00457 Pueblo Revolt Mesa Top Fortress Hike
Located in the Jemez Mountains, hidden atop a red rock fortress, this little visited archaeological site holds extensive defensive walls and pueblo ruins that tell a poignant story. The isolated mesa top was used by the Jemez peoples as a final refuge for their resistance to the Spanish re-conquest of New Mexico following the Pueblo revolt of 1680. Vargas attacked the mesa fortress on July 24, 1694. The tragic massacre spelled the beginning of the end for the whole pueblo resistance movement. A steep, rocky path climbs almost 900 feet up to a magical world of pueblo ruins, fortress walls, even piles of stones used to slow the Spaniards inevitable progress. We will also stop at the Wallatowa Visitor's Center after the hike. Guided by writer-photographer Mike Richie, this is a strenuous climb, yet extremely rewarding for physically fit, experienced hikers who want both adventure and in depth historical perspectives. Fee includes guide and transportation. Please take a lunch along.

Section B Jun 2 Sat 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
$89.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Michael Richie

00510 Ceja Pelon Badlands Time Travel Hike
Journey back 65 million years to the time the San Juan Basin was covered by thick, tropical jungles dotted with palm tree fringed swamps. The dinosaurs were long gone, the first large mammals were beginning to dominate the ecosystems, but still competed with crocodiles and giant flightless birds for survival. The Ceja Pelon Badlands preserves in stone a small portion of our planet's earliest broad-leafed rainforests. One of the biggest concentrations of huge, colorful petrified logs in the southwest lies hidden high atop stair step mesas. Brilliantly colored, giant quartz trunks and root balls lie crosswise in primeval log jams. Palm tree bases erode out of sandstone mesa edges. The rippling, finely layered bedrock formed from original sand dunes, shorelines and stream beds is carved into numerous hoodoos and strangely shaped formations. Character laden high desert trees accent the views far south past towering pinnacles to tiny Cabezon Butte on the horizon. This exercise in time travel is intended for reasonably fit, experienced cross country hikers. Fee includes transportation and guide.

Section C Jun 3 Sun 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
$90.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Michael Richie

00725 Burque's New Brews
La Cumbre, Nexus and El Vicino Breweries will host us on this tour. Recent national data shows a mid-year 15 percent growth in sales of craft beer, and Albuquerque certainly seems in on the national trend with the opening of several new breweries. Each of these places has its own atmosphere; something that the owners and brewers feel sets them apart from their neighbors. The consensus among all three is that business is good and that the small, but growing brewing scene in Albuquerque is sustainable. Fee includes lunch and transportation.

Section A Jun 9 Sat 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
$69.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building

00615 Las Ventanitas Hike
One of El Malpais National Monument's best kept secrets is the Las Ventanitas hike - a scenic, yet lightly traveled, cross country route through soaring sandstone towers and delicate arches bordering the massive lava flow that gives the monument its name. Half a dozen arches (one a double arch) are hidden in a large scale sandstone hoodoo maze that could have been designed by Dr. Seuss. Brilliant rose, orange and golden rock colors are accented by subtle, pastel-toned desert varnish and tall, picturesque, cliff-clinging ponderosa pines. Prolific Anasazi pottery shards and a petroglyph panel give mute testimony to the area's long human history. A small Anasazi outlier pueblo" sits on the mesa top above a 50-foot long natural arch with views across the contorted black lava fields. Highly accessible year-round, the hike is equally enjoyable with some snow cover as with dry conditions. This is a moderately strenuous cross country route suitable for reasonably fit and experienced hikers. Fee includes transportation and guide."

Section D Jun 10 Sun 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
$89.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Michael Richie

00554 Geologic Exploration into the Valles Caldera
This one day field trip will enter the Valles Caldera National Preserve, exploring the fascinating geologic story told by rock exposures inside the caldera. Since the massive eruption that produced the caldera approximately 1.25 million years ago, the caldera has experienced profound changes, involving resurgent uplift, numerous volcanic eruptions, lakes, and erosion of the rim. Our journey will include a traverse across numerous scenic valleys inside the caldera, including Valle Grande, Valle San Antonio, and Valle Toledo. If weather permits, we will also visit Obsidian Valley, a major obsidian quarry for the ancestral puebloan cultures. Wildlife sightings are common. Participants are asked to bring adequate outdoor clothing. Fee includes entry into the preserve, guide and transportation. Please take a lunch along.

