Events and Outings

January 25, 2020: Mammal tracking at Poke-o-Moonshine.  Meet at 9:30 at the Observers’ trailhead. 3-4 hours following and identifying mammal tracks. In cooperation with Champlain Area Trails. Register by emailing David Thomas-Train, Coordinator of Friends of Poke-o-Moonshine

January – March, 2020: Pathfinders Xcountry ski lessons for kids ages 5-7 at Mt. Van Hoevenberg. Register for lessons.


Previous adventures and events listed below.

October 23, 2015:  Sharing Stories of the Saranac River, a one day conference for educators who teach in the Lake Champlain Basin. SUNY Plattsburgh.  Hosted by the Champlain Basin Education Initiative.
I’ll be focusing on how the river looks from the perspective of the wildlife. How might their stories read?

June-Sept 2015:  Patterns in Nature Photography exhibit of work by Westport Central School Grade 6 students.  Elizabeth Lee, Teaching Artist. This exhibit was made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by the North Country Cultural Center for the Arts.

April 26, 2015:  Cadyville Recreation Park Bio-Blitz.  Free and open to the public.  A great way to share the fun of a treasure hunt with great faculty and student biologists from Plattsburgh State University.

April 25, 2015:  Wildflower walk A session for children and families and a session for adults.  Easy-moderate walk at wildflower viewing pace. Register at Champlain Area Trails.

March 21, 2015  Patterns in Nature  at DaCy Meadow Farm. We’ll observe patterns in landscape features, seasonal life cycles and growth patterns of plants and animals.  Each walk will include lunch on the farm, courtesy of Dave and Cynthia Johnston.  Register at Champlain Area Trails .

March 13-15, 2015: NYS Outdoor Guides Association Winter Rendezvous, Lake Placid, NY.  A great opportunity to meet with other guides to swap stories and share love of wild places.

Dec. 27, 2014 – Mar. 8, 2015:  Van Hoevenberg Views  The Sunday series.  Criss-cross the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium on snowshoes, follow the 1932 Bobsled Run and head up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks.  Great winter hike with a FANTASTIC brunch in the start-house of the 1980 Olympics.  Register for these trips through ORDA.

January 24, 2015:  Mammal tracking at Poke-o-Moonshine .  Meet at 9:30 at the Observers’ trailhead. 3-4 hours following and identifying mammal tracks. In cooperation with Champlain Area Trails. Register by emailing David Thomas-Train, Coordinator of Friends of Poke-o-Moonshine

OCT 10-11, 2014   Natural History Series Part IV: Bark: Get to Know Your Trees.   Presented by Michael Wojtech – Naturalist, Writer, and author of Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast

Held at the Whallonsburg Grange.  Co-sponsored by the Northeast Wilderness Trust

10/10 Friday evening presentation (7-9 p.m.) $10 Suggested Donation. No reservation necessary.

10/11 Saturday field class (9 am. -1 p.m) $45  per participant.  Pre-registration is required and space will be limited–contact me to reserve your place.

August 1, 2014:  Raptors of Lake Champlain, a natural history program by Joe Racette.  Joe coordinated DEC monitoring of raptor nesting in the Adirondack/Lake Champlain region for more than 10 years.  Westport Heritage House from 7:30-9:00. Admission is $8.00.  Space will be limited–contact me to reserve your place.

August, 10, 2014:  A Narrated cruise on the EScape.  Leaving from the Westport Marina to tour Northwest Bay to the Palisades. Sign up here to secure space on this limited seated cruise!

July 13, 2014:  NEW!! A narrated cruise on the Escape.  Leaving from the Westport Marina to tour Northwest Bay to the Palisades. Sign up here to secure space on this limited seated cruise!

June 30 and July 2, 2014:  United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Boating Safety Course (federally approved and valid in all 50 states) at the Westport Marina, 5-9 p.m.  This course is sponsored by Westport Youth Commission. Register by emailing westportyouthprogram@gmail.com.

June 19, 2014:  5Sparks! early summer hike, bike or paddle for ages 6-8.  Contact me for details.

June 16, 2014:  5Sparks! early summer hike, bike or paddle for ages 6-8. Contact me for details.

