HIKE ROCKY magazine, August, 2021

HIKE ROCKY magazine Vol. I, Issue 9 August, 2021

a publication of

HIKE ROCKY Out near my house, there’s a trail that travels through an open montane meadow just inside the Park. This summer, I have been awestruck at the flower diversity: the large, spreading white petals of the mariposa, the orange-red spikes of paintbrush, the intense yellow clusters of sulphur flowers, and the light green upright leaves of Mountain Big sage, all add to the pale e and texture of the rich and diverse hillside.

I am super excited about our August issue of Hike Rocky! The colorful pale e and texture of our writers and ar cles are as rich and diverse as a montane hillside.

The ar cles this month include the exhilara ng story of Jason Miller’s first ascent up Longs Peak via the Keyhole route, while Rebecca De erline takes us on a li le fishing expedi on in Wild Basin. Marlene Borneman travels up and over the Con nental Divide and down the North inlet Trail while Chris Reveley takes us running on the same trail to Grand Lake, and then bikes back!

Learn about the Osprey, in Sco Rashid’s story The Fish Hawk; and, Murray Selleck shows us the proper way to adjust the straps on our day pack. Cindy Elkins profiles a local hero who is currently working to rehabilitate Rocky’s trails and par cipa ng in search and rescue opera ons!

We know you will enjoy this issue of Hike Rocky!

Dave Rusk, Publisher

This photo of Spruce Creek forest was taken by Dave Rusk in 2017; this area was completely consumed by the East Troublesome Fire last fall.

Front Cover Photo Contest Winner: Longs Peak from the Fla op Mountain Trail, by Michael Bushue.

Mike Bushue is an outdoor enthusiast from Allenspark, CO. He is re red and spends most days outdoors, hiking and exploring RMNP and the surrounding na onal forests. His other interests include reading, traveling, and wildlife photography.

HIKE ROCKY Magazine is a publication of Barefoot Enterprises, Inc., and RockyMountainDayHikes.com, Estes Park, Colorado.

HikeRockyMagazine@gmail.com Volume 1, Issue 9, August 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 August, 2021 edition: Scott Rashid, Marlene M. Borneman, Barb Boyer Buck, Dave Rusk, Maddy Rusk, Murray Selleck, Michael Bushue, Cindy Elkins, Jason Miller, Chris Reveley.

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his edi on of ER is ery special because we introduce three new contributors hris Re eley Rebecca e erline and Jason Miller! hese new oices are much welcomed in this endea or each sharing their uni ue perspec es on Rocky Mountain a onal ark. t s a beau ful me of year in Rocky Mountain a onal ark - late summer and fall ha e always been my fa orite. Remember reser a ons are s ll re uired to access most of Rocky between a.m. and p.m. and for the ear ake orridor between a.m. and p.m. he reser a on system is scheduled to end ct.

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ere at ER maga ine we welcome uality content from writers and photographers who lo e Rocky Mountain a onal ark as much as we do!

Email your story idea and or photos to ikeRockyMaga ine gmail com to be considered for publica on and to in uire about what we pay to our contributors.

ER is a collabora on con nually seeking to in ol e our online community!

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Each month we will feature a co er photo from a photographer who li es and breathes Rocky Mountain a onal ark. hoto submissions must be recei ed by the end of the month to be considered for the following month s co er. he photo must ha e been taken in Rocky not pre iously published except for social media and be seasonal. he winner will recei e a cash pri e free access to the edi on that features his or her photo and online promo on. hint about what we are looking for to grace our co er e ery month is included in our weekly email blast. o sign up for no fica ons isit h p://rockymountaindayhikes com/hike-rocky-emailno cca on-page html Barb Boyer Buck

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Rocky’s Gentians

by Marlene Borneman

How well do you know the Gen an Family? Gen ans bloom late summer through October if the weather remains temperate.

Characteris cs of the Gen an Family are opposite leaves, tubular-shaped flowers, deep bright blues/purples/ so lavenders and creamy whites. Inspired by the Colorado Na ve Plants Society.

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RMNP UPDATES

Boulder police ofcer dies and other RMNP news

Rocky Mountain Na onal Park’s search and rescue team, preparing to aid an injured hiker at Balanced Roc on July 26. RMNP photo

Body Recovered on Mount Lady Washington RMNP News Release - July 16, 2021 Last night, Thursday, July 15, park rangers recovered the body of a 35-year-old female from Loveland, Colorado, just west of Martha’s Couloir on Mount Lady Washington in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park.

Yesterday a ernoon, park rangers were no fied by a family member that they had received informa on via a satellite communica on device of an emergency. Rocky Mountain Na onal Park Search and Rescue team members arrived on scene via ground at 4:45 p.m. and were aided with aerial search efforts by Mesa Verde Interagency Helitak crew, assigned to the Morgan Creek Fire near Steamboat Springs. It appears the woman took an approximate 200-foot tumbling fall.

The woman’s body was flown at approximately 8:15 p.m. via a long line opera on to the Upper Beaver Meadows helipad where she was transferred to the Boulder County Coroner’s office. The woman’s name

will be released a er next of kin are no fied.

As is standard protocol the incident is under inves ga on. Rocky Mountain Na onal Park Search and Rescue Team members stayed at the Chasm Shelter last night and are hiking out this morning.

Boulder Police Officer Dies While Hiking NEWS from the City of Boulder Friday, July 16, 2021 BOULDER, Colo. – The Boulder Police Department is saddened to share the news today that it has lost another member of its family.

At approximately 5 p.m. yesterday, July 15, BPD received a call from law enforcement officials in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park that one of our officers who was hiking in the park had fallen from a treacherous part of a mountain path and died.

her cell phone.

Rocky Mountain Na onal Park’s Search and Rescue Team members arrived on scene and provided Advanced Life Support care.

Due to her loca on and severity of injuries, park rangers requested assistance from a Colorado Na onal Guard helicopter to extricate her via a hoist opera on, using a winch operated cable. This occurred at approximately 6:15 p.m. A Med Evac air ambulance has been pre-posi oned in the MacGregor Ranch area to receive the pa ent from the Na onal Guard helicopter.

She was then flown from the meadow to Medical Center of The Rockies.

No further informa on is available at this me.

She was posi vely iden fied as Ashley Haarmann, 35.

Officer Haarmann had worked for the Boulder Police Department for approximately one and half years.

Chief Maris Herold sent members of BPD Command Staff to the park to make sure Officer Haarmann was covered with the American flag un l she was escorted to the Boulder County Coroner’s Office late last night.

“Our Department is again mourning the loss of a friend, coworker and dedicated public servant,” Chief Herold said. “Ashley was doing something she loved yesterday, and though it’s not much, I hope we can take some solace in that.”

