Arrival between 3 to 5 p.m. - Welcome to our home!/Get-Acquainted Social Hour & Orientation

Arrive To: We're delighted you've decided to join us. Please plan to arrive between 3 to 5 p.m. (Not earlier than 2 p.m., please, nor later than 6 p.m.--our staff is available to assist you during those hours only.)

Afternoon: Make your way to Lyles Dining Hall at 5 p.m. for a get-acquainted social hour and brief orientation. We'll get to know each other, and our staff will let you know where everything is, what our meal procedures are, as well as emergency contact information and the location of the message board. We'll ask for questions and make sure you get them answered.

Dinner: Dinner in Lyles Hall at 6:00 p.m. Dinner features a delicious main entrée of beef, chicken, fish or pasta, along with potatoes or rice, vegetables, salad bar, rolls and dessert. Please note that only one entree selection is served per meal. Dinner is served until 6:20 p.m., and we regret we're not able to save plates for late arrivals.

Evening: After dinner, we will have the remainder of our orientation session followed by introductions and a short award-winning video, "The Spirit of Yosemite." The balance of the evening is left free for you to relax after your day's journey. Cards, games & puzzles are available for your enjoyment.

Lodging: Evergreen Conference Center, Oakhurst (ECCO)

Meals Included: Dinner

Class - " Rocky Start - A Bit about Yosemite/Sierra Nevada Geology, "Floral Life Zones of the Sierra Nevada" and "Yosemite Artists and Their Influence"

Breakfast: 8:00 a.m. Breakfast in Lyles Dining Hall. An ECCO breakfast buffet may include French toast, waffles or pancakes accompanied by sausage or bacon. Standard items include eggs, hot/cold cereals, fruits, toast or muffins and yogurt.

Morning: 9:00 a.m. - Class - "A Rocky Start - A Bit about Yosemite/Sierra Nevada Geology." Please note that this and subsequent classes may involve walking on ECCO grounds to enhance and illustrate your natural history studies. If mobility is an issue, please contact coordinator to discuss. For those who prefer not to walk, you'll have an opportunity to look over our selection of reference materials.

Lunch: 12 noon - Lunch in Lyles Hall. - Lunch may include a sandwich bar or a hot entrée. These may be offered with a homemade soup of the day and salad bar, along with a dessert.

Afternoon: 1:00 p.m. - Class - "Floral Life Zones of the Sierra Nevada." After a break, class continues with "Yosemite Artists and Their Influence"--a look at the art of Albert Bierstadt, Thomas Moran and others and their place in Yosemite's history.

Afternoon: 3:30 p.m. Free time to relax and enjoy our serene grounds, or take a bit of time to explore some of our surrounding countryside. Your group leader will be happy to give you suggestions about (and directions to) the attractions available.

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner in Lyles Hall. Dinner features a delicious main entrée of beef, chicken, fish or pasta, along with potatoes or rice, vegetables, salad bar, rolls and dessert.

Evening: Evening program - Each evening's program may consist of a video or a live birds of prey display and discussion or living history presentation. Each program is approximately 45 minutes long.

Lodging: Evergreen Conference Center, Oakhurst (ECCO)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. - Breakfast in Lyles Dining Hall, to enable us to get an early start on our field trip to Yosemite Valley

Morning: 7:45 a.m. Board bus for Yosemite Valley. Bus departs at 8:00 a.m. or as soon as everyone is aboard. Your instructor/field trip guide continues her natural history lessons as you travel with examples in the field, as you travel from ECCO's oak woodlands terrain through the conifer forest, dropping down into the glacially-carved valley of Yosemite. The drive from ECCO is approx. 1-1/2 hours over a winding road. Motion sickness medication may be helpful so you can fully enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the Queen of National Parks. If mobility is an issue, please contact coordinator for further information. Even if you've been to Yosemite before, you'll see the park's glory with new eyes--enlightened by the passion and knowledge of our superb instructors. Stops will be made at Tunnel View (that famous first glimpse of Half Dome), Bridalveil Falls, Sentinel Bridge and Yosemite Lodge. Note that this is not an active outdoor program; however this and the field trip on Day 5 may include walks of varying lengths to enhance and illustrate the natural history subjects being taught.

Lunch: 12:00 noon Enjoy a sack lunch in Yosemite Valley.

Afternoon: After lunch your field trip guide will lead you on a tour of the magnificent Ahwahnee Hotel, where you'll marvel at the architecture, the basketry displays and the history inherent within its walls. If you'd prefer to explore other areas (such as the Ansel Adams Gallery, Indian Village & Museum, Visitor's Center, Yosemite Falls, etc., your group leader will assist you in planning your afternoon. Arrive at the appointed meeting place at the time designated by your group leader to board the bus for return to ECCO. Stops will be made along the way at Gates of the Valley and Tunnel View. You will arrive back at ECCO between 5 and 5:30 p.m. 3:00 p.m. Bus departs Yosemite Valley for return to ECCO. You will arrive at ECCO at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner at ECCO

Evening: Evening program after dinner.

Lodging: Evergreen Conference Center, Oakhurst (ECCO)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: 8:00 a.m. Breakfast in Lyles Dining Hall

Morning: 9:00 a.m. Class "Fur & Feathers: Animal Life of the Sierra" Get acqainted with the wildlife that populates Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada, some of whom you're likelyto spot during your stay at ECCO and on your field trips. Mule deer, wild turkeys, raccoons, black bear, an assortment of birds and waterfowl, coyotes, bobcats and skunks are some of the creatures resident in our area. Of course we can't guarantee what you'll see--but you will learn all about them.

Lunch: 12 noon Lunch in Lyles Dining Hall

Afternoon: 1:00 p.m. Class. 2:30 p.m. Free time to relax and enjoy our tranquil grounds or continue your exploration of local features

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner in Lyles Dining Hall

Evening: Evening program after dinner

Lodging: Evergreen Conference Center, Oakhurst (ECCO)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: 8:00 a.m. Breakfast in Lyles Dining Hall

Morning: 8:45 a.m. Board bus for Yosemite National Park. Bus departs by 9:00 a.m. or as soon as everyone is on board. Your destination for this field trip will be determined based on weather, travel conditions, available attractions, and the size of your group. Some possibilities: a visit to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Wawona/Pioneer History Center, another area of Yosemite Valley that you didn't visit on your earlier field trip, etc. The exact destination will be announced prior to the field trip.

Lunch: 12 noon Sack lunch in the park

Afternoon: 3:00 p.m. Return to ECCO (approximate arrival time 4:00 p.m.)

Dinner: 6:00 p.m. Dinner in Lyles Dining Hall

Evening: 7:00 p.m. Evening Program - Campfire singalong. Share songs, stories and readings around either our cozy woodstove or our outdoor campfire pit.

Lodging: Evergreen Conference Center, Oakhurst (ECCO)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: 8:00 a.m. Breakfast in Lyles Dining Hall

Morning: 9:00 a.m. Class - Discuss present-day national park issues. Our national parks are ever-evolving entities; changing to meet human and ecological needs. Discover what the issues are, how the park service responds to them and learn about plans for the future.

Lunch: 11:30 a.m. Farewell lunch in Lyles Dining Hall

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch