Take a class -- in our ancient forest!

Family Workshop
Ancient Forest Canopy Exploration

June 2-3, 2012
Cost: $300/person

The ancient forest ecosystem is an intricate web, woven by fish in the streams, birds in the sky, and all sorts of amazing creatures in between. The many-layered canopy of the old-growth Douglas-Fir is home to organisms that never touch the ground! Plants and animals alike have adapted to survive in the space in between the land below and the air above. Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center partners with the Pacific Tree Climbing Institute to travel in this strange world and climb up these ancient giants to the canopy. Anyone 8 yrs. or older is welcome to come. Experience the temperate rainforest canopy for yourself and learn about other canopy ecosystems around the globe. This once in a lifetime workshop is not to miss!

Click here to register for Ancient Forest Canopy Exploration!

Family Workshop
Raptors of the Western Cascades

June 9-10, 2012
Cost: $150 per adult, $75 per child 4-13: Free for kids ages 0-3

This ancient rainforest is a beautiful and peaceful place. But everywhere around us, the web of life is being woven, with one genus at the top of the pyramid: birds. These unique creatures are the predators of the sky, holding reign over a kingdom only they can visit. Raptors have developed many different adaptations to succeed in the giant, multi-layered canopy of Opal Creek. Not only are they an integral part of the ancient forest, they played an important role in saving Opal Creek from development. Join us to learn about the hunters of the sky, how to identify these giants soaring overhead, and meet live raptors up close. Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center will partner with the Cascades Raptor center to present this exciting and educational workshop for the whole family, in one of the last true Wilderness areas.

Click here to register for Raptors of the Western Cascades!

Writing from the Wilds

July 18-20, 2012
Cost: $175
Ages: 12-16

Writing from the Wilds will give young writers an opportunity to renew their creative energy during mid-summer as they explore craft, narrative voice, story structure and more while roaming freely through the mind’s wild terrain. Working with generative prompts and launching places, the workshop will inspire and support writers of all styles, levels and experience. It’s the perfect opportunity for younger writers who wish for open space in which to write. Students will receive science instruction from Opal Creek’s educators and come to understand and appreciate their environment. Travelling along footpaths alongside pristine creeks in the ancient forest is sure to inspire.

Dave Jarecki owns Breakerboy Communications, a writing firm that assists people, businesses and non-profit organizations in writing and communicating their stories. Jarecki is an adjunct fellow at Portland’s Attic Institute, and facilitates writing workshops with youth and adult writers year-round. he has been recognized as a 2010 Fishtrap Fellow, and his creative work has appeared in a number of print and online publications, including Rattle, Cloudbank Literary Magazine, Oregon Poetic Voices and others.

Click here to register for Writing from the Wilds!

Adult Fly Fishing

July 20-22, 2012
Cost: $225

Learn the basics of fly fishing in a three-day, intensive seminar in the ancient forest of Opal Creek. Guided by Jeffry Gottfried, of Educational Recreational Adventures (ERA), an experienced fly fishing instructor, licensed guide and naturalist, you will learn to flycast, tie the basic knots, identify aquatic insects and their life cycles, and apply proper Leave No Trace principles to your outdoor adventures. Put your new skills to immediate use as you fish for wild native rainbow trout in the beautiful Little North Fork of the Santiam, Battle Axe Creek, Opal Creek and Opal Lake. All fly fishing gear necessary for the seminar will be supplied by ERA. In addition to standard western fly fishing, participants will also gain skills and experience in tenkara, traditional Japanese fly fishing. If you want to make a quantum leap in your fly fishing skills, this is the program for you.

Click here to register for Adult Fly Fishing!

Yoga in the Ancient Forest

September 6-9, 2012
Cost: $350

Come join some of the Northwest’s most enthusiastic, nature-inspired yoga teachers for this wellness-focused workshop. Set amidst the natural beauty of Opal Creek, this weekend will be a chance for participants to explore the joys of yoga practice while surrounded by a thriving old-growth forest. What better way to relax in the beauty and serenity of wilderness than by strengthening our bodies and quieting our minds through the practice of asana? We will explore Vinyasa, Restorative, and Hatha schools of yoga. All levels welcome. This workshop is very popular, and fills quickly, so reserve your space now!

Click here to register for Yoga in the Ancient Forest!

Instructors for the workshop are Ariel Singer of envIRONment Fitness (www.environmentfitness.com) and Ali Jackiw of Stumptown Yoga (www.stumptownyoga.com).

Wisdom of the Ancients

September 14-16, 2012
Cost: $200

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Come learn this ancient art with Opal Creek’s world-renowned Chef and Food Service Director, Rebekah Yglesias. Get your hands dirty in our Lodge Kitchen using food preparation methods involving unusual grains, seeds, and weeds. You’ll want to wash up before dinner though, because this overview of delicious and nutritious cooking is guaranteed to be finger lickin’ good. Rebekah will lead participants through proven traditions of fermentation, sprouting, roasting, and juicing. A full belly is the perfect compliment to our forest of ancient giants, and after dinner a stroll through our unparalleled old-growth will be just what Hippocrates ordered.

Click here to register for Wisdom of the Ancients!

Ancient Forest Mushrooms

October 13-14, 2012
October 20-21, 2012
Cost: $160 per adult

The forest surrounding Opal Creek produces a large diversity of mushrooms every fall. Join past Opal Creek Ancient Forest Center instructor and forest ecologist, John Villella for a weekend as we hike through the tall trees, learning about the amazing world of mycology that holds it all together. Look high and low amongst the trees of Opal Creek for the curious organisms that come in so many shapes and sizes and help the forest grow and decompose. You will enjoy looking for mushrooms, learning

to identify common species, and discovering their role in the environment. Throughout the day we will learn which species are edible and collect what we find, tasting them later that evening. We will also learn the best mushrooms to beautifully dye cloth. Please bring a piece of wool or silk clothing to dye (tip: wool socks work great!).

Click here to register for Ancient Forest Mushrooms, October 13-14!
Click here to register for Ancient Forest Mushrooms, October 20-21!

Turning Over Stones: A Creative Writing Workshop
With Amy Minato

October 27-28, 2012
Cost: $150

Just as we discover those zen-like salamanders hidden under logs and crawdads under rocks, looking below the surface of daily life reveals meaning. Come be inspired by what you find as we turn over the stones of our lives beneath elder trees and beside effervescent Opal Creek. Then practice ways to shape your findings into effective writing. This workshop develops organically with participant interest. Themes we may consider include loss, hope, change, love and spiritual quest. We will weave being outdoors with readings, discussions and writing in a fun, relaxed, supportive atmosphere. All writing levels welcome!

Click here to register for Turning Over Stones!

Amy Minato is author of Siesta Lane, a creative nonfiction book by Skyhorse Press and The Wider Lens, a poetry collection published in 2004 by Ice River Press. Her poetry has been published in national and regional magazines and has been recognized with a 2004 Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship and her prose with a Walden Fellowship. She currently teaches writing workshops through Literary Arts, Community of Writers and at conference centers. She and her family migrate between Portland and the Wallowa Mountains. www.amyminato.com