Hiker Injured Near Balanced Rock In Rocky Mountain Na onal Park RMNP UPDATE - On Monday, July 26, a 41-year-old female from Texas was hiking and scrambling in the Balanced Rock area in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park when she took an approximate 20-foot fall. She was able to call for emergency assistance around noon on

Colorado Na onal Guard helicopter assists with rescuing an injured hiker at Balanced Rock on July 26. RMNP photo

A profile of the Osprey

The Fish Hawk story and photos by Sco Rashid, Director of the Colorado Research and Rehabilita on Ins tute There are many hundreds of species of hawks worldwide, but only one that is found on every con nent except Antarc ca: the Osprey, o en called the fish hawk.

Ospreys are the only hawk in the world that feeds almost en rely upon fish. They seem to eat fish of all species, both fresh and salt-water species.

Ospreys are found year-round in the southern hemisphere and in some of the southern states including Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas. They arrive in the northern por ons of their range in March and remain un l roughly late October.

The pair constructs a large s ck nest in a tree, or on a building, nest pla orm built for them, and even the masts of sailboats that remain docked for too long in

the spring. They do not appear to have or defend a territory, as many pairs can nest in rela vely close proximity, o en just a few hundred yards apart.

Osprey pairs are o en found occupying the same nest for several years. However, there is no way to inden fy

the nest. Some young spreys remain with their parents for up to fi y days before mo ing away and star ng their migra on south. spreys only take between and weeks from the day they hatch un l they begin migra ng south.

Ju enile spreys remain in the southern hemisphere for at least two years before migra ng north to begin nes ng because the birds are not sexually mature un l they are at least two years old. er the past few years many ci es and pri ate en es ha e begun construc ng and placing nest structures for spreys near bodies of water.

if it the same pair from one year to the next unless the indi iduals are marked in some way or banded and the band numbers can be read.

Female spreys can lay up to four eggs but usually lay two or three. sprey eggs are about the si e of a chicken egg and can be off-white to pink with dark spo ng. hey are laid e ery two to three days. ncuba on begins when the first egg is laid.

Female spreys do the ma ority of the incuba on that can take about days. he eggs hatch in the order that they were laid. t hatching the young are co ered in white down but begin growing their feathers within a few days. he nestlings grow fast with a high-protein diet and are o en about the si e of their parents at three weeks old. oung on the nest ha e red or orange eyes and ha e white trailing edges on e ery feather on their backs. he white edges wear off o er winter. he birds eyes remain red or orange for a few weeks before turning yellow. er the young are about six to se en weeks old their parents start bringing fewer and fewer fish to encourage them to lea e their nest. nce off the nest they will occasionally return to it to accept food from their parents. un ng for fish appears to be ins nctual as the young o en make a empts to catch fish soon a er they lea e

he ity of o eland has se eral of these structures along their ri ers and lakes. uring the first few weeks of July was asked to band the nestlings. anding birds is a rela ely simple procedure. Each band is made of lightweight aluminum and se uen ally numbered. he band is placed on each bird s right leg ust abo e its toes. er the bird is banded write down the loca on where the bird was banded along with the age and sex of the indi idual. he informa on is then sent to the ird anding laboratory in aurel Maryland. here all of the data from the banded birds is uploaded into computers. hen a banded bird is found dead or recaptured li e the indi idual then contacts the banding lab ia the internet and gi es them the informa on about how they obtained the banded bird. he o eland ower ompany brought in a bucket truck to li me and one of the power company employees up in the bucket to the top of the nest so that could place bands on the nestlings.

s we were li ed to each nest the adults ew abo e them ocali ing. he nestlings would simply lay at on their nest and remain mo onless. simply li ed them one-by-one and placed a band on each bird then placed it back in its nest. he first nest that we arri ed at had three nestlings all of which were banded. he second nest had three nestlings. ne had twine wrapped around its leg and unfortunately had to be taken from the nest to a rehabilita on center. he other two were banded. he third nest had two nestlings. ne was healthy and was banded the second nestling fell o er dead as we approached the nest. he dead bird was taken to a et and had a necropsy preformed. he et found that the bird had a compromised li er and brain lesions. he et said the bird was doomed to die it ust happened to do so when we were there. few weeks a er banded the nestling spreys they all le their nests and began fishing for themsel es. his winter they will be in south merica spending the next two years before returning north to begin nes ng themsel es.

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r st researcher bird rehabilitator author and director o a nonpro t are only a ew thin s that describe o hi co has been pain n illustra n and wri n about birds or over years n co created the Colorado vian Research and Rehabilita on ns tute in stes ark n co located and docu ented the rst Boreal Owl nest in the history o Rocky ountain a onal ark in Colorado co has wri en and published ve books and several papers on a variety o avian species ore in or a on available on his website h ie o g

FRONT COVER PHOTO

CONTEST Did you know? h month hoto onte t nt to ign o no e e oo ing

e ho ont o e o n one ho i te C i he e to on o t h t o e h month

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by Cindy lkins ilderness preser a on and accessibility are at the core of Eric Johnson s alues. s a na e Estes ark man his interests in the outdoors from childhood into adulthood ha e benefi ed by the easy access to stunning wilderness experiences in the Rocky Mountain a onal ark. s a young teen in oy Scouts Eric remembers the first me he recogni ed the importance of being in nature. hile on an o ernight camping trip to Sand each ake in the ild asin area Eric remembers how it really hit him how ama ingly beau ful and important the ecosystems are in Rocky. Eric recalled how they used a fast food cup that one of the other oy Scouts had with him to build sand castles along the shore. e oked about the irony of fast food in the wilderness coming in handy to create a fun pro ect with his troop. his passion and sense of ad enture grew and has led him in his recrea onal and college choices and in his ser ice as part of the trail crew in RM . uring an En ironmental Science class in high school Eric s growing interests in wilderness preser a on were hooked by a ser ice pro ect along Fish reek Road in Estes ark. e and his class planted ri er willows and

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par cipated in a rescue near och ale in une o this year R photo

other indigenous plants to help with restora on efforts a er the 2013 floods. During this me, young Johnson recognized how deeply he cares about the plant life and the connec on it has with the success of the animal life. Watching things grow that other species need to live is important to this insigh ul young person.

Spending me with Eric and ge ng to know how hard he will work to get a job done correctly and environmentally sound, is a direct result of how he was raised. Repeatedly in our interview, Eric gave credit to his family for helping him appreciate the beauty of nature and the benefits of hard work. As a student at Mesa in Grand Junc on, Colorado, his older sister’s alma mater, Eric is in the Outdoor Recrea on Industry Studies program. He feels he needs to excel to keep up with his sister's accomplishments and is mo vated by his passion and deep-rooted sense of responsibility.

Eric hopes that every visitor to RMNP will take me to observe, enjoy, and follow the rules. He recognizes both the beauty and the dangers. Recently, he was on his first rescue of an injured visitor. Going into the rescue, Eric dealt with his own fears about having to rescue someone. He knew the me would probably come and naturally had reserva ons about his own abili es. Not wan ng to be a hindrance, Eric stepped up with 20 some other park employees to successfully carry out the injured hiker.

