Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — For those looking for outdoor, nature-intensive entertainment this summer, or for those who would like to have lunch with a llama, Yampatika is expanding its adult education offerings with a series of field classes.

The series, which starts Saturday with a fundraiser at Sand Wash Basin, is presented in collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. It offers a variety of day programs geared toward locals and tourists, with topics ranging from geology to archaeology and activities ranging from mushroom hunting to bird watching.

"It's not just a 'Look at the pretty flower,' type thing. There's a little more meat to them," said Charlotte Jensen, a volunteer coordinator and board member for Yampatika.

Field school activities are built around Yampatika's mission of inspiring environmental stewardship through education, Jensen said. Some of the classes are previous summer offerings, but the organization has expanded its class schedule this year to include a wider variety of locations and subjects.

"We're just trying to up our offerings and do something different, and have more of an educational presence that really caters to adults," Jensen said. The classes, some of which already are starting to fill up, are meant to show what makes this part of Colorado special, as well as promote protection of the area's environmental and historical attributes, she said. Series organizers hope to appeal to Yampa Valley residents and visitors.

"They're not just the quick trip up to Fish Creek Falls," Jensen said of the field school outings. "They're designed to be meatier, so people who have lived here for a long time can learn things they don't know and see things they don't see."