Characterizing the Effect of Elevation on Climate Records in Denali National Park, Alaska

A Research Grant Report

by: Inga Kindstedt, PhD Student in Earth and Climate Sciences (University of Maine); Liam Kirkpatrick, Dartmouth College '22, PhD Student in Earth and Space Science (University of Washington) 

*This report has been lightly edited for clarity

Our field camp on the summit plateau of Begguya (13,000 ft). Photo credit: Emma Erwin.

The American Alpine Club supports scientific endeavors in mountains and crags around the world through our Research Grants. Landscapes and ecosystems are a vital part of climbing. We believe in the importance of funding projects that enrich our understanding of these places, contribute vital knowledge to the management of climbing environments, and improve the health and sustainability of the climbing community.

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Definitions:

• Ice cores are cylinders of ice drilled from ice sheets or glaciers that are essentially frozen time capsules that scientists can use to reconstruct climate far into the past.
• Firn is snow at least one year old that has survived one melt season without becoming glacial ice.
• Isotopes are used to measure past climate properties

Ten miles south of North America's highest peak lies Begguya (Mt. Hunter), or "Denali's Child" in the Dena'ina language. To climbers, Begguya is known for its extremely committing and technical routes; only a handful of teams attempt it each season, compared to the hundreds on Denali. To our team of four researchers, Begguya is also known as the site where researchers recovered two surface-to-bedrock ice cores* in 2013.

The 2013 Begguya cores likely contain at least ten thousand years of the region's climate history, including records of snow accumulation, wildfire, and atmospheric pollution. Still, the interpretation of chemical signals in the ice can be challenging. This information is also supplemented by a firn* core recovered on the mountain's summit plateau in 2019.

Drilling and processing firn cores on the plateau. Photo credit: Emma Erwin.

In May of 2022, our team traveled to the Alaska Range with dual purposes: 1) to recover surface snow samples covering a span of elevations and 2) to recover another firn core from the Begguya summit plateau. We spent the first leg of our season on Denali's West Buttress, ascending to 11,200 ft. On the way, we collected surface snow samples for isotope* analysis. Our goal with these samples was to examine the relationship between elevation and the isotope signal recorded in the snowpack, thereby providing regional context for the isotope signal measured in the Begguya cores.

The climb also allowed us to acclimate before being transported via helicopter to the Begguya summit plateau (13,000 ft), where we spent the remaining two to three weeks of our season. Our objective on the plateau was to recover two 18m firn cores containing a climate record from the past several years, bringing the existing record to the present and allowing us to assess the impact of COVID-19 on atmospheric pollution recorded in the ice. 

Liam’s graduation day on the plateau. Photo credit: Emma Erwin.

During our time in the field, we successfully recovered both surface snow samples on the West Buttress and two firn cores on the plateau. We returned one core intact frozen to Dartmouth College for analysis and sampled the other in the field to transport back melted in vials. It was a remarkably successful field season—we even celebrated Liam's graduation from Dartmouth on the plateau! 

The Dartmouth Ice, Climate, and Environment Lab melted the intact core months after our return from the field. Some measurements (e.g., electrical conductivity, dust) were available in real-time as the ice melted. Both electrical conductivity and dust show distinct seasonal cycles, helping us develop a depth-age scale for the core. However, most of the meltwater was collected in vials, which have been sent to labs across the country to measure a wide range of chemical proxies.

We look forward to receiving back a variety of measurements, which will address topics ranging from pollution levels and sources to wildfire activity to plankton productivity in the North Pacific. 

Learn more about the impact of this research here. 

-Inga Kindstedt

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Our fieldwork was conducted on the native lands of the Dena'ina peoples under a Denali National Park permit. It would not have been possible without the support of Denali National Park Rangers and Talkeetna Air Taxi. In addition to the financial support provided by the American Alpine Club, funding for this project was provided by the Sturgis Exploration Fund, the University of Maine Graduate Student Government, Maine Space Grants, the Dartmouth Outing Club, the John Sloan Dickey Center for International Understanding, and NOLS. 

Researching Glacial Recession in Chilean Patagonia: A Story from the AAC Research Grant

Bernardo Fjord and one of the main locations for Scott’s research. Pictured are Bernardo Glacier (lower left), the refugio or cabin (lower center) and Lautaro Volcano, the highest point in Bernard O’Higgins National Park (top center).

Scott Braddock was awarded the AAC’s Research Grant in 2019 to study glacial recession in Patagonia. Specifically, Scott and his team were studying the Southern Patagonian Icefield. With the Southern Patagonian Icefield contributing a disproportionate amount of ice loss relative to the size of the icefield when compared with other mountain glaciers around the world, better understanding the mechanisms for tidewater glacier retreat in this region are critical for projections of future ice loss. Below is a quick summary of his project, and a report on the initial findings. 

Why This Research? Why now?

Like most glaciers around the world, the Southern Patagonian Icefield (SPI) is retreating in the face of rising atmospheric and ocean temperatures. The SPI is particularly susceptible to a changing climate because of its relative proximity to the equator and the fact that it is made up of low-elevation alpine and tidewater glaciers that are highly sensitive to changes in temperature and precipitation. Past studies have shown that ice mass loss from the Southern Patagonian Icefield contributes a large amount of water to global sea level rise, especially relative to the size of the icefield, with rates increasing in recent decades. However, how quickly the SPI is continuing to respond to warmer conditions and the primary mechanisms behind ice mass loss remain important questions to be answered. Scott’s team is attempting to investigate these very questions.

The research boat, the Aguilaf (bottom left), in Bernardo Fjord. In the background is Bernardo Glacier.

The glaciers of the SPI are located in Chile’s largest protected area, Bernard O’Higgins National Park (BONP), which hosts the largest known population of the endangered huemul deer–a species whose health is connected with recently-deglaciated habitat. Under the supervision of Coporacion Nacional Forestral (CONAF), limited in situ research exists in the BONP due to the frequent inclement weather, poor access, and only a handful of CONAF park guards and scientists to protect and manage a large area. Given the results of studies highlighting the accelerated retreat of the SPI in the past several decades, further work is necessary to better constrain estimates of ice loss and glacier stability as well as impacts on biodiversity in BONP.

