NAMA 2008 Foray
September 4-7, 2008

Orson K. Miller Jr. Memorial Foray, McCall Idaho

Get a jump on next fall’s mushroom season by attending the North American Mycological Association’s annual foray, September 4-7, 2008, in McCall, Idaho — a paradise of conifer forests, wet meadows and sagebrush prairie. Participants will foray in the Payette National Forest and surrounding area. Foray headquarters is Camp Pinewood, on the Payette River.

Hygrophorus caeruleus
© photo by Bolek Kuznik

McCall has a rich mycological history. Several type specimens were described from the area, including the eerily beautiful Hygrophorus caeruleus, which is incorporated into this year’s foray logo. McCall is also where Orson and Hope Miller spent their summers while Dr. Miller taught at Virginia Tech and where they eventually retired. It is fitting that this foray is named the Orson K. Miller Jr. Memorial Foray.

Chief mycologist will be Dr. Cathy Cripps, Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Science and Plant Pathology at Montana State University. Dr. Cripps, who was a student of Orson Miller, studies alpine fungi and ectomycorrhizal fungi in aspen forests. She wrote Fungi in Forest Ecosystems, a compilation of research from around the globe that documents a diversity of fungi and the roles they play in forest health and function.

This is a great opportunity for mushroomers in the West to attend a NAMA foray [Note: NAMA membership is required. See the registration form for information]. The event is a great way to meet mycophiles from clubs around the country, attend lectures, and learn from a wide array of professional mycologists, including Tom Volk, Steve Miller, Vera Evenson, Steve Trudell, and Walt Sundberg. In addition to mushrooms, the McCall area has access to hot springs, river rafting, golf, fishing, birdwatching, and horseback riding. And there’s even a NAMA photography contest!

For more information and to register, visit the official foray page on the website of the host club, the Southern Idaho Mycological Association. Suggested accommodations can also be found on the SIMA foray pages. The registration form is available here.