November 2008 Evening Programs at Rocky Mountain National Park

Date: November 13, 2008
Contact: Kyle Patterson, 970-586-1363

Saturday, November 8, 7:00 p.m. - Bettie Willard and the Land Above the Trees
Dr. Beatrice Willard was a beloved and respected tundra ecologist. In 1959, she established research exclosures along Trail Ridge Road at Rock Cut and Forest Canyon Overlook. Willard’s dissertation and subsequent scientific journal articles about alpine tundra recovery after human trampling have been cited extensively by scientists. At Rocky Mountain National Park, Willard influenced how the park manages its alpine tundra by implementing recommendations from her 40 years of research. Dr. Willard’s versatility as a scientist, park interpreter, and popular writer enabled her to take leadership in the areas of natural resource protection and national environmental policy.

Join a park ranger for an overview of Bettie Willard’s life work. The ranger is with the Continental Divide Research Learning Center at Rocky Mountain National Park. The Continental Divide Research Learning Center staff facilitates research in the park and issues permits to scientists who inventory, monitor, and study park resources such as elk, butterflies, air quality, glaciers, and people. The staff translates the results of research for the park managers and public and assist with field logistics.

Saturday, November 15, 7:00 p.m. - A Diminishing Shadow: Longs Peak and Auto Tourists in the Postwar Era
Join Rocky Mountain Nature Association Bailey Fellow, Cori Knudten, for a closer look at Longs Peak. Roger Toll, one of the park’s first superintendents, declared Longs Peak the “King of Rocky Mountain National Park.” The mountain and park saw a surge in popularity throughout the 20th century, but the way people visited the peak has changed over time. While it still holds its iconic status for thousands of citizens and park visitors, Cori will explain how the meaning of the peak has transformed over the last 100 years.

November 22, 7:00 p.m. - Wolves: A Legend Returns to Yellowstone
Discover more about these icons of wildness in Wolves: A Legend Returns to Yellowstone. After being hunted to the brink of extinction, this majestic misunderstood wolf is attempting the comeback of the century in America’s beloved Yellowstone National Park.

Four years in the making, this amazing 55 minute National Geographic film invites you to run with the pack of wolves. Witness the unfolding saga of hardships and affection, losses and triumphs, and the controversy surrounding the decision to reintroduce these wolves back into the heart of the West.

November 29, 7:00 p.m. - Secret Yellowstone: Explore Beyond the Tourist Hotspots
Discover spectacular backcountry wonders as you venture off the beaten track to experience the extraordinary hidden wilderness of Yellowstone National Park during this 46 minute National Geographic film.     

Witness towering newly mapped waterfalls; rarely seen predator behavior by wolves and grizzly bears; and ecological mysteries found only in the uniquely challenging environment. Probe the vast molten magma chamber that underlies the park and powers its incredible array of explosive geysers, seething mud pots and toxic gas vents. Featuring striking satellite imagery and dynamic computer generated animations, this is Yellowstone as you’ve never seen or imagined before!    

All evening programs are on Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center in Rocky Mountain National Park. They are free and open to the public. For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park, please call the park’s information office at [phone].