Dropped Ro off at Camp Bow Wow (doggie daycare) at 7am, met up with last weekend’s group hike buddies, Annmarie & John at Panera in Boulder – destination Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park. Happy Public Lands Day! No $20 entrance fee – FREE is for ME!
Sunshine, 60-degree weather, yellow aspens…and SNOW on the peaks!
We entered Beaver Meadows Entrance just past Estes Park. Today’s hike destination was Black Lake, a 10+ mile hike off Bear Lake Rd within the park. 2 waterfalls, 3 lakes, well-marked trail, all under treeline. FAAANNNNTASTIC!
I love my dog but maybe even more fun to hike with human conversation. We weren’t more than a mile into our hike before we christened John, ‘Black John’ (due to his dark humour). Super fun people. AND not always easy to find folks who hike at the same pace. I definitely lucked out – both John & Annmarie also hike weekly, both former East Coast, both like to laugh.
Bladder tube – won’t go into detail here…but I can tell you, was a super funny story.
After a pic opportunity at Alberta Falls, took an energy bar break at Mills Lake. Landscape was seriously breath-taking. Pristine aquamarine water filled with native trout, hugged by evergreens – all against a snow peak backdrop. W-O-W!
Hiked through a section of the trail affected by the windstorm of 11.12.11. Crews cut thru tens of fallen trees to reclaim trail access to hikers. Thanks! Another photo shoot opportunity at Ribbon Falls, before reaching today’s end destination goal, Black Lake. Perched up on rocks overlooking Black Lake, we dropped our backpacks and enjoyed lunch with a view. AMAZING!
An impromptu waterfall spilled over massive rock. Super cold water but just had to get in. Shed shoes & socks and climbed into the water – sooooooo cold. Peer pressured my friends to touch the waterfall (caused by melting snow-runoff).
Crazy beautiful day.
Ended hike day with burgers at BJ’s Brewery in Boulder (‘cause Estes Park was packed with tourists enjoying ‘Elk Fest’). Picked up Ro, completely worn out from pack play with his peeps – I didn’t say a word about my hike 🙂
p.s. Who’s afraid of the big 4-0? Not I. Arches Nat’l Park in Utah is hike destination #40!
Black Lake/RMNP (waterfall clip)
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- when your hike starts like this…gonna be one AMAAAZZING DAY!
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- only 1,400ft hike incline over 10+ miles — mighty nice day
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- Alberta Falls
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- best hike partners ever – John & Annmarie
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- bristlecone pine
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- snow & t-shirt weather ROCKS!
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- Mills Lake
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- trail mix/energy bar break
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- FAAANNNTASTIC VIEW — one waterfall & one lake to go
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- Ribbon Falls
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- hike destination – Black Lake!
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- why we didn’t get lost – most hikers use maps…who knew?
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- impromptu waterfall (created by snow melt)
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- shed my shoes – LIVIN’ in the moment!
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- C-O-L-D!
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- this week’s W-O-W shot, happy Autumn 2012!
Day Two ended with a surprise ‘Old West’ activity for my East Coast friends – a trail ride in the Rockies!
One had ridden a plow horse as a child, one had ridden at an Arizona Dude Ranch 15+ years ago – and one had never previously been on a horse. No better way to start than with a 4-hour trail ride over mountain terrain. Yeah, 4 hours. Ouch. LOL>
Ranch cowboys selected the horses, then we lined up and mounted our rides. Fannie, Shooter, Simba and my horse PeterPan, started the three+ hour journey through the Estes foothills. Wagon-ho, 90+ degrees on a dusty trail. Truly ‘Old West’ style fun! 🙂 Oh, and payback to the host — Peter Pan was both a biter and kicker, so got to ride in the back (and eat dust for hours :().
FOOD! No better way to fuel a body than with a chuck wagon dinner. Steak, beans, fried potatoes and lemonade. FAAANNTASTIC finish to our ‘Old West’ day in the Rockies!
Hey wait there’s more – ahhh…the Holy Grail. Parked in the campground was a wagon used on my fav childhood (book &) TV series, Little House on the Prairie. Truly a FAAANNTASTIC finish to day!
https://www.sombrero.com/custompages/estespark.asp
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- surprise activity for East Coasters
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- once on a plow horse, once on an AZ Dude Ranch, & Dan (never been on a horse)
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- luckily, ranch cowboys matched us with horses
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- 90-degrees+ and a dusty trail ahead
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- Peter Pan (good horse but I prefer Ro)
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- Did I forget to mention – it’s a 4-hour ride? Ouch.
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- Chuck wagon dinner
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- Steak, beans, potatoes & lemonade — FAAANNNTASTIC!
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- stage prop from ‘True Grit’ (John Wayne version)
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- nope, not from ‘Stagecoach’ – much much better…
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- Little House on the Prairie!
Day Two with my Flatlander guests included a drive through Colorado’s most famous natural treasure – Rocky Mountain National Park.
Have previously visited RMNP a few times BR (before Ro) but only [driven] from Estes Park, ending my journey at the Alpine Center (RMNP top). But since our day began in Glenwood Springs, had the opportunity to enter the park from the West via Grand Lake. Trail Ridge Road is only open to cars from Memorial Day to Labour Day so this was a treat!
Stopped at Milner Pass and provided a brief (USA) geography lesson to my friends. East of the Continental Divide, rivers flow toward the Atlantic; west of the Divide, toward the Pacific. Two of my friends had never been West in their lives – ROCKSTAR geography lesson!
National parks = wildlife sightings
Today’s roadside – stop your car NOW – visitor was a HUGE adult elk with an equally massive rack. Ro would have gone crazy – could be why they don’t allow dogs in the park 🙁
Up to the Alpine Center for lunch and snow pics. Unfortunately, this Colorado day was abnormally warm – more than 60 degrees (but still 30+ degrees cooler than the park entrance). Only snow remaining was Glacier snow – but still counts. For the record: I promised snow & I came through 🙂 Looked back at last July’s (2011) pics. Lot more snow, wearing a jacket and even sported a beard. Hmmm…
Here’s hoping we cycle back to MAJOR snow this winter. Fingers crossed!
https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm
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- taught Flatlanders about USA river flow
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- Milner Pass
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- HUGE rack on this elk!
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- only Glacier snow on a warm Colorado day
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- same shot from July 2011 (more snow & I’m wearing a jacket)
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- sporting a ‘wilderness look’ last year too
