from Rock Bottom Ranch and the surrounding area. Guests will enjoy a 5-course meal of local foods, cheeses, beer, wine and spirits in the open-air pole barn at our beautiful site, a guided farm tour, and the opportunity to meet local producers and learn where your meal comes from. The meal will feature food grown and raised at Rock Bottom Ranch as well as other local vendors.
ACES Raptor Fair
Hallam Lake
Monday, July 3
3PM – 5PM
FREE
Join us at Hallam Lake for our fifth annual Raptor Fair, a free community event for all ages! This year, the event features new visiting birds, including a first-ever Bald Eagle, and opportunities for up-close interactions with several birds of prey including ACES resident Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, and Great-horned Owl. Learn about these creatures from ACES Naturalist Staff as well as visiting experts from Hawk Quest, an education organization from Denver.
The Raptor Fair will include visiting opportunities with the birds, an owl pellet dissection station, a formal presentation from 4:40 - 5PM, and other activities around the Hallam Lake Nature Preserve.
Over the years ACES has been home to several non-releasable raptors who become some of our best educators. The fifth annual Raptor Fair celebrates these incredible birds!
Generously sponsored by First Bank.
Hunter Creek Volunteer Weed Pull
Hunter Creek Valley
Saturday, July 15
8:30AM – 3:30 PM
FREE
Volunteers are needed to help with restoration efforts in the Hunter Creek Valley as part of the Hunter-Smuggler Cooperative Plan. We will be pulling weeds to help restore wildlife habitat and reduce the spread of noxious weeds following the 2016 prescribed fire. The Hunter-Smuggler Plan is an effort to improve wildlife habitat on 4,681 acres of Federal land in the Hunter Creek Valley and on Smuggler Mountain.
Volunteers will meet at 8:30AM at the upper Hunter Creek Valley (see parking instructions below). The project should conclude around 3:30PM. We will provide coffee and muffins in the morning as well as a thank-you meal for all volunteers after we finish.
Volunteers should bring warm clothes, sun protection, rain gear, long sleeved shirt and pants, closed toed shoes, water, and your own lunch. Please bring work gloves as well if you have them. We will provide all other tools.
Directions: From Main St (Hwy 82) in Aspen, turn north onto Mill St at the Hotel Jerome. Follow Mill St to the north past Clarks Market and the post office. Mill St turns into Red Mountain Rd. Follow the signs to the Forest Service boundary, the Hunter Creek Valley, and parking.
Parking: While parking is normally restricted in the upper Hunter Creek Valley, the Forest Service has arranged for volunteers to park just beyond the uppermost gate (past the senior parking lot). See map here for detailed parking location.
This project is a partnership between ACES, Wilderness Workshop, Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers, Pitkin County, City of Aspen, and the U.S. Forest Service.
RSVP at www.aspennature.org . Any questions can be directed to ACES Forest Programs Director Adam McCurdy at 970-925-5756 or [email protected].
An Evening on the Lake
Hallam Lake
Thursday, July 13
6PM – 10PM
Tickets: email Christy Mahon
Hosted at ACES at Hallam Lake, this elegant evening will feature 2017 honoree and keynote speaker Ed Begley Jr., and will include cocktails and live music, a gourmet dinner by Chef and Restaurateur Mark Fischer featuring sustainably grown food from Rock Bottom Ranch, drinks by Woody Creek Distillers, and a special evening under the stars.
Turning up at Hollywood events on his bicycle, Ed Begley Jr. has been considered an environmental leader in the Hollywood community for many years. He serves on the boards of The Coalition For Clean Air, The Thoreau Institute, and the advisory board of the Union Of Concerned Scientists, among many others. Ed’s work in the environmental community has earned him a number of awards from some of the most prestigious environmental groups in the nation, including the California League of Conservation Voters, the Natural Resources Defense Council, The Coalition for Clean Air, Heal the Bay, Santa Monica Baykeeper, and the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation. He currently lives near Los Angeles in a self-sufficient home powered by solar energy.
Proceeds from the evening benefit ACES' environmental science education programs.
Colorado Mushrooms, A World of Wonder at your Feet
Public lecture with Dr. Andrew Wilson
Hallam Lake
Wednesday, July 26
7PM – 8:30PM
FREE for members
Boletes, Amanitas, Lecciniums… mushrooms are essential partners for many plants in our native ecosystems and understanding this important relationship enhances any mushroom enthusiast’s search and enjoyment of local mushrooms. Join expert mycologist Andrew Wilson for a free lecture to discuss the amazing diversity of mushrooms in our local habitats. This free public lecture is a kick-off to the two-day field class on Thursday and Friday, which culminates in another free event, the Annual Mushroom Event, on Friday afternoon from from 1PM – 4PM. Join us for the lecture, the fair, or the whole fungi event!
