HIKE ROCKY m a ga z i n e Vol. I, Issue 6 May, 2021 2021
a publication of
HIKE ROCKY “What a crisp spring morning,” I said to a friend. “I’m not sure I would call it crisp,” My friend said, “maybe fresh.”
There was a slight coolness in the air, but the morning sun felt good. The ground was s ll wet from the recently melted snow. Seven inches had fallen earlier in the week and everything was looking real pre y, if it had been mid-February instead of mid-May. But, spring keeps making its way back, and this me, with new dandelions blooming. Fresh seemed like the right descrip on to our morning. Our May issue of Hike Rocky is as crisp and fresh as a spring morning in the Rockies! Managing Editor Barb brings us our cover story on how to enjoy watching wildlife babies. Marlene gives us what we need to know about orchids. And Sco has us watching out for Colorado’s upland game birds. Murray brings us along on his annual spring bike trip up Trail Ridge Road a er it’s been plowed, but before the gates open to vehicles. And I offer my report on spring hiking in our eleva on diverse Park. Our Trail of the Month is the Lumpy Ridge Loop. It’s an exci ng me of year to be on the trails. Marlene reveals the exo c world of Colorado’s na ve orchids, in an ar cle and with her monthly quiz. Jason helps us understand the cri cal role rangers play in the Park. And Barb takes out into the field with plein air painters Sco Ruthven and Jenifer Cline to learn what it takes to bring the beauty of the Park into the two dimensional world. Moisture laden snow s ll covers the subalpine and alpine worlds of the Park, but leaves are star ng to bud and rivers are star ng to swell in the montane. Spring me in the Rockies has arrived. We’re ready for it!
Top: A mama elk teaches her new calves about the water sources in Rocky. Cover photo: A female elk babysits the herd’s offspring in early spring as they visit a stream in Rocky. Photo photos by Brad Manard, winner of this month’s front cover photo contest. Brad Manard has been coming to Estes Park and RMNP since he was a kid fi y years ago. Through this me his interest in nature and wildlife photography has grown. So much so, that when he re red last spring a er 27 years as a school superintendent, he moved permanently to Estes. He now spends his me photographing the mountains and wildlife, and is also an author with four published books including two novels. The White Room is a romance/adventure novel that takes place in the Estes Park area. Informa on on Brad's photos and books can be found on his website at bradmanard.smugmug.com.
Dave Rusk, Publisher
HIKE ROCKY Magazine is a publication of Barefoot Enterprises, LLC, and RockyMountainDayHikes.com, Estes Park, Colorado. HikeRockyMagazine@gmail.com Volume 1, Issue 6, May 15, 2021 Copyright 2021, all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is prohibited. Publisher: Dave Rusk Managing Editor: Barb Boyer Buck Copy Editor: Sybil Barnes Sales: Cynthia Elkins Contributors to the January, 2021 edition: Scott Rashid, Marlene M. Borneman, Barb Boyer Buck, Dave Rusk, Murray Selleck, Jason Van Tatenhove, Brad Manard, Darlene Bushue, Pamela Johnson and Rick Martinez.
a note from the managing editor HIKE ROCKY online magazine is currently celebra ng six months of interes ng ar cles, engaging and informa ve videos, stunning photographs and useful informa on about the current condi ons and concerns of Rocky Mountain Na onal Park. We have developed a strong team of contributors and supporters and keep building up steam on this exci ng and wonderful project, the culmina on of experiences and knowledge gained over many decades loving and living near Rocky. It is our con nuing mission to bring you quality content every month!
call for submissions Here at HIKE ROCKY magazine, we welcome quality content from writers and photographers who love Rocky Mountain Na onal Park as much as we do! Email your story idea and/or photos to HikeRockyMagazine@gmail.com to be considered for publica on and to inquire about what we pay to our contributors. HIKE ROCKY is a collabora on, con nually seeking to involve our online community!
cover photo contest Each month, we will feature a cover photo from a photographer who lives and breathes Rocky Mountain Na onal Park. Photo submissions must be received by the end of the month to be considered for the following month’s cover. The photo must have been taken in Rocky, not previously published (except for social media), and be seasonal. The winner will receive a cash prize, free access to the edi on that features his or her photo, and online promo on. A hint about what we are looking for to grace our cover every month is included in our weekly email blast. To sign up for no fica ons, visit: h p://rockymountaindayhikes.com/hike-rocky-emailno fica on-page.html - Barb Boyer Buck, Managing Editor, HIKE ROCKY
table of contents
click on any of the links below to be taken straight to the story
Can you identify these native orchids found in Rocky? a quiz by Marlene M. Borneman
RMNP UPDATES
Public input sought on Rocky’s long-term visitation plan, and other RMNP news
COVER STORY
Wildlife Babies, by Barb Boyer Buck
HIKE ROCKY
Trail of the Month: The Lumpy Ridge Loop Spring Hiking by Dave Rusk Trail prole videos: Alberta Falls and Bierstadt Lake in April
ART IN ROCKY
Plein air painting in Endovalley, demonstrations by Scott Ruthven and Jenifer Cline, by Barb Boyer Buck
FEATURES
Feature Photo: A young moose strikes a pose in Rocky, by Darlene Bushue
Colorado’s Game Birds, by Scott Rashid The Heroes of Rocky, by Jason Van Tatenhove The Orchids of Rocky, by Marlene Borneman Coming next month in HIKE ROCKY
Rocky’s Orchids A quiz by Marlene Borneman Can you iden fy these seven orchids found in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park? This is a tough one, so we’re giving you a whole month to figure it out! Answers will be provided in the June, 2021, issue of HIKE ROCKY online magazine. Inspired by the Colorado Na ve Plants Society
Colorado wildowers Spring through fall, Colorado’s dazzling display of wildflowers charms and some mes overwhelms. These guidebooks make flower iden fica on easy; the compact size is perfect for hikers and backpackers.
This guidebook showcases 22 trails filled with na ve wildflower species across five life zones. Trail descrip ons include habitats and interes ng dbits on each flower, along with lis ngs of na ve flora, common and scien fic names. •
• •
Marlene Borneman has been photographing Colorado's wildflowers while on her hiking and climbing adventures since 1979. Marlene has climbed Colorado's 54 14ers and the 126 USGS named peaks in Rocky. Purchase Marlene’s books at the Rocky Mountain Conservancy or the Colorado Mountain Club Press.
All summer, the alpine tundra of Rocky Mountain Na onal Park awakens from winter sleep with an incredible display of wildflowers. The harsh environment has a short growing season and the plants must make the most of it with a showy presenta on.