June 7, 2014:  National Trails Day!

May 20, 2014:  Wildflowers of the Champlain Valley, Essex County Adirondack Garden Club (lecture and hike)

May 3, 2014:  Trail volunteer for The Grand Hike,  a 14 mile hike through the Champlain Valley on CATS trails.

March 25, 2014:  Natural History Series Part III:  Timber Rattlesnakes lecture by Joe Racette at the Whallonsburgh Grange Hall. $8 suggested donation. Co-sponsored with Northeast Wilderness Trust

Mar. 7-8, 2014:  Natural History Series Part II: Bird Language Through the Seasons lecture and Field Class by Connor Stedman. Back for a winter version of the spring bird language course offered in 2013.  Co-sponsored with Northeast Wilderness Trust at the Whallonsburg Grange.  $10 suggested donation for the evening presentation and $45 for a field course.

Feb. 21, 2014:  Natural History Series Part I:  Animals of the North: What Climate Change Will Mean to Them, Lecture by Susan Morse of Keeping Track at the Whallonsburgh Grange Hall. Suggested donation $10.  Co-sponsoring a three part Natural History Series with Northeast Wilderness Trust

Feb. – May, 2014:  Patterns in Nature Photography at Westport Central School with Grade 6 Teacher Zoe Brugger-Lobdell. Funded by the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts

Dec. 22, 2013- Mar. 9, 2014:  Van Hoevenberg Views   Criss-cross the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium, along the 1932 Bobsled Run and up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks.  Great winter hike with a FANTASTIC brunch.

July 1, 2013:  5 Sparks! 2013 gets under way at Cheney Mountain

May 11, 2013:  Nun-da-ga-o Ridge Spring Wildflower Hike

May 3, 2013:  Coon Mountain Spring Wildflower Hike, 10:00-2:00 p.m.

May 3-5, 2013:  Bird Language: an evening presentation and Saturday (full) /Sunday (space available)  field courses by Connor Stedman.  I am sponsoring this weekend with Northeast Wilderness Trust at the Whallonsburg Grange.  $10 suggested donation for the evening presentation and $45 for a field course. 

April 27, 2013: Cheney Mountain Spring Wildflower Hike (half day, afternoon) contact me for details.

April 26, 2013: Jay Mountain Spring Wildflower Hike contact me for details.

April 22, 2013:  Earth Day!   Slide show on Champlain Valley Wildlife at North Country Community College, Ticonderoga, NY.  Free. 3:30-4:40.

March 23-24, 2013:  NYS Outdoor Guide’s Association Winter Rendezvous, Malta, NY.

January-February:  Teaching Patterns in Nature: Words for Shapes, Westport Central School with Grade 6 Teacher Zoe Brugger-Lobdell. Funded by Adirondack Arts in Education Partnership/NYS Council for the Arts.

Every weekend  Dec 30-March 17: Snowshoeing at Van Hoevenberg   Criss-crossing the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium, along the 1932 Bobsled Run and up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks.  Participants receive a cool hydration pack and BRUNCH in the cozy 1980 timing house.  Check for more information:   https://www.whiteface.com/activities/snowshoeing

November 17, 2012:  Final tracking training for 2012 tracking group.  Location:  Full and By Farm and S. Boquet Mountain, Essex, NY.

October 20, 2012: Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference, Doyle Conference Center, Leominster, MA

October-November, 2012:  Teaching Patterns in Nature and Design, Ausable Valley High School with Technology Teacher Alta Longware. Funded by Adirondack Arts in Education Partnership/NYS Council for the Arts.

September 21, 2012:  Split Rock tour with Morris Glen and Adirondack Architectural Heritage

September 16, 2012:  Forest and Farm, an event of Adirondack Harvest.  Hike and localvore brunch at DaCy Meadow Farm.  Don’t miss it!

September 14, 2012: Garden Club of America annual conference field trip on Adirondack Flora and Fauna.

Aug. 6-10, 2012:  Attending Wetland Plants course taught by Jerry Jenkins at Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station.

April, 28, 2012  Northeast Wilderness Trust’s Reptiles and Amphibians walk at Hemlock Rock,  lead by David Patrick of Adirondack Biodiversity Institute.