“Everyone needs to know the reali es of being in the backcountry,” Eric said, “exposure, dehydra on, animal habitats, personal skill levels, everything can change in an instant.” A erward, he had a renewed sense of strength and recognized the importance of being part of a reliable team.

Being part of trail crew is just the beginning for this outdoor enthusiast. When asked about the future and a possible career path, Eric simply says he is keeping his op ons open and will hopefully discover his direc on in school. He is in no rush while enjoying a summer of hard physical labor making our Park accessible to all.

Eric recalls seeing places that even as a local he had never been to in the RMNP, such as Finch Lake Trail, and Boulder Brook Trail, and how they s r a sense of awe and wonder. He doesn't like to visit certain places too o en because he wants to be able to recreate that feeling inside again and again. The kind of experience that he can turn to that ignites his passion and fuels

Eric Johnson took this photo of his trail crew heading to Odessa Lake.

him to excel at wilderness preserva on.

Eric developed his interests in the wilderness from early years into a seasonal job with the RMNP Trail Crew and loves the variety of work the job offers. This hardworking group makes impossible places possible for those who want to venture into the Park. Everything from backcountry repairs to wheelchair access ramps or foot bridges, Trail Crew moves rocks, builds steps, and does exactly what you would guess the name implies, they build trials, some mes straight up a mountain made of rock.

There are dangers and safety protocols, and s ll accidents happen. Yet the brave strong, individuals of our na onal parks trail crews deserve to be honored.

Never take for granted the steps leading to your next favorite waterfall hike! Eric strongly believes in the “importance of preserving the natural world around us so people can see what the world is like when humans can't manipulate it.” So, please stay on the trails, enjoy the views, and don’t take anything. Eric appreciates the

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used to repair a brid e s hoisted by helicopter earlier this su er R photo

rules of the ark and wants others to follow them. he tundra is precious and such a gi to be able to explore by simply dri ing up and o er the top of the con nental di ide in the Rocky Mountain a onal ark it s ery special. he ecosystem is fragile humans are the isitors. e respec ul of the ny ora fauna and aware of the lightning storms. Eric emphasi ed how he wishes that e eryone would read the signs follow the rules and take things seriously. e wants e eryone to ha e the opportunity to en oy e en the niest most fragile life forms. n closing Eric offered these words of wisdom rail work helps keep people in one place rather than damaging the areas around the trail. eeping them in one place helps stop mass destruc on. eep em on the trails and allow the nature to be unaffected. nd ha e a safe RM experience be aware of exposure dehydra on and the e er-changing weather elements.

Click here to return to the table o contents Born in the ountains o West ir inia Cindy lkins has called Colorado ho e since sa pro essional ar st and teacher hikin and the outdoors provide inspira on and keep her ac ve

FEATURE PHOTO

On the Trail to Odessa Lake, by Michael Bushue bio on Page 2

A Hike on the Historic Fern Lake Trail

Fern Lake

story and photos by Dave Rusk What month is this? August? But it's so cool and moist and green. However, there are signs that we are ge ng into the la er part of summer. The chartreuse green of spring aspen leaves have darkened to a deep emerald, large and shimmering in the summer breeze, while the tall grass sway with ripening seeedheads. We've watched the transi on into late summer wildflowers and the streams lose their torrential flow.

Lately, the weather pa ern has brought us a heavy layer of California wildfire smoke, which is a strange mix with the cool moisture. Other than the hazy skies, it feels like an abnormal normalcy for us compared to other parts of the west. Is it even possible we might make it through the rest of the summer without some sort of cataclysmic event?

Some me in mid-July, the Park Service opened up the Fern Lake trail past The Pool, having completed some work to make the trail ready from last fall's devastating fire. This being one of the standard hikes in the Park,

The Fern Lake Trailhead in Moraine Park

and knowing that the Patrol Cabin at Fern Lake was lost in that fire, I wanted to see how dras c the landscape had changed. I made the trek at the end of July.

At 6:30 am, it was easy to find a parking spot at the Fern Lake parking lot. With no one on the trail to get ahead of, I started off at leisurely pace. The early

Pearly Everlas ng

morning sun cast long shadows and the light appeared warmer than the air temperature felt giving the tall, green grass a lushness that contrasted with the stark black and brown of the fire damaged pines.

Fern Lake is a moderate 3.8 mile hike. While much of the hike sees a gradual increase in eleva on, there is about a mile and a half in the second part of the hike where the trail switchbacks up a north facing slope, with Fern Falls midway up at one of the switchbacks.

In the first 1.7 miles to the Pool, I was impressed by how much green understory growth was growing up through the scorched earth. I thought that perhaps when the fire came through in October, most of this vegeta on had already gone dormant for the winter and they were not affected by the above ground fire.

They had no clue a fire had swept over them when these plants emerged early in the summer. Ferns and flowering shrubs were s ll covering much of the ground as they always had.

A sign warns of the dangers while hiking in the burn zones.

But once past The Pool, the situa on changed. First the trail travels through an open area that had been caught up in the 2012 Fern Lake Fire. The area was covered with Fireweed. Then the trail begins to gain eleva on and it is here that I really began to see the effects from the 2020 East Troublesome Fire.

Once the trail begins its steady climb across the north facing slope, I remembered the shaded spruce and pine woodland environ with sun filtering through onto open forested terrain with a low growing but rich ground covering. I remembered how tall and slender the trees were with downed mber ro ng and adding organic material to the thin soil. This was a favorite stretch of the trail for me.

I walked up the slope in silence, overcome by how barren the landscape looked. Charred trees stood with bare branches, devoid of life. The morning sun blasted through, baking the ground. The ground lacked any

Fern Falls

cover, excep ng for occasional patches of blooming Arnica, their happy yellow flowers loving the sun but seemingly out of place.

I make the turn at the first of three switchbacks and follow the trail east and towards Fern Falls. I've been curious to see how barren thing would look around one of the Park's few notable waterfalls. The falls were always a fine respite mid-way up this part of the trail with the cool misty spray from the falls refreshing the laboring trail traveler. I feared something of its charm would be gone.

But as I approached, the trail almost magically returned to its green lushness. It would seem the fast moving fire just simply passed right over this notch in the hillside.

While some of the surrounding trees showed signs of heat damage, this spot remained mostly an unchanged oasis. But as soon as I made the turn at this second switchback, I walked right back out into the desolate

Heartleaf Arnica blooms in the burn area on Fern Lake Trail.

hillside, as if walking out of a daydream.

Just past the third and last switchback, the trail makes one final push up the hillside before turning north and leveling out. Notchtop Mtn now comes into clear view here through the blackened stand of tall s cks. Walking silently along this last stretch of the trail before reaching the lake, I thought about the storied history of this trail da ng back a li le over a hundred years ago.

This trail is one of many trails in the Park that qualify under the Na onal Register of Historic Places.

