This Guy Has Measured Colorado’s Snowpack Every Morning For 52 Years: Here’s How This Year Stands Out
Billy Barr lives a pretty unique life. He lives alone and off the grid in a home 9,600 feet above sea level, just outside of Crested Butte. In 1974, he began measuring the snow pack and has continued to do so in the same spot, every single morning, for 52 consecutive years.
Billy doesn’t get paid for any of his measurements, but they’re incredibly useful nonetheless, and what they show about this winter is pretty wild. He’s measured 26 record highs this year, the lowest snowpack recorded on a date, and a trend of decreasing snow totals over the past 25 years.
Billy’s work started with writing down all of the numbers in a notebook. Today he’s transitioned to using spreadsheets, working with and providing valuable information to Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory. Major shoutout to Billy for his work and to 9News Denver Journalist Marc Sallinger for covering the incredible man.
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