Here’s an interesting fact about marmots. They’re surprisingly strong. That’s what McKenna Sanchez discovered when she came to RMBL in 2022 through the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) program. 

She worked on Dr. Dan Blumstein’s Marmot Project, observing the mammals’ behavior as well as taking blood and hair samples, cheek swabs, and measurements, and tagging them if needed. Like most REU students, McKenna did an individual project and paper. 

Her project focused on summer survival and flight initiation distance, a measure of how long it takes a marmot to flee from a perceived predator (human). In other words, it’s how close a researcher can get to a marmot before it runs for its life. 

After graduation, McKenna came back to RMBL in 2023 as a research assistant with the Marmot Project. Again, she focused on flight initiation distance, but she added another variable: climate. Her team calculated rainfall, air temperatures, and the length of the snow year to see if climate change influenced flight behavior. 

What the team found is intriguing. When temperatures rose, marmots let researchers come closer before fleeing. One theory for why is that, being alpine dwellers, they don’t tolerate heat well. It could be that the slower-to-respond animals were under thermal stress, which affected their decision-making. 

Researchers made the observation using the Marmot Project’s 63-year-old dataset to, so the theory has merit.  

McKenna says that one of the best things she got at RMBL was field experience. Before she arrived, she expected to be assisting graduate students doing all the work. On the contrary, her experience was decisively hands-on. She hadn’t expected that she would struggle with a large, feisty squirrel to keep it calm as it was prodded and measured. 

By the end of the season, McKenna felt confident with the whole process. It begins with a marmot-sized trap, baited with peanut butter and horse feed, and sometimes salt as they crave salty foods. After the animal triggers the trap door, researchers carefully open and cover the end with a reinforced, cone-shaped bag. The bag resembles a burrow, so with luck, the marmot will climb in, and the darkness helps it calm down. 

The bag has several Velcro straps that researchers open one at a time to access various parts of the marmot — nose and mouth, legs, feet, genital area, and so on. If it’s a lactating female, the team knows to keep an eye out for pups. 

Some marmots become wary of the traps by the end of summer. Others, not so much. Enticed by the fortified peanut butter, they get trapped repeatedly. McKenna calls them trap happy. Pups are easy, too. They’re curious about everything. 

Today, McKenna works for the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, where she leads guided hikes in the Aspen and Snowmass areas, including the Zieglar Reservoir fossil site, where from 2011–2012, paleontologists and volunteers excavated more than 5,000 Ice Age fossils. 

At RMBL, McKenna added to the long-term Marmot Project database. Surrounded by people whose passion for the natural world matched her own, she thrived with the encouragement she got from scientists. 

Now, she inspires tourists — some with no previous experience with nature — to interact with the natural world, even to become citizen scientists. 

This is the power of one undergraduate’s experience with RMBL. The lab hosts 40 every year. 

-Article written by RMBL contributor, Carol St. George

McKenna Sanchez Bio: McKenna graduated from Texas A&M University in 2023 with a degree in Ecology and Conservation Biology. Since graduating, she has been part of multiple wildlife biology projects working with birds and mammals. She recently switched her work focus to science communication and takes people on nature hikes as a guide for Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. When she’s not working, you can find her hiking, skiing, reading, or baking. 

Photo Credit: McKenna Sanchez 

Two students from Western Colorado University helped scientists collect data for the Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) this summer. Conducted at RMBL in 2018 and 2025, it is designed to see how plants and ecosystems in the Upper Colorado River system are faring under our current extreme drought conditions. Dr. Ian Breckheimer is the principal investigator. 

CHESS combines data from airborne imaging spectroscopy with corresponding field data gathered by researchers on the ground. Bradley Sowder and Andres (Dre) Villa served among the boots on the ground. Bradley operated drones to supplement the spectral data on plants, and Dre was part of the tree team. 

Working on the project allowed each student to develop a theme for his master’s thesis. 

Dre’s tree team looked at the demographic of the trees, like health status, presence of parasites, and disease. They measured each tree’s diameter (using the diameter at breast height or DBH standard) and height and collected samples from the tree canopy — needles if it was a conifer or leaves if it was an aspen. 