The Grant Funded Trip & Moving Beyond Covid

AAC Research Grant recipient, Scott Braddock, in front of Calluqueo Glacier, San Lorenzo Mountain, Chile.

In October 2019, supported by research grants from the American Alpine Club, Churchill Foundation, and the Geological Society of America, Scott’s team traveled to Chilean Patagonia to sample ocean water in contact with several glaciers to understand how this interaction may influence rapid retreat of ice in the region. The team sampled water temperature and salinity at the surface and to depths up to 10 m and collected data on surface reflectance, suspended sediment and plankton in front of two tidewater glaciers, Bernardo and Témpano, in Bernard O’Higgins National Park, Chile. Results show a clear boundary between fresh glacial runoff and warm ocean water around 6 m depth close to the terminus of Témpano Glacier. 

Kristin Schild (left) and Scott Braddock (right) conducting CTD sampling in Témpano fjord. Photo by Fernando Iglesias.

In coordination with sampling efforts, Scott’s team set up time-lapse cameras overlooking both glaciers to track iceberg movement and try to observe sediment plumes and surface currents. Additionally, they witnessed one of the earliest-known glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) in a summer season at Bernardo Glacier. 

In witnessing this event, it is clear that to fully understand this dynamic ice-ocean system, we need longer duration measurements to capture both episodic events (GLOFs) and persistent forcing (ocean warming). To aid in long-term monitoring of ice/ocean interactions and GLOF events in this region, Scott’s team facilitated an agreement between three organizations participating in this project—Coporacion Nacional Forestral (CONAF), Round River Conservation Studies (RRCS), and UMaine Ice/Ocean group to continue this research in the coming years by sharing logistical support, scientific equipment, and data. 

In the context of Covid, the collaborative nature of this project has been crucial to its continuity. The project included team members from three organizations and many backgrounds coming together to work in such a remote, challenging environment. The glaciology portion of this research project was designed and led by Dr. Kristin Schild, University of Maine School of Earth and Climate Sciences. The marine biology part of the project was designed and led by Raúl Pereda, a Marine Biologist with CONAF. Logistics, help with the science, and local knowledge and expertise were provided by Felidor Paredes, CONAF Park Guard and Fernando Iglesias Letelier, Chilean Program Director for RRCS.

Team members Raúl Pereda (left) and Kristin Schild (right) install a time lapse camera in Témpano Fjord to monitor sediment plumes and ice berg movement. Photo by Scott Braddock.

Like most international research, COVID has disrupted the US team’s return to Patagonia for the last two years. However, to keep the project moving forward, Scott’s team will ship equipment to Chile so that team members from CONAF can continue taking measurements of ocean water in front of these tide water glaciers to monitor how ocean properties are influencing glacial retreat of the Southern Patagonian Icefield as well as impacts retreating glaciers might have on the marine biology. 

A Snapshot of the Science Behind Glacial Recession:

The speed at which glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Icefield (SPI) flow could be driven in two distinct ways: from the top-down, or the bottom-up (Figure 2a-e). How fast the glacier moves or flows influences how quickly it retreats and thins over longer time scales.

In the top-down scenario, warm air temperatures melt the glacier ice and, when combined with precipitation, the glaciers are inundated with liquid water (Figure 2a). This water flows under the glacier, lubricating the interface between the glacier and the bedrock, and accelerates the speed at which the glacier moves due to a decrease in friction (Figure 2b).

In the bottom-up scenario, the warm ocean water melts all contacting terminus ice, undercutting the glacier at the waterline and facilitates iceberg calving, or breaking off more icebergs (Figure 2c,d). This removal of terminus ice decreases the amount of ice that the glacier has to move, thereby also leading to increased glacier velocities due to a decrease in back pressure (Figure 2e). 

Figure 2: Schematic illustrating the two end-member scenarios of glacier acceleration, top-down (a,b) and bottom-up (c-e). In top-down acceleration, water from melting ice and precipitation pools in crevasses and topographic lows on the glacier surface (a) until weaknesses in the ice are exploited and water flows between the glacier and glacier bed (b) reducing friction and leading to glacier acceleration. Bottom-up acceleration is initiated at the glacier terminus with warm ocean water melting away the glacier at the waterline, leading to an undercut terminus (c), which initiates subsequent mass loss through calving (d). This decrease in mass reduces the back pressure (e) leading to glacier acceleration.

While two distinct scenarios are presented above, a combination of mechanisms most often controls glacier acceleration. For example, recent studies in Greenland have shown that ocean warming has been the controlling mechanism in glacier instability while in Svalbard both ocean and air temperatures appear to balance each other in driving glacier change.

However, how quickly the Southern Patagonian Icefield is responding to warmer conditions and the primary mechanisms behind ice mass loss remain important questions to be addressed, that Scott’s project will hopefully illuminate over time.

“The research grant awarded by the American Alpine Club and other organizations made it possible for our team to collect preliminary data, create working relationships with CONAF and RRCS to ensure we are working alongside Chilean colleagues, and for us to apply for additional grants that will ensure this work continues for many years. We will be excited to share future results and info in the coming years as we finally are able to return to Chile and continue this important science in a part of the world that is so challenging to reach and conduct research. ”

— Scott Braddock

American Alpine Club Researchers

AAC Researchers are scholars and scientists who have conducted environmental research in part through AAC funding. These are their stories.