Back in the very early 1900's, tourism was at its beginnings in the region. One of the many projects taken on by the newly formed Estes Park Protec ve and Improvement Associa on was construc ng a permanent trail to Fern Lake. By 1910, Dr. William Workman was busy building a Lodge at Fern Lake and by the 1920's, the Colorado Mountain Club made annual winter trips to the Lodge. The local newspaper,

An interpre ve sign describes the Fern Lake Fire of 2012.

Musician Judy Collins, performing at Fern Lake Lodge in 1958.

Historic photo

The former Fern Lake Lodge Historic photo

the Estes Park Trail, reported in March, 1925 that as many as 100 CMC members were showing up for a “ten day frolic in the snow” using the lodge as a base. Ski runs and jumps were reported built for many of these events. That same year, a Park Patrol cabin was built adjacent to the lodge.

But over me, with numerous changes in ownership, it became difficult for the overnight backcountry Lodge to be economically successful. By mid-century, its opera on was scaled down to offering lunches for hikers, and then just light snacks. During its last summer of opera on in 1958, the Lodge owner hired Peter and Judy Collins to run the opera ons. This is the Judy Collins whose folk singing career was about to take off.

“Our memories float over the spring run-offs and the sunsets and sunrises as hikers take to the mountains to see the Columbines and Paintbrush, the leaping trout and the nutcrackers and Rocky Mountain bluebirds,” Ms. Collins recalled that summer in a 2016 facebook post. “The Lodge where we worked, I baking bread and pies on a wood stove and slept down on the river bank, are all gone, but the memories live on.”

The Lodge closed for good the following year and sat vacant except by vandals before the Park finally removed it in 1976. Only the 1925 Patrol Cabin remained, and now that too was gone, one of the many casual es the Park endured from the East Troublesome Fire last October.

Spreading Dogbane blooming in the burn area

Finally having reached the lake and standing in the very place where the Lodge once stood, I could see how the path of the fire split and pushed around the lake with one leg of the fire coming in from the northwest,

Come along on the hike up to Odessa Lake on the Fern Lake Trail; click the photo above to watch the video.

Odessa Lake

engulfing the Patrol Cabin, and then skir ng the western shoreline before racing east across the hillside that separated Fern Lake from Odessa Lake and heading up Mt Wuh, leaving the south and east shoreline mostly untouched.

I wandered down to the footbridge that crosses the outlet stream. Standing in the middle, I gazed into the clear mountain water of the li le outlet pool surrounded by green vegeta on and reflec ng Notchtop Mtn above. The view across the lake was a mix of green and brown/black, but s ll an inspiring view.

I decided to hike the addi onal 0.7 miles to Lake Odessa. Walking through another charred sec on of the trail, I observed the trail work that the Park described in their Historic Places report as, “some of the largest and most complex rock walls in the park and u lized Civilian Conserva on Corps (CCC) labor.”

What a relief when I finally I crossed out of the fire zone and back into beau ful subalpine terrain, walking along a cascading mountain stream with lush green ground cover and green forested hillsides spectacularly framing Notchtop on the path to Odessa Lake. Snacking on the lake shore along with other hikers that had dropped into this paradise on the trail from Bear Lake, I took in the quiet, watching small wispy clouds float along. This was truly Rocky Mountain splendor.

Click here to return to the table of contents 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.

A portable introduc on to 24 trails in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park, these trails range from very short, easy walks to long and more challenging hikes. Purchase here Rocky Mountain Conservancy trail crew, working on the Fern Lake Trail.

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rio Falls in ion ake Basin; photo by Dave Rusk

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hat descrip on by ean abcock in the Estes ark rail is s ll accurate today. his month s rail of the Month the ild asin rail heads out of the ild asin parking lot and pro ides a number of short to moderate waterfalls hikes or longer hike op ons that branch off to arious alpine lakes. he truly seasoned hiker can e en enture o er the on nental i ide and down to Grand ake.

pper Copeland Falls; photo by Dave Rusk

Copeland alls -

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Trail Type: Short ike Trailhead: ild asin Trailhead Ele a on Des na on leva on: Total leva on Gain: Total Roundtrip Miles: . ore photos a co plete trail pro le and aps h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/copelan d-falls-short-hikes html

ower Coepland Falls in Fall; photo by Barb Boyer Buck

hunder ake; photo by Dave Rusk

Thunder Lake -

miles

Trail Type: onger ike Trailhead: ild asin Trailhead leva on: Des na on leva on: Total leva on Gain: Total Roundtrip Miles: . ore photos a co plete trail pro le and aps h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/thunderlake-longer-hikes html u el alls -

miles

Ou el Falls; photo by Dave Rusk

Trail Type: Moderate ike Trailhead: ild asin Trailhead leva on: Des na on leva on: Total leva on Gain: Total Roundtrip Miles: . ore photos a co plete trail pro le and aps h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/ou el-fallsmoderate-hikes html

bove hunder ake; e

he rail to hunder ake; photos by Dave Rusk

ion ake; photo by Dave Rusk

Lion Lake asin - miles Trail Type: hallenge ike Trailhead: ild asin Trailhead Ele a on Des na on leva on: Total leva on Gain: Total Roundtrip Miles: ore photos a co plete trail pro le and aps h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/lion-lakeasin-challenge-hikes html ion ake Basin with

ount lice in the back round; photo by Dave Rusk

ion ake Basin; photo by Dave Rusk

Boulder rand ass; photo by Dave Rusk

ake o

any Winds; photo by Dave Rusk

ther Trail p ons include: Bluebird ake; photo by Dave Rusk

Calypso Cascades h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/calypsocascades-moderate-hikes html lue ird Lake h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/ lue irdlake-longer-hikes html Lake of the Many inds h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/lake-ofmany-winds-challenge-hikes html

Calypso Cascades; photo by Dave Rusk

oulder-Grand Pass h ps://www rockymountaindayhikes com/ ouldergrand-challenge-hikes html

Free Download No in-app Purchases Uses satellite and maps to show your location in Rocky Mountain National Park

Click on the photo above to hike along with us on the Wild Basin Trail, al the way to Thunder Lake!

Fern Lake trail between Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades. Photo by Dave Rusk

Over the Hill

Parry Primrose blooming along the North Inlet Trail.

“Where Flowers bloom, So does hope.”

- Lady Bird Johnson story and photo by Marlene Borneman Tradi on is central in our mountain life. Hiking or biking on Trail Ridge Road before it opens to vehicles, finding the first calypso orchids of the season, driving up Old Fall River Road the first day, and visi ng Brownfield's store (in Estes Park) for their kickoff sale are a few of my summer tradi ons. Another ritual of summer is to hike over “the hill”—aka the Con nental Divide.

There are couple trails and cross-country routes in the park to accomplish this mission. This year my husband, Walt, and I decide to hike the re-opened North Inlet Trail. It had been closed due to poten al hazards in the wake of the 2020 East Troublesome fire. The North Inlet Heartleaf Arnica blooming in the fire zone.

Dusky grouse

The author poses with “Ewoks” along the North Inlet Trail.