22 of the best wildflower hikes • along the Front Range, Colorado Springs to Fort Collins (and RMNP) A wide range of hikes - from family- • friendly to challenging • Complete trail descrip ons including color photos and maps
Wildflowers are grouped by color and subdivided as plant families. Both common and scien fic names are provided to avoid confusion. Addi onal help comes from the informa on on life zones, habitat, characteris cs, and season. •
Covers 128 of the alpine tundra’s most common wildflowers Detailed photos for easy iden fica on The latest classifica ons for serious wildflower lovers
• • • •
Inden fies 180 of Colorado’s most common wildflowers Revised with latest classifica ons Organized by color and plant families 220 photos for easy iden fica on Superb educa onal tool for all ages
RMNP UPDATES
Alpine Visitor Center visita on in 2016. NPS photo
Public input sought on long-term visitation management and some trails reopen in Rocky PRESS RELEASE, 5/6/21 Get Involved! Public Input Requested On Long-Range Day Use Visitor Access Strategy in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park Rocky Mountain Na onal Park staff are seeking the public’s engagement and input on the park’s long-range Day Use Visitor Access Strategy. “We are eager to con nue engaging with our stakeholders and connect with park visitors from near and far, to help iden fy shared values, clarify key issues, and begin to develop poten al management strategies to help the park prepare for our long-term day use strategy” said Park Superintendent, Darla Sidles. “We hope to hear from current park visitors as well as those who have told us they no longer visit Rocky Mountain Na onal Park because of crowding and conges on.” Public comments are invited for sixty days beginning May 21 through July 19, 2021. Rocky Mountain Na onal Park has experienced a 44 percent increase in visita on since 2012. Rapid growth in day use visita on and changing use pa erns in the park have degraded natural and cultural resources,
diminished quality of the visitor experience, increased visitor and staff safety concerns, and created a heavy strain on the park’s facili es and ability to perform daily opera ons. The purpose of the Rocky Mountain Na onal Park Day Use Visitor Access Strategy is to provide visitor access in a way that enhances the protec on of the fundamental resources and values for which the park was created. The goal of the process is to iden fy strategies that will help protect park resources, offer varied opportuni es for high quality visitor experiences, enhance visitor and staff safety, and coincide with the park's opera onal capacity. The park is hos ng two virtual public mee ngs regarding this strategy on Thursday, May 20, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Tuesday May 25, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The content is the same for both mee ngs, so par cipants only need to a end one. The intent of the webinars is to provide opportuni es for the public to learn more about the purpose of the project, key issues, desired condi ons for day use visitor access, poten al management strategies, ask ques ons of
NPS staff and get informa on on how to provide formal wri en comments through the Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website. Each webinar will begin with a presenta on, followed by a ques on and answer session. To par cipate in the virtual mee ngs, please register at one of the following links. A er registering, you will receive a confirma on email containing informa on about joining the webinar. It is recommended to join the webinar via computer to have full use of the webinar tools that GoToWebinar provides. Public Webinar #1, Thursday, May 20, 2021 6:00 PM Registra on URL: h ps://a endee.gotowebinar.com/register/38105789 62321936142 Public Webinar #2, Tuesday, May 25, 2021 2:00 PM Registra on URL: h ps://a endee.gotowebinar.com/register/23249089 55266371342 Unable to a end a virtual mee ng? A recording of both mee ngs will be posted on the park planning link below. The park will provide live cap oning of the mee ngs. Park staff encourage public par cipa on throughout the planning process. There will be addi onal opportuni es to comment formally on the project during the future NEPA process. Public comments for this stage are invited for sixty days beginning May 21 through July 19, 2021. Comments can be submi ed online beginning May 21, by visi ng h ps://parkplanning.nps.gov/ROMO_Duvas click on ‘Open for Comment’ on the le side of page to submit a comment. Comments may also be sent to the following mailing address: Superintendent Rocky Mountain Na onal Park 1000 US Highway 36 Estes Park, CO 80517 Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal iden fying informa on in your comment, you should be aware that your en re comment – including your personal iden fying informa on – may be made publicly available at any me. Although you can ask in your comment to
NPS photo of visitors wai ng for the shu le in RMNP
withhold your personal iden fying informa on from public review, we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so. If you have ques ons about the project or would like more informa on about Rocky Mountain Na onal Park, please visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Informa on Office at (970) 586-1206. RMNP PRESS RELEASE, 5/12/21 Updated informa on on trail closures and (openings!) related to impacts from Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires
The best source of informa on is on the park's website at: h ps://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/fire-informa onand-regula ons.htm Since this past November, we have posted an updated interac ve map as well as an updated pdf map of the areas that are open and closed. Some changes that have occurred over the last week:
around Alexander Mountain and the CSU Mountain Campus. Some (not all) trails in the Upper Beaver Meadows area have reopened. (please refer to maps referenced above) The trail system in most of the Moraine Park area has reopened. However, the Cub Lake Trail remains closed as does the Fern Lake Road and Fern Lake Trail. Stay tuned for further details on the Cub Lake Trail's status.
East side: West side: The North Fork Trail and North Boundary Trail reopened in the northeast sec on of the park. The USFS adjusted their closure order which opened the North Fork, Stormy Peaks, Mummy Pass and the Emmaline Lake Trails. It also opened Na onal Forest System land
The North Inlet Trail, which was open this winter to Cascade Falls, has closed back at the trailhead due to rock fall and poten al addi onal hazards from snowmelt .
From ROMO’s interac ve closure map
Free download No in-app purchases
COVER STORY
Wildlife Babies A female elk and her twins. Photo by Brad Manard
How to safely and ethically view wildlife in Rocky this spring by Barb Boyer Buck Wildlife sigh ngs in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park are exci ng and rewarding experiences for the millions of people who visit the Park every year. There are a total of 67 mammal species in the Park, including the popular elk, moose, and bighorn sheep. These are joined by more than 270 species of birds and numerous fish, insects, amphibians, and rep les who make their home in Rocky. Most of the larger animals are habituated to humans and tend to go about their business unperturbed by the crowds of people who are viewing them in this se ng, This can give the impression they are being managed solely to provide viewing opportuni es for visitors. But while Park officials try to provide these opportuni es safely, the natural behaviors of these wild animals are not at all restricted.
Newborn elk calf. Photo by Brad Manard
Canada goose and goslings on the Sprague Lake Trail. Photo by Pamela Johnson
It is up to each and every Park visitor to understand and mi gate for the dangers of viewing wildlife in close proximity. “We need to see ourselves as part of the ecosystem, and recognize our impact on these animals,” said Hanem Abouelezz in an exclusive interview with HIKE ROCKY magazine. Our ac ons can have unintended consequences for these animals, especially in the “sensi ve season” of spring.
A new-born elk stands on wobbly legs. Photo by Rick Mar nez
Coyote pups in Moraine Park. Photo by Rick Mar nez
Owl nestlings preparing for a flying lesson. Photo by Rick Mar nez
Hanem Abouelezz became the landscape ecologist for RMNP in 2015 and has been working for the Department of the Interior since 2006. Her background is in wildlife ecology, but she also manages vegeta on and habitat programs in the Park. She is leading the willow rehabilita on efforts in RMNP and manages a moose research project, tracking their popula on growth since the animal's reintroduc on in the late 1970s. Both of these efforts were covered in HIKE ROCKY magazine's April edi on. Rocky is managed as a wilderness on behalf of the people of the United States. It's a na onal treasure; the varied wildlife that make their home in this area are the crown jewels, the many wildlife babies who begin to make their appearance this month are the gli ering
Mama and baby ducks in Rocky. Photo by Rick Mar nez
gems. But these jewels are not displayed under glass in a museum, where millions can take in their beauty without harming them. The only way to manage a wilderness and all the organisms that live there is to maintain the natural balance. Humans became part of this balancing act in 1915, when Rocky was first established. Over the past 100-plus years, it's been Park officials' jobs to make sure nothing reaches a pping point. Remember the movie, Jurassic Park? A very wealthy eccentric creates a wildlife preserve from previouslyex nct dinosaur species, all “safely” enclosed as a sort of zoo or amusement park. That plan backfired with
Baby marmots in Rocky. Photo by Darlene Bushue
A whitetail deer faun in the Kawanuchee Valley of RMNP. Photo by Paula Johnson
tragic consequences for the humans who a empted to view these animals. The failure in that story was the lack of respect for the natural ins ncts and sheer size of the dinosaurs, among whom we probably could not coexist today. In real life, we are very lucky to have so many of these wild animals in Rocky and the surrounding communi es of Estes Park and Grand Lake, and that they are
Marmot baby and his mom at the Forest Canyon Overlook. Photo by Paula Johnson
habituated to our presence to a certain extent. Nevertheless, these animals remain wild and their behavior can be unpredictable. From coyotes “escor ng” humans out of the area when people get too close to their dens to elk with newborn calves charging a group of people yards away - when babies are involved, every creature on this planet becomes over-protec ve.
Watch the interview - and clips of wildlife babies in Rocky - with Hanem Abouelezz on the ethical viewing of wildlife in Rocky this me of year.
RMNP graphic
Wildlife viewing guidelines on Rocky's website suggest a minimum of 75 feet of distance while viewing elk and bighorn sheep, and staying 120 feet away from a bear or moose. In the video included with this ar cle, Abouelezz answers some of the most-asked ques ons about wildlife viewing and gives a healthy perspec ve on our role as humans in this ecosystem. There are pre y steep fines for viola ng the federal laws that govern visita on in Rocky. If you bring your dog on a trail, you will be levied a $100 fine. If you inten onally get too close, disturb, try to pet, or feed wildlife in the Park, that's a $200 cket. If you don't store your food properly from bears, that's a viola on that will cost you at least $100.