March 31, 2012:  Transect Training at Spruce Mill Brook with Rose Graves, Northeast Wilderness Trust Conservation Director

March 28, 2012:  Patterns in Nature, Presentation for Southern Adirondack Audubon Society, Crandall Library, Glens Falls, NY

March 22, 2012:  CATS Planning Meeting to develop Outdoor Education Plan for Adults and Families

Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012  Susan Morse, Founder of Keeping Track spoke at the Whallonsburgh Grange about bobcats.  GREAT slide show!

Every weekend  Jan 2-March 13: Snowshoeing at Van Hoevenberg   Criss-crossing the Ladies 5K from the X-country stadium, along the 1932 Bobsled Run and up the hill to a great view of the High Peaks.  Participants receive a cool hydration pack and BRUNCH in the cozy 1980 timing house.  Check for more information:   https://www.whiteface.com/activities/snowshoe.php

Thursday, Nov, 3, 2011 Christopher Spatz, President of the Cougar Rewilding Foundation speaking on the “return of a legend.”  Whallonsburgh Grange Hall, Essex, NY  7-8:30 p.m.  Sponsored by the Northeast Wilderness Trust.

Saturday, October 29, 2011   Northeast Wildlife Trackers Conference in Leominster, MA  Mark Elbroch was the keynote speaker.  His research affirms the value of data provided by local trackers in conservation work.

October 15, 2011  Tracking moose in Jericho, VT with Sue Morse and the  NWT trackers class.

October 11, 2011  Mission:  Wolf  presented a program in conjunction with Keeping Track.   Wolves who were injured or were unwanted pets and are not able to be released make fascinating live ambassadors.   The program was held at St. Michael’s Colllege in Winooski, VT.

October 8, 2011 Opening the Cheney Mountain trail in Moriah with CATS.

September, 10-11, 2011  Sue Morse of Keeping Track presented a class of focal species for the trackers currently being trained through the Northeast Wilderness Trust.  On Sunday we had an excellent day on Pokomoonshine, examining the effects of Hurricane Irene on the beaver dams and finding new bear sign.

August 19, 2011:  Wild Science, professional development seminar to assist classroom teachers to teach science outdoors.  Taught with Adirondack Illustrator, Sheri Amsel at Black Kettle Farm.

May and June, 2011:  Champlain Valley Outdoor Education Cooperative:  Teaching at Black Kettle Nature Trail  with fellow naturalists Sheri Amsel and David Thomas-Train.  We received funding from the Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership and will be hosted six area schools.

May 8, 2011 Wildflower hike as part of a Mother’s Day package.  Spend the weekend at Normandie Beach Resort with a fantastic wildflower hike followed by a local foods brunch at DaCy Meadow Farm

February 21 – May 17, 2011 I received a grant from the Adirondack Arts in Education Partnership to teach Patterns in Nature, a class I developed last year.  I am teaching with Terry Crowningshield, Drew Belois and Becky Bosley in the Elizabethtown-Lewis Central School.  Art and environmental studies students are paired to study patterns that shape three local habitats.

March 24 – May 17, 2011  Geospatial Mapping with Paul Mudie, Westport Central School Technology teacher.  The project was funded by the Lake Champlain Basin Program.  The 8th grade technology class mapped intersections of roads and streams in the Westport Central School District and identified key attributes of the habitat and water shed.

March 26 – June 4, 2011 Westport Youth Commission Spring Outings

March 2, 2011:  10:30-11:45 a.m. Patterns in Nature, Presentation at the Massachusetts Environmental Education Conference, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA. https://www.massmees.org

Feb. 4, 2011 7:00 p.m.   Wildlife Monitoring in the Champlain Valley. This short slideshow opened the February meeting of the Algonquin Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club which meets on the first Friday of the month.  https://www.adk.org/chapters/algonquin.aspx

Champlain Valley Keeping Track Monitoring Program training:  Jan. 9, 2011 Susan Morse of Keeping Track began training a group of local trackers to monitor the presence of several focal species in the Champlain Valley.  The course has been partially underwritten by Northeast Wilderness Trust.  I serve as guide and logistics coordinator for participants.  Classes continue through October, 2011.