These rock cairns mark the trail boundaries.

headwaters begin over 12,000 feet atop the Con nental Divide in a rugged and robust landscape. The trail here is a major segment of the Con nental Divide Trail.

We begin early on a July morning at Bear Lake heading up the four miles to Fla op Mountain, 12,324 feet. I usually catch sight of dusky grouse in the subalpine forest on my way to Fla op Mountain, but not this trip.

Dusky grouse are large chicken-like birds that are mountain residents. The summit of Fla op makes a perfect se ng for a second breakfast as well as photographing marmots, pikas, ptarmigan, and wildflowers. Every me we hike this trail it is different.

Today, instead of dusky grouses I find a pika that can yodel!

A er a short break we head northwest to the signage for the North Inlet and Tonahutu trails. We take the trail south that is well marked by a series of tall upright cairns. We affec onally refer to these cairns as “Ewoks.”

They remind us of the friendly, helpful creatures in the Star War movies.

A pika yodels along the trail.

The tundra explodes with many species of wildflowers but domina ng the scene are western yellow paintbrushes. Parry's primroses brush the landscape with shades of magenta along a seasonal stream. This wildflower season has been abundant and extraordinary so far and the North Inlet is no excep on.

Taking a quick look in the distance to the west, I no ce extensive burn scars from the East Troublesome fire.

We will see more of the remnants of this fire further on in our hike down to Grand Lake.

The author stands among larkspur as tall as she is.

Western Yellow Paintbrush on Fla op Mountain

arrowleaf ragworts, heartleaf bi ercress, and columbines. Coming in sight of the July campsite I hear the rumbling of fast-moving water of Halle Creek which drains into the North Inlet. Crossing the footbridge over Halle Creek we head into an old forest thick with large conifers and shades of green mosses.

We soon approach the junc on to Nanita and Nokoni Lakes. However, the trail to these lakes is closed due to the bridge over the North Inlet being rebuilt. This junc on marks halfway to our des na on, Grand Lake.

Wildflowers bloom along Hallet Creek.

Over the years I have learned not to hike this trail before July 4th due to snow/ice that remains on steep switch backs above the July campsite. There have been years I felt an ice ax and/or spikes would be very handy crossing these switchbacks. Since it is late July, the switchbacks are completely melted and burs ng with flora. Alpine meadows are filled with tall chiming bells,

Boisterous War Dance Falls can be heard roaring down the slope to the north. In past years War Dance Falls could only be heard, not seen from the trail due to the thick forest. But today we can see the series of waterfalls spilling down as the forest canopy has been opened by the fire.

The trail to Cascade Falls is 3.6 miles from the North Inlet trailhead. For a good vantage point of the falls, we scramble off the trail a bit and are amazed by the fastwhooshing water. The Pool is a granite carved churning pool at the bo om of a small waterfall. As we keep

heading down the trail the remnants of the fire become more evident with the forest completely denuded; a scorched landscape lies before us—miles and miles of deeply burned forest. A huge boulder stands out telling its tale of fiery destruc on. Evidently this boulder became so hot the rock peeled away and now lays at the bo om.

As we con nue, I begin seeing a bit of green in between the black charred trees. Then I spy flowering plants sprinkled among the ashes. Soon fireweed is abundant on the trail amidst the debris. Fireweed is known to be the first plant to fill in disturbed fire-wounded areas.

The plant is sure living up to its name! The sharp pick,pick,pick ra le noise causes me to look up to see a male hairy woodpecker boring into a blackened tree for tasty insects.

Hairy Woodpecker

Red, white, and blue wildflowers on the trail

Fireweed in the fire zone

Green along North Inlet Creek

Above treeline with Colorado Blue Columbine, on the west side of the North Inlet Trail.

Summerland Park comes into view at 8,610 feet. I look forward to hiking into Summerland Park as it signals only 1.2 miles to Grand Lake. A privately owned cabin sat there for many years. No more, it too was taken by the East Troublesome fire. What is le now are ghostly remains of a bare founda on and a water pump.

Hiking over the divide offers a heap of diversity in ecosystems, wildlife, and flora as you travel eco-systems.

This year the hike over the divide via the North Inlet reminds us how quickly nature heals, hope a er devasta on.

Click here to return to the table of contents 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.

Wait, Weight!

Day pack considerations

story and photos by Murray Selleck, HIKE ROCKY’s equipment specialist Day hiking is one of the great pleasures available for those of us living in the mountains and even for those just visi ng. Equipment requirements are minimal. The hikes don't require long me commitments and they do offer the complete joy of being in the high country while - best of all - you're able to sleep at home in your own bed that same night! Day hikes can be a leisurely 1 or 2 hour affair or a dawn-to-dark mission with the goal of a long distance des na on in mind.

The challenge with day hiking is pack size and how well your daypack carries the weight.

It is very a realis c situa on to see someone out for a hour or two carry a large pack with a harness system designed to carry more weight. It is also very possible to see a day hiker using every bit of daylight on their hike to carry a pack that is incredibly lightweight with hardly a harness system to it all. There is a big difference between these two styles of hikers, and the dura on of the hike can have li le bearing on the size of the packs they carry.

How a pack carries the weight of the items you choose to take is an o en overlooked aspect of purchasing a daypack. This is true whether you're looking to buy a day pack, or a pack that handles several days and nights out.

Prac cally every day, I have virtually the same conversa on with customers in the mountain shop where I work about the volume of the pack they are considering purchasing. I advise not to fixate on that; 11 liters, 20 liters, 36 liters, 44 liters... day pack op ons are vast and the volume of the pack always depends on what a hiker likes to take with them.

One hiker may take everything under the sun as a “just in case” precau on. Don't get me wrong, This is very prudent, and Murphy’s Law says: if you don't have it you'll need it and if you do have it, you won't! And on the flip side, there’s is a hiker who prac cally takes nothing with them figuring it's “just a day hike.”

Who is right? Well, maybe they both are and maybe not. Human nature is a tough subject to get a handle on and every individual has their own dis nct preferences

These two packs have li le to no back panels. All the weight of what is inside the pack will be on the hikers shoulders. The pack on the le doesn’t even have a hip belt. The pack on the right has a very thin flat webbing hip belt with zero padding.

I o en bring up the subject of weight with any customer looking to purchase a pack. The volume of a pack is certainly an important considera on, but the total weight of what is going into that pack should also play into their decision.

These two packs have be er weight distribu on and weight transfer to the hips. The pack on the le does have a pre y strong back panel to help support the load but the main weight will s ll be on the hikers shoulders. The pack on the right has a be er harness system including two thin metal rods that help li the weight from a hiker’s shoulders to the hips. The rods connect the hip belt to the li er straps on top of the shoulder straps. By pulling in the li er straps you are effec vely li ing the weight from your shoulders onto your hips.

Simple packs that are designed to not carry much weight have thin, flat webbing for a hipbelt and narrow shoulder straps. As you go up the price and performance ladder of selec on, packs have wider, more padded waist belts and shoulder straps. You gain comfort with these packs but you may not necessarily gain weight-carrying performance.