Elk fawn Photo by Darlene Bushue
Park rangers are authorized to issue these fines, even court summons, and to tailor these penal es to fit the crime. You can't view wildlife with ar ficial light (including vehicle lights), or use animals calls (including elk bugles). These restric ons are designed to offer each of these animals a figh ng chance to survive their breeding and ma ng seasons, and to equip animal popula ons with resources they need to survive winters in the harsh, high-eleva on ecosystems they inhabit. “People who visit Rocky on a bright, sunny day in July may not realize these animals live here all year,” Abouelezz said, “They need to remain wild to be
Moose calf Photo by Rick Mar nez
healthy and thrive.” A stressed animal might not forage as much as it needs to; a female elk may not produce enough milk and as a result, her calves might not survive past a couple of months, she said. Barb Boyer Buck is a professional writer, editor, playwright, and researcher who lives in Estes Park. Barb is the managing editor of HIKE ROCKY online magazine.
Brad Manard has been coming to Estes Park and RMNP since he was a kid fi y years ago. Through this me his interest in nature and wildlife photography has grown. So much so, that when he re red last spring a er 27 years as a school superintendent, he moved permanently to Estes. He now spends his me photographing the mountains and wildlife, and is also an author with four published books including two novels. The White Room is a romance/adventure novel that takes place in the Estes Park area. Informa on on Brad's photos and books can be found on his website at bradmanard.smugmug.com.
Darlene Bushue is a landscape and wildlife photographer from Allenspark, CO. darlenebushuephotography.com facebook.com/darlenebushueph otography
“ I am a third genera on Colorado na ve living in Westminster. Living so close to Rocky is truly a blessing and great therapy for the mind, body and soul. I enjoy wildlife and nature photography and Rocky gives me the opportunity to learn all about the flora and fauna of this magnificent park. I have been coming up to Rocky since the 1970's and no ma er how many mes I hike a certain trail or drive Trail Ridge Road - every day is a new adventure where I'm always discovering new things.” - Pamela Johnson
TRAIL OF THE MONTHTRAIL OF THE MONTH
The Lumpy Ridge Loop
Our Trail of the Month for May is the Lummpy Ridge Loop. The Lumpy Ridge Loop is a 10.7 mile hike at some of the lower eleva ons of the Park. It incorporates a number of different trails to complete the en re loop and offers other hiking possibili es. Lumpy Ridge - 10.7 miles loop Trailhead: Lumpy Ridge/Gem Lake Beginning Eleva on: 7,840' Des na on Eleva on: 9,122' Total Eleva on Gain: 1,282' Total Roundtrip Miles: 10.7 RMDH Trail Guide link: h ps://rockymountaindayhikes.com/lumpy-ridgeloop.html
Click on the video above to see a feature on the Lumpy Ridge Loop!
Gem Lake - 1.7 miles Trailhead: Gem Lake Trailhead Eleva on: 7,840' Des na on Eleva on: 8,840' Total Eleva on Gain: 1,000' Total Roundtrip Miles: 3.4 RMDH Trail Guide link: h ps://rockymountaindayhikes.co m/gem-lake-17-753609.html
Bridal Veil Falls - 3.1 miles Trailhead: Cow Creek Trailhead Eleva on: 7,820' Des na on Eleva on: 8,880' Total Eleva on Gain: 1,060' Total Roundtrip Miles: 6.2 RMDH Trail Guide link: h ps://rockymountaindayhikes.com/bridal-veil-31918828.html
Spring Hiking in Rocky Sprague Lake
Story and photos by Dave Rusk I lean the garden rake against the snow shovel, but I keep the snow shovel handy. This spring, while much of Colorado is experiencing drought like condi ons, we have been ge ng weekly snowstorms. At Bear Lake, where the snow level has fluctuated between 45 and 60 inches, the snowpack is barely hanging on to near normal condi ons a er a less than snowy winter. On any given day, I might be clearing pine needles away in the morning in an cipa on of new grass shoots popping up and sweeping snow off the deck by the a ernoon. Over the years of photographing in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park, I have developed a record of when certain signs of spring begin to emerge. On April 7th in 2015, I was photographing Mtn Blue Violets and Oregon Grape on the Fern Lake trail. I have photos from the 4th of May in 2016 of Nelson Larkspur in full bloom. I photographed catkins blooming on a group of co onwood trees near the Park headquarters as early as February 20th in 2017, that was a bit alarming! In 2018, I was laying on the ground on March 22
Longs Peak
photographing the Easter Daisies blooming. But this year, we are having a late spring. My first wildflower spo ng was a Sagebrush Bu ercup on the 10th of April. I only saw a few Easter Daisies blooming on the last day of April during my trek around Lumpy Ridge, though I know Marlene Borneman had spo ed them earlier in the month. As we entered the Beltane on May 1, halfway between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Sols ce, those co onwood trees near the Park
headquarters were only star ng to flower with their catkins. And I just went and checked on the larkspur. The first leaves have appeared, but it looks like we won't see any flower blooms un l late May at the earliest. It's hard not to get anxious for warm days and spring flowers, but I can also see beau ful early summer green and full mountain streams from all of our spring snows. Spring is arguably the most exci ng me of the year in the Park. There is no other me when the extremes of eleva on become more dis nct as in the spring. In the Park, spring moves up in eleva on along with the longer days. While the elk move into the lush green meadow of Moraine Park, hikers are post-holing in deep snow up the Fla op Mtn trail. A er the Rocky Mountain Iris bloom along the burgeoning Big Thompson River at 8,100 , the Alpine Forget-Me-Nots begin to bloom at 11,000 . But winter does not loosen its grip easily above 9,000 . When I hiked to Alberta Falls, 9,394 , on the 20th of April, the falls were nowhere to be found, they were s ll completely buried under snow. Even though the snow had so en in the a ernoon from the mild temperature of that day, the way the snow hung from tree branches, the surrounding terrain looked like it might as well have been February.
