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Big
Bend
National
Park
LODGE AND LEARN--Outlaws, Rum-runners,
Cowboys, and Clerks
October 10, Sam Richardson
Fee (includes 2 nights in Chisos Mountains
Lodge) $177 single, $200 double (Members
$172 and $195)
Registration Deadline: September 10
Difficulty: Easy
With the cooperation of the
Chisos Mountains Lodge, we are pleased to
offer our first ever Lodge and Learn
program. This seminar combines expert
instruction in a package that also includes
two nights lodging in the Chisos Mountains
as well as a box lunch for the day of the
seminar.
The course will deal with the
colorful history of Big Bend, where
pre-Columbian hunters and gatherers left the
first human tracks thousands of years ago.
Spanish conquistadors were the first
Europeans to arrive. They came in the 16th
Century. Then came Comanches and Mescalero
Apaches. Some people still call the full
moons of September and October "Comanche
Moons."
In the early part of the 20th
Century fallout from the Mexican Revolution
made Big Bend a hazardous place to live, but
people braved the dangers. In the aftermath
of the revolution rum-runners, outlaws,
preachers, miners, cowboys, and clerks had
their moments on the stage of Big Bend
history. All left their mark. Most are now
gone.
In our course we'll take a look
at the players in Big Bend's past, then
travel to several locations where the dramas
played out.
SAM RICHARDSON is a Big Bend naturalist,
artist, and writer living in Terlingua. He
teaches history and natural history in the
Elderhostel program, operates his own tour
company, and is a writer and editor for
local newspapers.
Motels and Additional Information
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Star Party in Big Bend
October 16, Carl Frisch
Fee: $50 (Members $45)
Make-or-break date: September 16
Difficulty: Easy
Join amateur astronomer Carl
Frisch for a memorable night under pristine
dark skies. Just before sunset take a
telescopic view of the sun, our own star,
followed by a slide program on galaxies,
nebulae, stellar evolution and star
clusters, telescopes, and astrophotography.
Then the sky's own show will take center
stage and large telescopes (16- and 24-inch
diameter) will seek out objects discussed
earlier or others on request. The program
ends when the last attendee leaves or when
the sun comes up, whichever comes first.
CARL FRISCH is a semi-retired
electronics technician who has been an avid
amateur astronomer and astrophotographer for
ten years. He served as director for The
Albuquerque Astronomical Society and managed
the Society's observatory for two years. He
was instrumental in building an observatory
at Chaco Culture National Historical Park
where he developed and presented night-sky
programs to thousands of visitors.
History
on
Horseback
October
17,
Don
Corrick
Fee:
$170
(Members
$165)
Make-or-break
date:
October
1
Difficulty:
Moderate
to
demanding-includes
riding
several
miles
over
rough
terrain
Maximum
class
size:
12
The paved roads in
Big Bend
take visitors to some very interesting
places, but tucked away, often accessible
only by trails, are other fascinating
locales. Join archeologist ranger Don
Corrick for a horseback journey back in
time. Discover how the early settlers, and
the Native Americans who preceded them, made
a life and a living in
Big Bend.
The horses will be supplied by a
local outfitter and no previous riding
experience is necessary. Participants,
however, should be in reasonable health.
The trip will leave the
Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
and travel along a fairly easy trail to an
area used by both cowboys and Indians.
DON
CORRICK
is
a
geologist
in
the
Division
of
Science
and
Resource
Management
in
Big
Bend
National
Park
where
he
has
worked
since
1990
in
geology
and
archeology.
He
has
a
B.S.
in
geology
from
Baylor
University
and
did
graduate
work
on
a
Ph.D.
in
archeology
at
Texas
A
&
M.
He is now finishing his M.S. in
geology at
Sul
Ross
State
University
.
Landscaping with West Texas Natives
October 30, Patricia Manning
Fee $50 (Members $45)
Make-or-break date: September 30
Difficulty: Moderate
This seminar will explore some
of the indigenous plants that have the best
qualities for landscaping. On short hikes
we will view plants in their habitats,
stopping to discuss the qualities that make
them do well in a cultivated setting. We
will talk about which plants can be used in
several different ecological environments
and which ones can only be used within a
narrow range of conditions. You can also
find out which natives not only look great
in wildscaping, but also which ones attract
birds and butterflies and which are browsed
by deer.
Following lunch there will be a
slide presentation showing desert plants in
a landscape setting. You will also learn
why it is important to use plants native to
your region from both an ecological and an
aesthetic perspective and why it is
important to preserve the vegetative
diversity by not collecting in parks. There
will be a brief look at how to propagate
native plants, seed collection and storage,
as well as conservation issues especially in
regard to cacti.
PATRICIA MANNING (see
"Understanding Chihuahuan Desert Plants",
April 4).
When Dinosaurs Ruled
October 31, Don Corrick
Fee: $50 (Members $45)
Make-or-break date: September 30
Difficulty: Easy
This workshop provides an
introduction to the complex paleontological
history of Big Bend National Park based on
the fossil record of the region. Big Bend
is well known for the number and variety of
its fossil remains, including the pterosaur
that is the largest flying creature ever
found. Big Bend has produced fossils of
Tyrannosaurus Rex, the enormous Alamosaurus
recently excavated in the park, and many
others. Participants will have the
opportunity to discuss several hundred
million years of earth history with the Park
Geologist.
The program will consist of a
slide lecture, followed by a field trip to
view excavated dinosaur bones and to watch a
paleontology laboratory at work to
reconstruct these ancient giants.
DON CORRICK (See "History on
Horseback" April 3.)
Motels and Additional Information
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Tracking in the Desert
November 14, Robert Haynes
Fee: $50 (Members $45)
Make-or-break date: October 14
Difficulty: Moderate
In the days when survival
depended on knowing where game animals had
gone or the enemy awaited, tracking was a
common skill. Now it is an art confined to
a few experts. We offer this seminar so
that Robert Haynes can share the skills he
has mastered over a long career.
Participants will learn how to track both
people and animals and how to tell how long
ago a track was made. As paleontologists
have found that they can learn volumes about
long-extinct animals just from studying
their tracks, modern humans can learn much
from the ephemeral signs in the desert.
ROBERT HAYNES grew up in the Big
Bend area where he learned tracking working
as a cowboy. He is a retired U.S. Border
Patrol supervisor who has searched for
fugitives from the law, lost persons,
illegal aliens, and smugglers. For years he
has taught tracking for the Border Patrol
and other government and law enforcement
agencies.
Geology Jeep Tour
November 20, Bill Bourbon
Fee: $80, (Includes jeep rental) (Members
$75)
Make-or-break date: October 20
Difficulty: Easy
Over eons Big Bend has seen
volcanoes and oceans come and go. It has
been home to dinosaurs, pterodactyls, and
aquatic lizards. Participants in this jeep
tour will gain an insight into how Big Bend
became home to such monsters and into the
processes that have made Big Bend one of the
nation’s premier outdoor geologic
laboratories.
Chauffeured jeeps will take the
group into remote areas of the park to see
some of its most unique and interesting
geological features. Weather permitting,
the group will travel to places inaccessible
by passenger cars and will see the ways that
weathering, earthquakes and volcanoes, and
biological processes have produced today’s
landscapes.
BILL BOURBON has bachelor’s
degree from Sul Ross State University in
Alpine and a masterÕs degree from West Texas
State University in Canyon, both in geology,
and has been a student of the natural and
cultural history of the Big Bend area for
more than 35 years. He is retired from the
National Park Service where he worked in Big
Bend and at Carlsbad Caverns national parks.
Black Bear Recovery
November 21, Raymond Skiles
Fee: $50 (Members $45)
Make-or-break date: October 21
Difficulty: Moderate
In the 1980s black bears
reclaimed the Big Bend habitat where they
once roamed. This re-colonization was unique
in that the bears accomplished it on their
own from Mexico.
However, the severe drought of
recent years has been very hard on the
park’s bear population. What will happen to
the small community of bears that has been
raising cubs in the Chisos Mountains?
In order to assess the status,
ecology, and management of the bear
population, Big Bend National Park conducted
a three-year research study. This seminar
will focus on some of the findings of this
research. We will discuss trapping and
data-collection techniques as well as the
basic ecology of black bears. The seminar
will conclude with a hike in the Chisos
Mountains in search of bears and their sign.
RAYMOND SKILES is a Wildlife
Biologist in the Division of Science and
Resource Management in Big Bend National
Park. He is the author of the park’s Bear
Management Plan and developed and
implemented the park’s strategies for
bear/human coexistence.
Motels and Additional Information
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Rock Art in Big Bend National Park
December 5, Bob Hext
Fee: $50 (Members $45)
Make-or-break date: November 5
Difficulty: Moderate
For at least the last 8,000
years Native Americans have passed through
Big Bend. Some of them left enigmatic
pictographs and petroglyphs behind. Join
one of the pre-eminent authorities on West
Texas rock art for an exploration of Big
Bend sites.
The class will begin with a
slide presentation to give an idea of the
variety and complexity of Trans-Pecos rock
art. We will then visit as many of the
park's sites as we can. Possible
destinations include Indian Head, The
Chimneys, and Hot Springs.
BOB HEXT teaches rock art
courses at Sul Ross State University. He has
worked in the field in West Texas since 1978
and with many noted projects documenting the
region's rock art treasures. He is looking
for a volunteer task force to assist with
this documentation. In 1995 he helped
organize a symposium for rock art of the
Trans-Pecos, whose work was published by the
Center for Big Bend Studies. He is offering
a spring 2004 course at Sul Ross on
documenting rock art.
