Backpacking participants jumping

Girls on Rock

Girls on Rock

Girls on Rock is an exciting, FREE wilderness science education program for high school students ages 16-17. Each summer, a team of 9 participants and 3 instructors spends 12 days exploring and learning about the alpine landscapes of the Rocky Mountains through art, rock climbing, and conducting scientific field studies with our team of professional female glaciologists, ecologists, mountain guides, and artists. 

As part of Inspiring Girls Expeditions, our purpose is to give participants a feeling for the processes that create the natural world and provide an environment that fosters the critical thinking necessary to all scientific inquiry. We encourage the participants to think like scientists by making observations and inferences about the world around them. They develop their own experiments to test ideas and answer questions. At the end of the expedition, they present their findings to an audience of their peers, instructors, and visiting scientists. 

The participants also challenge themselves and gain self-confidence in their physical, intellectual, and social abilities. An Inspiring Girls Expedition is the science version of a “language immersion” experience – where we connect science and all aspects of daily life to create lifelong advocates for Earth science, specifically, and the scientific process as a whole, regardless of whether or not they decide to specialize in science in their future career.

Our selection of participants is not based on grades or other accomplishments. We focus on creating a collaborative team and emphasize providing a unique experience for those who may not have access to such opportunities. 

Contact

Email us at gor@colorado.edu to learn about volunteer opportunities and other ways to support Girls On Rock.

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More About Girls on Rock

Upcoming Events

Jul
Tue - Sat
08 - 19
2025
9:00 am MT
Girls on Rock Expedition July 8th-19th

Girls on Rock is a unique, immersive expedition for high school youth (ages 16-17) to join a 12-day science and rock climbing focused expedition in the Rocky Mountains. Students work closely with scientists, artists, and a professional mountain guides to develop research projects and learn to travel in the backcountry. Applications are closed for 2025.

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CEEE Contact

ceee@colorado.edu
Phone: 303-492-5670
Fax: 303-735-3644

CEEE Mail

CIRES Center for Education, Engagement and Evaluation
University of Colorado Boulder
488 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0449

CEEE Office Hours

8:00 am to 5:00 pm MT -- fall and spring semesters