Nature Workshop: Geology of Rocky Mountain National Park

Our Nature Workshops cater to adult learners, providing an engaging and hands-on approach to exploring the wonders of the natural world in the beautiful setting of the Rocky Mountains.

Geology of Rocky Mountain National Park with Harvey Haines
Participants of this workshop will explore the geology of Rocky Mountain National Park and learn how and when the mountains were formed. This course involves hiking, possibly up to 10 miles in a day, to glacial features that are left over from recent glaciation cycles peaking between 135,000 and 23,000 years ago. Participants will learn about causes of these glacial cycles and study the effects of the cyclic cooling and warming of Earth. During the workshop, the class will take a YMCA van up Trail Ridge Road to visit prominent rocks over 1 billion years old, as well as view tuffs, which are geologic features left over from volcanoes, a much older phenomena than the glaciers. Come and join this workshop as we make connections between what is seen in the rocks of Rocky Mountain National Park to the current environmental concerns of man-made warming of the planet. We will discover how these climate changes in the geologic record differ from the anthropogenic (human-caused) changes over the last century.

Workshop Times:
Thursday, July 24: 1pm-5pm
Friday, July 25: 8am-5pm
Saturday, July 26: 8am-5pm

Workshop registration is $195. Registration includes small group instruction and transportation (if applicable). Lodging and meals are not included. After registration you will receive an email two weeks prior to the workshop with a syllabus and supplies/items needed.

Book your lodging separately here!

About the Instructor:
Harvey Haines has been coming to the YMCA of the Rockies since the 1960s, and since retirement from the oil and gas industry in 2019 he has been a Hike Master for the YMCA leading guests on interesting hikes. As part of his volunteer work, he enjoys using his education and experience as a geophysicist to train new hike leaders in sharing about the rocks of Rocky Mountain National Park with others. As a result of being a trainer, Harvey has studied and learned more about the intricacies of the exposed rocks specifically in this area.