2005
Schedule
Big
Bend
National
Park
Big
Bend
Pioneer
Reunion
February
5,
10
a.m.
Fee:
$20
(Members
$18)
Includes
lunch
Difficulty:
Easy
The
Big
Bend
Seminars
Program
starts
off
with
a
bang—our
most
popular
gathering,
where
those
who
knew
and
experienced
Big
Bend’s
storied
past
get
together
to
share
tales,
tall
and
otherwise.
Plan
to
join
us
for
a
fun-filled
day
of
fascinating
stories,
visiting,
music,
and
door
prizes.
Big
Cats
in
Big
Bend
February
26,
Gilbert
Guzman
Fee
$75
(Members
$67.50)
Make-or-break
date:
January
26
Difficulty:
Moderate
It
is
fairly
safe
to
say
that
mountain
lions
and
bobcats
see
people
more
often
than
they
are
seen.
They
are
usually
timid
but
very
observant.
It
is
an
unusual
treat
to
encounter
one
in
the
wild.
This
seminar
seeks
to
expand
our
knowledge
of
these
wide-ranging,
elegant
predators.
The
first
part
of
the
seminar
will
discuss
some
of
the
research
conducted
in
the
Trans-Pecos
on
big
cats.
The
second
part
of
the
program
will
include
fieldwork
where
participants
will
have
the
opportunity
to
explore
mountain
lion
and
bobcat
habitat
in
search
of
their
signs.
Casting
of
tracks
and
a
discussion
of
natural
history
will
conclude
the
class.
GILBERT
GUZMAN
is
a
wildlife
biologist
with
the
Texas
Department
of
Parks
and
Wildlife.
He
has
conducted
studies
of
mountain
lions
in
Big
Bend
National
Park
and
Big
Bend
Ranch
State
Park
.
Geology
Jeep
Tour
February
27,
Bill
Bourbon
Second
Session:
November
12
Fee:
$125,
(Includes
jeep
rental)
(Members
$119)
Make-or-break
dates:
January
27
and
October
12
Difficulty:
Easy
Big
Bend
’s
desert
scenery
lays
its
geologic
ribs
bare,
provoking
many
questions,
and
providing
quite
a
few
answers.
However,
as
geologists
comb
the
folds
and
scarps,
the
dikes
and
lava
flows,
the
answers
sometimes
change.
Find
out
what
the
most
recent
answers
are
to
your
FAQs
about
Big
Bend
geology
while
taking
in
the
spectacular
backdrop.
Chauffeured
jeeps
will
take
the
group
into
remote
areas
of
the
park
to
see
some
of
its
most
unique
and
interesting
geological
features.
Weather
permitting,
the
group
will
travel
to
places
inaccessible
by
passenger
cars
and
will
see
the
ways
that
weathering,
earthquakes
and
volcanoes,
and
biological
processes
have
produced
today’s
landscapes.
BILL
BOURBON
has
bachelor’s
degree
from
Sul
Ross
State
University
in
Alpine
and
a
master’s
degree
from
West
Texas
State
University
in
Canyon,
both
in
geology,
and
has
been
a
student
of
the
natural
and
cultural
history
of
the
Big
Bend
area
for
more
than
40
years.
He
is
retired
from
the
National
Park
Service
where
he
worked
in
Big
Bend
and
at
Carlsbad
Caverns
national
parks.
History
on
Horseback
April
2,
Don
Corrick
Session
2-April
10
Fall
Sessions
October
8
&
November
6
Fee:
$195
(Members
$187.50)
Make-or-break
dates:
30
days
prior
to
Seminar
Difficulty:
Moderate
to
demanding-includes
riding
several
miles
over
rocky
trails
Maximum
class
size:
12
The
paved
roads
in
Big
Bend
take
visitors
to
some
very
interesting
places,
but
tucked
away,
often
accessible
only
by
trails,
are
other
fascinating
locales.
Join
archeologist
ranger
Don
Corrick
for
a
horseback
journey
back
in
time.
Discover
how
the
early
settlers,
and
the
Native
Americans
who
preceded
them,
made
a
life
and
a
living
in
Big
Bend
.
The
horses
will
be
supplied
by
a
local
outfitter
and
no
previous
riding
experience
is
necessary.
Participants,
however,
should
be
in
reasonable
health.
The
trip
will
leave
the
Ross
Maxwell
Scenic
Drive
and
travel
along
a
fairly
easy
trail
to
an
area
used
by
both
cowboys
and
Indians.
DON
CORRICK
is
a
geologist
in
the
Division
of
Science
and
Resource
Management
in
Big
Bend
National
Park
where
he
has
worked
since
1990
in
geology
and
archeology.
