The Niwot Ridge Snow Survey

To start the snow survey, we start hiking. It's a long way until we hit snow. Peak snowpack is in April, right about now, and though the higher elevations retain a season's worth of powder, the lower elevations are starting to melt to bare ground. I visited the Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research site, nestled in the Rockies at 11,000 feet, to shoot photos for a story. And I got to ski around the alpine, listening to folks talk about science. Not a bad day of work.

You can read my story, Each spring, the Niwot Ridge Snow Survey ushers in a new season of fieldwork at the link, or see the photos here.