“Mushrooms of the Rocky Mountain Region” - book signing by author Vera Evenson following the talk
ACES Annual Mushroom Fair
Hallam Lake
Friday, July 28
1-4pm
FREE
Join visiting fungi experts, Vera Evenson and Dr. Andrew Wilson, Curator and Assistant Curator at the Sam Mitchel Herbarium of Fungi, Denver Botanic Gardens, for an ACES Annual Mushroom Fair! Learn all you ever wanted to know about mushrooms - a wide variety of specimens will be exhibited, identified and examined up close. Come prepared to look at various mushrooms under a microscope, make spore prints, and learn about their intricate ways and how important they are to the whole ecosystem. Participants are welcome to bring their own mushrooms to share and learn about. Head down to ACES for a fun filled afternoon learning about mushrooms - not to mention you'll learn which mushrooms are the choice edible varieties!
RSVP at aspennature.org
Please walk, bike, bus, or carpool to Hallam Lake as parking is very limited.
Join us for an in-depth 2-day field course with Vera and Andy on Thursday and Friday preceding the fair.
Jessica Catto Leadership Dialogue | Ami Vitale
Hotel Jerome Ballroom
Tuesday, August 9
6PM
FREE
National Geographic magazine photographer Ami Vitale has traveled to more than 90 countries, bearing witness not only to violence and conflict, but also to surreal beauty and the enduring power of the human spirit. Throughout the years, Ami has lived in mud huts and war zones, contracted malaria, and donned a panda suit— keeping true to her belief in the importance of “living the story.”
In this free lecture, Ami will discuss her focus on today’s most compelling wildlife and environmental stories. Her photographs have been commissioned by nearly every international publication and exhibited around the world in museums and galleries. Recently, she joined Ripple Effect Images, an organization of renowned female scientists, writers, photographers and filmmakers working together to create powerful and persuasive stories that shed light on the hardships women in developing countries face and the programs that can help them. She is also on the Photojournalism Advisory Council for the Alexia Foundation. Currently based in Montana, Ami Vitale is a contract photographer with National Geographic magazine and frequently gives workshops throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Please walk, bike, bus, or carpool to the Hotel Jerome as parking is very limited.
RSVP at aspennature.org. RSVP does not reserve a seat.
Stars Above Aspen: Community Astronomy Night
Sundeck on Aspen Mountain
Monday, August 14
6PM – 10:30PM
Ticket info TBA
Explore the cosmos atop Ajax this August! ACES and Aspen Skiing Company are thrilled to present the second annual Stars Above Aspen, a community event all about astronomy! The public is invited to gaze through telescopes, learn the constellations, and enjoy interactive presentations at this family friendly event. Check ACES website for additional event details.
Contra Dance
Rock Bottom Ranch
Thursday, September 7
6-9pm
6-7pm Happy Hour & Farm Tour
7-9pm Music & Dancing
Ticket info TBA
Grab your dancing shoes and head to ACES at Rock Bottom Ranch for a community event to celebrate the harvest season with music and dancing. Guests will learn line dancing steps with the Wooden Nickel String Band and a caller! Tickets include dancing and one Roaring Fork Beer Company beer. Field 2 Fork Kitchen will be on-site for guests to purchase dinner. Please bike or carpool to the Ranch if you can!
Additional Roaring Fork Brewing Company beers $4
Food for sale from Field 2 Fork Kitchen
Fall Colors Membership Potluck Dinner
Catto Center at Toklat
Thursday, September 28
5:30PM
FREE
Join us for a special ACES’ members fall celebration of color and community at the Catto Center at Toklat. Members bring their favorite dish to share and enjoy an amazing collaborative dinner in the upper Castle Creek Valley. Visit http://www.aspennature.org/act/support to become a new member and to RSVP.
Harvest Party
Rock Bottom Ranch
Saturday, October 14th
12:00PM – 4:00PM
Ticket info TBA
Celebrate fall at our annual Harvest Party! Join us for an afternoon of autumnal fun including delicious, local food, drinks and live music. The Ranch turns into a festival ground with apple-cider pressing, pumpkin carving, pony rides, storytelling, farm games, a silent auction, and much more! Make sure you don't miss the garden and farm tours led by the knowledgeable RBR staff!
This event is made possible by local supporters and partners, and benefits RBR programs. Come out to support the many agricultural and educational services Rock Bottom Ranch offers our community. Visit aspennature.org for ticket information by September 15.
This is a car-free event! So ride your bike, walk, or horseback ride down to RBR.
FREE parking available for bikers (parking locations TBD) - OR - Park at one of our FREE SHUTTLE LOCATIONS to hitch a ride to the Ranch (shuttle locations TBD)
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Aspen Community News