NOTE: these programs are only open to trained FRPP volunteers, or participants scheduled for a volunteer training prior to the program date. To register for a field training with Walking Mountains click here. To view all Pika Project training dates, or to learn about volunteering as a community scientist, visit https://pikapartners.org/involved/.
Join Walking Mountains for your Pika Project Field Surveys!
Joining Walking Mountains Science Center for your field surveys is the perfect introduction for newly trained volunteers, and those who would prefer to volunteer in a group setting. On these programs Walking Mountains backcountry guides take care of the navigation, help answer questions on implementing the protocol, and assist with the data recording so you can feel confident in your work as a volunteer (and meet fellow Pika Patrollers while you’re at it)!
Surveys done in small teams, and open to 4 volunteers, plus one Walking Mountains guide so everyone is able to contribute. Registration is free and transportation to the trailhead from Avon is available.
What is the Pika Project?
The Colorado Pika Project is a community science program organized by Rocky Mountain Wild & The Denver Zoo. Pika surveys at long-term monitoring sites are the core of the CPP. CPP community scientists—or Pika Patrollers—collect data on the presence of pikas and the characteristics of their habitat at nearly 200 locations in the scenic high country of Colorado. Our community scientists have been visiting some of these sites for a decade, which has provided critical data to land managers and researchers about distribution and habitat use of pika. Through the dedication of CPP volunteers, we can not only track how climate change is impacting pika, but find solutions to any potential threats.