Eventful and Busy Week: 80 years in the Beartooths

Last week we hosted three separate events to help celebrate our 80th year of operation. We hosted our first New Projects Design Charrette, 3rd Annual Industry Day, and 80th Anniversary Open House!

New Projects Design Charrette

A Charrette is a collaborative-administrative meeting to discuss planning of major building projects and updates for the coming years. The committee consisted of YBRA admins working with a few outside professional advisors who are also YBRA alums to discuss the plans. 

A few highlights of the meeting

• Professional conference center to host YBRA meetings, third party conferences, and alleviate crowded teaching conditions with capacity for two new study halls.

• Russ Dutcher Dormitory will be a new student dorm to honor Russ Dutcher and his legacy at YBRA. The new building will sleep 12 students and allow re-conversion of Wadsworth back into a study hall. 

• Reinhart Lounge is an addition (already underway) to the Fanshawe Lodge in the back of the kitchen and a tribute to Jeanette Reinhart who has faithfully served in the kitchen for over 40 years.  It will be a lounge, bathroom, and shower for YBRA staff to enjoy.

These projects still require much more funding and planning, which we need your help to accomplish!

YBRA Third Annual Industry Day

This year was our biggest turnout for industry day with around 40 attendees. We gathered in the lodge to hear industry professionals in the geo-science realm give presentations about their research and current work to help bridge the gap between industry and academia.

The presenters included geo-scientists from SM Energy in Billings, Shell Oil Co., The Bighorn Basin Dinosaur Project, USGS, and CGG Oil & Energy. The afternoon ended with a networking cocktail reception on the back porch as the sun dipped below the Beartooth Mountains.

80th Anniversary Open House

Our doors were opened to anybody and everybody who wanted to come see the camp and what we are all about.

To think we have been in Red Lodge for 80 years and some locals still don't know who we are! It was great to fire up the grill and connect with friends and neighbors to share the YBRA story. Over 60 people showed up over the course of the afternoon to see our charmingly rustic campus. Dr. Phil Robertson gave two camp tours to give new comers an idea of what we do. 

What an exiting time to be at YBRA! Here's to another 80 years of serving geo-science education and the Greater Red Lodge area!