Young aspen leaves
A week later, I was hit with a blast of strong, steady wind on a hike to Bierstadt Lake, the kind of winds we o en get in the depths of winter, but it lacked the bi erness of a mid-winter wind. Walking along the trail in the snow covered landscape, tall slender lodgepole pines swayed back and forth in the wild wind, like a packed crowd at a Queens concert singing out, “We will, we will rock you!” The raging wind careening across the lake almost rocked me over once I got to the northeast shoreline. A small patch of open water along the shore provided the only sign that winter was beginning to loosen its grip on the ice covered lake. Each hike this spring required watching the weather to catch the sun day of the week between snow squalls, squalls that would drop anywhere from 6-16” of snow on the region. At lower eleva ons, snow would fall for a few days covering the ground, and then melt into the ground a couple of days la er, repea ng the cycle weekly. On the last day of April this year, I went for a low
Rocky Mountain Iris
eleva on hike along the base of Lumpy Ridge, determined to walk the 10.7 mile long loop ending at the Gem Lake trail. Earlier in the week, another decent snow had fallen on us, and while the landscape along the south side of Lumpy Ridge, basking in morning sun, was snow free, the Diamond of Longs Peak looked like a
face peeking out of a white hoody, the spring snow satura ng the shoulders of the peak with pure alpine mountain moisture. The trail stayed mostly snow free as I climbed through the Ponderosa Pine forest at the south west end of Lumpy Ridge. But once at trail swung around to the back side of Lumpy, at the junc on with the Black Canyon trail, snow covered the path that cut across the north facing slope in dense Douglas fir and Engelmann Spruce, reflec ng the cooler and we er microenvironment. Previous snowshoe tracks helped to pack the trail, but I stepped lightly to keep from postholing through the so ening snow. Once I reached the creek bo om, the trail crossed over to a more sun friendly slope and the snow quickly disappeared, along with the dense forest. A side trip to Bridal Veil Falls proved to be an icy affair. The falls were flowing stronger with daily snowmelt
Spring aspen
American dipper
Spring aspen
with snow and ice forming around the base of the falls like a broken bowl leaking water. The Bridal Veil side trip added 2 more miles to an already long early season hike. While the hiking was very pleasant along the Cow Creek trail, I began to wonder if I had made a mistake by leaving the climb out of the Cow Creek drainage up to Gem Lake for the end of the day. It was a grueling 2.8 mile uphill grind, with the first 1.6 miles to the Balanced Rock trail cut off being especially exhaus ng. It was kind of a brutal wake up call to my lazy winter muscles. But I wanted to end the warm spring day taking in the stupendous vistas from the Gem Lake trail, and I was not disappointed. Dragging the last steps over the top of the trail, the small Gem of a pond, surrounded by rounded granite walls, was smooth and reflec ve with snowy Twin Sisters perfectly framed by the descending rock walls at the outlet of the pond. Stopping for my final rest at the open rock slabs that overlook all of the Estes Valley, Longs Peak with its snowy white shoulders glowed magnificently in the late day sunlight. I soaked it all in while I poured the last of my water down my parched throat. Early in the season, I o en like to hike the Fern Lake trail to The Pool, or the Cub Lake trail, or some mes the Beaver Mtn Loop that looks over the green meadows of Moraine Park through flu ering aspen leaves. These lower eleva on trails are some of the first to become snow-free. But this spring, these trails and others in the Park will remain closed, probably for the remainder of the summer, due to the east Troublesome fire from last fall. (It is worth no ng here that, even though the condi ons last fall were obviously primed for a rapid spread of fire, the fire was not a naturally caused fire. The Forest Service has confirmed that it was human caused, although the exact cause remains under inves ga on. While fire is part of the natural process and these burned areas will heal, it will take a genera on or more for the rejuvena on to be complete. It appears that this was an avoidable event, but unfortunately one that is much too common these days.) The other morning, while the song of a spring robin floated sweetly through my open window, I was reading a tweet from the Na onal Weather Service in Boulder calling for another winter storm watch. That
Blue larkspur
night, big spring flakes floated down, dri ing back and forth while they slowly fell, like a million light and fluffy feathers falling from the breast of a goose. There was a lot of water in those goose feathers collec ng on the tree branches and the next day, as the sun came back out, the feathers melted together and dropped like water balloons, spla ng on the ground below. I had to be careful where I walked. Dave Rusk has been sauntering and taking photographs through Rocky Mountain Na onal Park for decades. He is the author publisher of Rocky Mountain Day Hikes, a book of 24 hikes in Rocky, and the website of the same name. He is the publisher of HIKE ROCKY Magazine and an important content contributor to all of these endeavors.
TRAIL PROFILE VIDEOS Early Spring hiking in RMNP can be an adventure - and a joy. Be prepared for anything as you travel some of these easier and/or lower-eleva on hikes in Rocky this spring. Click on any of the videos on the le to view trail condi ons in late April and May of these three popular hikes. ALBERTA FALLS TRAIL PROFILE: h ps://www.rockymountaindayhikes.c om/alberta-falls-9.html
BIERSTADT LAKE TRAIL PROFILE: h ps://www.rockymountaindayhikes.c om/bierstadt-lake-33.html
COPELAND FALLS TRAIL PROFILE: h ps://www.rockymountaindayhikes.c om/copeland-falls-3.html
ART IN ROCKY
Painting Endovalley Sco Ruthven painted “Winter Blaze” on loca on in Endovalley on March 28, 2021
Plein air demonstra ons by Sco Ruthven and Jenifer Cline by Barb Boyer Buck The wind. It's the bane of any plein air painter and in March and April, there was plenty of it in Rocky when I filmed pain ng demos with two fine ar sts who live on the Front Range. Plein air means “in the open air.” The phrase was first coined in France in the 19th century and refers to pain ng on loca on – no ma er what the weather condi ons. The prac ce of plein air pain ng was made famous by French Impressionists, who developed this prac ce a er the crea on of transportable paint tubes and easels. Today, this mode of pain ng a racts ar sts who work in a plethora of media including oils, acrylics, watercolor, and pastels. Pain ng on loca on in Rocky is an unpredictable but always rewarding experience for two Front Range ar sts, Sco Ruthven and Jenifer Cline. SCOTT RUTHVEN - My vision is to create more joy in our world by cra ing beau ful pain ngs and teaching others to do the same. “Having spent hundreds of hours in RMNP pain ng,
Sco Ruthven pain ng in Moraine Park
hiking, camping, and fishing, I have a deep connec on with the land, plants, and animals,” said Sco Ruthven, an oil ar st who lives in Fort Collins. He's been an ar st all of this life, but took up pain ng “in earnest” 10 years ago. He paints with tradi onal oil paints on canvas of varying sizes. “When working on a pain ng for several hours in one spot, the animals come to accept me as a part of the landscape and will o en come very close to me as they go about their lives. You name it - elk, deer, coyote, moose, and birds have all come to inves gate what I was doing. In fact, I had a bird spend two days visi ng me while I worked on a large pain ng. She would sit in the shade of my easel for 20 minutes at a me then fly off only to return a short me later. I couldn't believe
“The Colors of Winter,” on loca on in Endovalley, by Sco Ruthven on March 28, 2021
my eyes when she returned the second day!” Ruthven's deep connec on with nature is reflected in his art which pulls out the subtle beauty of any landscape. His style is a bit reminiscent of the first plein air painters, the French Impressionists. Realism is a secondary concern for Ruthven, who expertly captures the ligh ng and mood of any scene, day or night. His pain ngs evoke an emo onal reac on and his subjects range from peaceful meadows to towering peaks, and everything in between.
“Winter Blaze,” painted on loca on in Endovalley, by Sco Ruthven on March 28, 2021
“Standing in the vast, open alpine tundra at 1 a.m., gazing into the star-filled heavens reminds a person of his great fortune to be a small part of this boundless universe,” he said. “The gentle gurgle of the Big Thompson River, the notes of warm vanilla emana ng from the bark of a Ponderosa and the glowing sun radia ng its warmth on my face on a freezing winter day; everything makes its way into my pain ngs.” Ruthven explains his style as contemporary, combining impressionis c color with expressive brush work. He is a Colorado na ve and travels throughout the western United States extensively. This has forged a deep apprecia on for the diversity of the western landscape, from the arid canyonlands in Arizona and New Mexico to the lush forests and the mighty Pacific Ocean in the Northwest. He has won many awards and his pain ngs are a part of several art collec ons. Sco loves working with oils & mineral spirits. This medium dries less quickly, especially important in the 35 mph hour winds he was pain ng in when I filmed his
“A Light in the Forest,” by Sco Ruthven
from the arid canyonlands in Arizona and New Mexico to the lush forests and the mighty Pacific Ocean in the Northwest. He has won many awards and his pain ngs
to the lush forests and the mighty Pacific Ocean in the Northwest. He has won many awards and his pain ngs are a part of several art collec ons. Sco loves working with oils & mineral spirits. This medium dries less quickly, especially important in the 35 mph hour winds he was pain ng in when I filmed his demonstra on in late March in Endovalley. He chose a seemingly uninteres ng spot, but I soon realized what a wonderful loca on this was as he began to capture the rich red/orange willows, the frozen water, and the snowy banks of the river. Spending hours crea ng a pain ng (he actually created two of them in that spot and in that wind), I soon came to realize the rewards of being s ll and observing this ny corner of Rocky. This is the magic of the Rocky Mountain Na onal Park, there's natural beauty wherever you look, and it only gets be er the more me you spend at any one loca on. Ar sts are magicians, too – leading your eyes to no ce the li le things that make the natural world so special. Sco Ruthven at his easel
Ruthven is currently in the process of crea ng four pain ngs for the Colorado Governor's Art Show and Sale, open to the public from May 22 through June 27 at the Loveland Museum. Among those he's submi ng are two moonlight landscapes of Rocky in the snow, one of Hallet's Peak from Sprague Lake and another of Moraine Park. More informa on about Sco Ruthven, including a virtual gallery of his available work is available at www.sco ruthven.com
“The Off Season,” by Sco Ruthven
Sco Ruthven pain ng in Endovalley on March 28, 2021
Watch plein air pain ng demonstra ons by Sco Ruthven and Jenifer cline in this exclusive HIKE ROCKY video.
