Winter Ecology 2025

Winter Ecology 2025 (registration opens Oct 30th)

Course Dates: 15 Jan – 1 Mar 2025

Wed – 5:00-6:00p, seven lectures at Boulder campus starting 15 Jan

Sat & Sun – 8:30am-5:00pm at Mountain Research Station (Nederland), (overnight at MRS Saturday nights)

Sat evening – 7:30-8.30pm, at Mountain Research Station (Nederland)

Mountain Research Station – six weekends.  Jan 25/26, Feb 1/2, 8/9, 15/16, 22/23, & Mar 1 (Sat only)

Winter Ecology Students

Wintertime offers insights into the natural history of organisms and function of ecosystems that are not often appreciated in summer visits to the field. Winter Ecology is a survey of physical and biological processes and their interaction in wintertime snow-covered environments.  Through classwork, fieldwork, and individual projects, we will focus on the dynamics of high-elevation ecosystems in the western US.  Based from the Mountain Research Station's year-round Moores-Collins Science Lodge, we will spend 6 weekends exploring the ecology of upper montane, subalpine, and alpine landscapes in winter. We will study plant, vertebrate, and microbial adaptations to winter and the dynamics of terrestrial, aquatic, and snowpack environments.  We will consider how winter processes play a role in “growing season” dynamics, shape landscapes, and are important factors in conservation and management of natural resources of the Rocky Mountains.

Instructors:  Dr. Timothy Kittel, INSTAAR, University of Colorado and Assistant Teaching Professor Derek Sweeney, EBIO, University of Colorado


Location:  Boulder campus (Wed), Mountain Research Station (weekends), learn about lodging at the MRS here: /mrs/general-info/setting-and-facilities

Credit:  3 credit hours in biology (EBIO 4100)


Tuition: $2100 (Includes a bed in a shared room in the Mountain Research Station Lodge on Saturday nights only)
Prerequisite: One year course work in general biology or environmental science

Questions about staying at the Mountain Research Station during your course?  See our Guide to Visiting and Living at the Station.

REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS: To register for a class at the Mountain Research Station simply sign up like you would for any other course.  Go to  and search for the course name.  Add the class to your cart and proceed to check out.