From those samples, they took sub-samples, weighed them while still fresh, put them in a drying oven, and then weighed them again to determine their water content. The team also calculated the forest’s average leaf area index (LAI) based on data collected at 30 points within 100-square-meter plots. This showed the leaf density of each plot. 

Will trees stand up to drought? 

The thesis subject Dre found from his field research is: Can scientists use a conifer forest’s canopy water content to predict its vulnerability to drought stress? 

Dre is collecting post-mortem data on dead trees, getting the DBH and height, and speculating the cause of death — pests, mechanical damage, or something else. Then he’ll develop a mortality dataset by species if possible or, if the spectra signature yields insufficient delineation, a general mortality dataset. He hopes to have the demographics on 400 trees over 19 field sites. 

Finally, Dre will combine his mortality dataset with the CHESS spectrometer data from 2018 and 2025 to see if scientists can predict the forest’s vulnerability to drought stress using mortality and climate data. 

In other words: Will the trees survive drought stress? How much can they take? Does the species matter? And how much canopy water do they need to stay alive? 

Leave it to beavers? 

Bradley’s thesis weighs the costs and benefits of beaver dam analogs, which are pseudo-dams built by land managers to restore habitats and wetlands. Like beaver-made dams, BDAs slow down waterflow, create wet environments, mitigate flood damage, and attract more plants and animals. 

To find out if beaver dam analogs are as effective as the real thing, Bradley will measure the evapotranspiration of the ecosystems around BDAs and compare it to the evapotranspiration that occurs where the dam builders are beavers. 

Evapotranspiration is the amount of total water moving into the atmosphere. It’s the sum of two things: the evaporation of water from the soil, water surfaces, and plant leaves; and transpiration, the water that evaporates from plants living out their lives. 

Bradley will compare the level of transpiration in natural, beaver-built systems to that of ecosystems made from beaver dam analogs. He wants to see if BDAs are generating more evapotranspiration than what occurs at natural sites created by beavers. And if so, to what degree? 

In his last year at Western, Bradley is part of a three-year, two-degree track. He’s completed a master’s degree in environmental management, and he’s following that with a master’s in ecology. Then he’s job-hunting. 

Dre just finished his third year in WCU’s 3+2 program, which allows students to earn an undergraduate and master’s degree in five years. He’ll earn a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in ecology. He plans to be a pilot for the Air Force or, if not that, an ecologist. 

While pursuing their degrees, both Dre and Bradley have contributed to an important scientific study involving more than 20 scientists at RMBL.  

In addition to generating a fruitful career for each, their participation will help us move closer to knowing what lies ahead for the Colorado River headwaters and for the river itself.   

-Article written by RMBL contributor, Carol St. George

Photo credit: Sophia Todorov – Bradley Sowder, a student researcher with the CHESS program, shows off the flight controller for the drone.

Science Education and Citizen Science at RMBL 

“What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” – Aristotle 

This summer at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) has shown, more than ever, that learning is not confined to a classroom; it happens best when people are immersed in the environment and actively engage with science. Thousands of visitors traveled to Gothic in 2025, each bringing their curiosity and leaving with a deeper understanding of high-altitude ecosystems. Thanks to our Visitor Center team and docents, those moments of discovery became lasting connections. 

Science in Action for All Ages 

Education is at the heart of our mission. The Visitor Center connects the public with RMBL’s science, history, and vision for the future. This summer, guests left with more than memories of Gothic’s stunning scenery. They also gained insight into the groundbreaking research unfolding here. Docents brought these topics to life, translating complex studies on biodiversity, climate change, and ecological processes into accessible, inspiring conversations. 

Our Interpretive Wildflower Tours on Snodgrass, the Gothic campus, and Judd Falls, now in their third year, provided an up-close look at the alpine ecosystem’s incredible diversity. 125 people participated, generating $8,225 in important revenue for our general fund. Guests learned how flower timing can be an early signal of climate shifts, and how pollinator relationships are sensitive to even small environmental changes. These tours reminded visitors, from young children seeing their first columbine to experienced naturalists deepening their knowledge, that science is something you can touch, see, and experience. 

