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. •
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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
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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
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