Overwintering strategies of flora and fauna - MRS guided walk

Join MRS Director Scott Taylor and MRS Graduate Research Assistant Will Anderson for a guided walk at INSTAAR's Mountain Research Station (MRS). We will be looking for evidence of the varied overwintering strategies used by flora and fauna around the station.

The winter is a brutal season at the Mountain Research Station, with temperatures diving to -37F (-38C) and winds of over 100mph on the ridge! Some organisms that spend their summers at the MRS engage in seasonal movements to escape these conditions, like our warblers, wrens, and flycatchers. Some mammals, like black bears and yellow-bellied marmots, will hibernate throughout the winter in their den, rarely emerging. However, other creatures, including some birds and mammals, are present and awake year-round at the MRS.

The walk starts at 10:00 am and will last for about 2 hours. We only have space for 20 people. Sign up is required to reserve your spot. Additional details will be emailed to attendees one week prior to the walk.

<<Click here to sign up>>

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General Info

The Mountain Research Station is located approximately 26 miles west of Boulder, Colorado, off the Peak to Peak Highway (highway 72), about 7 miles north of Nederland and 5 miles south of Ward. The drive from Boulder takes about 45 minutes.

At an elevation of 9,500 ft (2900 m), the weather can be very variable and change rapidly. Be prepared for hot, cold, sun, rain, and wind.