Past Award Recipients

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Scott Braddock

2019 Research Grant Recipient

Climate impacts on the glaciers and wildlife of the Southern Patagonian Icefield, Chile

The primary goals of this project are to identify the dominant mechanism of tide-water glacier acceleration in the SPI, specifically Témpano and Bernardo Fjords (Figure 1), and to establish a working relationship with both local Chilean government (CONAF) and international (Round River Conservation Studies) organizations to continue this research theme into the future. This partnership will provide resources and logistical support as well as the opportunity to share equipment and data in the greater effort of understanding and conserving the SPI. In addition, we will have the opportunity to not only publish our findings in journals but also to share these findings with local communities and students (ages 8-21) through field trips, classroom visits and citizen-science efforts around the SPI. It is our hope that this interdisciplinary approach will help to inform and involve these communities to continue conservation and protection of national parks in Chile and build upon our research efforts in a collaborative nature.

Read Braddock’s full report here.

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Anais Zimmer

2019 Research Grant Recipient

Future of Periglacial Landscapes: Alpine Ecosystems and Deglaciation in the Tropical Andes and French Alps

First, this research permits to understand the future of proglacial landscapes at a local scale to enhance decision-making and land use management, generating scientific reports for municipalities, regional or national governments. Second, this proposal aims to develop applied solutions to respond to actual and future problems in mountain regions. Our grazing experiment in Peru tests a local solution that can be implemented at a larger scale and in other mountain systems to respond to regional problems. Third, our results from both continents will advance complementary studies worldwide in such regions as the Central and Southern Andes, the Arctic and Scandinavian Mountains, the Himalayan region, and Africa.

In addition, this research provides the groundwork to create awareness and promote international policies for the conservation of deglaciated landscapes. We aim to influence the broader community of international organizations that work on conservation (such as the IUCN, UNESCO, Mountain Research Initiative, ICIMOD, The Nature Conservancy, among others) in a call for the protection and restoration of proglacial landscapes. Up until now, there is no specific effort on this.

(Photo by: Carlos Ly)

Read Anais’ Full Report Here

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Martí March Salas

2018 Research Grant Recipient

The effect of rock climbing on Mediterranean cliff vegetation: Implementation of an innovative and comprehensive methodology in a wide geographical range

This project proposed to evaluate the effects of rock climbing on plant biodiversity in different locations with Mediterranean environmental conditions, one of the most widely distributed biomes around the world, including California, central Chile, Western Cape (South Africa), south of Australia, and the Mediterranean Basin. We conducted field-samplings in different regions along Spain, south of France, and California. This project provides a starting point for the study of the long-term effects of rock climbing on plant communities, and it was a first step for evaluate, for the first time, the effects of rock climbing in a wide geographic range.

Read Salas’ full report here.

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Marie Faust

2018 Research Grant Recipient

Reproductive consequences of climate change-driven alterations in co-flowering between two subalpine plant species

In the summer of 2018, Faust conducted a short-term field experiment to investigate the effects of climate-driven shifts in co-flowering between Linum lewisii and Potentilla pulcherrima. She hoped to answer these questions: Do climate-driven changes in co-flowering between Linum and Potentilla affect fruit and seed set in Linum? Do climate-driven changes in co-flowering affect interspecific competition for pollinator services between Linum and Potentilla? Read her report and find her answers here.

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Alison Criscitiello

2017 Research Grant Recipient

Histories of Arctic climate and environmental contaminants from a shallow ice core, Mt. Oxford, Ellesmere Island

This project involved the drilling of a new ice core on the plateau of Mt. Oxford, a peak on northern Ellesmere Island, to investigate Arctic Ocean sea-ice variability as well as climate and pollutant histories in this region of the Arctic. The records from this new ice core will be compared to records from other ice cores to offer new insights into the spatial variations in accumulation, moisture source, contamination, and marine aerosol deposition across the eastern Canadian high Arctic. Read more here.

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Anya Tyson

2017 Research Grant Recipient

The Clark's Nutcracker Project: Engaging young adventurers in citizen science.

The whitebark pine is a high-elevation tree entirely dependent upon the Clark's nutcracker to disperse its seeds, and this tree species has suffered greatly from an invasive fungus and a native bark beetle. This research utilized the observation powers of young adventurers to collect data on whitebark pine and Clark's nutcrackers during wilderness expeditions across four remote mountain ranges in Wyoming and Montana. Read more here.

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Emily Schultz

2017 Research Grant Recipient

The importance of within-patch heterogeneity for population dynamics of a high elevation pine.

With mountainous regions across the globe being strongly affected by climate change, it is important to develop reliable models for characterizing how mountain species are affected by environmental variation. This research used new and existing data for whitebark pine in the Elkhorn Mountains of Oregon to test whether within-population variation, such as elevation gradients, can change predictions for the persistence of this species. Read more here.

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Kate McHugh

2017 Research Grant Recipient

Wilderness Rock Climbing Indicators and Climbing Management Implications in the National Park Service

What makes climbing in wilderness unique? How can climbing management practices honor local values and uphold wilderness ideals? McHugh’s study addresses the need to characterize the wilderness climbing resource in National Parks so that it may be appropriately monitored and managed. Deliverables of the research include, first; a critical review of literature, law, policy, and agency practices, and second; the development of tools to describe and define the wilderness climbing resource and a monitoring protocol to document change over time. Research is in-progress; a final report will be posted upon completion.

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Nathalie Chardon

2016 and 2017 Research Grant Recipient

Quantifying the Effects of Anthropogenic Disturbance on Alpine Flora on Colorado's 14'ers

Hiking on Colorado's tallest peaks is rapidly increasing in popularity, yet the effects of this increase are poorly understood. This study integrates a two year field study with ecological modeling techniques to elucidate how these fragile alpine ecosystems are responding to this pressure. Read more here.

The AAC recently interviewed Nathalie on climate change, her research and climbing. Read the interview here.

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Rachael Mallon

2017 Research Grant Recipient

Biogeography of Snow Algae Communities in the Pacific Northwest

The pink or "watermelon" snow seen occasionally in alpine environments is indicative of the presence of snow algae, one of the many species inhabiting biodiverse alpine ecosystems. The algae's pigmentation increases snow melting, making research into the snow algae populations critical to climate change models. This researcher collected samples from Oregon and Washington for molecular analysis to better understand variability across snow algae communities in the Pacific Northwest. Read more here.