A key to how well a day pack carries weight is to look at its backpanel, or framesheet. How firm is it? A nonexistent frame sheet will have all the weight of what you are carrying on your shoulders. A framesheet with some structure will help spread that weight out and by transferring weight onto the hipbelt, giving your shoulders some relief. Some of the very best day packs that carry weight most effec vely offer some kind of light-alloy wire or re-enforced framesheet that will actually help li the weight of your load onto your hips where weight is carried most effec vely.

When I day hike I do tend to carry a bit with me.

Some mes I carry two camera bodies, an extra camera lens, binoculars, raingear, an extra layer of clothing, first aid kit, map and compass, lunch and snacks, bug juice and sunscreen, water, maybe a field guide or two, and depending on the weather maybe my camp stove!

Yikes! The weight can add up!

This pack has the best weight transfer of all the packs shown.

While its hip belt is not substan al and has minimal padding the metal rods connec ng the hip belt to the top of the shoulder straps have a larger diameter. They are stronger and the result is this pack can carry the most weight very comfortably.

So the next me you are looking to purchase a day pack don't just consider the volume of the pack but think about the pack's harness system and how well the pack will carry the weight of what you're taking.

You'll be a happy hiker if you do.

Click on the photo above to watch a de onstra on on how to properly ad uest your pack straps

Day Pack Tip find myself helping pack-buying customers na igate all the en ion t of their day packs. ay too o en the first thing a person reaches for when they first put on a pack is to buckle the sternum strap. Stop! ere is your pack-strap se uence for e ery pack you put on your back . Start with the ip elt. uckle the hipbelt first and snug it to the posi on you like on your hips. . Snug down the shoulder strap sliders to the hipbelt pos on. . Sternum strap. he sternum strap should sit center chest. ot too low. ot too high. . f your pack has li er straps the straps that connect the top of the pack to your shoulder straps do these last. e cau ous with the sternum and li er straps. here is no reason to reef hard on either of these straps. Stop ghtening these straps as soon as you feel a bit of tension or resistance. f you ghten the sternum strap too much you ll constrict your lungs and make it hard to breathe! f you ghten the li er straps too much you ll contort the shoulder straps and pinch your shoulders causing

discomfort. Shoulder straps should wrap comfortably around your shoulder from front to back. appy iking!

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urray elleck oved to Colorado in n the early s he split his e workin winters in a ski shop in tea boat prin s and his su ers uidin on the rkansas River is career in the specialty outdoor industry has con nued or over years eedless to say he has witnessed decades o chan e in outdoor e uip ent and clothin tea boat prin s con nues to be ho e

Wogging Rocky A Trail-Running & Bicycling Adventure over the Continental Divide story and photos by Chris Reveley Two-thirty a.m., downtown Estes Park is very quiet, deserted.

The lights of Bond Park and the business district fade as I trot up the road toward Rocky Mt. Na onal Park. I'm planning to traverse the Con nental Divide, over the Fla op Mt. trail and descend the North Inlet Trail to the town of Grand Lake.

There, at the east end of Grand Avenue, our car will be wai ng, driven over by my wife, containing cycling clothes, food and a bicycle. A er a break I'll ride back to Estes over Trail Ridge Road.

I'm carrying snacks, a light wind breaker, and a small collapsible water bo le that contains my secret, powerful gojuice: instant coffee, sugar and chocolate, mixed in nearnausea ng high concentra ons. I have a lightweight filtering water bo le I'll fill from streams along the way.

Marshal McLuhan, the Canadian philosopher and communica on theorist, said, “We drive into the future using only our rearview mirror.” Today's adventure will take a lot longer than it used to and I have to be realis c and stay firmly anchored in the present, keeping one hand covering my personal rearview mirror. Forty-five years ago I lived in Estes Park and ran in these hills almost everyday, working as a rock climbing guide and later as a Ranger for the NPS. I won some races and set a speed record on Longs Peak.

Photo: Sunrise, heading up from Estes Park

But, as my wife Annie says, “There's been a lot of spilt milk under the bridge” since then. In those days, had I taken the me to look “under my hood”, I would have seen the 6.2 liter, fuel injected V-8. That big motor has some how been replaced over the decades by the 2.2 liter, 4 cylinder. But small engines get be er mileage if you don't push them too hard, so I move more slowly and prefer these longer, dual-sport ou ngs.

Coordina on and balance also deteriorate with age and I fall occasionally; a broken rib this past Spring. I have to pay closer a en on. A combina on of walking and jogging (wogging) seems like the right approach these days.

Longs Peak from the Fla op Mountain Trail

Sunrise

Three forty-five, s ll dark, and I'm well up along the Hallowell Park trail, stepping over and over into the puddle of light from my headlamp. Lots of water available from Mill Creek but the trail has seen li le maintenance lately and it's like trying to move quickly up a dry, rocky streambed. An hour later, the Fla op trail is much the same un l it breaks out above tree line, becoming a fairly smooth trench. There, as the sun rises behind a pall of smoky air, I turn off the headlamp and stop to chat with a family from St. Louis.

They started walking in the dark from the Bear Lake trailhead, hoping to spot the Milky Way. Fires across the West have made it hard to see Longs Peak, just a few miles away, much less the stars overhead.

Just past the Fla op summit (12,324 .) there is usually a choice of route to be made; Tonahutu trail marches across the tundra to the west while North Inlet heads south-southwest. But there's no choice today.

Tonahutu remains closed in the a ermath of last year's immense East Troublesome Creek fire, a catastrophic, man-made event that destroyed hundreds of homes, killed two people, devoured a large piece of Rocky Mountain Na onal Park and threatened the town of

Looking down into the Grand Lake area, Columbines in the foreground, and a past avalanche path in the background.

Longs Peak from the Fla op Mountain trail

Burn area and fireweed on the North Inlet Trail

Estes Park. The Na onal Park Service, with efficiency and careful alloca on of limited resources, has managed to open the North Inlet trail in me for the summer hiking season.

The North Inlet trail, one of my favorites, crosses a couple miles of tundra, passing between pairs of large stone cairns built up over many years, making it easy to follow the route even in winter. Eventually, the trail drops down, crossing a steep hillside with white and lavender- nted columbine and, if you're lucky, large elk and bighorn sheep who seem to love the grass that grows in this old, avalanche path. Shortly a er I pass below tree line a bull moose and I surprise each other.

He is only 15 feet off the trail and pa ently poses for pictures.

From here, the trail follows one of the most beau ful rivers in RMNP for another 9 miles. There are many rapids and waterfalls and I'm tempted to stop and leap off cliffs into The Pool, a popular swimming hole. But it's already 8:00 a.m. and I have miles to go before I can rest.

Burn area on the North Inlet Trail

S ll surrounded by green forest, I'm star ng to wonder about reports of extreme fire damage. Suddenly, the trail rounds a bend and enters a decimated landscape.

