The John Mionczynski Togwotee Flag Staff Road Foraging & Plant Medicine Trip Sunday August 27 from 10am to 4pm Presented by American Wilderness Botanicals in Collaboration with Slow Food in the Tetons

YOU MAY ONLY SIGN UP FOR ONE DAY, EITHER AUGUST 26 OR 27, BUT NOT BOTH DAYS.  THANK YOU.

It is our pleasure to present an indigenous plant medicine and foraging experience featuring John Mionczynski.  We will caravan behind John's vehicle and make stops and even a hike or two along the old Flagstaff Road.  One of the locations we will be hiking is the beautiful Lily Lake area.  We will also hike near the headwaters of Spread Creek.  You'll notice the landscape and many indigenous plant species change as we gain elevation along Flagstaff Road.

Please bring plenty of water (at least one gallon), food and other important items on this trip.  Please keep in mind that you may need to fuel your vehicle at the gas station located at the Hatchet Resort prior to leaving. The Flagstaff road is a dirt road and does not have any rest areas or bathrooms.  Please follow the instructions and reminders located under the reference printout section below.

This event will be held on Sunday August 27th and will begin at 10:00 am concluding at 4:00 pm.  We will meet John and the group at 10:00 am at the Hatchet Ranch Resort gas/store and restaurant parking lot adjacent to Wyoming Highway 26/287 at the base of Towgwotee Pass.  This meeting location is almost 39 miles (approximately 43 minutes) north and east of the town of Jackson.  We have included a map from Jackson to the meeting location at the Hatchet Resort.  

People may stay and talk with John asking questions.  Please be respectful of John's time.  We look forward to seeing you at this unique and informative event.  Thank you.

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PLEASE PRINT OUT THIS SECTION FOR YOUR REFERENCE!

THIS IS A FIELD TRIP STYLE EXPERIENCE: The tour of Togwatee Mountain's Flagstaff Road is not a tour that has precise designated stops with a tour guide map telling everyone what the next site is. There are general locations that John (our experienced leader) will lead us to which include stops where he will discuss the botanicals (edible and medicinal) of each site along with many of their historic uses among Native people.  We encourage you to bring questions about the historic Shoshone people known as the Tukudika "Sheep Eater" people John has a great deal of knowledge about.

DATE & TIME: We will meet at 10:00 AM on Sunday August 27th and will adjourn at approximately 4:00 PM that afternoon.  Please be prompt and arrive on time.  If you have any problems at all don't hesitate to call Ben Sinclair (307) 413-4030 or Ben Clark (307) 690-8155.  Those of you who wish to stay longer and ask questions of John may do so.  Please be respectful of John's time.  Thank you.

LIMITED NUMBER OF ATTENDEES: There is a limit to the number of attendees so please make sure you sign up early to secure your place.

OUR VEHICLE LIMIT IS NO MORE THAN 10 VEHICLES.  WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE CARPOOLING.  It is imperative that we limit the number of vehicles on this trip as too many vehicles often slows the group down while waiting for people to catch up.  Carpooling can be a lot of fun.  Please contact Ben Sinclair (307) 413-4030 regarding any questions you may have concerning the trip and vehicle requirements.  Thank you.

VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS:  We recommend you bring a vehicle that has 4-wheel drive.  We will not be doing any off-roading but there may be areas that could be muddy along the side of the dirt road and a vehicle could get stuck.  We are not responsible for any damage that may be sustained to your vehicle because of this trip.

MEETING PLACE: This event will be held on Saturday August 26th and will begin at 10:00 am concluding at 4:00 pm.  We will meet John and the group at 10:00 am at the Hatchet Ranch Resort gas/store and restaurant parking lot adjacent to Wyoming Highway 26/287 at the base of Towgwotee Pass.  This meeting location is almost 39 miles (approximately 43 minutes) north and east of the town of Jackson.  The driving map to the meeting place is located below.