The National Renewable Energy Lab wrote a piece about Rachel’s work. Read it here.

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Rebecca Finger

2017 Research Grant Recipient

Limitations to shrub expansion in a warmer Arctic

The warming Arctic is experiencing increases in plant growing season length, but some regions have seen a decline in tundra plant growth while others have experienced increased tundra plant growth. This research examined potential landscape changes over the last fifty years in West Greenland and studied abiotic and biotic controls on modern-day shrub growth and distribution. Read more here.

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Alice Hill

2016 Research Grant Recipient

Dissecting River Flow: Quantifying How Melting Glaciers and Snow Impact Central Asian Water Stress

This research took place over a 500 km stretch of the Naryn River draining the western flanks for the Tien Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan. The work aims to quantify the relative source water contribution from snow, ice, groundwater, and rain to lowland river flow in an arid Central Asian catchment to better understand potential future flow vulnerabilities across this volatile region. Read more here.

The AAC recently interviewed Alice on climate change, her research and climbing. Read the interview here.

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Jonathan Burton

2016 Research Grant Recipient

Assessing Risk of Glacial Outburst Flooding from the Imja Lake, Nepal

Located southeast of Mt. Everest, The Imja Lake is dammed by the terminal moraine of the Imja Glacier. As melt water from the glacier causes the Imja Lake to grow, the risk of catastrophic flooding to the down-stream communities grows. This study measured glacial dimensions, glacial retreat and lake depth over several years to model future glacial dynamics and the risk of outburst flooding. Read more here.

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Katie Epstein & Jessica DiCarlo

2016 Research Grant Recipients

Surveying Adaptation and Recovery in Mountain Farming Communities in Nepal After the 2015 Earthquakes

Nepal is still recuperating from the series of earthquakes that occurred early in 2015. In this study, households in farming communities in the mountainous district of Dolakha are interviewed and surveyed. Results indicate that subsistence agricultural systems were heavily impacted in the earthquakes and that household perceptions of recovery are highly differentiated, despite largely uniform and widespread damages across study sites. Read more here.

Read Epstein and DiCarlo's article in Ecology and Society here. They have also published this research in Case Studies in the Environment and Ambio: A Journal of the Human Environment.

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Nathan Fry

2016 Research Grant Recipient

Evaluating Efficacy of Outdoor Education in Implementing Social-Ecological System Behavior in the Kyrgyz Republic

The purpose of this project is to create an ecological leadership curriculum that effectively combines “best practices” in adventure leadership and environmental education and apply the curriculum to the American University of Central Asia’s pilot Ecological Leadership Program. Read more here.

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Grant Lipman

2015 Research Grant Recipient

Analyzing the Efficacy of a New Potential Acute Mountain Sickness Medication

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is a condition often triggered by rapidly ascending to a higher elevation, without proper acclimatization. The purpose of this trial is to investigate the usefulness of the drug budesonide as a prevention/treatment medication for AMS. Results are compared to the standard AMS treatment: acetazolamide. Read more here.

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Kristin Schild

2015 Research Grant Recipient

Constraining a Prominent Driver in Glacier Terminus Stability from the Tidewater Glacier Kronebreen to Kongsfjorden, Svalbard

The Kronebreen glacier in Svlabard, Norway, was the prime location for this research. The work aims to study water samples collected at the glacier to quantify the magnitude and variation of glacier-driven fjord circulation in order to make more accurate predictions about the influence of a warming climate on ice discharge and on physical and biological dynamics within the fjord. Read more here.

The AAC recently interviewed Kristin on climate change, her research and climbing. Read the interview here.

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Robin Thomas

2015 Research Grant Recipient

Relative Dating of Glacier Moraines in the Cordillera Blanca

Black carbon is believed to be contributing to climate change by absorbing sunlight and released as heat when deposited on the Earth’s surface. The black carbon snow sampling project involved climbing up onto glaciers in Peru to collect snow samples and measuring the reflectivity of the snow. This is just one of the several studies conducted with the help of this award. Read more here.

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Tim Graham

2015 Research Grant Recipient

Assessing the Impacts of Introduced Mountain Goats on La Sal Mountain Alpine Arthropod Communities

Non-native animal species can threaten sensitive ecosystems. Recently, 35 non-native mountain goats were brought to the La Sal Mountains along the Utah/Colorado border. This research investigates the consequences of that introduction by surveying arthropod communities before and after the mountain goats were brought to the area. Read more here.

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Trevor Bloom

2015 Research Grant Recipient

Investigating the Impact of Climate Change and Wildfire on High Elevation Wildflower Saxifraga Austromontana in the Rocky Mountains

High elevation ecosystems are experiencing the impact of climate change with many species moving up North in search of cooler climates. This study focuses specifically on the Saxifraga austromontana (spotted saxifrage) and seeks answers on how the species will fare under the impact of climate change and increased fire frequency. Read more here.

The AAC recently interviewed Trevor on climate change, his research and climbing. Read the interview here.

Announcing: our 2019 Research Grants!

We're proud to announce our 2019 Research Grant recipients! This year, we're awarding more than $16,000 to researchers pursuing scientific endeavors in the mountains.

From studying the effects of glacier tourism on the Juneau Icefield to building a collaborative climbing management strategy in Ten Sleep, the projects our researchers are embarking on are going to make positive change.

These grants are powered by National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Ridgeline Venture Law and supported by Fourpoints Bar and KAVU. 

Photo courtesy of 2018 Research Grant Recipient Martí March Salas, who studied the effects of climbing on Mediterranean cliff vegetation.

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March 26, 2019, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club (AAC) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2019 Research Grants, powered by the National Renewable Energy Lab and Ridgeline Venture Law, with support from Four Points, Kavu, and the following endowments: Arthur K. Gilkey Memorial Fund and the Bedayn Research Fund. This year, the Club is awarding more than $16,000 to researchers pursuing scientific endeavors in mountain environments around the world.

