Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory

For a marmot living in the Rocky Mountains, summer is the time to fatten up and get ready for hibernation. But this year's warmer, earlier spring has made it tough for marmots to get enough calories. A team of marmot scientists near Crested Butte is launching the first-ever Fat Marmot Week to raise awareness about these unique, chunky mammals.

Researchers from the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory recently found that some winged insects native to the Mountain West – and crucial to maintaining ecosystem balance – are on the decline.

Scientists in Colorado are studying snow sublimation, in which snow evaporates before can melt into water. The new data collected will help water managers across the West understand Colorado River supply.

“The snow’s going sideways, it’s swirling,” said Billy Barr, from the abandoned silver mine he lives in almost 10,000 feet up in the Rocky Mountains.We’re…