Walks, Talks, and Food, Oh My! A Double Birthday Celebration on Niwot Ridge.
Dr. Nancy Emery led a hike into the alpine tundra on Niwot Ridge to celebrate birthdays of CU Boulder’s Mountain Research Station and Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. Photo by George Kiladis.
What is a birthday celebration without good food and good company?! A recent gathering to celebrate the birthdays of a CU Boulder field station and research institute had it all, set against the stunning backdrop of Niwot Ridge.
While taking in spectacular views, partygoers learned about ongoing field experiments and long-term climate monitoring. Photo by George Kiladis.
On a beautiful, sunny day in mid-August, the Mountain Research Station (MRS) opened its doors and its trails to science and nature lovers in celebration of two birthdays: the 75th birthday of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), and the 106th birthday of the MRS. (Yes, it’s a little odd to celebrate a 106th birthday. It was really a better-late-than-never celebration for the 100th birthday of the MRS in… you guessed it… 2020.)
Over 200 people from across Colorado and beyond joined the celebration, which included guided hikes, field station tours, and a high-altitude science fair. Even Nature joined in, painting a double rainbow in the sky as partygoers enjoyed a tasty dinner at the field station dining hall.
Dinner was served at the dining hall, giving everyone a chance to swap stories after a long, happy day of learning and wonder on the trails. Photo by George Kiladis.
As if to join in the merriment, Nature gifted those who stayed late with a double rainbow. Photo by George Kiladis.
To close out the night, renowned ecologist Dr. Katharine Suding honored INSTAAR, the MRS, and decades of scientific research by students, faculty, and staff in her talk titled “What if we had stopped? A birthday tribute to the place that makes long-term understanding of mountains possible.”
After dinner, partygoers gathered at a historic building — the Megaron — for dessert, reflection, and an evening talk. Photo by Anne Marie Panetta.
In a toast to the MRS, Dr. Katharine Suding highlighted what we have learned from unique, long-term datasets collected on Niwot Ridge. Photo by Anne Marie Panetta.
While not typically known as party animals, scientists who work at the MRS and INSTAAR have been celebrating these birthdays with a year of anniversary events that continue through November. After all, you only turn 75… and 106… once!
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