Caltech Students in Boulder, CO: Apartment Hunting

Picture 1. View of the Rocky Mountains covered in snow from the airplane window.

Many know that two CCE research groups are moving from Caltech to CU Boulder. This column will be a way that I keep the Caltech students (myself included) a part of the Caltech community as we finish our PhDs in Colorado. I recently went to Boulder, CO with my best friend Maria to explore the area and check out apartments.

Picture 2. The shocking discovery that the Denver airport has tornado shelters everywhere.

Note to the reader: I wrote this article like a scientist with figures called out in the text. Don’t hate me! Haha!

Picture 3. Super pixilated image of a Black-tailed Prairie Dog in Denver, CO.

Picture 4. Better picture of a Black-tailed Prairie Dog from the Smithsonian Magazine.

My journey began with a flight from Long Beach Airport to Denver. As we approached the Denver airport, the view from the sky was stunning! We glided over the Rocky Mountains that were dusted with snow (Picture 1). When we landed, I was shocked to discover that I will soon be living again in a state that gets tornados (Picture 2)! The last time I lived in a tornado-prone state was when I lived in North Carolina. Maria and I grabbed our bags and took a shuttle from the airport, way out to a deserted looking area where all the rental car locations were. Originally, I had hoped to rent a cheap all-wheel drive Nissan Rogue at Routes Rental Car. The plan was that it would cost $26 a day, and it would be ideal because Maria—a Nissan Rogue owner—would be the driver for our trip. I don’t know how it happened, but we wound up paying A LOT more. We—along with every other person renting a car that day with us—some how got swindled into renting a Jeep! Everyone was being put into a Jeep, and sent out through the rental lot gate together. I sat there bewildered as Maria drove us through the line of Jeeps and we bounced our way onto the dirt road. Maria looked at me and said “they played you.” She was right. But I wasn’t the only one!

Picture 5. Adorable fluff ball of a teeny tiny bunny.

Onward we went with our GPS set for Boulder. As we left the rental car area, we spotted a strange rodent animal standing in the dirt. I snapped a picture of it (Picture 3), but it’s not the best image. According to the internet, Denver has many Black-tailed Prairie dogs (Picture 4)! So cool to see new wildlife that we don’t see at Caltech! Even when we ate dinner at Basta after touring five apartment buildings, we saw an adorable, tiny Desert Cottontail bunny (Picture 5). Desert Cottontails are often found near Chautauqua Park, but also roam around the town of Boulder. It had a cute white powder-pull tail! A very delightful sight as we ate dinner on the outdoor patio and enjoyed the 70 degree weather.

Picture 6. View of CU Boulder campus on a Thursday in mid-April.

Picture 7. View of CU Boulder campus the next day (Friday) in mid-April!

My first time visiting Boulder was a perfect glimpse into how unpredictable mountain weather can be. We certainly got a taste of it on our two-day trip! When we arrived, the weather was warm and bright—like any typical Los Angeles day. When we drove past the CU Boulder campus (Picture 6), you could see the blue sky, some clouds, and the mountains in the background. It was beautiful. The following day, we were hit with a snow storm (Picture 7)! In just a few hours, the town was freezing and blanketed in snow!

Picture 8. The residents of Boulder, CO appear to be outdoorsy.

We visited another four apartment complexes on our second day, and then headed to the airport. Picture 8 captures the vibe of Boulder when we were exploring different apartments. One resident had a welcome mat that read “Probably on a hike.” Classic.

Picture 9. Exterior of Meow Wolf in Denver, CO.

We did get a chance to explore Meow Wolf before our trip was over too (Picture 9)! Maria had been to the one in New Mexico, and wanted to explore the original one in Denver. I had no idea what I was walking into. It was a trippy place that’s for sure (Pictures 10-11). I don’t know how to describe it, but it was like a 90s-themed, interactive, artsy, playground for adults. It was a whirlwind of a trip, but we packed in a lot of good food, fun activities, and explored a bunch of promising locations for apartments. I’m pretty excited for our move soon and can’t wait to share more about Caltech students’ adventures in Boulder, CO!

Picture 10. A trippy, yet colorful castle with dragons, gargoyles, and stormy skies inside Meow Wolf.

Picture 11. A pink mer-lady whose hair has melted into the tree trunk in a rainforest inside Meow Wolf.

All photos by Victoria Davis.