JENIFER CLINE - It is the connec on, the joy – the reluctance to leave the scene that I paint. The sense of place, the effects of the light and the link of my heart and soul to the earth are the most important aspects of my work that I must pursue. A week a er I filmed Sco Ruthven, I met Jenifer Cline, also in Endovalley, to film her pain ng demo. She was originally scheduled to be filmed on the day I met Ruthven, but she canceled because of the predicted wind. It was s ll windy a week later. As she started her pain ng of aspen trees (her favorite subject), she told me about a zoom mee ng with other plein air ar sts where each answered the ques on, “what's the most challenging thing when pain ng plein air?” the same way. “Wind” was the overwhelming consensus. This makes sense, a plein air ar st carries with her a portable easel, many tubes of paint, solvents, brushes, pale e knives, paper towels and more. Windy days make keeping her opera on contained a problem. Jenifer Cline is from Loveland and has been pain ng seriously for 13 years now; previously, she had been a sculptor for 20 years. She had to give that up “due to health difficul es with the clays and other processes
Painted on loca on in Endovalley by Jenifer Cline on April 9 2021.
“A endance,” by Jenifer Cline
involved with sculp ng,” she said. A er researching the process for a year, Cline started plein air pain ng. “I was quickly won over by the process of crea ng works in the outdoors and haven't looked back,” she said. Cline paints in Rocky at least once a week, it's her favorite place to paint. She uses solvent free / water miscible oil paints; a er her experience with sculp ng, she is very conscious of the health risks associated with using chemical solvents. “These paints were created to thin and clean up with water,” she explained. “The base oils that are used in these paints have been treated to an emulsifica on process that allows bonding to water molecules. If water is used to thin the paints, once the water dissipates then the paint film is the same as tradi onal oils. This process allows me to stay solvent-free.” The day I filmed her demo, she was trying out a new technique: using water to create texture in her pain ng, almost like a watercolor piece. It was interes ng to watch how the fresh oils reacted to the water, adding interest, depth, and color varia on. She uses several types of ground, depending on the scene she is trying to reveal including canvas, smooth board, textured grounds, paper, and slick aluminum shee ng. Her forte is in her brush work, pushing color almost to edge of belief and ending up with a perfectly captured moment in me. For example, the day I was filming she
“Color Backdrop,” by Jenifer Cline
painted the white bark of the aspen trees with almost every color except white and ended up with a realis c depic on of what stood before her. There are some
“Never Summer Wilderness,” by Jenifer Cline
“Mighty View,” by Jenifer Cline
impressionis c aspects to her technique as well, and anyone who watches her create a pain ng from start to finish may struggle to see what she's trying to do un l she's well into her crea on. ”One of the best things about pain ng in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park is the tremendous variety of views and subjects one can find to paint,” she said. “I paint there throughout the year as o en as I can. “What affects my art the most in Rocky is a bit of a schism. At mes, I love being able to be out on my own with no one around. It doesn't take a long hike to find isolated areas – the major thing to be careful about when loca ng in these areas is to be very aware of any animals. Most of the me though, I enjoy se ng up where Park visitors can watch my process and interact with me while I paint. I have met people from all over the world while pain ng in the park and it is exci ng to know that the photos of me pain ng are sca ered around the world. I love encouraging people to get out and paint.” Cline is represented in Estes Park by Aspen and Evergreen Gallery and the Art Center of Estes Park. She was selected to par cipate in the juried show “A Breath of Plein Air” show at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins un l July 3rd and in the 2021 Na onal Fine Art Show at Lincoln Gallery in Loveland, May 8-28. More informa on about Jenifer Cline and her work can be found at www.jenifercline.com Rocky is truly a wonderland for all the senses – these two ar sts benefit greatly from having this subject in their backyards. Their pain ngs convey the many
Jenifer Cline pain ng on loca on in Endovalley on April 4, 2021
moods and seasons of RMNP and are a piece of the Rockies to be hung on your living room wall to experience no ma er where you live.
FEATURE PHOTO
This adorable picture of a baby moose was taken by Darlene Bushue.
Colorado’s Game Birds by Sco Rashid Director of the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilita on Ins tute
Tom turkey in full strut in Rocky. Photo by Pamela Johnson
North America has more than 20 different species of upland game birds. These include grouse, quail, pheasants, ptarmigan, and turkeys. All of these birds are heavy-bodied ground dwelling birds, o en cryp cally colored to blend into their surroundings. Colorado has 14 species of upland gamebirds, which is the most of any state in the na on. These birds include the northern bobwhite quail, which is most numerous in the eastern parts of the state. The scaled quail, o en called the "co ontop", is found in the southeastern por ons of the state. The gamble's quail is in the far western por on of the state. The Chucker, an introduced species, can be found almost anywhere in the state, as they are frequently bred in game farms and are released for hun ng or escape from their facili es.
Northern bobtail quail. Photo by Sco Rashid
Like the Chucker, the ring-necked pheasant is an introduced species that o en escape from their captors and can be found almost anywhere in the state as well. The dusky grouse, found in the mountains, is the largest
White-tailed ptarmigan mol ng from its winter plumage, photo by Marlene Borneman
mountain grouse in the state. They are frequently found high in the mountains. Another bird found high in the mountains, most o en seen above treeline, is the white-tailed ptarmigan. Ptarmigan is the only member of the family that looks very different from summer to winter as they molt from their summer plumage to their winter plumage. In the summer their plumage is mo led to match their surroundings and, in the winter, they molt their feathers and grow their winter plumage that is all white. The ruffed grouse is the least frequently seen member of the family, as they are only found in the far northwestern por on of the state. Ruffed grouse are more numerous farther north in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington State, and in the Midwest and Northeast. Sharp-tailed grouse are birds of the open country and most o en seen in the northern por ons of the state in the grasslands, with a few individuals frequently seen on the Pawnee Na onal Grasslands.
White-tailed ptarmigan in its summer plumage, Photo by Sco Rashid
Greater sage grouse “lekking,” photo by Sco Rashid
There are two species of prairie chickens in America, the greater and lesser. I already talked briefly about the lesser, which are only found in the Southeastern part of Colorado, Western Oklahoma, Northeastern Texas, and rarely Northeastern New Mexico.
Two species that are in very low numbers are the Lesser prairie-chicken and the Gunnison's sage grouse. Both species are found in very limited areas within the state and due to loss of habitat, their numbers have been declining for decades and do not seem to be rebounding.
The greater prairie-chicken is much more numerous and found in many more states. Greater prairie chickens are found in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Illinois.
The Gunnison's sage grouse was recently separated from the larger greater sage grouse into a separate species, due to being smaller, having different plumes on their heads, and living primarily in the Gunnison area of Colorado.
The largest of these birds is the turkey. There are several races of turkeys in the country, including the Meriam's, Eastern, Rio Grande, and many others; all look similar but have slight size differences and some color varia ons.
Ruffled grouse, photo by Sco Rashid
Except for the ring-necked pheasant, Gambel's quail, and the white-tailed ptarmigan (in their summer plumage), male and female gamebirds look virtually iden cal. The males of these species have elaborate courtship displays that they use to a ract females. Species including greater and lesser prairie-chickens and greater and Gunnison's sage grouse arrive on large open parcels of land called leks early in the morning and begin elaborate dancing and vocalizing. A lek is an aggrega on of male game birds gathered to engage in compe ve displays and courtship rituals, known as lekking, to en ce visi ng females which are surveying prospec ve partners to mate with. The placement of the males within the lek, o en determines which individual male ends up ma ng with the majority of the females.
Photo by Sco Rashid Dusky grouse (above and below) do not molt plumage between seasons.
The ruffed grouse has a very different courtship display. They find a downed log in the forest and perch upright, perpendicular to the direc on of the log. Then they vigorously flap their s ff wings against the log crea ng a loud brushing sound, o en called drumming. When a female arrives, the male steps off the log and displays its dark neck feathers and fans its tail while walking around the prospec ve female. The dusky grouse has a similar display, but they do not use a downed log. Dusky grouse simply give low deep hoots to a ract a female. When a female approaches, Photo by Marlene Borneman
Dusky grouse, photo by Sco Rashid
the males strut, puff up their neck feathers, displaying their reddish neck patches, and walk around the prospec ve female. If the females accept the males, the females move off and begin nes ng.
