Just over eight miles north of Nederland, Colorado, and nestled off the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway lies a serene area dotted with tiny cabins, peaceful walking trails and ample forest land. And while the setting is very different from the bustle of CU Boulder鈥檚 main campus, the amount of groundbreaking work hap-pening there is the same.
CU Boulder鈥檚 Mountain AV名湿 Station, located 25 miles from campus, is an interdisciplinary facility associated with the Institute of Arctic and Alpine AV名湿, which serves students and scientists interested in mountain-based study. The scope of projects is wide 鈥 ranging from arthropods to microplastics to weather 鈥 and as many as 80 people can be studying at the station at once.
鈥淭he Mountain AV名湿 Station is a place where,for over 100 years, scientists, students and the public have come together to advance our understanding and appreciation for mountains, which are inspiring, formidable and increasingly at risk,鈥 said Scott Taylor, director of the station.
Key Dates:
1920
Mountain AV名湿 Station established in its current location聽
1945
Five professors taught 80 students.聽
1953
Former director John Marr founded the Institute of Arctic and Alpine AV名湿 (INSTAAR), now the oldest institute at CU Boulder.聽
1980
National Science Foundation starts its Long-Term Ecological AV名湿 (LTER) Network, which funded the Niwot Ridge LTER.聽
Other Facts:
3
short interpretive trails open to the public聽
33
seasonal cabins聽
25鈥45
students conducting research, depending on the summer
75
students in courses over a year聽
110
largest amount fed in the dining hall at once聽
6
labs on the property