Citizen Science: Inviting Everyone 

RMBL has a unique gift for turning observers into participants. Through citizen science, we invite the public to contribute to real research, whether it’s tracking the first bloom dates of wildflowers, identifying bird species, or making simple weather observations that feed into long-term climate datasets. These contributions, small as they may seem, help scientists detect trends, test hypotheses, and broaden the geographic reach of their studies. 

This summer, visitors joined in biodiversity monitoring projects and phenology tracking, gaining scientific skills and an appreciation for the patience and precision required in research. Citizen science docents supported Dr. Rick Williams in the Herbarium, mounting collected plants and flowers, assisted by Dr. Carol Boggs with butterfly surveys, and worked with Dr. Rachael Cohen on pollinator research.  

By including the public in these projects, RMBL fosters a shared sense of responsibility for the environment, turning guests into advocates for science and conservation. 

The Ripple Effect of Public Engagement 

The impact of public education at RMBL extends well beyond Gothic, as guests share what they’ve learned with friends, family, and their communities. A single guided tour can ripple outward, sparking conversations in schools, inspiring personal conservation actions, or even encouraging young people to pursue careers in science. 

This summer’s outreach was amplified by ideal conditions: a spectacular wildflower bloom, sunny weather, and increased visibility thanks to a Denver Post feature. But the true impact came from our people. Every docent and staff member offered not just facts but context, not just information but inspiration. That combination is what turns a pleasant visit into a transformative experience.

During a very busy July, docents also contributed 54 hours in the Visitor Center, answering questions and engaging guests.
 

“We provide personalized service! Every guest entering the Visitor Center receives a warm welcome and accurate information. Our main mission is to make friends and build lasting relationships.” – RMBL Visitor Center Staff 

 Looking Ahead: Year-Round Learning Opportunities 

As RMBL expands its year-round programming, we are building on the momentum of this season’s success. Our strategic plan places community education and public engagement at its core, ensuring that RMBL remains a place where science is alive, accessible, and relevant to all. Plans include expanded winter education programs, school partnerships, and more citizen science initiatives that bridge the gap between research and everyday life. 

This summer proved Aristotle right: we learn by doing. At RMBL, that means joining a field biologist on the trail, studying alpine insects under the microscope, or recording the first frost. It’s education rooted in experience, and one that connects people to place, science to story, and curiosity to action. 

To our docents, staff, and supporters: thank you for making this possible. You are the bridge between cutting-edge research and the public’s understanding of our world. Together, we are building not just knowledge, but a community of lifelong learners and stewards of the environment. 

 By the Numbers: 2025 Performance 

• Year to date through July: Net sales reached $188,860, up 25 percent over the same period in 2024. We greeted 19,532 visitors, a 14 percent increase year over year.
   

• August momentum: Through mid-August, 3,651 guests visited the Visitor Center (compared with 5,836 for all of August 2024). We project $60,000 in net sales, more than an 18 percent increase over August 2024 

• Interpretive Wildflower Tours (June–August): 125 participants joined tours at Snodgrass, Gothic, and Judd Falls.
   

• A notable trend this year has been the number of people traveling to our field station on e-bikes, with many arriving every day. 

• Judd Falls docents: 20 docents, one or two per day, spent 277 hours on the Judd Falls trail, engaging and educating more than 9,221 visitors about RMBL science and Gothic history, and encouraging a stop at the Visitor Center for a deeper experience.
   

• Citizen Science docents: Volunteers supported Dr. Rick Williams in the Herbarium, mounting collected plants and flowers, assisted Dr. Carol Boggs with butterfly surveys, and worked with Dr. Rachael Cohen on pollination research.
   

• Visitor Center support: During a very busy July, docents contributed 54 hours in the Visitor Center, answering questions and engaging with guests.
   

Keys to Our Continued Success 

“We provide personalized service! Every guest entering the Visitor Center receives a warm welcome, and accurate information. We are there to offer travel advice, information about the Lab, or just a friendly face. We learn visitors’ names, and we schedule adequate staff, so that we can spend quality time with every person.” – Rick Horn 

–Article written by RMBL contributor, Jeni Blacklock

Photo: Rick Horn – The amazing and informative staff of the Weldon and Rosalie Weekley Visitor Center and Store.