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Snowmass Village looks back in time once more to the Ice Age: <Ziegler Reservoir, the site of one of the richest Ice Age fossil finds in the world, will undergo an enhancement in summer 2027. While the technical necessity of this project is to boost the town’s water storage by 40 million gallons, scientists have Snowmass Water & Sanitation District, the <Town of Snowmass Village, and the <Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS).
In the reservoir’s first expansion in 2010, more than 35 individuals, the most ever found in one place in the world.
What makes the 2027 dig so exciting? Scientists believe the site contains many more fossils that have yet to be unearthed. With new scientific tools nearly two decades after the first dig, researchers have a chance to add more detail to the environmental story. The paleontological site in Snowmass will continue to inform a deeper understanding of how plants, animals, and climate transformed together through this significant epoch of history.
Summer 2027 will be a special time to visit Snowmass, while an active paleontological dig is just a few hundred yards from the village and Snowmass’ hiking and biking trails. Snowmass Tourism will be sharing more details on opportunities to see and learn about the excavation in real time, so stay tuned.
Until then, there are several ways to dig in on Snowmass’ Ice Age history.
Join a guided weekly Ice Age Explorer Tour or take the self-guided Ice Age Passport Walk around the Village.
Sign up for updates on the 2027 dig, visitor experiences, and volunteer opportunities! Please note The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is overseeing staffing, including volunteer coordination. Opportunities have not yet been opened to the public. Sign up below to stay in the loop as new information becomes available. We anticipate that more information will become available in the coming months.
To learn more about the original 2010 discovery, visit snowmassiceage.com.