“We are proud to support these valuable research projects,” said AAC Policy Manager Taylor Luneau. “The work that young climber scientists are doing in the mountains reveal important findings on many aspects of climbing such as a changing climate and stewardship and land management strategies for healthy and resilient ecosystems. Ultimately, we hope this research can be used to inform climate and land use legislation to the benefit of all climbers and outdoor recreationists.”

Megan Behnke - $1,500

Smoky ice: How have alpine and glacier tourism impacted Juneau Icefield biogeochemistry?

Megan Behnke is a Ph.D. student in Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Florida State University. She plans to travel to the Juneau Icefield, in coastal Southeast Alaska, to study the impact of tourism on the local icefield-to-ocean ecosystem.

Scott Braddock - $1,500

Climate impacts on the glaciers and wildlife of the Southern Patagonian Icefield, Chile

Scott Braddock is a Ph.D. student in Earth and Climate Sciences at the University of Maine. His research focuses on identifying the dominant mechanism of glacier acceleration in the Southern Patagonia Icefield, and retreat impacts on glacier stability and biodiversity in Bernard O’Higgins National Park. 

Jesse Bryant - $1,500

A policy science inquiry into the cultural conflict in Ten Sleep, WY

Jesse Bryant is a Masters student in Environmental Management at Yale. His research aims to systematically chart a comprehensive picture of the resource questions in Ten Sleep by employing an interdisciplinary multi-method approach called the policy science framework. Ultimately, this study may act as a guide for national climbing advocacy groups and local groups in Ten Sleep to clarify the source of apparent “problems,” discover common interests with locals, and build a more collaborative climbing management strategy in Ten Sleep Canyon.

Donovan Dennis - $1,270

Mountain stability in a warming world: investigating environmental controls on frost weathering in cold regions

Donovan Dennis is a Ph.D. student in Earth Science at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam, Germany. Dennis’ research will focus on investigating the magnitude of weathering on recently exposed (de-glaciated) bedrock experiencing different climate conditions. The Juneau Icefield (JI) is an ideal setting to test these effects, as it has an abundance of recently exposed bedrock and, additionally, a strong climate gradient across the east-west axis of the icefield. The proposed work on the JI will be carried out in collaboration with the Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP).

Juliann Allison - $1,157

The role of climbers' identities, ethics and activism in conserving and preserving sandstone climbing areas

Juliann Allison is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of the University of California, Riverside, Gender & Sexuality Studies department. Her research will focus on examining climbers’ identities as sources of environmental ethics, and climbing practices that are most likely to motivate their participation in individual and organized conservation programs to support the long-term ecological viability of sandstone climbing areas.

Georgia Harrison - $1,300

Impact of rock-climbing disturbance and microhabitat characteristics on cliff-face vegetation communities of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area

Georgia Harrison is a Master’s student in Biology at Appalachian State University. Her team looks to determine the relative influence of rock-climbing activity, cliff-face microtopography, and microclimate on the cliff-face vegetation communities of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area (LGWA). In addition to improving current plant inventory records, their study will provide land managers with information regarding the potential impacts of recreational rock climbing on cliff-face plant communities in the LGWA.

Dara Miles - $683

Golden eagle nest monitoring in Boulder Canyon rock climbing areas (in collaboration with the National Forest Service)

Dara Miles is the Director of the Boulder Climbing Community’s (BCC) Eagle Monitoring Program. In collaboration with the National Forest Service, BCC works with local climber-volunteers to monitor Golden Eagle nests in Boulder Canyon, CO. This grant will fund additional equipment to assist volunteers and the Forest Service in their ongoing monitoring of the eagles and their habitats in a popular climbing area.

Wade Parker - $1,500

A floristic survey of Buckeye Knob bouldering area: inventory and climber education

Wade Parker is the Vice President of the Carolina Climbers Coalition (CCC), a Local Climbing Organization based in Raleigh, NC. The CCC, working with two local cliff ecologists and climbers, will conduct a floristic inventory at the Buckeye Knob bouldering area in Watauga County, NC. This information will be used to educate all visitors and foster greater stewardship in support of a healthy, resilient, local ecosystem.

Jeffrey Perala-Dewey - $1,500

Climbing with contaminants: quantifying atmospheric deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) into the snowpack of Utah's Wasatch Mountains

Jeffrey Perala-Dewey is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Utah State University. This study will benchmark the level of PAH deposition into the Wasatch Range. Determination of both the magnitude of alpine contamination as well as the type of contaminants found in the Wasatch Range will provide a valuable starting point for further research in the region. Results will indicate whether these contaminations may be ecologically significant during spring snow melt.

Brianna Rick - $1,500

Rock glaciers as climate resilient cold-water reservoirs in alpine basins

Brianna Rick is a Ph.D. student in Geosciences at Colorado State University. Her research focuses on quantifying the volume of ice within the Lake Agnes rock glacier in Colorado, a permafrost feature containing internal ice layers more resilient to climate change. This research will aid in understanding current and potential future stream flow contributions of rock glaciers.

Wilmer Esteban Sanchez Rodriguez - $1,350

Impact of the black carbon on the melting of Vallunaraju Glacier in the Cordillera Blanca

Wilmer Esteban Sanchez Rodriguez is a researcher working with the American Climbers Science Program in Peru. Their work with this project proposes to estimate the melting of the Vallunaraju Glacier in the Cordillera Blanca as a result of black carbon particle distribution and solar radiation across the glacier.

Anais Zimmer - $1,430

Future of periglacial landscape: alpine ecosystems and deglaciation in the tropical Andes and French Alps

Anais Zimmer is a Ph.D. student at the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Texas at Austin. The long-term goal of this project is to examine the complex reciprocity between climate, high alpine ecosystems, and human systems, through a comprehensive reconstruction of the dynamics of communities and of species assemblages after glacial retreat. Her project will focus equally on ecological processes and human systems to sustain livelihood activities and downstream services.

