The Art of Nature Awareness

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2021

The Value of Reconnecting with the Natural World
9pm

During this brief program introduction we’ll learn about the legacy our ancestors gifted to us in the forms of tracking and awareness, survival skills, and complex and effective social structures. We’ll have a nature display to evoke questions and conversation. This will be educational and fun for the entire family.

TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021

The Five Voices of the Birds
7:30am

Do birds really talk? Consider that birds have been on the planet for approximately eighty million years and that they possess enhanced vocal and auditory apparatus. Here we will learn not only who is vocalizing but reach into the question of why, and just as important, what this can teach us about ourselves and our relations with the natural world. 1 mile, easy pace, all are welcome.

The Art of Primitive Fire-Making
10:30am

Fire is an essential element of our long-term survival. The ability to make fire with only materials found at hand is a skill that our ancestors possessed for thousands of generations. Participants will learn one method of fire-by-fire friction and apply their new-found knowledge on their own bow-drill kit. 1 mile, easy pace, all are welcome.

Tomahawk Throwing
2:30pm 

Join Mohonk’s Naturalist Michael Ridolfo to learn this fun and challenging survival skill that focuses on safety and basic throwing skills. Sign up required-no earlier than 24 hours in advance. Please call 845-256-2186 to sign up.

Ages 13 and up. Limited to 30 people. Closed-toe shoes required. All participants must go through a 15 minute safety protocol at the beginning of the session. This cannot be repeated if missed.

Evening Lecture: Rock Climbing with Marty Molitoris
9pm

There’s more to climbing than just going up! Join Marty Molitoris, Founder and Director of Alpine Endeavors and Multi-Certified Climbing Guide, for an introduction to this physically and mentally demanding sport. Often testing the climber’s strength, endurance, agility, and balance, rock climbing can also take climbers to some of the most beautiful places on earth.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021

Mindfulness Walk: The Way of Our Ancestors
7:30am

Learn how moving efficiently in nature helps to pattern our brains for expanded awareness and our bodies for balance, agility, and strength. Shifting to our ancestral gait makes us instantly quieter in the woods and enables a more intimate perspective into the natural world. 1 mile, easy pace, all are welcome.

The Gift of Trees
10:30am

Trees are one of the most important resources on Earth. They fix nutrients in and cool the soil, prevent erosion, bank carbon dioxide, and so much more. On this casual walk through the forest we’ll cover approximately 20-25 species of tree, learn how they grow and where, and learn their uses and their teaching role in native lore. 2 miles, easy pace, all are welcome.

Predator and Prey: The Great Dance
2:30pm

Please join Michael as we learn about this ancient relationship and its effects on the habitats in which the animals live and beyond. 2 miles, moderate pace.

Live Music with Rhett Miller
9pm

Critically acclaimed singer-songwriter and front man of The Old 97’s, Rhett Miller takes a stroll through the greatest songs of the modern era. From Ella Fitzgerald to Bob Dylan, The Kingston Trio to Carole King, Paul Simon to Tom Petty, and more. This set of songs will celebrate the marriage of melody and lyric that took root in Tin Pan Alley, blossomed in the Brill Building, and serves as the soundtrack to our lives.

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 2021

The Building Blocks of Fairy Gardens: Ferns, Mosses, and Lichens
7:30am

On this walk around Lake Mohonk, we will observe those members of the plant and fungus kingdoms that are under-appreciated and seldom observed: ferns, mosses, and lichens. When observed closely, there is a whole world that can be discovered. Learn how these simple plants and fungus are important to the ecosystem, and discover a new world right below your feet!

Natural History Workshop
10:30am

The Shawangunk Ridge is one of the most biodiverse places in the northeastern United States. Join Dr. Jackie Schnurr in this hands-on workshop to learn to identify the common species of plants, animals, fungi, and lichens that surrounds us and to use our new found skills to explore a section of Eagle Cliff.

The Gift of Water – Hike to Mossy Brook Spring
2:30pm

All life on Earth depends on water. Since the dawn of our species and beyond, we drank water from the surface of the earth. This of course has become a much rarer event as our culture has tainted much of this vital resource. However, there are still plenty of places to find fresh, healthy surface water; all we need to know is how to read the landscape. On this beautiful path we will also learn about waterborne pathogens and how to purify water when necessary. Strenuous 2 miles, all are welcome.

Night Hike to Copes Lookout
9pm

Moving deftly and silently and tapping into our night vision. Be on the lookout for creatures and events of the night—owls, insects, coyotes, stars, and satellites. We’ll tap into our deep sensory awareness to take in as much information as possible. 1 mile, all are welcome.

FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2021

The Geology of the Shawangunk Ridge
7:30am

The Shawangunks formed as a result of several tectonic collisions followed by periods of erosion that lasted for a billion years. Come take a walk through time as we observe some of the key evidence that reveals the geologic history of the region, including the source of the famous conglomerates, the fossil record, and the influence of mile-thick glaciers.