He
has
a
B.S.
in
geology
from
Baylor
University
and
did
graduate
work
on
a
Ph.D.
in
archeology
at
Texas
A
&
M.
He
is
now
finishing
his
M.S.
in
geology
at
Sul
Ross
State
University
.
Understanding
Chihuahuan
Desert
Wildflowers
April
3,
Patricia
Manning
Fee:
$75
(Members
$67.50)
Make-or-break
date:
March
3
Difficulty:
Moderate
Desert
plants
are
opportunists;
many
will
grow
and
bloom
at
any
time
of
the
year
given
the
right
conditions.
This
seminar
will
attempt
to
catch
the
spring
bloom
at
its
height,
when
cactus,
ocotillos,
and
annuals
combine
for
a
symphony
of
desert
color.
Beginning
in
a
classroom
setting
with
slide
show,
we
will
discuss
and
illustrate
how
to
identify
the
most
abundant
local
families
of
wildflowers,
based
on
key
physical
characteristics.
After
lunch
at
Dugout
Wells
we
will
examine
the
perennial
spring
blooming
plants
nearby
and
discuss
what
distinguishes
cacti
from
the
succulent
yuccas
and
agaves.
Participants
will
also
learn
about
pollinators,
seed
dispersal,
and
native
uses
of
the
desert
succulents.
PATRICIA
MANNING
is
an
Environmental
Science
Technician
at
Sul
Ross
State
University
,
where
she
came
from
a
job
as
a
botanist
with
the
Texas
Department
of
Transportation.
At
the
university
she
manages
the
greenhouses,
cactus
garden,
and
experimental
vineyard.
She
has
a
BFA
from
Baylor
University
,
an
MFA
from
North
Texas
State
University
,
and
an
MS
in
biology
from
Sul
Ross.
Motels and Additional Information
Back to the Top of Page
Star
Party
in
Big
Bend
April
8,
Carl
Frisch
Second
Session:
November
5
Fee:
$75
(Members
$67.50)
Make-or-break
date:
March
8,
and
October
5
Difficulty:
Easy
Join
amateur
astronomer
Carl
Frisch
for
a
memorable
night
under
pristine
dark
skies.
Just
before
sunset
take
a
telescopic
view
of
the
sun,
our
own
star,
followed
by
a
slide
program
on
galaxies,
nebulae,
stellar
evolution
and
star
clusters,
telescopes,
and
astrophotography.
Then
the
sky’s
own
show
will
take
center
stage
and
large
telescopes
(16-
and
24-inch
diameter)
will
seek
out
objects
discussed
earlier
or
others
on
request.
The
program
ends
when
the
last
attendee
leaves
or
when
the
sun
comes
up,
whichever
comes
first.
CARL
FRISCH
served
as
director
for
The
Albuquerque
Astronomical
Society
and
managed
the
Society’s
observatory
for
two
years.
He
was
instrumental
in
building
an
observatory
at
Chaco
Culture
National
Historical
Park
where
he
developed
and
presented
night-sky
programs
to
thousands
of
visitors.
Backpacking
for
Women
April
9,
Melissa
Forsythe
Fee:
$155
(Members
$145)
Includes
food
for
supper
and
breakfast
Make-or-break
date:
March
9
Difficulty:
Moderate
to
demanding
(No
backpacking
experience
necessary,
but
participants
should
be
prepared
to
hike
on
maintained
mountain
trails)
Limit:
10
women
Enjoy
backpacking
in
the
scenic
Chisos
Mountains
and
learn
about
the
special
challenges
and
opportunities
for
women
on
the
trails.
During
this
trek
up
from
the
Chisos
Basin
,
participants
will
learn
the
basics
of
backpacking,
from
what
to
bring
to
the
ways
to
achieve
maximum
comfort.
After
a
thorough
examination
of
the
science
of
packing
for
overnight
trips,
the
first
day’s
hike
will
consist
of
four
to
five
miles,
climbing
from
an
elevation
of
5400
feet
to
a
campsite
at
about
6800.
The
group
will
set
up
camp
and
discuss
new
camp
cooking
techniques
before
enjoying
the
park’s
star-filled
nighttime
panorama.
The
second
day’s
hike
will
complete
the
loop
back
to
the
Chisos
Basin
.
MELISSA
FORSYTHE
is
a
teacher
in
the
San
Vicente
Independent
School
District
in
Big
Bend
National
Park
.
She
has
backpacked
all
over
the
U.S.
and
especially
enjoys
the
backpacking
opportunities
in
Big
Bend
where
great
trails
are
right
at
her
front
door.
Desert
Survival
April
16,
Gary
Carver
Fee:
$75
(Members
$67.50)
Make-or-break
date:
March
16
Difficulty:
Moderate
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