Saturday July 26, 2014

 

Non-Travel Day

 

It was our plan to leave this morning and find a campground in the Boulder / Denver area, but because of Pioneer Days Celebration there was not a campsite, that would accommodate our camper, available; so we changed our plans and stayed at the Red Mountain RV Park for
another night . We decided to head east over the scenic US Rt. 40 and then north on the scenic US Rt. 34 and into the western portion of the Rocky Mountain National Park. The drive over the scenic highways was fantastic, but nothing compared to what awaited us in the Rocky Mountain National Park. As is out practice we first stopped in at the Visitor Center to talk to a ranger about the park, and to watch the film on the park; normally the films are 20 minutes or shorter, but the film today was 50 minutes, and it was worth the time. After a picnic lunch in the park we took a short hike through “Coyote Valley” along a stream that was actually the head waters of the Colorado River. We learned that this valley was shaped by the river and a glacier that was over 1,500 feet thick at that point and extended from the mountain tops down into the valley many miles. When the glacier receded 14,000 years ago it left the topography that we have today. Who said that global warming in a new thing, based on this glacier disappearing it appears that global warming started over 14,000 years ago . We continued our drive north into the park stopping a numerous overlooks to marvel at the beauty if the landscape. At times the road wound around the mountains as we climbed, and in many spots the drop-off into the valley below was no more than foot off the right side white line, and in most places there were no guard rails. Climbing higher we passed through the “tree line” onto the treeless alpine tundra which has a beauty all of its own. At 11,796 feet above sea level we reached the “Alpine Visitor Center” where there was information on that part of the park
and a gift shop. Immediately outside the Visitor Center there was a trail that led further up the mountain to the peak at 12, 005 feet above sea level. Valerie decided not to climb up, but Jack forged on up the steep mountainside, by the time I reached the top, because of the cold wind, I wished I had worn ear muffs and gloves. The views were fantastic, and although there were other mountains higher it still felt like you had accomplished a great feat in reaching the summit, and don’t forget the thin air, it was a real struggle to get enough oxygen during the climb . We continued our drive over the mountains to the “Lava Cliffs” overlook, where here you can see the dramatic rock formations that were formed during a violent volcanic eruption millions of years ago. At this point we turned around to return to the camper, but our fantastic day was not over yet, as the views of the mountains and the valleys going in this direction were just as new and thrilling as they were on the outward leg of the trip. To top off the day, because it was early evening we were lucky enough on several occasions to see Mule Deer, Elk and Moose grazing along the roadside completely ignoring the traffic that passed by, in fact on one occasion a female Elk walked down the center of the highway stopping traffic. At another spot we watched a female moose grazing while her calf lay in the tall grass waiting for
mom to return. This was truly a fantastic day.