In 1928, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, grew from the work of Dr. John Johnson, a biology professor at Western Colorado College, who in the 1920s led his students on field trips near Gothic, now a mining ghost town, located near Crested Butte. Recognizing the unique ecology of the remote high valley he set up a field station amid the ruins of the old mining town.

Today, RMBL has become a renowned high-altitude field station dedicated to excellence in biological education and research.