Ar st, researcher, bird rehabilitator, author, and director of a nonprofit are only a few things that describe Sco Rashid. Sco has been pain ng, illustra ng and wri ng about birds for over 30 years. In 2011, Sco created the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilita on Ins tute in Estes Park. In 2019, Sco located and documented the first Boreal Owl nest in the history of Rocky Mountain Na onal Park in Colorado. Sco has wri en and published five books and several papers on a variety of avian species. More informa on available on his website: h p://www.carriep.org/
Rocky’s Heroes Rocky’s SAR team members, shu led by a northern Colorado interagency helitak between Taylor Peak and the Powell saddle. RMNP photo
by Jason Van Tatenhove Visi ng our na onal parks is, for many, a dream vaca on that will make memories to last a life me. But, in a moment, an unexpected accident can quickly turn that dream trip into a nightmare. When things turn bad, many first responders will come to help. But who are those heroes in our na onal parks? The p of the spear of those first responders in our na onal parks truly is the park rangers themselves. Rangers and backcountry park employees are o en cross-trained in mul skill sets, including; search and rescue, emergency medical, wildland fire, structural fire, technical rescue, and swi water rescue. This tradi on of park rangers wearing many different hats goes back to the early years of the park. The first Director of the Na onal Park Service, Stephen T. Mather, said the following about early park rangers in the US Na onal Parks: "They are a fine, earnest, intelligent, and public-spirited body of men, these rangers. Though small in number, their influence is large. Many and long are the du es heaped upon their shoulders. If a trail is to be blazed, it is "send a ranger." If an animal is floundering in the snow, a ranger is
sent to pull him out; if a bear is in the hotel; if a fire threatens a forest if someone is to be saved, it is "send a ranger." If a Dude wants to know the why, if a Sagebrusher is puzzled about a road, it is "ask the ranger." Everything the ranger knows, he will tell you, except about himself." According to Wikipedia, by the 1970s, the Na onal Park Service recognized that to protect visitors and park resources effec vely, the service needed professional rangers dedicated primarily to law enforcement, emergency medical services, firefigh ng, and search and rescue. Although some modern NPS rangers in this specialty ("protec on rangers") may be primarily engaged in law enforcement du es, the many varied environments they work in may require these employees to be competent in a variety of public safety skills. Rangers who have received a law enforcement commission wear the standard NPS uniform with the Department of the Interior law enforcement badge. In larger parks, search and rescue, emergency medicine, and other func ons may be a branch of the "visitor services" or "protec on" division and may not require a commission. The du es of contemporary park rangers are as dis nct and different as the parks where they serve. For example, an interpre ve ranger may be trained in and perform wildland
Above and right, an accidental sefl-inflicted gunshot vic m is evacuated from Emerald Lake last year. RMNP photo fire suppression, emergency medicine, or search and rescue. Law enforcement rangers may contribute to the mission of the interpre ve ranger by helping park visitors make connec ons to park resources.
According to a KUNC analysis, Colorado's Rocky Mountain Na onal Park is one of the top places in the country for search and rescue opera ons. There were 2,890 search and rescue incidents, including 159 deaths, in NPS areas in 2017. Rocky Mountain Na onal Park had 165 of those incidents, the third-most in the na on. Only Grand Canyon Na onal Park in Arizona, with 290 search and rescues, and Yosemite Na onal Park in California, with 233, had more. At Rocky Mountain Na onal Park, about a third of the incidents, including five deaths, were considered significant, requiring extensive resources and personnel. About 20 rangers and staffers oversee Rocky's 415 square miles each day in the busy summer months. Expert volunteer teams o en assist the park during major, life-ordeath incidents, like Larimer County Search and Rescue. Larimer County Search and Rescue is an independent, nonprofit corpora on and is also the search and rescue resource for Larimer County, including when there is a need in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park. The mission of their unpaid volunteers is to find the lost, rescue the stranded and injured, recover the deceased, and educate the public on wilderness and mountain safety. The organiza on has approximately 80 ac ve professional SAR members and 70 call-outs a year. 75% of the calls are searches, and the rest are rescues and recoveries. They operate (via a signed agreement) under the authority of the Larimer County Sheriff, the legally responsible agency for search and rescue in Larimer County. They resource locally, out of the county, and out of state when requested through the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. When the terrain is too extreme for tradi onal Search and Rescue responders to extricate people, there is also the
op on to call in the Colorado Na onal Guard's Colorado Hoist Rescue Team (CHRT). The Colorado Na onal Guard, through the CHRT, is responsible for all hoist extrac on rescues in Colorado, flying an average of 27 missions a year and saving 21 lives during 2019 alone. Local jurisdic ons ini ate SAR requests for avia on assets. Requests are typically routed through the Colorado Search and Rescue Associa on to the Air Force Rescue Coordina on Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, to the CONG Joint Opera ons Center in Centennial, Colorado. Safety First! So with all of these first responder heroes pu ng their lives own lives on the line "so that others may live," It is just be er to avoid the dangers that visi ng our na onal parks can have. According to the Na onal Park Service, some of the most common dangers at RMNP and how to avoid them include: COVID-19 - When visi ng the park, visitors should follow local area health orders and avoid crowding and high-risk outdoor ac vi es. Please don't visit if you are sick or were recently exposed to COVID-19. High Water - Due to rapid snowmelt, rivers and streams in
Rocky are running very high. Each year, rescues are directly associated with unprepared vic ms finding themselves in the water from falling while hiking, crossing streams, or scrambling on rocks. To stay safe: Stay out of rivers and creeks. Stay away from rock adjacent to rivers; wet rock is excep onally slick.
Avalanche - Avalanches are common and occur regularly during the winter and early spring in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park. Avoid skiing or snowshoeing in gullies, on unforested slopes, and under snow cornices where avalanches could occur. Open slopes of 30 to 45 degrees can be loaded with dangerous masses of snow, easily triggered by the presence of one or more backcountry travelers. Consider a ending a formal avalanche training session before beginning your trip. Be aware of changing weather that may influence avalanche condi ons. Remember, avalanche danger increases during and a er snowstorms as well as a er heavy wind storms. Always wear an electronic transceiver inside your jacket when traversing avalanche terrain and know how to use it. If you are caught in an avalanche, make swimming mo ons and try to stay on top of the snow. Discard all equipment and try to remain calm. Carrying the following essen al items will increase your group's chances of surviving an avalanche: transceivers, portable shovels, probes, ski poles, and an avalanche cord. Tragic incidents involving avalanches may be avoided using these precau ons. Visit the Colorado Avalanche Informa on Center for addi onal informa on on avalanche safety and training opportuni es. Mountain lion and black bear - sigh ngs have increased throughout the park over the past several years. There are no grizzly bears in the park. Mountain lions are an essen al part of the park ecosystem, helping to keep deer and other prey popula ons in check. At the same me, bears are infamous omnivores that rarely kill animals of any significant size for food. Although lion a acks are rare and bear a acks are rare, they are possible, as is injury from any wild animal. To increase your safety: • In campgrounds and picnic areas, if there is a food storage locker provided, use it. • Avoid storing food and coolers in your vehicle. If you must, store food in air ght containers in the trunk or out of sight. Close vehicle windows completely. • Do not store food in tents or pop-up campers in campgrounds or vehicles at trailheads. • Food, coolers, and dirty cookware le una ended, even for a short me, are subject to confisca on by park rangers; cita ons may be issued. • All coolers, even those considered bear-proof (such as Ye ), must be stored or secured when the site is unoccupied or una ended.
A woman who fell at Bridal Veil Falls is evacuated by the SAR team in July of last year. RMNP photo • • •
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Dispose of garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters and trash cans. Human-fed bears usually end up with chronic problems and need to be removed - A fed bear is a dead bear. In the backcountry, store food, scented items, and garbage in commercially available bear-resistant portable canisters. Pack out all garbage. Never try to retrieve anything from a bear. Report all bear incidents to a park ranger. Do not leave pets or pet food outside and una ended, especially at dawn and dusk. Pets can a ract animals into developed areas. Avoid walking alone. Watch children closely and never let them run ahead or lag on the trail. Talk to children about lions and bears and teach them what to do if they meet one.