All the trees have been torched, over a thousand feet up both sides of this deep valley. In stark contrast, the bogs and pools have re-grown bright green grass and the trail itself appears unchanged, meandering through gray earth and blackened trees. I can't help stopping several mes for moments of awe and sadness, thinking of the wildlife caught in the fast-moving

inferno, their terror, confusion and pain.

In spite of the fire damage, I begin to spot landmarks that announce the end of the trail; remains of a private cabin and a double-track dirt road crossing a meadow.

Beyond the trailhead parking area a dirt access road leads down, across pavement and on to Grand Lake's main street, where the car is parked. I'm pumping bike res, changing clothes and feeding, when my wife and her friend appear. We chat about their plans for the day before I wave goodbye and pedal west through the business district. Si ng on the bike feels like a rest a er more than seven hours on foot. Just 50 miles and about 5,000 feet of uphill riding to be done before I'm home.

The main building at the Park's west entrance sta on has been destroyed by fire. More burned forest lines the first couple miles of Trail Ridge Road. But soon the landscape returns to green meadows and forests. I've ridden my bicycle over this road many mes but it never gets old. Best done very early in the day, before car traffic builds up, the views are always spectacular and wildlife sigh ngs are the norm. Today, I'll see several moose, many elk and a few bighorn sheep reclining on rocky tundra. Above tree line the wind can be ba ering and unpredictable. In years past gusts have blown me off the bike and off the road. Today there is only light rain and a gentle breeze near the high point. I'll roll down the east side toward Estes Park, keeping a careful distance from cars, and arrive home, sore and red, over twelve hours a er star ng.

In the evening, looking west across the mountains where I've spent another memorable day, I'll think about my 50 year history in this unique place. Above all I'll be grateful and, once again, reminded of the reless dedica on of the many who devote their professional lives to our Na onal Parks. Due to their though ul work, and the reverence most Americans s ll have for the Parks, our na onal treasures remain much as they were 100 years ago; places where those seeking Click here to return to the table of contents

My bicycle at Rock Cut on the trip back

Chris Reveley has spent 50 years climbing and doing endurance sports; and, thirty years learning and prac cing medicine.

“Now I’m a Happy House Husband with hobbies,” he said.

Fishing Ouzel Creek

story and photos by Rebecca De erline

Crossing Ouzel Creek

Fly rod in hand and sandals on my feet, I cannot help but no ce how forty-two-year-old aspen trees and a mul tude of wildflowers a empt to crowd out the charred pillars le behind by the 1978 Ouzel Burn. The blackened tree trunks stand as a reminder of the dense forest that once populated the hillsides flanking Ouzel Creek as it makes its way from Bluebird Lake to Ouzel Falls. Eventually, it merges with the North Saint Vrain Creek as it parallels the Wild Basin Road and crosses Highway 7. These ankle-deep waters fed by rocky mountain snowmelt will eventually make their way to the Gulf of Mexico via the South Pla e, Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

My favorite place to fish (and probably one of my favorite places on earth) is Ouzel Creek between Ouzel Lake and Ouzel Falls. There is something u erly magical about this place and although the brook trout that populate this shallow mountain stream are not

Brook trout from Ouzel Creek

par cularly large, I just love spending an a ernoon in this li le valley tucked below the shadows of Mount Meeker, Mount Alice and Tanima Peak.

It is certainly a favorite spot to teach friends to fly fish, but I am just as happy to hike here alone, making quick me on the 2.7 miles to Ouzel Falls and scrambling up the le side of the falls to spend an hour or two fishing for modest brook trout.

An alterna ve to scrambling up the rock face (definitely a no-fall zone) is to take the social trail that climbs steeply away from the falls. This trail gained popularity in the summer of 2014, as it gave access to areas unreachable due to the bridge at Ouzel Falls being washed away in the flood of 2013. In late summer the raspberry bushes in this gully hang heavy with fruit, ripe and ready for picking. Once this short trail tops out, a quick walk north will take hikers to another social trail that parallels the creek. Although marshy at mes, the trail is easy to follow and eventually ends up at a large fallen tree that serves as the best way to cross the stream. A er crossing the stream, anglers may con nue along the valley bo om, fishing their way to Ouzel Lake or amble north up to the shadeless trail atop the ridge that overlooks this quiet valley.

Fishing from the downed log over Ouzel Creek on a beau ful Fall day

The aspen trees in this burn scar provide just enough shade for an a ernoon nap, while the absence of large lodgepole and ponderosa pines makes the risk of catching a tree branch on one's back cast almost nonexistent. The trout are not par cular about fly selec on, nor do they seem to mind if the angler throws a sloppy cast or two. However, the lack of shade on the creek requires that the fisherperson takes care

Ouzel Creek is my favorite place to teach friends to flyfish.

Ouzel Creek, with Mount Meeker towering above, is one of my favorite places on Earth.

to crouch low and stand back several feet from the pool they are a emp ng to fish.

When I first fished this secluded stretch of stream in 2006, it was not uncommon to catch just as many greenback cu hroat as brook trout. On my last trip to this stream I cha ed with a tourist who had hiked to Ouzel Lake in hopes of catching a cu hroat, only to be greeted with several brook trout on the end of his line. I realized that while the cu hroat s ll seem to be thriving in the Cony Creek drainage (the one that feeds Calypso Cascades), I hadn't caught one in Ouzel Creek in years.

This drainage was part of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) greenback cu hroat restocking program which a empted to replace the non-na ve trout species in RMNP and other places with the more fragile na ve cu hroat. This long-term project that spanned several decades and cost millions of dollars was further complicated in 2013 when gene cists discovered that the reintroduced trout were in fact not the na ve greenback cu hroat, but rather a hybrid of the Colorado river cu hroat. A very small popula on of the 'true' greenback cu hroat was found in Bear Creek, near Colorado Springs. Despite concerns of inbreeding with such a small popula on, breeding efforts have been successful and the first reintroduc on in the wild took place during August 2014 in Zimmerman Lake, northeast of RMNP.

Cooling off under Ouzel Falls

Barriers (natural or manmade) are necessary when stocking na ve fish in order to keep the non-na ve species from making their way into the stocked trout's habitat. Unlike rainbow trout that tend to hybridize with na ve cu hroat, brook trout will simply out compete cu hroat for food and habitat. It seems to me that the brook trout must not have been completely eradicated during the restocking efforts and eventually reclaimed the drainage.

Luckily for the greenback cu hroat trout, Ouzel Falls provides a natural barrier to keep the brook trout out of the waters above the falls and the USFWS has plans to begin the removal of brook trout from these waters in August of 2021.

Colorado River Cu hroat hybrid

Volunteer opportuni es are available through the Rocky Mountain Flycasters Chapter of Trout Unlimited. I am certainly not a fish biologist and I don't know what a typical meline looks like for the eradica on of one trout species and the reintroduc on of another, but it is

likely this fishery may be closed or temporarily fishless at some point during this process. While I am overjoyed at the prospect of fishing for this na ve species in beau ful Wild Basin, I am a emp ng to soak up the last opportuni es to catch some small but aggressive brook trout while ea ng raspberries and enjoying the beauty of this peaceful stream running through a nowthriving burn scar that serves as reminder that nature will always rejuvenate itself and that death is simply an opportunity for new life.

