Rocks and Fossils for Adults/Families
Fossil specimens found during a Heldeberg Workshop geology program
Hundreds of millions of years ago, the organisms that shaped this region’s geology left their remains behind — and you can still find them. This hands-on class explores the prehistoric environment these creatures lived in, then heads into the field to search for trilobites, bryozoans, corals, brachiopods, and more.
Date: Sunday, October 4 (Rain Date: Saturday, October 24)
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Recommended Ages: Adults 18+, Teens Grades 6+, Adults with children (recommended Grade 3+)
Instructors: George Pafumi and Susan Green
Registration Fee:
- $20 – Adult or child Grade 6+
- $25 – Adult and one child
- $30 – Adult and two children
- $35 – Adult and three children
Registration closes Friday, October 2.
Wheelchair Archery for Adults (16 & up) — New, Free Program
Chuck Dente teaching archery – Photo Credit: Jim Franco, Times Union
Heldeberg Workshop, one of the most unspoiled natural settings in Albany County, is accepting applications for a free Wheelchair Archery Class at its outdoor Archery Field, 353 Picard Rd, Voorheesville, NY, on Saturday, October 17, from 12:30–3:30pm.
If you’ve ever wanted to try archery, this introductory course is designed for first-time para-archers or those exploring adaptive sports for recreation.
Instructors will guide you in shooting at various targets and different distances using light-draw bows and equipment provided by the Workshop. You’ll learn bow nomenclature, equipment use and care, shooting technique, and be introduced to different bow types.
This class is offered to adults 16 and older who use a wheelchair and can hold and shoot a bow without the help of adaptive technology. Participants may also bring a caregiver or companion, if they choose.
Register for Wheelchair Archery
Questions? Call 518-526-2643.
Fall Archery — Ages 11 to 111
Learn the fundamentals of Olympic-style recurve archery. Students will build core shooting technique, practice calculating and improving their scores week to week, and enjoy candy shoots along the way — capped off with a final-day shooting competition.
- Instructor: Claire Pusatere
- Ages: 11 to 111 — open to both kids and adults
- Dates: Sundays, 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25
- Time: 12:00–2:00pm
- Cost: $185
Adventure Underground — Caving in the Schoharie Caverns
New this fall! This one-day course is an introduction to the sport and science of cave exploration. After a surface hike introducing participants to karst landscapes and cave formation, the group heads underground for an approximately two-hour tour past rapids, pools, fossils, and faults — including short stretches of hands-and-knees crawling.
- Trip Leaders: Erica and Scott Keefer
- Date: Saturday, September 19
- Ages: 10 and up — participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
- Meet: 9:00am at the Altamont Stewart’s, to carpool to the cave site
- Cost: $35
What to bring:
- Sturdy walking shoes or work boots
- Knee pads
- THREE separate light sources — no exceptions (a headlamp is strongly recommended)
- Work gloves
- Warm clothing — cave temperature is about 48°F
- A change of clothes and shoes for after the trip
- A plastic bag for muddy gear
Helmets are provided by Heldeberg Workshop.
We offer weekend classes for children and adults. Additional classes will be posted and registration will open for these classes at the end of August/beginning of September.