What should you do if you meet a black bear? Never approach a bear. Keep children beside you. There is more safety in numbers; it is best to travel in a close group. If a bear approaches you, stand up tall and make loud noisesshout, clap hands, clang pots and pans. When done immediately, these ac ons have been successful in scaring
Above and le , RMNP SAR teams evacuate a woman who was injured in a snow slide on February 9 of this year, south of Emerald Lake. RMNP photo burned out stump holes areas that may s ll be smoldering or burning bridges or other trail structures that may be damaged Off-trail travel is not recommended in burned areas. Climbing: This ac vity requires extensive training, skill, and proper equipment. Do not a empt to rock climb or scramble up steep slopes unprepared. Eleva on bears away. However, if a acked, fight back! Never try and retrieve anything once a bear has it. Report all incidents to a park ranger.
Al tude sickness - affects many visitors every year. Symptoms include headache, nausea, fa gue, dizziness, vomi ng, and even unconsciousness. Al tude can also aggravate pre-exis ng condi ons like heart and lung disease. Take your me, drink water, eat, and rest. The only cure for al tude sickness is to go down to a lower al tude.
What should you do if you meet a Mountain Lion? Never approach a mountain lion, especially one that is feeding or with ki ens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid confronta on. Always give them away to escape. Don't run. Stay calm. Hold your ground or back away slowly. Face the lion and stand upright. Do all you can to appear larger. Grab a s ck. Raise your arms. If you have small children with you, pick them up. If the lion behaves aggressively, wave your arms, shout and throw objects at it. The goal is to convince it that you are not prey and may be dangerous yourself. If a acked, fight back! Generally, mountain lions are calm, quiet, and elusive. The chance of being a acked by a mountain lion is rela vely low compared to many other natural hazards. There is, for example, a far greater risk of being struck by lightning than being a acked by a mountain lion. Report all incidents to a park ranger.
Hypothermia - At Rocky, all four seasons can happen in a single day. Don't let cold, wet weather ruin your trip. Bringing a few extra clothing items will keep you more comfortable and safe. Hypothermia can happen any me of year. Watch for sleepiness, impaired judgment, lots of shivering, and slurred speech.
Burned Areas - When in recently burned areas like Forest Canyon, Spruce Canyon, trails in the Fern Lake-Cub Lake area, the North Inlet Trail, and Moraine Park, be alert for: falling trees and limbs, especially during periods of wind unstable slopes and rolling material such as logs and rocks
Lightning - Lightning regularly strikes in Rocky. No outdoor place is safe when lightning strikes. Check the forecast before heading out. Watch for building storm clouds. Plan ac vi es so you can quickly return to your car if a storm begins. If hiking, plan to return to the trailhead before noon.
Falling Trees - Falling trees are an ever-present hazard when traveling or camping in the forest. Be aware of your surroundings as trees can fall without warning. Be excep onally watchful when it's windy or following a snowstorm when branches are covered with snow. Avoid parking or camping in areas where trees could fall.
SAR crews search for a missing man on Longs Peak in 2018. RMNP photo Return to the trailhead immediately if you hear thunder. Mountain Weather - A bright, sunny day can turn windy and wet within a ma er of minutes with high winds and driving rain or snow. Be prepared for changing condi ons and carry these essen als; raingear, map and compass, flashlight or headlamp, sunglasses and sunscreen, matches or other fire starter, candles, extra food and water, extra layers of clothing, pocketknife, and a first aid kit. Snow and Ice Fields - Stay back from steep snow slopes and cornices. Snow avalanche danger is o en severe. Ask a ranger about current avalanche poten al. Know how to recognize dangerous snow condi ons. Streams, Lakes, and Waterfalls - Streams, lakes, and waterfalls can be deadly. Park waters are frigid. Powerful currents can knock you over and pull you downstream or underwater, where you may become trapped. Streamside rocks are o en slippery, and nearby water may be deep. Always closely supervise children around all water but especially near rivers and streams. Water from lakes and streams isn't safe to drink unless you treat or filter it first. Wildlife - Keep a safe distance from wildlife—it's the law. Never feed wildlife, including birds and chipmunks. It's illegal. It makes the animals unhealthy. You could be bi en, scratched, kicked, thrown, or trampled. If you see a bear or
mountain lion, stop, stay calm, and back away. Never turn your back or run away. Stand tall and raise your arms to look prominent. Pick up, small children. While many emergency services are striving to keep visitors to our Na onal Parks safe, we must make sure we do everything we can to remain safe.
Jason Van Tatenhove is a journalist, writer, professional ar st, and father raising two daughters in the mountains of Colorado. Jason is a staff writer for the Estes Park Trail-Gaze e, Jason is a freelance writer for Hike Rocky and is working on two new book projects; a supernatural mystery novel based in Estes Park and his first nonfic on novel. You can find more about him on his Instagram @jasonvantat or his ar st's webpage www.vantat.org
“The orchid is Mother Nature's masterpiece.” - Robyn
Rare White Fairy Slipper
Brownie Lady’s Slipper
Orchids in Rocky story and photos by Marlene Borneman The fossil record indicates that orchids may have coexisted with dinosaurs! The orchid family is the largest family of flowering plants in the world with approximately 30,000 species. Only 26 call Colorado home. Some experts say there may be three species growing in the state yet to be discovered. My dream is to be the one to discover one of these na ve species in Colorado! Colorado's na ve orchids are terrestrial orchids, referring to growing from the ground in soil. They range from a few inches to over a foot high. Since Rocky Mountain Na onal Park is my backyard, I'm going to tell the story of na ve orchids that grow only in the Park. Like their cousins the epiphy c orchids/tropical orchids (clinging to tree branches with hanging roots) they are extremely pleasing to the eye but on a much smaller scale. Fairy Slipper
Alluring, mysterious, elusive, fascina ng, cap va ng, glamorous, beau ful, elegant, magnificent, stunning, gorgeous, and delicate are adjec ves that have been used to describe na ve orchids. No doubt, if you are fortunate enough to see a wild orchid, it does take your breath away. What makes this so? Maybe it is the intricate design of their flower structure. They have three petals and three sepals. One modified petal is called a “lip.” In some, it is referred to as a “slipper.” Two petals o en fuse together forming a “hood.” The hood usually covers the column. What is the column? In orchids, the stamen (male organ) and the pis l (female organ) are fused together forming a column. I find this unique flower structure cap va ng! How they grow is mind-boggling! I will a empt to keep this simple, but remember na ve orchids are anything but simple! Orchid seeds are extremely minute and can number into the thousands in one single capsule. Because orchid seeds are so minute, they have no food reserves to germinate and are totally dependent on fungus for nutrients during the early stages of growth. Na ve orchids need a rela onship with a variety of fungi to germinate and grow, for some orchids through maturity.