Section B Jun 13 Wed 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
$105.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Kirt Kempter

00619 Lybrook Badlands: Hoodoo Gardens Walk
No matter how many times you've visited, every hike in the Lybrook Badlands, one of the largest and most diverse of all the 15 San Juan Basin Badlands, involves discovery. On this relaxing route we will walk the extremely convoluted, middle level mesa edge weaving through countless sandstone hoodoos and crouching gargoyles, complimented by venerable bonsai ponderosa and junipers. Non stop panoramas stretch out across hoodoo jungles and forested box canyons beneath the crystal clear, sun drenched dome of cobalt sky. The pace will be leisurely with plenty of time for photographers to snap away at the cornucopia of colors, forms and textures. Depending on the group preference we will also have the opportunity to climb down to the mesa base to view an impressive arch and even bigger trees. This hike is suitable for anyone with an average fitness level and a minimum of cross country hiking experience. Fee inlcudes transportation and hiking guide.

Section D Jun 16 Sat 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
$89.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Michael Richie

00699 Sawtooth Mountains Hike
Clustered along the Continental Divide just east of Pietown, the Sawtooth Mountains jut straight above the desert floor like mysterious gothic castles. Carved from 40 million year-old compacted volcanic ash, these soaring monoliths are sculpted into countless spires, pinnacles and knife thin buttressing fins, some of which are eroded completely through by huge, arching windows. Freestanding towers skyrocket 1000 feet up in massive cap rocks shaped like giant animal heads. Huge old ponderosas, pinons, alligator junipers and oaks complete the stunningly beautiful landscapes. This cross country jaunt is for reasonably fit and experienced hikers. Please take a lunch along. Fee includes transportation and guide.

Section C Jun 17 Sun 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
$89.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Michael Richie

00530 Georgia O'Keeffe Home and Studio Tour
For seven decades Georgia O'Keeffe painted prolifically, and almost exclusively, the flowers, animal bones, and landscapes around her studios in Lake George, New York, and New Mexico. These subjects, such as Black Iris" became her signature images. Visit her home and studio in Abiqui for a wonderful look at her surroundings, influences, and views. This is a fabulous tour, and we're privileged to live nearby! Fee includes entrance fee, transportation and guide. We will lunch at Abiquiu Inn Cafe (not included in fee)."

Section M Jun 22 Fri 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
$95.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building

00540 Elephant class in Colorado Springs
This is a day you won't forget! We're taking an elephant class in Colorado Springs at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. All you have to do is provide your own transportation and reserve a motel. This will be a Care of the Elephant" class, which will cover such topics as conservation, types of elephants, training concepts and education plans for teachers at all grade levels. This enriching class is done just for our program, and will be enjoyed by adults who are interested in animal care and conservation. Photo opportunites abound! Fee includes class only."

Section C Jun 30 Sat 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
$135.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building

00710 The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History
The National Museum of Nuclear Science and History is an intriguing place to learn the story of the Atomic Age, from early development and the Cold War to today's peaceful uses. Spend time learning about the history, scientific applications, and future developments of nuclear energy from a knowledgable docent who will explain exhibits including The Atomic Pioneers, about those who have shaped and influenced atomic science; Nuclear Medicine, from the Revigator" to the Gamma Camera; Energy Encounters, which informs about efforts to meet the world's hunger for power; and the Manhattan Project, which shows the secret city, the scientists and personnel who worked to develop "The Gadget," and its test in New Mexico. Spend time in the outdoor Heritage Park to see aircraft and other large artifacts. You will see important artifacts, including two automobiles (one was the actual limo that carried Robert Oppenheimer and other senior Mahattan Project officials to and from Los Alamos and the Trinity Site) and the casings from the weapons dropped over Palomares, Spain, in 1966. After touring the Museum, take a special "behind-the-scenes" tour with the Museum's Curator, where you will see how historical documents and artifacts are cared for and stored. The Museum is a Smithsonian Affiliate and the only Congressionally chartered Museum in New Mexico. After our tour, we will have lunch at the Owl Cafe. (The origianl Owl Cafe is on the road to the Trinity site in San Antonio, NM.) Fee includes guided tour of Museum, lunch and transportation."

