Welcome to the Rocky Mountain Chapter of
The Explorers Club
We are 130 explorers and adventurers who are passionate about the advancement of field research and the ideal that it is vital to preserve the instinct to explore.
Upcoming events
Find out about our upcoming lectures featuring members of The Explorers Club, get-togethers, holiday parties, and other events for the Rocky Mountain Chapter.
Our next event is…
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Think South: Early Exploration and New Research in West Antarctica and the Thwaites “Doomsday” Glacier
- Monday, November 18, 2024, 6:30 p.m.
- Location: Boulder TBD
- RSVP to jeff@blumenfeldpr.com by Nov. 15, 2024
The United States Antarctic Service Expedition (1939-1941), also known as Richard Byrd’s Third Antarctic Expedition, is often left out of timelines and history books. While the expedition was cut short by World War II, it made compelling discoveries of huge swaths of the continent. Byrd was one of the most important figures of twentieth century exploration. Leilani Henry’s father, George W. Gibbs, Jr., participated as a crew member on one of the expedition ships, the USS Bear.
Gibbs became the first person of his race to step on Antarctica. The expedition had 125 men and 80 dogs. Fifty-nine of the men wintered-over for about one year. The lessons and insights of these explorers have contributed to a global understanding of the Earth and space.
Leilani Raashida Henry, is a facilitator, coach, artist, and public speaker. Her keynote presentations range from Rotary, global science conferences, the U.S. Embassy in Rwanda, and numerous educational institutions. A resident of Conifer, Colorado, she is author of The Call of Antarctica: Exploring and Protecting Earth’s Coldest Continent (Twenty-First Century Books, 2021)
The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration – Research on the World’s Riskiest Glacier
Our second presenter of the evening is Dr. Ted Scambos, Senior Research Scientist, University of Colorado Boulder
Thwaites Glacier, described as part of the “weak underbelly” of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, is a subject of ongoing international study for its potential to rapidly elevate sea levels. In fact, the outsized danger Thwaites poses has led to some reporters calling it the “Doomsday Glacier,” although this nickname is controversial among scientists.
Hear from Ted Scambos who is currently leading research in the field studying the retreat and increasing outflow of the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica, the widest glacier on Earth, as part of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (www.thwaitesglacier.org)
Dr. Scambos, a Fellow of The Explorers Club and resident of Lafayette, works at the Earth Science and Observation Center, a part of CIRES at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has specialized in using satellite data of the polar ice caps to map these regions in new ways, and study the effects of climate change in Antarctica.
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Dig This: Discovery in the Mesozoic of Utah – Fieldwork by the Prehistoric Museum and How You Can Participate
- 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 21, 2025
- Location: Boulder TBA
- RSVP deadline: January 18, 2025 to jeff@blumenfeldpr.com
Presented by Joshua Lively, Ph.D., Curator of Paleontology, Prehistoric Museum, Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum
The Prehistoric Museum at Utah State University Eastern in Price, Utah, is within less than two hours – in every direction – of some of the most important fossiliferous rocks in the United States. These are rocks that span the entire Age of Dinosaurs (Triassic – Cretaceous) as well as rocks from the Eocene.
“If you can get yourself to Price or our field localities, love paleontology, and are ready to prospect some of the most remote areas of Utah for ancient life, you can join us,” says Josh Lively, Curator of Paleontology for the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum.
Learn about their important work and how you can participate.
For more information on Josh and the museum, view:
Past News and Events
Read out about our past lectures featuring members of The Explorers Club.
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From Buckskin to Gore-Tex: How the Development of Outdoor Gear and Equipment Led to Modern-Day Exploration
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RMEC Mentioned in Titan Disaster Op-Ed
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Rocky Mt. Dinner Breaks Five-Year Attendance Record as Members “Share Their Bearings”
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Andes Rugby Team Crash Recalled 50 Years Later
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Van Arsdale Pens Encounters
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Rocky Mt. Chapter Hosts First Live Virtual Tour of Research Collections – Live From New York!