Fall Mushroom Foray Educational Program

Register with Glacier Institute!

This course will provide a thorough introduction to mushrooms and the role fungi plays in the northern Rockies ecosystem. You will need no previous education in mycology to take this course, but since most fungi have no common names, familiarity with the concept of genus and species names will improve your appreciation of the material. Students will gain familiarity with the use of a botanical key in identifying fungi, and learn the ecology and uses of mushrooms found in the field. Since spring and fall species are quite different, be sure to sign up for our Spring Mushroom course to get a complete mushroom experience.

Cost: $160/person

Meeting Place: Glacier Institute Field Camp.

Tentative Itinerary (subject to change): We will begin the day at 7 a.m. with questions, discussions, and slide viewing throughout the early morning, and then depart for prime mushroom habitat near Glacier. We will learn to identify and study the complexities of local mushrooms and search for mushrooms growing in such specialized habitats as riparian areas and recent forest burns. We will seek out the different ecological niches- riparian, sylvan, alpine and montane of northern Rockies fungi and we’ll probably find several species in each site. Students will get a glimpse of the enormous number of fungi that are the source of nutrition for the entire forest. The final lecture will summarize the groups of fungi, the hallmarks of field identification and a summary of the genera covered in class.

Food: Please bring a trail lunch, plenty of water, and snacks for the day.

Park Entrance Fees: Participants are responsible for purchasing their park entrance passes prior to the course. These can be purchased online at: https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74280.  

Course Equipment: You will receive a Field Camp gear list once you register. Most importantly are comfortable hiking shoes, snacks, water bottle at least 1-2 liters, backpack, rain gear, hat, and sunscreen. Weather can be varied, especially in the spring and fall, so please be prepared with appropriate clothing, with extra warm layers. A field journal and pencil to take notes while you learn and any field guides that you like to use are optional. If you have a basket that you like to use for collecting mushrooms please bring it along. We will provide paper bags for specimens. Please bring fresh samples of any mushrooms you have found in the week prior to class.

Physical Requirements: Moderate hikes- less than one mile and 500 feet elevation gain. We will
mostly be hiking off-trail through both open and dense stands of forest, searching for fungal friends.

Recommended Reading: The following references will provide background reading (suggested, not required):
Fungi are often invisible, showing themselves only when they fruit. A familiarity with the basics of
fungal terms and anatomy, or at least appearance, will greatly enhance your appreciation and ability to
work with these amazing organisms.
Good written descriptions can be found in the following:
● North American Mushrooms by Hope & Orson K. Miller.
● Mushrooms of North America by Roger Phillips.
● Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora.
● A Field Guide to Western Mushrooms by Alexander Smith.
● Mushroom: The Journal of Wild Mushrooming by Leon Shernoff, Editor.
● Fungal Jungal Newsletter by Western Montana Mycological Association.
● Mushrooms of the Rocky Mountain Region by Vera Stucky Evenson & Denver Botanic Gardens
● The Essential Guide to Rocky Mountain Mushrooms by Habitat by Cathy Cripps, Vera Evenson, and Michael Kuo