Learn more about the AAC Research Grants: americanalpineclub.org/research-grants

2018 Research Grant Recipients Announced

2017 Research Grant Recipient Rachael Mallon collects a sample on the Gerdine Glacier while studying the biogeography of snow algae communities.

We're proud to announce the recipients of the 2018 Research Grants, powered by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy (NREL) and supported by Icebreaker, Kavu, the Henry Gholz Memorial Fund, and the following endowments: Lara-Karena Bitenieks Kellogg Memorial Fund, Scott Fischer Memorial Fund, Arthur K. Gilkey Memorial Fund and the Bedayn Research Fund.

The AAC Research Grants program supports scientific endeavors in mountain environments around the world. Grant recipients’ research reflects AAC’s mission “to support our shared passion for climbing and respect for the places we climb” by contributing valuable information to our understanding of the world’s mountain ecosystems. Each grant recipient becomes an AAC Researcher, sharing their experiences, lessons learned, and findings with fellow climbers and the research community.

learn more about the Grants here. Researchers: we can't wait to see what you discover!

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March 23, 2018, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club (AAC) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2018 Research Grants, powered by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy (NREL) and supported by Icebreaker, Kavu, the Henry Gholz Memorial Fund, and the following endowments: Lara-Karena Bitenieks Kellogg Memorial Fund, Scott Fischer Memorial Fund, Arthur K. Gilkey Memorial Fund and the Bedayn Research Fund.

The AAC Research Grants program supports scientific endeavors in mountain environments around the world. Congratulations to the 2018 Research Grant recipients:

Zeke Baker - $1,500

Bridging climbing access and impacts in a multi-use landscape: A historical political ecology of climbing in Indian Creek, Utah

Zeke Baker is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of California, Davis. He is investigating how various groups - rock climbers, ranchers, Native Americans, landowners, government officials, and scientists - have impacted the landscape of the Indian Creek region of Utah, and how they evaluate and make meaningful their respective impacts.  

Marie Faust - $1,225

Reproductive consequences of climate change-driven alterations in co-flowering between two subalpine plant species

Marie Faust is a master’s student in Plant Biology and Conservation at Northwestern University. She is examining how climate-driven shifts in co-flowering can affect competition for pollinator services and reproductive success in a subalpine plant species at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado.

Jessica Gilbert - $1,500

Assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on high altitude biodiversity in Huascaran National Park, Peru

Jessica Gilbert is a PhD candidate in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at Texas A&M University. Her study aims to assess the impact of human activities on high altitude biodiversity in Andean ecosystems in Huascaran National Park, Peru, comparing the spatial use of habitat by mammalian carnivores in “pristine” environments and areas affected by livestock grazing our tourism activities.

Ethan Guzek - $1,020

Proposed Rockfall and Slope Stability Hazard Assessment, Frenchman Coulee Climbing Area

Ethan Guzek is a master’s student in Engineering Geology at the University of Washington. He is using standard engineering geological methods for studying rock-slope stability and rock fall hazards to conduct a safety assessment for the Sunshine Wall at the Frenchman Coulee climbing area in Washington.

Andrew Hoffman - $1,500

Deriving elevation change, validating GPRI-derived glacier velocities, and using citizen science to enrich public awareness of regional climate change on Mt. Baker, WA

Andrew Hoffman is a PhD candidate in Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington. He is investigating glacier speed and retreat on Mt. Baker, Washington using photogrammetry-kinematic GPS surveys, a process that incorporates citizen science efforts.

Rachel Kreb - $1,225

Ecological Restoration: Cushion Plant Facilitation on Alpine Trails

Rachel Kreb is a master’s student in Environmental Biology at Regis University. She is investigating how cushion plants respond to human-caused disturbance along restored and existing trails on Mt. Yale in Colorado.

Marti March Salas - $1,220

The effect of rock climbing on Mediterranean cliff vegetation: Implementation of an innovative and comprehensive methodology in a wide geographical range

Marti March Salas is a PhD student in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid, Spain. He is investigating the impacts of rock climbing on cliffside plant communities in Mediterranean environments by conducting surveys of species richness, plant composition, and vegetation cover in climbing locations in the US, Chile, Spain, and France.

Amy Sturgill - $1,500

Pine Creek Recreation Interaction Study: The Role of Outdoor Recreation in Shaping Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Habitat Selection

Amy Sturgill is a biologist with the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Foundation and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. She is investigating the impacts of recreational use in Pine Creek Canyon, Sierra Nevada, California, on Sierra bighorn sheep habitat selection.

Thank you to our partners and Research Grant Committee members: Danika Gilbert, Louis Reichardt, Matt Hepp, Micah Jessup, and Emily Fenwick.

Part of the AAC’s mission is to respect and support the areas we enjoy, and one of the most important ways to do that is by funding research to better understand such environments. Learn more about the Research Grant: https://americanalpineclub.org/research-grants.

Watermelon Snow: Blooming in Alpine Ecosystems

The piece below is courtesy of the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). You can view the .pdf here. You can also learn more about the Research Grants we offer that enabled this project, and start dreaming up your own.

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High up in the alpine, above the tree line where the air is thin and the sun is bright, the seemingly inhospitable alpine ecosystem supports an incredible range of native species including mountain goats, marmots, and pikas. Nestled beneath our climbing boots and the crunch of the fallen alpine snow lives another world of microscopic treasures like arthropods, fungi, bacteria, and algae.

To 2017 American Alpine Club (AAC) research grant recipient Rachael Mallon, the fragile yet resilient ecosystems of the alpine environment drive her curiosity and passion for scientific discovery and climbing. While studying biology at the University of Puget Sound, Rachael spent two summers hiking on glaciers throughout the Pacific Northwest, researching the phylogeography and ecology of ice worms.

"I love the solitude of the alpine environment and the crazy swings between the seasons," Rachael said. "At the same time, I respect how harsh the environment is and how creatures—great and small—survive and shape the alpine ecosystem."

Today, Rachael researches snow algae in the Cascade Mountain Range while pursuing a master's degree in biology at Western Washington University. AAC's research grant helped fund her research on the changes in snow algae communities by geographic location.

