LODGE EVENTS

EVENTS AT BEAR MOUNTAIN LODGE

A small brown and white bird perched on a fence post
A small brown and white bird perched on a fence post
Woman with dark hair smiles at a restaurant, sitting on a ledge. Purple circle frame.

Silver City Clay Festival 2026

Clay As Art with Janet Burner

June 17th, 18th, & 19th

Limit 10 participants. Lunch included. Cost is $400 per person. Contact Bear Mountain Lodge to register.

Clay as Art” is my goal and inspiration & “Craft versus Art” is a boundary I relish to extinguish. Both my home & my chosen craft & profession have reflected my love of the earth & the creative energy it provides. Exploring clay as a canvas is a facet of my work. The human figure, my life's experiences, and images from nature fascinate my imagination; smooth surfaces, texture, movement, and contrasts all apply. https://www.sabinopottery.com/


Janet K. Burner will demonstrate her various methods for elevating “clay to art”. This will include such elements as carving, texture, sgrafitto, black wax, repoussé, and painting with slips & underglazes. Workshop participants will have hands-on experiences hand building

forms to apply these various techniques & may include making a slump mold & tile frame, engineering a whistle to become a sculpture, making animals & a piece to texture & paint with slips & black wax.

Woman with dark hair smiles at a restaurant, sitting on a ledge. Purple circle frame.

Fundraising Puma Ecology Course and Tour of a New Mexico Land Conservation Easement 

This course will be a glimpse into Dr. Travis Perry’s long-standing puma research in southwest New Mexico and will combine classroom-style lectures with place-based learning rooted in the surrounding landscape of the Gila and Aldo Leopold Wilderness. Participants will spend the weekend at the Hermosa Field Station, engaging in lectures, discussions, and hands-on learning focused on puma ecology, behavior, and the policies that shape their conservation across the American Southwest. Students will learn how researchers study elusive large carnivores, interpret their tracks and signs, and understand the ecological role of pumas within wilderness and working landscapes.


The remote and quiet setting of Hermosa combined with the exclusivity of the program provides a unique opportunity for focused study, reflection, and meaningful engagement with the natural world. 


This program will serve as a fundraiser for both Natural Curiosity and the New Mexico Land Conservancy. By participating, you are directly supporting outdoor education, scientific research, wilderness stewardship, and land conservation efforts across New Mexico. Hermosa itself is protected under a MNLC conservation easement, providing participants with a living example of how conservation and education can work in tandem. 


Facilitator:
Dr. Travis Perry earned his PhD in Ecology from the University of New Mexico in 2000. He has conducted research on bats, rodents, puma, leopards, and black bears across the U.S. and internationally. Dr. Perry has been a professor of biology at Furman University for over 25 years, where he has taught ecology, conservation biology, and field-based courses. He has been bringing his students to Hermosa to learn in the Gila since 2005. In 2021, Dr. Perry and his wife founded the wildlife conservation and outdoor education nonprofit, Natural Curiosity, and purchased the Hermosa property to support their shared vision for immersive, environmental education. 


Where? Natural Curiosity's Hermosa Field Station

A historic ghost town, renovated to Biological Field Station, located approximately 2 hours west of Truth or Consequences, NM, nestled in the Black Range Mountains on the edge of the Aldo Leopold WIlderness, surrounded by the Gila National Forest. 


When? May 8th - 10th 2026


Minimum donation of $1500 required to attend.
Maximum number of participants: 14
Participants may email Sophia directly with questions and to register: sophia.schaffer@natural-curiosity.org



  • Additional details:
    Meals provided - catered by the Bear Mountain Lodge (winner of best NM cookbook 2025)
  • Lodging provided in Natural Curiosity's historic, renovated hotel (private room with ensuite bath available for additional donation)
  • Puma Ecology course taught by wildlife biologist, Dr. Travis Perry, president and founder of Natural Curiosity
  • Transportation provided from Truth or Consequences 
  • All donations will be split between Natural Curiosity and the New Mexico Land Conservancy
  • https://www.natural-curiosity.org/


Birding workshop advertisement. A woodpecker perched on a tree next to a hole. Green and white text on a green gradient background.

Birding Workshop at Hermosa Field Station

April 24th - 26th, 2026

This birding workshop at Natural Curiosity’s Hermosa Field Station is led by Devyn, a student at Western New Mexico University whose academic focus and personal passion center on avian life. Participants will learn bird identification skills, habitat awareness, and observation techniques while exploring the diverse ecosystems surrounding the field station. Spend a spring weekend immersed in birds, learning, and community at Hermosa Field Station. 


The workshop blends early-morning birding walks, engaging bird identification presentations, and relaxed optional outings throughout the day, with shared meals, catered by Bear Mountain Lodge, and evening programs that invite reflection and connection. April at Hermosa is especially magical. Cool mornings, warming sun, flowing creeks, and the landscape alive with new growth and birdsong. As you explore the Gila, you might spot striking species like the Stellar’s Jay, Hepatic Tanager, Red-naped Sap Sucker, or hear the haunting call of the Northern Pygmy-Owl. https://www.natural-curiosity.org/ 


Cost $700 per person.

Register Today!

Email: sophia.schaffer@natural-curiosity to reserve your spot.