Mountain Environments Research Institute

"To engage in mountain research in both local and international landscapes." Western Washington University

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Wow, our work on Mt. Everest is in WWU’s Klipsun magazine. Check it out: https://klipsunmagazine.com/science-at-the-top-of-the-world-b36ac9b9a599 https://www.instagram.com/p/B8MvcLVp7jF/?igshid=1ddfvcae0dx39

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Didymosphenia geminata. We collected this specimen in Nepal in the Hinku valley and it was photographed by the amazing Robin Matthews. It’s nice to start processing all of the data we have collected over the past 6 months... https://www.instagram.com/p/B11ohYhJQvU/?igshid=15k97c30530nb

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Bean analyzing the snow sample from Peru. @benbruggen_ https://www.instagram.com/p/B1zLZpNJUYg/?igshid=1bgz7796ucjp3

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Catch wait to see my Peruvian friends in Lima! @joysimedina @katy_ccm97 @pau.lopezv @ginachuco @jrgpalomino https://www.instagram.com/p/B1C6Lk6ptYJ/?igshid=1u4ftez53rwqu

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Joaquin breaking down his kitchen in Ishinca valley. #acsp #alpinescience #americanclimberscience #americanclimberscienceprogram #cordillerablanca #climberscience #huascarannationalpark #icefall #meriwwu #mountainscience #mountainenvironmentsresearchinstitute #mountaininstitute #peru #wwu #wwumeri #huaraz https://www.instagram.com/p/B06ICMVpI0l/?igshid=11ux4cjjn406g

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Ranrapalca North Face climb 2019 #climbing #iceclimbing #alpine #expedition #expeditionphotography #landscapephoto #landscape_lover #natgeoadventure #earthexperience #majestic_earth #ilovenature #discoverglobe #landscapelover #natgeotravelpic #epic_captures #splendid_earth #earth_portraits #natureperfection #roamtheplanet #fantastic_earth https://www.instagram.com/p/B01B1KnJrMS/?igshid=j4jzmxmomour

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An amazing summer, but now Huaraz is quiet without my friends... @lily_winchel @haileyjgoff @benbruggen_ @dentonhymer @erica_b12 @mia_wendling @meriwwu @marychildress @peterhermges https://www.instagram.com/p/B0yRuXmp_XC/?igshid=1d7qo2b6d0t97

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Sunset at 19,000 ft as we slowly descended Ranrapalca (6162m, 20,2017ft) after about 16 hours of climbing at this point. During the climb we collected over 100 pounds of rock for the first 2000 vertical meter geologic transect ever collected in the Cordillera Blanca. We will use the zircons in the granite to calculate the age of the mountain every 200 vertical meters to gain a better understanding of the uplift rates for the Cordillera Blanca as a whole. We climbed the North Face and descended the NE Face over 22 hours while collecting the samples. When I saw this magnificent sunset, I had the song ‘Show Me’ on an endless loop running through my head and the hours seemed to be stretching on forever as the weight in our packs grew and my concentration wavered. And when I stared at the snow for a few seconds, I saw a llama face appear and smile at me. I shook my head and knew it was time to keep heading down... https://www.instagram.com/p/B0wa37lpuRt/?igshid=1lm92hyvp7ss

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What an incredible summer we’ve had - such a fantastic group of climber scientists. To celebrate our experiences, seven out of ten students got our logo as a tattoo and I joined them. I’ve never had such an amazing group... https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Y0dTIpKSQ/?igshid=ucvc61v9e7jh

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Which is the best summit shot? Pisco Oeste (5752m, 18,871 ft). #acsp #alpinescience #americanclimberscience #americanclimberscienceprogram #cordillerablanca #climberscience #huascarannationalpark #icefall #meriwwu #mountainscience #mountainenvironmentsresearchinstitute #mountaininstitute #peru #wwu #wwumeri @lily_winchel @haileyjgoff @benbruggen_ @erica_b12 @dchalkeys @meriwwu https://www.instagram.com/p/B0TsIjlph88/?igshid=123qmhgioy5fa

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Snow science on the summit of Pisco Oeste (5752 m, 18,871 ft). #acsp #alpinescience #americanclimberscience #americanclimberscienceprogram #cordillerablanca #climberscience #huascarannationalpark #icefall #meriwwu #mountainscience #mountainenvironmentsresearchinstitute #mountaininstitute #peru #wwu #wwumeri https://www.instagram.com/p/B0SQCCMpKzr/?igshid=n89u51gj9dir

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Some of our students are less well prepared than others... @lily_winchel https://www.instagram.com/p/B0GSmObJN_p/?igshid=n1fr76g7tetw

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After 8 days without a shower while deep in the Andes on our ACSP expedition, my geologist friends Tim and Cam decided to pledge their lives together and are now engaged... https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz_cDPxp4SZ/?igshid=1nnzl4s6cbq8z

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‘Every step I take is the new prettiest place I’ve ever been in my life’ ... I love it when my students are happy! https://www.instagram.com/p/BzpI_U8pBjG/?igshid=1a1cmzir5ad7b

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Three of my favorite mountains viewed from a 5000 meter high perch - Huascaran Sur, Huascaran Norte, and Chopicalqui. #acsp #alpinescience #americanclimberscience #americanclimberscienceprogram #cordillerablanca #climberscience #huascarannationalpark #icefall #meriwwu #mountainscience #mountainenvironmentsresearchinstitute #mountaininstitute #peru #wwu #wwumeri https://www.instagram.com/p/BzlvFptJq4_/?igshid=18yqm07e47zn

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We reached Laguna Chirrup and one of my students was crying. ‘What’s wrong? I asked. ‘It’s just so beautiful that I’m crying tears of happiness’ she said. When leading expeditions, the data is great, but showing people how wonderful our world can be is the true joy. #acsp #alpinescience #americanclimberscience #americanclimberscienceprogram #cordillerablanca #climberscience #huascarannationalpark #icefall #meriwwu #mountainscience #mountainenvironmentsresearchinstitute #mountaininstitute #peru #wwu #wwumeri https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYE93oJq0k/?igshid=1xkkefd9axd5w

[meriwwu]

Pastoruri -death of a glacier. 1986, 2001, 2012. And then 2019 - yesterday from the same location. It hurts my heart to see the mountains melting away... #acsp #alpinescience #americanclimberscience #americanclimberscienceprogram #cordillerablanca #climberscience #huascarannationalpark #icefall #meriwwu #mountainscience #mountainenvironmentsresearchinstitute #mountaininstitute #peru #wwu #wwumeri https://www.instagram.com/p/BzVaqsmpJb6/?igshid=1xcjyl1it9nsx