My first trip into the Rocky Mountain National Park I saw this Mama moose and her yearling.
Moose are a rather new animal in the park but I saw another one the next trip in - just sauntered out of the bushes and disappeared on the other side of the road!
Other animals seen: Elk In abundance! Check this out - you will be amazed!
Elk herd I think there area few dozen other videos as well.
There were some mule deer-I didn't get photos of them but they are quite common.
The first morning I woke to this view from my room! Still makes me smile. I grew up visiting and living in Estes Park so I am very familiar with the front range.
This day I drove down to Glen Haven. We always went there to the Inn for lunch with strawberry -rhubarb jam! The drive down is crazy steep and full of tight switchbacks but the cinnamon buns at the bakery are worth it. There used to be more there but now only the bakery and the inn. On the way back I saw another large group of elk-they are everywhere!
The next morning I woke to the same view only somehow the mountains had disappeared!
It was cold and windy and cloudy! The mountains are likely getting some more snow but the clouds are very low and as my Mom always said "Socked in." the clouds didn't lift the rest of the time I was there.
I spent some time walking along main street Estes. Estes Park is a tourist town-they sell
t-shirts, sweatshirts and coffee cups (and many other such things) with the town name on them. There are some nice stores, outfitters for camping and hiking etc, some art studios that sort of thing. I bought a nice long-sleeved shirt at the Park Store but otherwise nothing else. At some point in the past the town decided to become "Modern" I think" and left it's mountain frontier decor behind I would say they were following in Aspen and Breckinridge but I think Estes was first!
The last day in Estes I paid the bills and did other paperwork. My leg was hurting quite a lot, I bought a compression sleeve for my knee and got out my walking stick which helped but rest seemed needed. It's hard when you do what you want and the body says "oh, I don't think so."
I made one last trip through the park in the evening, packed everything and got ready to leave the next day.
If I had been there a few days later, Trail Ridge Road would have been open and the trip to Grand Lake would have taken two hours or so depending on how long a piddled looking at things! As is was I had to drive down, around and back up to get to Grand Lake on the west side of Rocky Mountain.
Took all day. Checking in to the hotel was interesting, no one was there! I had to call and wait for someone to come and check me in. I wonder how they can make a profit that way.
The mountians around Grand Lake have been hit hard with the pine needle infection some of them have no living trees, just the skeletons. Then
East Troublesome Fire began near Grand Lake in October of 2020 burned for 6 weeks.
it actually made it over the divide and nearly to Estes Park before it was contained.
The mountains are pretty but the leftovers of the fire are all everywhere.
I spent 3 days driving into the park every day-saw 4 more moose! and walking the town. Where Estes went Modern, Grand Lake retained its mountain rustic vibe. Even new structures are designed to fit that appearance. Grand Lake is appealing to many folks because of the boating on-you guessed it-Grand Lake! It too is a tourist town, selling t-shirts, sweatshirts, coffee mugs etc although they did have some nicer stores including a QUILT shop! I bought a few things there, oh my.
There is an art store there and I just couldn't help myself-I HAD to take a photo of this guy in the window!
Reminded me of one I saw in Australia!
I still have a bit more to talk about in Colorado but this is already a LONG post (sorry, Chooky) so I'll finish up tomorrow!