Whether planning to fly fish or simply looking for a quiet place to spend an a ernoon, Ouzel Creek is a moderate hike to a quiet des na on where one is unlikely to encounter anyone except an angler or two and maybe the occasional moose. Cheers to my fellow fisher folks and to our Colorado state fish, the greenback cu hroat trout!

Click here to return to the table of contents Rebecca De erline is a lover all things RMNP. She is a wildflower aficionado whose favorite hiking des na ons are alpine lakes and waterfalls. Her name can be found in remote summit registers in Wild Basin and beyond.

Originally from Minnesota, she has lived in Allenspark since 2011.

Greenback Cu hroat Trout, na ve to Colorado

Approaching the Key Hole on Longs Peak

Finally, Longs Peak!

A first ascent account story and photos by Jason Miller Don't Look Down. Don't Slip. Slow and steady! YOU GOT THIS! That is what was going through my mind as we were a emp ng a hike of Longs Peak on July 26, 2021.

When contempla ng all of the wonderful hikes in The Rocky Mountain Na onal Park, there is one that the average hiker should be a li le concerned about. The Big One. Longs Peak!!!

I moved here 8 years ago and have always been amazed at theSunrise beauty andEstes mystery of Longs Peak.myI trip have said to Photo: over Park when I started

myself over the years, “One Day. I will conquer that one!” Over the last seven years I have been doing the basic hikes. Alberta Falls, Ouzel Falls, Chasm Lake, Twin Sisters, etc. You know - the easier ones. I am a walking hiker and feel a li le out of my element when people start talking about ropes, ice axes, and ledges. A friend of mine asked me if I was ready for it this year, Key Hole Route. No ropes. I did not hesitate and said yes.

A group of five of us met at the visitor center in Estes Park at 2:30 a.m. in order to carpool to the trailhead.

We made sure to have headlamps, warm clothes, 2 liters of water each, a water filter, and food. When hiking this mountain it is be er to be over prepared than under.

Boulder Field

The Summit of Longs Peak

We took a li le break, had a snack, and re-grouped before heading off into the 1st real challenge. We are at The Boulder Fields. We decided to look under all the rocks un l we found water runoff from the snow. You should filter the water and fill up your bo les here you will need it.

The Narrows

We hit the trail around 2:50 a.m. Star ng with headlamps on, we walked through Goblins Forest. It was a li le spooky being out under the moonlit sky seeing the shadows of the trees swaying in the breeze.

If I were alone, I would've turned back right away.

The “Almost” full moon provided us with a beau ful walk up to the tundra which is approximately 2 miles.

Once we were above the trees, there were numerous lights out in the distance. What is that? It is other hikers ahead of us with their headlamps on. We kept a good pace, and could see off in the distance, a privy.

A er another hour walk we arrived at the bathroom.

Yay - this guy had to go. This is a really cool spot that has a limited number of camp sites available through NPS.gov.

From there, it is a treacherous hike across boulders for approximately one mile with the Key Hole in sight.

Large and small rocks moving under your feet is an easy way to sprain an ankle. Slow and Steady. You have to keep your eye out for the cairns. They are hard to see but you can do it. Naviga ng past that, you come up to the top. Arriving at the keyhole felt like a huge accomplishment. Only 1.5 miles to go.

Turning to the le a er exi ng the Keyhole, I realized that we were in for a scary part of the hike. The Ledges, OMG. This is CRAZY!!! Sorry, this is not a hike - this is a climb! Summit fear is real. Be prepared to turn back and know your limits. Slow and steady is how we went.

Climbing along the side of a mountain is not what I expected but this turned out to be one of the most terrifying and thrilling experiences of my life. Once making it past The Ledges, we got to The Narrows. This is exactly what it sounds like. Single file and no passing.

Descending the Keyhole Route

Don't look down. When passing though, this felt like my heart was exploding. The eleva on was ge ng to me.

Turning to the le , you arrive at The Home Stretch. You can see the top now. The sheer cliffs and slippery rock face for the last 500 ver cal feet turned out to be a handful. Oh yeah, we are at 13,500 feet. Breathing is extremely hard so I needed to take two or three steps and rest 10-20 seconds. It is so tough. That stretch must have taken over an hour.

Ge ng to the top felt like no other feeling in the world.

The views were fabulous. Every mountain, lake and valley was in sight. Pictures do not do it jus ce. There is a large opening that could fit a football field on top which had a quite a few people just chilling out. OK, now I can breathe. We got a few pictures and rested for about an hour before heading out.

Take your me going down. Watch your step and the “Bu Slide” is a real thing down the Home Stretch.

Turning and going through the Narrows was just as challenging the second me through. Manifes ng the courage to con nue past The Ledges was nearly impossible. Slow and steady.

The author on the summit of Longs Peak

I pulled though it and cleared the Keyhole. Whew. Now the Boulder Fields. I can see the trees, so it can't be that far. Nope, over 6 miles to the parking lot. Keep going old man. A er the difficult passage over the Boulder Fields we made it to the privy area. That means we are back on actual trails and do not need to look for cairns any longer. It seemed like a full days hike just to get down to Goblins Forest and another 1/2 day hike to get back to the car. I was pooped needless to say.

This hike / climb is not for the beginner. Heck, it is not a good one for the average hiker. Be wary of the trails you explore and know your limits. It is ok to turn back and summit another day. Summit Fear is Real. Slow and steady.

Did I like it? YES Would I do it again? YES Would I recommend this hike to you? I DON'T KNOW YOUR HIKING EXPERIENCE

Click here to return to the table of contents Jason Miller, 49, is a resident of Glen Haven and is married with two children. Before moving to area, he used to work as broker for Nestle USA and H.P. Hood milk company.

Today, he is the owner of The Rus c Acre (vaca on rentals in Estes Park) and co-owner of Lightbrush Projec ons.

“I was born and raised in Lima, Ohio, moved here eight years ago, and never looked back,” he said.

The author on the summit of Longs Peak

Coming next month in

HIKE ROCKY online magazine - Deer Mountain trails are featured in September.

- Chris Reveley takes us on more trail-running experiences in Rocky.

- Sky Pond/Lake of Glass Experience this hike with Jason Miller.

- Deep-dive into Rocky’s visita on program and other NPS visita on management strategies - Art in Rocky: the stained glass art of Jay Grooters - Growing up McGraw: Fran Grooters offers her first installment of the history of the McGraw Ranch and her family.

- The proper footwear - from sandals to hiking boots - is essen al and Murray Selleck guides us through these important purchases.

- and so much more!

On the Wild Basin trail between Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades; photo by Dave Rusk

Colorado wildowers 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.

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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