The Secret Life of Snow Algae

Dormant in the winter, snow algae are invisible to the naked eye until spring when increased levels of light and water stimulate growth. Algae practice photosynthesis—turning sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into oxygen and chemical energy in the form of sugar—until they grow into a massive "bloom" of algal biomass. Watermelon-colored pigmentation is a characteristic of the bloom. This results in a wavy sea of pink-colored snow sloping up through the tundra.

Like human sunscreen, the pigmentation allows snow algae to withstand the intense ultraviolet rays from the sun at that elevation. The watermelon pigment serves another purpose, increasing the snow algae's preferred habitat for photosynthesis—water. Like wearing a black t-shirt on a hot sunny day, the darker-colored snow absorbs the sun's rays, increasing the amount of liquid water.

"The beauty of the snow algae is its ability to engineer an ecosystem and nourish other tiny alpine creatures," says Rachael. "Through photosynthesis the algae create sugar, which is also a food source for the ice worms, fungi, and bacteria."

What Makes Rachael's Research Different

Previous research of snow algae communities shows that watermelon snow harbors 2–40 species of algae. Although snow algae are found on every continent, research to address changes in these algal communities by geographic location has been limited. Rachael's research tracks snow algae communities in the Cascades to see how they differ based on where they live.

"My research will be the first comprehensive snow microbe biodiversity study across the whole Cascade mountain range," said Rachael.

On each peak, she would collect two to eight samples from different locations and record information like latitude and longitude, quality of the snow, elevation, and aspect of the slope. Back at the lab, the snow algae samples undergo DNA extraction and then molecular analysis. A component of the snow algae DNA helps determine which species of snow algae it is. After analyzing the field and DNA data, Rachael will be able to describe how snow algae communities vary throughout the Pacific Northwest, including how these communities change with respect to time and altitude.

The Impact of Snow Algae Research and the AAC Research Grant

Ironically, the way that snow algae survives intense solar radiation creates a biofeedback loop causing glacial snow to melt even faster.

"A recent study on the Harding Icefield in Alaska found that snow algae can increase the amount of melting by four times the amount that white snow would," Rachael said. "Currently, snow algae impact on glacial snow melt within climate change models is not taken into consideration. If we don't consider snow algae in the bigger picture of glacial melting within these models, then we aren't getting the full story how glaciers are impacted over time."

With the help of an American Alpine Club Research Grant, Rachael was able to continue her study of these tiny treasures and their influence on the ecosystem. "It's inspiring to me for a community like the AAC to use a portion of their dues to fund alpine research. I’m so grateful that the AAC is supporting scientists who work to understand and preserve the climbing areas that we care about."

Climbers as Citizen Scientists

There are several ways AAC members and outdoor enthusiasts can assist with data collection while doing what they love. The Living Snow Project, at Western Washington University's Kodner Lab, involves the outdoor recreation community as "citizen scientists" in research exploring the biodiversity of alpine snow ecosystems. If you find yourself climbing in the north and central Cascades, the process of collecting snow algae is simple and fun:

• Sign up to volunteer
• Receive a sample kit
• Collect pink or watermelon snow on your next trip
• Note the GPS coordinates
• Send the sample back in the mail

AAC Announces 2017 Research Grant Recipients

Photo by Matt Jenkins of Research Grant recipient Kate McHugh.

We're proud to announce the recipients of the 2017 Research Grants.

Our Research Grants program supports scientific endeavors in mountain environments around the world. As climbers, we have a responsibility to understand how our outdoor resources are being affected in changing world. Part of the AAC’s mission is to respect and support the areas we enjoy, one of the most important ways to do that is by funding research to better understand such environments.

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May 1, 2017, Golden, CO—The American Alpine Club (AAC) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2017 Research Grants, powered by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy and supported by the following endowments: Lara-Karena Bitenieks Kellogg Memorial Fund, Scott Fischer Memorial Fund, Arthur K. Gilkey Memorial Fund and the Bedayn Research Fund. The AAC Research Grants program supports scientific endeavors in mountain environments around the world. As climbers, we have a responsibility to understand how our outdoor resources are being affected in changing world. Part of the AAC’s mission is to respect and support the areas we enjoy, one of the most important ways to do that is by funding research to better understand such environments.

A big thanks to our corporate partners and to our Research Grant Committee members (listed below). Congratulations to our 2017 Research Grant recipients:

Kate McHugh – $1,500
Wilderness Rock Climbing Indicators and Climbing Management Implications in the National Park System, Grand Canyon National Park and Joshua Tree National Park
Kate McHugh is pursuing a Masters in Applied Geospatial Analysis, Geography, Planning, and Recreation at the University of Arizona. She is conducting a study that will determine what variables or indicators should be monitored and measured for climbing management strategies in National Park Service wilderness.

Cristian Rios – $1,000
Ecology and conservation of Polylepis ecosystem and its bird community, Peru
Cristian Rios is a Peruvian Ph.D. student at Cornell University in Conservation Science, entering his fourth year of field work. He is investigating the possible link of habitat loss and habitat fragmentation to the population declines of several threatened bird species in the Polylepsis forests of Huascaran National Park.

Rebecca Finger – $1,000
Limits to shrub expansion in a warmer Arctic, Greenland
Rebecca Finger is a Ph.D. student and NSF Fellow in Ecology at Dartmouth. She is examining the response of shrubs in the Arctic tundra to global warming and its effect on the permafrost over the past 50 years. In addition to conducting research, she will spend some of her time in Greenland helping teach and mentor local high school youth.

Kaitlyn Hanley – $1,000
The persistence of American pika in the Greater Yellowstone Region under a warmer future climate, Montana and Wyoming
Kaitlyn Hanley is a Masters student in Biological Sciences at Clemson. She is investigating both how and why pikas are surviving at lower elevations than previously reported in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Nathalie Chardon – $750
Disturbance impacts on alpine plant populations at elevational and climatic limits, Colorado
Nathalie Chardon is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Studies at University of Colorado, Boulder. She is researching human impacts on biodiversity competition at limits of moss campion’s range, (e.g. hiker disturbance and trampling, and how effects change with elevation).

