As I reflect on this year, I am filled with a deep sense of appreciation and excitement for continuing to move RMBL forward into the next century. This year has been extraordinary for our organization, from the acquisition of RMBL 365 and the future of RMBL year-round to reconnecting with alumni and building new partnerships. We have entered one of the most significant moments in RMBLs nearly one-hundred-year history, and the momentum across our programs, partnerships, and community has created a strong path for the future. 

This past year has focused on weaving together the essential elements of who we are as a scientific and educational institution and strengthening this foundation to support all that comes next. Our people, our place, our irreplaceable long-term data, and our commitment to learning and discovery continue to guide a shared vision for the next century. Together, these elements highlight why RMBL is so important to the scientific community, to the Gunnison Valley, and to understanding the changing world around us. 

As we step into this next chapter, we invite you to continue walking alongside us. Your engagement, partnership, and support will help shape the future of RMBL and ensure that our mission thrives for generations to come. 

A Year-Round Hub for Science and Education through RMBL 365 

RMBL 365, continues to show that our mission reaches far beyond a single season. Science, education, and collaboration now thrive throughout the entire year, creating a strong foundation for the future. Field research, long-term data collection, student learning, and community and strategic partnerships are happening across all months, reflecting the growing understanding that environmental systems require continuous observation and analysis as well as our opportunity to engage with our community. 

This year-round approach expands access for students and partners, strengthens long-term datasets, and builds new connections across the Gunnison Valley. It has been inspiring to see people of all ages visit RMBL 365 in Crested Butte to explore, be curious, learn, and participate in RMBL programming. We are now planning winter and spring mission driven activities in RMBL 365, including workshops, conferences, partnerships, and strategic gatherings. Our Explorers will also see new opportunities to engage during the winter months as community programming grows into a year-round effort. 

This milestone was made possible by our remarkable supporters and the strong fundraising momentum of the summer, which allowed us to acquire a space that will carry RMBL into its next one hundred years of science, education, and impact. Thank you to everyone who made this possible. It is truly transformative for RMBL. 

We are now focused on winter and spring programming and on expanding opportunities for science and education throughout the year. This winter and spring we will host workshops, conferences, and educational events in the space, with additional mission driven programs planned for the summer and fall. 

We look forward to sharing the next chapter of this work during our RMBL 365 Celebration and What is Ahead on January 2. This gathering will offer a first look at the future of RMBL 365 and how this space will support the next century of science, education, and impact. 

Transformative Educational Programs that Build Confidence and Courage 

The most meaningful stories this year have come from students. RMBLs educational programs continue to provide experiences that create confidence, promote curiosity, and empower young people to do hard things. These programs shape how students see themselves and the world around them. Whether a student is collecting data in the field, analyzing samples in the lab, or exploring the mountains for the first time, these moments can change the trajectory of a life. 

Throughout the year, our newsletters have featured stories of students who arrived curious and left with a new sense of capability and confidence. These experiences are deeply connected to RMBLs values. The mountains are both a classroom and a mentor, encouraging young people to look closer, stay curious, and persist through challenge. The results are powerful; they are transformative. Students learn that they can tackle complex questions, work alongside experienced scientists, and contribute to research that matters. 

These programs are possible only through the generosity of our donors and through RMBLs’ long-standing culture of mentorship, discovery, and community support.  

Partnerships that Expand Our Reach 

This year we have strengthened and expanded our partnerships across universities, agencies, foundations, and community organizations. These relationships amplify what RMBL can accomplish and create opportunities for innovative research that spans disciplines and locations. 

We have collaborated closely with Texas A&M, NCAR, Colorado School of Mines, Western Colorado University, and numerous groups across the Gunnison Valley. These collaborations and partnerships allow students and scientists to work in new ways and explore questions that combine engineering, ecology, data science, policy, and community resilience. 

More about these collaborative connections can be found in our recent spring print newsletter article Power of Partnerships. 

The Centennial Campaign and the Next Century of RMBL 

As RMBL approaches its one-hundred-year anniversary in 2028, our Centennial has become a central focus for shaping the future of our organization. We are actively engaging with scientists to understand what they need to continue driving discovery, to support early-career researchers, and to protect and expand our irreplaceable long-term datasets. Educational programs remain a cornerstone of RMBL, and we are committed to strengthening and expanding opportunities for students at every level through new initiatives and growing program capacity. With input from our community, we’ve begun laying the groundwork for long-term investments that will ensure RMBL thrives in its next century.  

Planning for our future also means investing in our place. What began as a historic mining town is now a modern, world-class research facility. Ensuring that our buildings, laboratories, and community spaces continue to evolve alongside our scientific and educational mission is essential for the decades ahead. 

Celebrating our Centennial is about more than funding individual programs. It is about securing RMBL’s role as a global leader in field-based research, a trusted source of long-term environmental data, and a place where students and scientists can explore ideas that shape the world’s understanding of environmental change. As we reflect on a remarkable legacy, we invite our community to help shape the next one hundred years of discovery and education in Gothic and beyond.

Celebrating our centennial is about more than commemorating history or funding individual programs. It’s a generational opportunity to secure RMBL’s place as a global leader in field science and environmental education, grounded in a powerful landscape, guided by data, and energized by people.  

Friends, Alumni, Community, and the Membership 

One of the most inspiring parts of this past year has been reconnecting with the many people who have shaped RMBL across generations. Alumni and longtime friends have shared stories about how RMBL influenced their careers, their perspectives, and in many cases, the trajectory of their lives. These conversations are powerful reminders of the enduring community that surrounds RMBL and the deep bonds created in Gothic. 

At the same time, new supporters are discovering RMBL, and many who have been connected in the past are returning to re-engage with our mission. This expanding circle of people who believe in what we are building is energizing and continues to strengthen the momentum carrying us into our Centennial chapter. 

We are also making a dedicated effort to engage and reengage our RMBL membership. The membership community is one of the strongest threads that ties RMBL together, and revitalizing this connection is an essential part of fortifying our foundation for the next century. If you would like to learn more about the role of RMBL membership and how it supports our programs, you can read our most recent newsletter here 

Sharing Our Story 

This year has also marked meaningful progress in how we connect with the world through storytelling. The development of our new website and our expanding social media presence and video content have and will help engage audiences across science, education, philanthropy, and outdoor communities. RMBLs story is rooted in a century of curiosity and discovery in the Gunnison Valley. 

Sharing the voices of our researchers, students, and alumni reinforces the strength of our legacy and highlights the importance of our next one hundred years. These stories help us build understanding and excitement, and they draw new people into our mission. 

A Call to Action 

As we enter our Centennial era, I invite you to consider making an annual gift that strengthens the core of our mission. Your support provides fellowships for students and researchers and connects learners of all ages with experiences that grow confidence, curiosity, and purpose. Your support enables us to sustain our long-term datasets, invest in research and education, and respond to emerging challenges across the field of mountain science. 

Your generosity allows RMBL to remain a place where people can contribute to a deeper global understanding of environmental change and participate in work that shapes future generations. 

Looking Forward 

RMBL is stepping into an extraordinary moment. We are aligning our vision, people, and science in ways that will influence not only the next century of RMBL but the broader future of hands-on field-based research and education. 

To our community, donors, alumni, partners, staff, and board members, thank you. Your support and confidence make our work possible. Together, we will continue to build a future defined by discovery, learning, and lasting impact. 

Here, is to an exciting new chapter and to the next one hundred years at RMBL. 

With gratitude,
Jeni Blacklock 

Photo Credit: Ashley Hale