Section B Jul 21 Sat 9:00 am - 1:30 pm
$75.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building

00729 The Railyard of Santa Fe and Museum Hill
The Santa Fe Railyard, today part park and part upscale shopping development, had been slated for mega-developments several times since being abandoned by railroad users (except the local tourist train). The Trust for Public Land acquired the land and buildings for preservation, and sponsored a design competition for the park. Administered by an architect specializing in competitions, the contest attracted primarily out-of-state designers, although each had to have a NM firm on the team in some capacity. The resulting park raises many interesting issues about historic preservation and adaptive re-use; about anti-historicism in reaction against Santa Fe's adobe-inspired design style requirments; and about the logic of applying arguments from architecture to the discussion of landscapes and open spaces. Some historic buildings were renovated, others replaced, again raising issues of style (based on a current trend toward corrugated steel and arched roofs, but promoted as somehow reflecting the railyard's history; about converting large-scale functional spaces into private and public retail (and open parking into paid); and about restricting use by the 'tourist train' in favor of the Railrunner and City activities.Kim Sorvig is Research Assoc. Professor at UNM's School of Architecture and Planning. A Santa Fe resident, he wrote two articles about the competition for national magazines. We will spend the morning at the Railyard, and after lunch, travel to Museum Hill, to take in an exhibition at the Wheelwright Museum together. You may explore the other museums on your own. In 2012 the Wheelwright Museum will celebrate its 75th anniversary with A Certain Fire: Mary Cabot Wheelwright Collects the Southwest, an exhibition featuring exquisite textiles, metal work, wood carving, and pottery from Santa Fe's premier institutions including the School for Advanced Research, the Museum of International Folk Art, and others. Accompanying these treasures will be Mary Wheelwright's own photographs and writings documenting her love of New Mexico, where she found the time and space to breathe." Fee includes Railrunner tickets to Santa Fe and talk by Professor Sorvig on location."

Section A Jul 28 Sat 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
$92.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Kim Sorvig

00627 Santa Fe Opera - Tosca
Ah, Tosca! Bewitched by her glamour and charisma, even the hated Baron Scarpia called her la divina. See why Puccinis Tosca became the defining role for Bernhardt and Callas, and now the soprano Amanda Echalaz  whose performances as Tosca in London had European critics groping for superlatives. In her much-anticipated American debut in Santa Fes new production. She is joined by debut artist Andrew Richards as Tosca's lover Cavaradossi. Thomas Hampson returns to Santa Fe after an absence of almost three decades. Raymond Aceto and Hampson share honors as the villainous Scarpia. Chief Conductor FrŽdŽric Chaslin is on the podium. Fee includes transportation, $40 or $58 tickets, and a delicious buffet supper on the grounds, which offer spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.

Section A Aug 11 Sat 4:30 pm - 1:30 am
$160.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Desiree Mays

Section B Aug 11 Sat 4:30 pm - 1:30 am
$180.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Desiree Mays

00630 Santa Fe Opera - The Pearl Fishers
Before there was Carmen, there was The Pearl Fishers  the score that established the 24-year-old Bizet as a genius. The Pearl Fishers shimmers with the beauty of its exotic setting, and includes one of the most cherished duets in the entire operatic literature, sung by best friends Nadir (tenor Eric Cutler) and Zurga (baritone Christopher Magiera) who vie for the love of priestess Leila (soprano Nicole Cabell). The Pearl Fishers delivers the same creative team that designed and directed the highly acclaimed 2010 production of Madame Butterfly. Fee includes transportation, $38 or $53 tickests, and a delicious buffet supper on the grounds, which offer spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.

Section A Aug 25 Sat 4:30 pm - 1:30 am
$160.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Desiree Mays

Section B Aug 25 Sat 4:30 pm - 1:30 am
$180.00 For 1 Session(s)
CE North Building
Desiree Mays