Bear Mountain Lodge

Workshops 2008

Mimbres Art and Archaeology Workshop
October 10 - 13, 2008
$795 per person, lodging tax not included
Includes 3 nights lodging, all meals and $50 donation to The Nature Conservancy

In this popular workshop, explore the fascinating life and art of the Mimbres people who inhabited southwest New Mexico 1,000 years ago. Led by internationally known art historian Dr. J.J. Brody and his ethnobotanist wife, Jean, participants will examine classic black on white Mimbres vessels (AD 1000 - 1150), explore nearby petroglyph and archaeological sites and discover the complex human history of the Mimbres Valley.

Winter Weekend Package Special: Native People of the Southwest
December 12-15, 2008 & January 23-26, 2009
$350 per person, lodging tax not included
Includes 3 nights lodging, 3 dinners, one sack lunch and $25 donation to The Nature Conservancy

In winter's heart of darkness, native peoples gathered around fires and told stories. At Bear Mountain Lodge, the tradition continues. Join us around our hearth and on our nearby preserves for a winter weekend of Apache and Mimbreño lore. Who were these peoples and what stories guided their lives? What messages have drifted down to us through time? Joined by a local archaeologist and astronomer, we will look for answers scattered among the stones, and we will look to the stars above. And in the warm light of the lodge's fire, we will look beyond winter's darkness into the storied heart of the past.

The lodge's native landscape attracts a variety of wildlife. Credit: Mike Fugagli

Ongoing Activities:

Please Note: Only one activity is offerred each day by our naturalists and can include the following (depending on the season). For more precise information please check the naturalist calendar at the lodge.

Gila Preserve Tour: Join naturalist, Mike Fugagli, for a day's exploration of the Gila Riparian Preserve, which provides a stunning example of the resilience inherent in a desert river. The Gila River is the last undammed river in New Mexico and supports an amazing array of neotropical migratory birds. Explore the river's ecology and hear about its history and possible future.

Fire Ecology Walk: Learn what role fire, or the lack of it, has played in the vegetative struggle between desert grasslands and pinion-juniper forests. Walk with naturalist Mike Fugagli on the lodge's Old Windmill trail and view the land through an ecologist's eye. What is the role of fire here? How is fire related to erosion and desertification? What does fire have to do with fish? "One of the biggest traps we fall into", says Mike, "is seeing the land as static, as scenery. Understanding it as process is the first step toward restoration and health."

Lodge Hike: The 178 acres surrounding the lodge provide an excellent opportunity to poke around in the transition zone between Chihuahuan desert grassland and pinon-juniper woodland. Join our naturalists for a morning stroll on one of the trails and discover the flora and fauna of these upland communities. What's the difference between a yucca and an agave? How long does a harvester ant live? Why does that grass grow into a fairy ring? Soon you'll feel right at home in these diverse and dynamic communities.

Fireside Chat: Join us after dinner for a conversation seated around one of the lodge fireplaces. Topics are as diverse as our guests. Past subjects include family and community values, true wilderness tales and land preservation. Questions about the lodge, Silver City sights, The Nature Conservancy and beyond are welcomed. This is a great place, as you'll discover.

For more on nature activities, information on area hikes, bird identification and general questions, contact Mike Fugagli, our Lodge naturalist.

 

Seasonal Events

Cottonwoods and willow along the Gila River. Credit: Mike Fugagli

Bear Mountain Lodge is blessed with wonderful birding year-round.

Watch sandhill cranes, golden and bald eagles in winter and observe common black hawk, Gila woodpecker and many Southwestern specialties during breeding season.

• Peak time to see a variety of birds is early to mid-May
• Best viewing of hummingbirds is mid-July to early August.

Also…

• Butterflies are in abundance during April and May
• Spring flowers peak in late April. Wildflowers are beautiful throughout the summer and fall.