DIRECTIONAL MAP TO MEETING PLACE


CELLULAR SERVICE:  The Hatchet Resort has cellular service, however the Flagstaff Road has spotty cellular service and there are large areas where there is no cell service at all.  It is very important that you stay with the group!  If you get separated from the main group and cannot find the caravan of cars don't panic you can turn around and drive your vehicle to the last location wherein you had cell service on the road and text Ben Sinclair (307) 413-4030 or Ben Clark (307) 690-8155 and when we come to an area where there is cell service we can guide you back to the group.  Also text service has a bigger range so texting can often work where cell service does not.  We recommend you not depend upon your cell phone except for an emergency or to take memorable photos and using the recording or video app on your cell phone in taking notes of John Mionczynski's discussions.

ABSOLUTELY NO DOGS OR OTHER PETS PERMITTED AT THIS EVENT
The Flagstaff Road Event consists of wildlife observation including the possibility of Grizzly Bear sightings.  We know how much our pets mean to us as part of our family, however, in this instance it is crucial that you not bring your pets who can upset wildlife, also possibly harm your pet like in the case of a defensive Grizzly Bear.  This situation can not only create a distraction and harm other participants opportunity for up close photographing and experiencing wildlife but can harm wildlife as well.  Please leave your pets at home in the care of friends or family.  Thank you for your understanding.

PLEASE STAY WITH THE GROUP AND NO TALKING DURING JOHN'S PRESENVATION.  It is very important that people not talk when John is talking about the plants, wildlife and Native American history at each stop.  This will enable everyone to have a much better experience in learning from John.  You can save the chitchat until later when we have a food break.  Please do, however, ask John questions during our stops.

IMPORTANT ITEMS TO BRING

• Pack your own food with either paper plates, metal or ceramic plates (that can be washed) and utensils.  We will be having at least 1 short food break during this event.  Bring snacks and other easily accessible foods as well.  We also suggest you bring an ice cooler to pack perishable food in.
• A back pack is a good Idea to bring water, snacks, a notebook and a pen or pencil.
• Water - Please bring full water containers for the trip as you will need to stay hydrated.
• THERE ARE NO OUT-HOUSES OR BATHROOMS ON THIS TRIP.  LEAVE NO TRACE!  Please bring your own toilet paper, biodegradable wipes, etc.  A small shovel is encouraged to bury any biodegradable waste you may leave.  Do all you can to keep the areas we explore as untouched as when you found it.
• Make sure your gas tank is full prior to leaving Jackson or at the Hatchet Resort, Wyoming.
• Dress for hiking which means you should bring shorts and tee shirt, jeans or other hiking pants.
• Bring a jacket and layers of warm clothing as we could have inclement weather.
• Bring comfortable hiking shoes.
• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen is a must
• Insect repellant
• People should have a First Aid Kit that is easily accessible in your back pack or vehicle.
• Bear Spray - Though we are a large group it is a good Idea to bring Bear Spray on this trip in case of the unlikely event you do have a Grizzly Bear confrontation.
• DO NOT APPROACH WILDLIFE - Do not try to get close to or approach any wildlife for obvious reasons.  They need their space and they can be aggressive.
• PACK ALL TRASH OUT WITH YOU.  DO NOT LEAVE ANY TRASH BEHIND.

Waiver Signatures Required:  Since there will be some hiking (relatively easy to navigate) that we will be doing there is some risk to participants.  Though highly unlikely, there is a risk of a fall and injury.  It is your personal responsibility to keep yourself safe and to communicate with the leaders of the group if there is any physical problem.  American Wilderness Botanicals, Slow Food in the Tetons, and John Mionczynski are not held responsible for any risk or injury to any participant.

Conditional Refund Policy:  American Wilderness Botanicals' refund policy with this event is that there will be no refunds after 24 hours of purchase of your place in the event except if there are individuals on the waiting list.  We know that emergencies come up that can necessitate cancellation.  If you have a need to cancel you are strongly encouraged to contact Ben Clark at (307) 690-8155.  If there are individuals on the waiting list who wish to participate you will receive a 100% refund so the individual who wishes to go can sign up to take your place.  Please be respectful of the order of the waiting list and do not transfer your place to another person without first contacting Ben Clark.  Thank you so much.