The Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site located in the Colorado Front Range is an interdisciplinary research program with the long-term goals of building a predictive understanding of ecological processes in high-elevation mountain ecosystems and contributing to broad conceptual advances in ecology. Niwot Ridge LTER also provides education, outreach, and knowledge to inform alpine resource management and conservation. As a SnowSchool site, Niwot Ridge LTER provides a unique opportunity to better integrate cutting-edge snow science into the SnowSchool curriculum and activity guides. Winter Wildlands Alliance develops the educational activities in collaboration with LTER scientists. Access the modules below with your SnowSchool site password:
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Snowpack Dust Experiment: Snow scientists have determined that the global snowpack is melting on average a few weeks earlier 
melting due to climate change. This trend carries with it many implications for our water supply, soil moisture, plant phenology and wildlife habitat. To better understand better the effect of an earlier snowpack melt, scientists at Niwot Ridge designed an experiment using black sand spread over the surface of the snow. The black sand significantly reduces the snow’s albedo (reflectiveness) and, depending on weather, melts the snowpack up to a week early. This provides scientists with a unique opportunity to study the effects of climate change on high mountain ecosystems. Additionally, dust settling on the surface of the mountain snowpack is itself an increasingly frequent phenomenon and a research topic of interest to snow scientists. Thus, this experiment makes for an ideal SnowSchool activity with the potential to provoke rich science-based discussions among student participants. Get the full write-up of the SnowSchool Snowpack Dust Experiment Activity
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The Natural Resources Conservation Service’s SNOTEL network is composed of over 800 automated data collections sites located in remote, high-elevation mountain watersheds in the western U.S. They are used to monitor snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and other climatic conditions. The data collected at SNOTEL sites are transmitted to a central database where they are used for water supply forecasting, maps, and reports.
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The Snowpack Prediction Contest is a a unique educational activity developed by Winter Wildlands Alliance that utilizes SNOTEL station data. The Snowpack Prediction Contest is designed to follow-up the SnowSchool field trip and utilizes local snow/weather stations to engage students and teachers once they are back in their classroom. Participating in the Snowpack Prediction Contest is simple, fun and transforms learning at SnowSchool from a one day outing into a winter-long science exploration! Click here to see the full activity guide! To participate you will also need a unique webpage designed for your watershed. Please email kmcclay@winterwildlands.org to request your page.
BSU CryoGARS
USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station
NASA SnowScience
