Classes and Special Events Coming Up - Kelly Place Bed and Breakfast, Cortez, Co.

2008 Elderhostel Programs

Elderhostel, the premier educational adventure for older adults, continues to grow at Kelly Place in 2008. Chosen as the first off-college-campus Elderhostel site in the nation (1982), Kelly Place continues this tradition with the following detailed program offerings.

Introduction

Enjoy Mesa Verde Country's red rock canyons and moderate temperatures. McElmo Canyon Research Institute specializes in small educational study groups emphasizing archaeology, Native American arts and culture. Our archaeological preserve includes 25 Anasazi sites, an Anasazi pottery collection, pottery studio and hiking trails into canyon country. Located 10 miles west of Cortez, known as the archaeological center of the US and 20 miles from Mesa Verde National Park.

Adventure & Learning Programs

Hiking: THE FOUR CORNERS REGION

Program #2164, offered 3 times in 2008:

(3/16 to 3/22) and (4/20 to 4/26) and (5/25 to 5/31)

Hike through sculpted red-rock canyons with spectacular mountain views. The canyons and mesas of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park and Hovenweep National Monument are the sites for unique hiking experiences led by archaeologists and naturalists. Explore a 40-acre archaeological preserve with prehistoric "cliff-dweller" ruins, petroglyphs, and hiking trails into canyon country. Discover the natural beauty of a land which was once home to thousands of Ancestral Puebloan people. Enter thousand-year-old dwellings and learn what is known about the ancient civilizations and what is still a mystery.

ARCHAEOLOGY, NATIVE AMERICAN ART:

SOUTHWEST INTERGENERATIONAL

PROGRAM

Program #4947, offered 2 times in 2008:

(7/20 to 7/26) and (8/17 to 8/23)

The Southwest comes alive during this week of exploring the cultures of prehistoric and modern Native Americans. Learn archaeological excavating and recording techniques working on a 1,000-year-old pueblo. Discover Native American arts and begin take-home projects. Pottery-making involves forming vessels, decorating, and firing them in a wood-fired pit kiln as the prehistoric Pueblo peoples did, from the mud to the finished piece. Learn to spin and weave in the traditional Navajo style, taught by a Navajo artist. A special field trip to Mesa Verde National Park, accompanied by an archaeologist, takes you back in time to wonder at the skills of the ancient cliff-dwellers.

PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE SOUTHWEST

Program #10438, Offered once in 2008:

(2/24 to 3/1)

Rugged terrain and prehistoric ruins of the southwest stimulate your imagination for creative expression. A professional photographer guides you to capture images of rock art, pottery, majestic mountains and sculpted red-rock canyons. From the long vistas of rock and sky to close-ups of natural patterns, this unique landscape makes us all want to be photographers. Dwellings of prehistoric Ancestral Puebloans offer images of the past which can be brought to life through your artistic perspective. The program is organized into technical sessions and field trips to exercise your new skills. A computer photo lab will be used to generate novel results and print your work. The capstone event is a photography tour of Mesa Verde National Park.

Prehistoric Sun Calendars
of the Southwest.

Program #15061, offered once in 2008:

(9/21 to 9/27)

Delve into the mystery and intrigue of ancient sun calendars. Cultures around the world used sun calendars to regulate every aspect of their lives, including times for planting and ceremonies. The Ancestral Puebloans, having no written language, were unique in carving sun calendars on rock panels in the southwest. These endure today and bear silent witness to the astronomical expertise of the vanished civilization. Join archaeologists to visit Ancestral Puebloan ruins and rock art and observe firsthand the accuracy of solstice markers. Gain in-depth knowledge about the variety of the ancient sun calendars throughout the Southwest and learn to appreciate the sophistication required to construct them.

Service & Learning Programs.

Archaeological Excavation
of the Southwest.

Program #15062, Offered 2 times in 2008:

( Note: 10 day program. )

(6/22 to 7/2) and ( 8/3 to 8/13)

Archaeological excavation is a delicate, time-consuming process. The McElmo Canyon Research Institute is a small organization that makes significant contributions to uncovering aspects of Ancestral Puebloan culture frequently overlooked by larger institutions. As a volunteer, facilitate essential research by excavating a promising Ancestral Puebloan site in McElmo Canyon, near the Canyons of the Ancients and Mesa Verde. Guided by professional archaeologists, acquire techniques of excavation an d learn to recognize and curate artifacts. Presentations on modern-day Native American culture, music and dance and excursions to other ruin sites in the Four Corners area deepen your appreciation for the traditions of the region's indigenous people.

Artifact Preparation and Curation
of the Southwest.

Program #13548, offered once in 2008:

(4/6 to 4/12)

A thousand years ago, the prehistoric Ancestral Puebloan peoples (Anasazi or "cliff-dwellers") left their dwellings in the canyons and mesas of southwest Colorado. Archaeologists have searched these ruins for clues to the many unanswered questions about their culture. Participants will be guided in the curation of ancient artifacts gathered from archaeological sites. Work will be done at the Anasazi Heritage Center, headquarters of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, and the McElmo Canyon Research Institute. Participants will examine prehistoric pottery and stone tools in the process of curation and other service for the museum. Until the artifactual evidence is creatively analyzed, we have not made the best use of excavations.

Archaeological Preservation
in the Four Corners:
Surveying Prehistoric
Puebloan (Anasazi) Sites.

Program #16569, Offered 2 times in 2008:

(9/14 to 9/20) and( 10/12 to 10/18)

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument has the highest density of recorded archaeological sites in the nation more than 6,000 documented so far. Help protect these ancient sites from looting and accidental damage by surveying and mapping their location with professional archaeologists. Before heading into the field, these local experts share their extensive knowledge of prehistoric Puebloan culture and ruins. Hike through the monuments pristine natural terrain. Find and document new archaeological sites in areas that have never been surveyed. Enjoy a flintknapping demonstration, a presentation of modern-day Native American music and culture by representatives of the Ute and Navajo tribes and visit the Anasazi Heritage Center.

You can enroll in these programs through:

www.elderhostel.org

Postal address is:

Elderhostel Inc.

11 Avenue de Lafayette

Boston, MA 02111-1746

Phone (877)426-8056

OTHER PROGRAMS WE HOST:

Kelly Place hosts Vision Quests and meditation retreats for regional groups. If you are interested in participating in these, please call Kelly Place for more information.