What You'll Learn

This experiential, hands-on half-day foraging class is all about the fascinating world of Sierra Nevada fungi and plants. We’ll be targeting morels and porcini, and learning about all the vibrant montane ecology around us along the way. We’ll explain what happens in the forest after a fire, both ecologically and from a human management perspective. We’ll cover mushroom and plant anatomy for identification, mycorrhizal relationships (fungal- tree/plant partnerships at the mycelial/root level), poisonous and edible mushrooms, and forest safety.  Find the mythical “fairy fart” mushroom, the gorgeous purple cup fungi, and more!  The program also includes ethics of harvesting, community building, mindful movement, a cooking demo, and a tasting at the end. Learning to forage for mushrooms is an ongoing life path. This program will teach you the foundational skills to go out foraging on your own.

Where and When

Dates are individual classes, not a series, all 10am-3pm

April 18, 19, 25, or 26. El Dorado National Forest

May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 30, 31 in either El Dorado National Forest or Tahoe National Forest (pending conditions)

Exact meetup location is provided one week before your class date. Please note, of all the places where we offer mushroom foraging classes, the mountains are the most variable and hardest to predict. While we can’t guarantee exactly what we’ll find, we want to make our best effort to set you up for success, so, depending on conditions, our May classes will be in either El Dorado or Tahoe National Forest. We will be updating as we have more information on conditions.

Instructors Include:

Alan Rockefeller (he/him) is an acclaimed mycologist renowned for his expertise in DNA barcoding, field photography, and microscopy. With over 20 years of experience, he has documented and photographed more than 2,500 fungal species. Alan has dedicated the past 15 years to studying fungal diversity in Mexico, regularly leading forays and sharing his knowledge with mycology enthusiasts worldwide. Alan is passionate about education and has taught thousands of people how to extract and sequence the DNA of their mushrooms. His contributions include uploading over 700 DNA sequences to GenBank and co-authoring several scientific papers, notably on new species of bioluminescent Mycena and Psilocybe. He has also identified over 400,000 fungal observations on platforms like iNaturalist and Mushroom Observer, contributing significantly to the understanding of global fungal diversity.

Taye Bright (she/her, they/them) is a mycologist, naturalist, artist and all-around biophile passionate about fungal ecology, community science, and conservation. Taye holds B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science, certifications in Ecosystem Restoration Design, and is a certified UC California Naturalist. She is currently pursuing her MSc in Mycology at California State East Bay studying fungal biodiversity of rare and threatened ecosystem types in California. Outside of her research, she leads classes, courses, workshops, and walks around California and beyond, focusing on increasing accessibility of mycological and ecological education outside of conventional academia. She is especially interested in allying with fungi to encourage ecological literacy, create life-ways in alignment with bioregional intelligence, and uplift cultural narratives that encourage interspecies reciprocity.

Christopher O'Maelmacasa (they/them)is a leading botanist and one of the most knowledgeable people about the Sierra Nevada region ecology! Christopher holds an MA in integrative ecology from UNR, is on the board of the Nevada Native Plant Society, and leads walks and workshops throughout the region, specializing in ethnobotany. They are currently writing a comprehensive guide to edible and medicinal plants of the Sierra Nevada and is co-author to an upcoming book on California trees.

Thea Chesney (she/her) is an expert naturalist and a lifelong Sierra Nevada foothill resident. Her childhood interest in local mushrooms, wildlife, and flora has developed into an unending devotion to studying and understanding the natural world. She earned her BS in forestry from UC Berkeley while pursuing her passion for fungal taxonomy in the Berkeley mycology labs, and since then has spent her time exploring the California mountains and the organisms that call them home. She has worked as a botanist, a forester, and field mycologist. Her fieldwork and her own studies are centered in the mountains of California.

Dean Lyons (he/him) is an all-around lover of biodiversity and the natural world, specifically focused on fungi and plants. Foraging for wild mushrooms was the catalyst that led him down a path of ecological curiosity, and he is continually excited to learn about new creatures and their interactions. Dean primarily works as a field botanist and mycologist in California, and has focused most of his work in the Sierra Nevada. He leads mushroom and plant walks locally and abroad, having traveled as far as New Zealand to lead ecology tours. He believes that cultivating a reciprocal relationship with our non-human neighbors is a beautiful opportunity to engage with one’s senses and become more connected to the natural world. 

Ticket Options

• $175 pay it forward adult ticket 

• $150 adult standard adult ticket

• $100 adult community-supported adult ticket

• $75 per teen (age 13-17, must be accompanied by an adult)

• $55 per child (recommended for age 7 and older, but you know your child best)

A portion of your ticket fee goes to the Native American Rights Fund.

This trip goes rain or shine! 

•  In case of hazardous weather such as snow, high wind, or fire, we reserve the option to cancel your date and offer reschedule, refund, or gift ticket

•  All participants should be prepared to walk slowly, covering about 3-5 miles on uneven terrain. This program may involve driving an additional hour from our first meeting spot during the program (we got where the mushrooms are, and they move around throughout the season!)

•  We prefer to teach in small groups, so our groups are capped at 25 participants

•  Fees cover program costs only and do not cover transportation, gear, or lodging

•  You will be required to sign a waiver to participate

•  While we usually do, finding edibles is not a guarantee

More Important Details

These programs are very popular and often fill up very quickly. We encourage you to register right away if you'd like to attend!

You will receive a registration confirmation once we've received this form + your payment + your signed liability waiver. We cannot hold your spot until we've received all 3.