2-3 Sep: Lowry, Kyle, and Corwyn came up to RMNP for a day trip with us, then returned home while we camped overnight and went for a hike the next day before returning to their house. This gave us a chance to explore parts of the park we had not been to before. On the first day we all went for a short hike after setting up and having lunch at Aspenglen, a small and attractive campground in the northeast part of the park. We soon got up into a nice subalpine meadow with nice views. We then drove up Trail Ridge Road, which is only open in the summer and is the only road between the eastern (Estes Park) and western (Grand Lake) park entrances. Several miles are above treeline, which is about 11,000 feet in this part of the Rockies. We watched a herd of elk pass by as we neared the Alpine Visitor Center. We hiked from the visitor center to the top of a hill, a little above 12,000 feet elevation. Snowfields clung to the ridges in sheltered places.
The next day the two of us hiked up Deer Mountain, which has an excellent view of a large flat meadow below (Moraine Park) with the park’s highest mountain, Longs Peak, in the distance behind it. A nice young couple from northeastern Colorado walked most of the way up with us and told us of some good hiking places.
Wow! You certainly have made great use of your time in retirement!
There’s no catching up to you two!!!
Just caught up with your trip… What a wonderful time you are having! Amy’s hooked rug looked amazing and Corwyn is such a cutie!
I love reading about your extraordinary adventures! Great blog! I want to be like you when I grow up!