Heart-leaved Twayblad
Mycorrhizae refers to the rela onship between a variety of fungi and roots of plants, in this case orchid roots. Most na ve orchids, as they grow, are able to obtain nutrients by photosynthesis and develop chlorophyll; however, it is thought all na ve orchids retain their fungal rela onship to some extent. Coralroot orchids are the excep on. Coralroots do not photosynthesis and require the rela onship with fungi as mature plants to survive. Coralroots are now thought to be parasi c plants. Families of flowering plants are further divided into genera and species. Genus (genera plural) is a biological classifica on ranking between family and species. Plants in the same genus share common structures, characteris cs, similar proper es and evolu onary development. Species is the biological ranking a er genus. The genus and species form the scien fic name of a plant. The first name is the genus and the second name is the species—kind of like having a first and last name. Rocky holds fi een species of orchids within seven genera. Genus Calypso: Only one species: Calypso or FairySlipper Orchid (Calypso bulbosa)
Frog Orchid
Genus Cypripedium: Rocky has two species: Brownie Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium fasciculatum) Yellow Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum) Brownie Lady's Slipper Orchid also known as Clustered Lady's Slipper, is found in moist sub-alpine forest from mid-June-early July. This orchid also prefers northnortheast facing slopes. The flowers are greenish/brown/purplish, ghtly clustered together on a short stalk with bright green leaves. This orchid is 2-5 inches high. The Yellow Lady's-Slipper Orchid is a very rare and endangered species. These orchids are threatened by loss of habitat due to development and people digging them up to transplant. The yellow lady-slipper is the largest Colorado na ve orchid growing to 14 inches high. The yellow lady slipper orchid is thought to be within the park, but I have only seen this orchid edging the boundaries. I keep looking! Genus Corallorhiza: Rocky has three species: Spo ed Coralroot (Corallorhiza maculate) Yellow Coralroot (Corallorhiza trifida) Wister's Coralroot (Corallorhiza wister ana) Spo ed Coralroot orchids are common and bloom late
Yellow Lady’s Slipper
The Fairy Slipper Orchid is Colorado's earliest flowering orchid. It blooms from mid-May un l mid-June, depending on al tude and weather variables. Blooming me is very short, no more than ten days. This orchid prefers north/northeast facing slopes where soils remain cool and moist. Fairy slipper orchids boast shades of pink to magenta. They have a slipper-shaped lip with handsome dark purple striping laced with golden hairs which help a ract pollinators. These orchids grow 2-6 inches high. Fairy slipper orchids are considered rare orchids by all. A white calypso orchid, albino variety, is considered very rare. Genus Coeloglossum: Only one species. Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride) This is an uncommon orchid in Colorado. It has pale yellow-light-green flowers with the petals forming a hood over the column and a long linear lip petal deeply lobed at the end. It grows 4-16 inches high and is found in wet grassy areas in the upper range of the foothills and subalpine. I have seen this orchid on the boundary of the park so believe it most likely grows within the park as well. This is a difficult orchid to find as it blends in with other plants and grasses.
Spo ed Coralroot
May to early August. They grow on spikes (flowers elongated on unbranched stem). The typical spo ed coralroot is reddish/brown stem, white flowers with maroon-purplish spots. However spo ed coralroots have several varie es: orange, yellow with or without spots in addi on to the reddish/brown and with dark maroon spots. The spo ed coralroot grows 4-14 inches high. The yellow variety of spo ed coralroot is o en mistaken for the Yellow Coralroot also known as Northern Coralroot. There are subtle differences that dis nguish the species. Yellow Coralroot has dis nc ve greenish-yellow color stems. It is smaller than the spo ed coralroot growing only 2-6 inches high. The white lip petal has three lobes and usually lacks spots. Another uncommon orchid in Rocky is the Wister's Coralroot. This is orchid has a brownish slender stem growing about 9 inches tall. The white lip petals have very faint spots, if any. This is a difficult orchid to spot due to its small size and ability to blend in leaf debris. Genus Goodyera: One species found in Rocky: Giant Ra lesnake Plantain Orchid (Goodyera oblongifolia) There are two species in Colorado the Giant Ra lesnake Plantain and Dwarf Ra lesnake Plantain. The dwarf ra lesnake plantain orchid is very rare. The leaf pa ern resembles a ra lesnake skin, thus the name. I have not found this dwarf species in Rocky. The giant ra lesnake plantain orchid is commonly seen and once you recognize its leaf you will see it everywhere from the montane to sub-alpine in conifer forest. The dark green leaves grow at the base in a rose e with a dis nct white mid-rib running down the middle. The flowers are cream colored arranged on a spike. This orchid grows 9-24 inches high and blooms in August. Genus Listera: Two species found in Rocky: Heartleaved Twayblade (Listera cordata) Broad-lipped Twayblade (Listera convallarioides) Twayblade orchids are very small plants with greenish flowers. Heart-leaved Twayblade orchids are common and where you see one you will see several. A Colorado botanist, Joyce Gellhorn, nicknamed this orchid “Dancing Ladies.” If you look very closely at the flower with a hand lens you can see the lip petal is deeply split forming “legs” and the base has two “arms”appendages giving the appearance of a “dancing lady.” These grow 2-6 inches in height. The Broad-leaved twayblade has a translucent shiny green lip petal shaped like a fiddle with an elongated stripe in middle and notched at the end. This orchid
Leaves of the Giant Ra lesnake Plantain (above); the orchids of the Giant Ra le Snake Plan an (below)
The yellow-stemmed spotless variety of Coralroot Orchid.
Genus Spiranthes: One species found in Rocky: Hooded Lady's Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) Hooded Lady's Tresses are found in moist sub-alpine forest. The hooded lady's tresses are exquisite with their spiraled column of brilliant white flowers. These orchids prefer the higher eleva ons in the mountains between 7,500 . and 11,000 feet growing 3-10 inches high. These bloom late July-September and hold a faintly sweet scent. A li le trivia …Which orchid has the most economic use today? Answer: The vanilla orchid. It does not grow in Colorado; however, some wild orchids found in Rocky were once used as a food source or for medicinal purposes. For example, the bulbs of the fairy slipper orchid were cooked by Na ve Americans for their rich bu ery taste. The Paiutes made tea from the dried stems of coralroot orchids which was thought to build up the blood.
The yellow-stemmed, spotless variety of Coralroot.
grows 4-7 inches high and enjoys wet grassy areas along streams. It is considered a rare orchid. Genus Platanthera: Four species found in Rocky: Green Bog Orchid (Platanthera aquilonis) White Northern Bog Orchid/Scentbo le Orchid (Platanthera dilatate) Huron Green Orchid (Platanthera huronensis) Bluntleaved Orchid (Platanthera obtusata) In summer months the White and Green Bog Orchids are commonly seen and the most difficult species to iden fy. There are several species of green and white bog orchids. Bog orchids are characterized by having a special addi on, a spur. The spur is long and strap-like located on the back of the lip petal. The spur and lip length and shape help iden fy the exact species of these orchids. Blunt-leaved Orchid is another uncommon in RMNP. I have only seen this orchid on the west side of the park. Moist spruce-fir forest is the preferred habitat. The blunt-leaf orchid is 3-9 inches high with one leaf at the base of the plant. The white-greenish-yellow flowers are very ny.
Believe it or not, there are folks out there who read flower guidebooks/websites and social media to locate na ve wild orchids to dig up in an a empt to transplant. For this reason, the loca on of orchids should never be made public. Only nature knows where to “plant” these orchids for success as they do not survive transplan ng. Appreciate the orchids where you find them and leave them for others to enjoy their magical beauty. I just take a bazillion photos. My inten on is to amplify your curiosity and also your respect for these vulnerable plants. Protect them. Suggested reading: The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean Those Elusive Na ve Orchids of Colorado by Sco F. Smith
Marlene has been photographing Colorado's wildflowers while on her hiking and climbing adventures since 1979. Marlene has climbed Colorado's 54 14ers and the 126 USGS named peaks in Rocky. She is the author of Rocky Mountain Wildflowers 2Ed, The Best Front Range Wildflower Hikes, and Rocky Mountain Alpine Flowers, published by CMC Press. She has created the “Rocky’s Orchid” quiz for this issue of HIKE ROCKY (answers to the quiz will be provided next month, but this ar cle may help you figure them out!)
Coming next month in
HIKE ROCKY online magazine - The Colorado River Trail Dave Rusk explores the the west side of Rocky to bring you this month’s Trail of the Month - Biking Trail Ridge Murray Selleck enjoys biking Trail Ridge Road a er it’s plowed for the season, but before it’s open to vehicle traffic. Join him on this adventure as he bikes the length of the road from west to east! (Trail Ridge Road is s ll not cleared, this story has been postponed to June!) - Lumpy Ridge art Barb Boyer Buck presents profiles on plein-air oil painters, Cliff Aus n of Denver and David Harms of Centennial. - A review of the Jetboil’s Minimo camp stove by Murray Selleck - An examina on of the Park’s BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) Report (which was not available in me for this edi on). - Barb takes a deep dive into Rocky’s decision to require med-entry reserva ons. - Jason Van Tatenhove profiles the Ar st in Residence program at Rocky - and so much more!
Spring aspen leaves in Rocky, photo by Dave Rusk
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