Chris Cosgrove – $750
Open-source automated weather stations for wireless sensor networks in high altitude/latitude environments, Oregon and Alaska
Chris Cosgrove is a 1st year Ph.D. student at Oregon State University’s Mountain Hydroclimatology group. He is developing and testing a prototype open-source automated weather station that will be integrated into a long-range wireless sensor network. If successful, it should be robust enough to endure winter-long deployment in a remote backcountry site.

Jess Gilbert – $500
Assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on high altitude biodiversity in Huascaran National Park, Peru
Jess Gilbert is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University. She is exploring the spatial use of habitat by mammalian carnivores in both ‘pristine’ environments and areas affected by livestock grazing or tourism activities in Huascaran National Park, Peru.

Emily Schultz – $500
The importance of within-patch heterogeneity for metapopulation dynamics of a high elevation pine, Oregon
Emily Shultz is a Ph.D. candidate and NSF fellow in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University. She is developing models predicting the heterogeneity of whitebark pine and impact of heterogeneity on resilience. This research elevates the predictive analysis possible for metapopulations of the endangered conifer.

Win McLaughlin – $500
Initiation and timing of uplift of the Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan
Win McLaughlin is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Oregon. He will conduct field work to collect and compare fossils and rock cores from two basins in the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan to constrain the timing and rate of their uplift.

Anya Tyson – $500
The Clark’s Nutcracker Citizen Science Project: Engaging young adventurers in research and conservation, Wyoming
Anya Tyson is a Masters student in the Conservation Ecology and Field Naturalist Program at University of Vermont and the coordinator of the Clark’s Nutcracker Citizen Science Project. She is an active science communicator who specializes in training instructors from NOLS, Teton Science Schools, and other organizations on how to educate their students about the whitebark pine ecosystem.

Daniel Winkler – $500
Biodiversity collapse: how a keystone species mediates biodiversity of Ecuadorian alpine areas responding to climate change, Ecuador
Daniel Winkler is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of California, Irvine. He is conducting research to test if climate change-induced range shifts of the vulnerable X. rigidum (a keystone nurse plant species) have occurred on the dry western slopes in the rain shadow of Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador.

Alison Criscitiello – $500
Histories of Arctic climate and environmental contaminants from a shallow ice core, Grant Ice Cap, Ellesmere Island, Canada
Alison Criscitiello is a post-doctoral researcher in the Cryosphere Climate Research Group at the University of Calgary, Canada and the Technical Director of the Canadian Ice Core Archive at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on reconstructing climate and sea ice histories of the Arctic Ocean, as well as examining the presence of pollutants through time.

Rachael Mallon – $500
Phylogeography of Snow Algae Communities in the Pacific Northwest, California, Oregon, Washington
Rachael Mallon is a Masters student in Biology at Western Washington University. She is investigating the effects of snow algae on accelerating melting of snow pack in the Western United States from the Sierra Nevada through the Cascade Range.

Peter Billman – $250
Understanding how changing snowpacks and water availability affect patterns of distributional change in the American pika
Peter Billman is beginning a Ph.D. program at Montana State University. He is investigating the effects of water-availability on the windward (west-facing) and leeward (east-facing) sides in several mountain ranges on the location and distribution of the American pika.

AAC Research Grant Selection Committee

• Sarah Vail, Committee Chair

• Danika Gilbert

• Louis Reichardt

• Matt Hepp

• Katie Rose Fischer-Price

With support from: Maria Povec, Research Grant Coordinator, AAC staff and Jonathan Oulton, AAC Policy Program intern

AAC and the Alliance for Sustainable Energy Powering Alpine Research

Kristin Schild in her survival suit and field gear collecting samples out of a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard, Norway. She is studying the influence of a warming climate on ice discharge and its influence on physical and biological dynamics within the fjord. Photo: K. Lindbäck

The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, which manages the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden for the Department of Energy, has partnered with the American Alpine Club to provide AAC Research Grants. The Alliance will contribute $5,000 to future grants and provide technical support for their administration. These grants will support clean energy and other scientific endeavors in mountains and crags around the world. Grant winners provide vital knowledge about our climbing environments and enrich our understanding of environmental impacts.

The AAC Research Grant application opens on November 15 and closes on January 15. Learn more about the club’s grants program and how you can apply: https://americanalpineclub.org/research-grants

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August 29, 2016, Golden, CO—The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, which manages the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden for the Department of Energy, has partnered with the American Alpine Club to provide AAC Research Grants. The Alliance will contribute $5,000 to future grants and provide technical support for their administration. These grants will support clean energy and other scientific endeavors in mountains and crags around the world. Grant winners provide vital knowledge about our climbing environments and enrich our understanding of environmental impacts.

NREL’s work in clean energy aligns with AAC’s long history of supporting some of the most significant mountain explorations in the world, including the 1939 summit attempt on K2, the 1963 first American summit of Everest, and the 1966 summit of Antarctica's Mt. Vinson.

In addition to providing funding, the Alliance will support the club’s research grants by participating in the grant reviews.

“We’re lucky to have a laboratory in our backyard that is leading the country in developing clean energy technology,” says Policy and Advocacy Director Maria Millard. “It’s a natural fit for such a powerhouse to fuel our research grants.”

Previous AAC research grant winners have studied snow surfaces and the formation of snow bedforms in Antarctica and Colorado, providing useful information for alpine travelers and avalanche professionals. A recent "Live your Dream" climbing grant awardee just returned from a month in Nepal where a team from Goal Zero installed solar panels in remote mountain villages.  Another grant participant examined the impact of human and climate disturbance on alpine plants, information that can inform land management decisions and backcountry travel.

The AAC Research Grant application opens on November 15 and closes on January 15. Learn more about the club’s grants program and how you can apply: americanalpineclub.org/research-grants