Storm Peak Laboratory | A Unique Window into the World of Atmospheric Sciences
Published March 2023
Storm Peak Laboratory at Steamboat Resort
If you have ever ridden up Morningside chairlift to access the top of Mount Werner at Steamboat Resort, you have seen the Storm Peak Laboratory. Sitting at an elevation of 10,525 feet above sea level and “in a cloud” 40% of the winter, Storm Peak Lab provides a unique window into the world of atmospheric sciences. Originating in a different form during the winter of 1979, Storm Peak Lab has evolved over the past 44 years as a premier high-elevation atmospheric research facility that is accessible year-round and in all kinds of weather.
At first glance, Storm Peak Lab may appear to be a Steamboat Resort building, but as you look closer and notice the scientific equipment on the rooftop deck, it becomes clear that it is designed for research rather than recreation. The building you see today was constructed in 1995 and remodeled in 2012, but the lab’s origins go back even further.
During the winter of 1979, Storm Peak Lab began as an observing facility within the attic of Thunderhead Lodge. As part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to Colorado State University (CSU) to study cloud-forming aerosols, observations started at 9,080 feet. Researchers quickly realized that a higher elevation site was necessary. From 1980 to 1984, the lab operated out of a single 16-foot camper that was moved to different locations on Storm Peak and Mount Werner. In 1984, it reached its current home atop Mount Werner at 10,525 feet.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Storm Peak Lab began to define its own research direction. Numerous NSF-funded projects relied on its unique capabilities. Originally operated by CSU, the lab was transferred in 1989 to the Desert Research Institute (DRI) of Nevada under Dr. Randy Borys. Around the same time, the U.S. Forest Service issued a special use permit for the land surrounding the lab.
As Storm Peak Lab grew in the scientific community, Steamboat Resort expanded its ski terrain. In 1993, the Morningside chairlift was installed, bringing more visibility to the lab. In response, Steamboat Resort and the U.S. Forest Service worked together to replace the temporary structure with a permanent building that would blend with the surrounding mountain architecture. Completed in 1995, the new facility included bunks for nine people, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and expanded space for research equipment.
With a permanent facility in place, universities across the country began offering courses in cloud physics and atmospheric chemistry centered around research at the lab. As an official NSF community facility, educational use must align with the U.S. Forest Service permit, meaning all programming remains focused on atmospheric science.
In 2006, Dr. Anna Gannet Hallar became the lab’s director. In 2012, NSF funding supported a major remodel and expansion, improving accessibility for researchers, teachers, and students of all abilities. The lab can be accessed in winter via chairlift, snowmobile, or snowcat, and in summer via a permitted four-wheel-drive road. In 2022, Storm Peak Lab was acquired by the University of Utah, where Dr. Hallar continues her work as a professor in atmospheric science.
The evolution of Storm Peak Laboratory’s structure has been significant, but its focus has remained consistent. During the winter, when the lab is “in cloud” about 40% of the time, scientists study cloud microphysics, using specialized instruments to analyze snowflakes and cloud droplets. As Dr. Hallar explains, “it really allows us…to have our head in the clouds.”
For more than twenty years, the lab has also conducted continuous measurements of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide. Recently, new instruments from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have expanded capabilities to include methane, water vapor, and carbon monoxide. These high-precision measurements are essential for improving climate models and advancing climate prediction research.
With its ability to support continuous, high-elevation research year-round, Storm Peak Laboratory is one of the premier atmospheric science labs in the United States and the world. Steamboat Resort remains a key partner, contributing to the lab’s success and ongoing development. The next time you reach the top of Mount Werner, take a moment to notice one of the world’s leading atmospheric science facilities studying the snow beneath your skis and snowboard.
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Storm Peak Laboratory at Steamboat Resort
If you have ever ridden up Morningside chairlift to access the top of Mount Werner at Steamboat Resort, you have seen the Storm Peak Laboratory. Sitting at an elevation of 10,525 feet above sea level and “in a cloud” 40% of the winter, Storm Peak Lab provides a unique window into the world of atmospheric sciences. Originating in a different form during the winter of 1979, Storm Peak Lab has evolved over the past 44 years as a premier high-elevation atmospheric research facility that is accessible year-round and in all kinds of weather.
At first glance, Storm Peak Lab may appear to be a Steamboat Resort building, but as you look closer and notice the scientific equipment on the rooftop deck, it becomes clear that it is designed for research rather than recreation. The building you see today was constructed in 1995 and remodeled in 2012, but the lab’s origins go back even further.
During the winter of 1979, Storm Peak Lab began as an observing facility within the attic of Thunderhead Lodge. As part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to Colorado State University (CSU) to study cloud-forming aerosols, observations started at 9,080 feet. Researchers quickly realized that a higher elevation site was necessary. From 1980 to 1984, the lab operated out of a single 16-foot camper that was moved to different locations on Storm Peak and Mount Werner. In 1984, it reached its current home atop Mount Werner at 10,525 feet.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Storm Peak Lab began to define its own research direction. Numerous NSF-funded projects relied on its unique capabilities. Originally operated by CSU, the lab was transferred in 1989 to the Desert Research Institute (DRI) of Nevada under Dr. Randy Borys. Around the same time, the U.S. Forest Service issued a special use permit for the land surrounding the lab.
As Storm Peak Lab grew in the scientific community, Steamboat Resort expanded its ski terrain. In 1993, the Morningside chairlift was installed, bringing more visibility to the lab. In response, Steamboat Resort and the U.S. Forest Service worked together to replace the temporary structure with a permanent building that would blend with the surrounding mountain architecture. Completed in 1995, the new facility included bunks for nine people, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, and expanded space for research equipment.
With a permanent facility in place, universities across the country began offering courses in cloud physics and atmospheric chemistry centered around research at the lab. As an official NSF community facility, educational use must align with the U.S. Forest Service permit, meaning all programming remains focused on atmospheric science.
In 2006, Dr. Anna Gannet Hallar became the lab’s director. In 2012, NSF funding supported a major remodel and expansion, improving accessibility for researchers, teachers, and students of all abilities. The lab can be accessed in winter via chairlift, snowmobile, or snowcat, and in summer via a permitted four-wheel-drive road. In 2022, Storm Peak Lab was acquired by the University of Utah, where Dr. Hallar continues her work as a professor in atmospheric science.
The evolution of Storm Peak Laboratory’s structure has been significant, but its focus has remained consistent. During the winter, when the lab is “in cloud” about 40% of the time, scientists study cloud microphysics, using specialized instruments to analyze snowflakes and cloud droplets. As Dr. Hallar explains, “it really allows us…to have our head in the clouds.”
For more than twenty years, the lab has also conducted continuous measurements of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide. Recently, new instruments from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have expanded capabilities to include methane, water vapor, and carbon monoxide. These high-precision measurements are essential for improving climate models and advancing climate prediction research.
With its ability to support continuous, high-elevation research year-round, Storm Peak Laboratory is one of the premier atmospheric science labs in the United States and the world. Steamboat Resort remains a key partner, contributing to the lab’s success and ongoing development. The next time you reach the top of Mount Werner, take a moment to notice one of the world’s leading atmospheric science facilities studying the snow beneath your skis and snowboard.
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