On a cold sunny morning at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage in Boulder, dozens of people gathered, waiting for Flatiron Freddy to appear during Boulder’s annual Groundhog Day celebration.
Flatiron Freddy is a stuffed yellow-bellied marmot – a close relative to the groundhog. Boulder Ranger Taylor Nicholson explained that a groundhog seeing its shadow in Colorado would be impossible; the species doesn’t exist here.
“Even though Freddy isn’t our typical groundhog, he’s still very good at making his weather predictions,” Nicholson said.
For years, the marmot lived in Boulder’s Flagstaff Nature Center where stuffed animal mounts are stored until spring. One winter, Freddy’s fur was damaged after he was accidentally left out. Instead of being removed from the natural center, the Open Space Rangers decided to make Flatiron Freddy part of the city’s yearly Groundhog Day tradition.
This morning, Freddy was flown into the event in the clutches of a fake Golden Eagle. The marmot was clad in a tiny black top hat and cloak, holding a scroll.
“I, Flatiron Freddy, the magnificent marmot meteorologist, the robustest rodent of the Rockies, being of stuffed body and hollow mind, have risen to predict the most important event of 2023,” Lindsay Young, a Boulder Park Ranger said, reading from the scroll.
According to the tradition of Punxsutawney Phil, the famous Pennsylvania groundhog, if the critter sees its shadow, that means winter weather will continue for six more weeks. This morning, at a similar ceremony, Punxsutawney Phil saw its shadow, as did Flatiron Freddy. Following weeks of frigid temperatures, the marmot predicts Coloradans will have six more weeks of winter weather.
“I see an outline that looks chunky and plump. One end is my head, the other my rump. It’s my shadow that’s dark and very chubby. Looks like six more weeks of winter so it shall be,” Young said, reading from the scroll, to laughter and applause.
Flatiron Freddy also weighed in on the upcoming Super Bowl: ‘We’re rooting for the eagles as they fly high.”