Rocky Mountain National Park

After our long drive from Nebraska to Colorado we were so happy to see some mountains. The Colorado welcome sign was by far the coolest one yet! We watched a few thunderstorms roll over us and past us as we headed toward the mountain range. We were excited to camp in Rocky Mountain National Park for 5 days!

Mangled car on the way through Estes Park

 Driving through Estes Park on our way to the NP I noticed lots and lots construction. Roads were being re-rebuilt and made wider. It had looked as if a lot of it was washed out by the river we drove along side at one point. Then as we continued further down the road I started to noticed a sad devastation of house that had been swept away by the river. Making me realize I was driving through a part of Colorado a couple years earlier had been washed away by heavy monsoon like rains in 2013. It was an incredible thing to see. Such a disaster and a devastation to the families who lived there or had vacation homes along that river. I heard about it on the news but never imagined I would be witnessing such a tragedy.


Finally arriving at the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, I was in all my glory looking ahead at the towering mountains, looking to my right and seeing a massive Elk standing out of my window, and looking to the left to notice a sign that the elevation was 8,200 ft. This was the highest I had been since the last time I was on Mount Washington (6,288).

Keron 4GT Tent

We were headed to camp at Glacier Basin. Once we got there the rain had cleared out and the sun started to shine. We checked in at the gate and got our assigned campsite. This would be the first time I had camped in the true "Bear Country." I was a bit nervous. While the ranger was telling us to make sure to put all food, toiletries, and anything with a scent into the bear locker I became a little nervous. She had mentioned not to wear any deodorant to bed, or hair gel or spray. Then proceeding to tell us just a couple weeks prior a gentleman had his door ripped off by a bear and somewhere, not there, a boy had been dragged out of his tent because of too much hair gel. GREAT! Now how the hell am I suppose to sleep tonight?! At this point our car was filled with food. 100's of freeze dried Mountain House meals, 1000's of Nuun Tablets, and a massive plastic container full of our other food supplies. All we had to do was lock the doors to the car and PRAY!

High elevation + fluff + forgetfulness = fluff explosion!

 

Last snow patch at Glacier Basin C.G

 We quickly set up camp. In doing so I made sure to get my Nalgene out and start drinking lots of water as well as took some ibuprofen in case of a slight headache due to elevation. The campground was around 8,500ft. We decided to take a walk around the campground and check out what was around and kind of get used to the elevation. We were happy we would have a chance to acclimate in order to due some hiking while here. Our ultimate goal was to backpack or hit Long's Peak. We decided the first day would be our "touristy hikes".

Glacier Basin Campground

The first morning we were up bright and early. The only ones in the campground we decided to take a walk down to the grassy open field and do some yoga in the mountains. It was a lot of fun but quite cold. We did this for almost 45 minutes before heading back to the car to pack up our stuff and hit the trails for the day. Later on realizing quite a few people as the woke up noticed us doing yoga in the park hah.

Yoga @ Glacier Basin C.G

We asked for information on some small and easier hikes so that we could acclimate and get used to being in high altitude. The rangers had recommended 2 hikes for the day. The first one was  Emerald Lake. It was just a few minutes up the road from us and we got an early start being the early birds we are. We were one of only a few cars in the parking lot when we started. The photos looked amazing for this hike. We started up the trail and in a moments notice it immediately turned to a monorail. It was around 3.6 miles round trip with about 600 vertical gain. It was a perfect started hike for being at altitude. As we trekked along that trail had a couple switch backs bring us higher up and at one point to a beautiful opening in the trees. As we looked off into the distance we noticed Long's Peak towering before us. We continued onward and eventually coming to a stop at the lake. It was exactly how I imagined it would look.

Nymph Lake

 

Longs Peak in background, Minnie Mouse in Foreground

 A gorgeous lake smack dab in the middle of towering mountains around it. Pointy mountains too. There were groups of others up there enjoying some fishing, snacks, the views, and even some skiers. We took a couple of our sponsored photos here and enjoyed the views for a bit. We also decided to make our first headstand in unique places here. It was absolutely gorgeous. After spending a few moments there we decided to head back down and back to the car.

Emerald Lake

In Colorado the one phrase we kept hearing was "be down before noon." We had a few hours before the storms would start to form and come rolling over us so we decided to go for the second hike we were recommended to do. This one was also to a lake but was a loop, and one of the most popular loops around, as well as a little bit more difficult. Bierstadt Lake loop. Temps were warming up and this time there was no snow on this trail. 2.4 miles round trip and with an elevation gain of about 675. So not much more difficult than Emerald Lake but the first section of the trail is exposed and pretty much straight up.

On this hike, would be the first time I would have an encounter with a very strange person who actually concerned me. In all the miles I have under my boots I have never felt threatened until this day. I have been asked many times about my solo  hiking and as a woman if I ever feel uncomfortable or get afraid and even what my techniques are while doing so. It wasn't until this hike I actually had to follow through with all of the things I have been preparing myself for.

As Becca and I were hiking along we passed a man with a full overnight pack on. In passing him we stopped and asked what his plans were for the day, he said he was hiking the loop as well and training for a backpack he would eventually do and that's why his pack was so big. We struck up small talk and mentioned we worked for Backpacker Magazine, then continued about our hike. He eventually caught up to us again and started talking about how he recognized us from the Magazine and would love to get a picture with us, as if we were celebrities. I am pretty sure he was high on something and it wasn't life. Eventually getting to a trail junction Becca and I heard thunder and it was coming from the direction of which we were headed. We decided to let it pass over the lake and we would eat our lunch at the junction we were at. The guy stopped and asked why we weren't going to continue on, in our explanation of why we weren't we mentioned just the small fact about not wanting to get struck by lightning. He kind of laughed and shrugged his shoulders and said "you only live once, I am going to keep going maybe I will see you two there."

No Shortcuts! Stay on the DAMN trail!

We sat down and broke out the Jetboil and a couple Mountain House meals. We sat there and enjoyed the sun and our food. The small thunderstorm finally passed and we packed up our bags and decided to hit the trail. Within a few minutes of getting back on trail, that guy came up from behind us. He literally looped around the lake and instead of going back down to the car, he came back to the spot we stopped at and continued again towards the lake in search for us. At this point I thought that was a bit sketchy. He said he really wanted a photo with us at the lake and continued to follow us. With myself in front, Becca in the middle and him in the back, I immediately put my hand on my small pocket knife I carry in my side pocket of my waist strap and continued walking. I had no idea if he was going to try and pull something or someone into the woods. So I prepared myself for worst case scenario, replaying what I would do if he grabbed Becca or myself.

Bierstadt Lake

Finally making it to the lake, we stopped to take our photos, finally took one with this guy and luckily by then there was plenty of people around and we then made our run for it. We ditched the guy as soon as he started chatting up 3 other girls at the lake. I am sure he was harmless, but he was stepping a little to close to my comfort zone. We made our final descent peacefully and I got to witness my first Marmot. It looked like a very large and overgrown squirrel. Some of the best views we got as the skies cleared were while we started down and back to the car.

We spent the rest of the somewhat rainy afternoon at the visitor center gathering information and checking out the Back Country offices to see about BC Passes for an overnight. We were told there was still much snow above 11,000ft and we had no winter gear or at least not enough to head up to Long's Peak. So we bailed on that option. One of the other overnights that was recommended to us was Fern Lake. This was 7.6 miles round trip and with an elevation gain of roughly 1400 ft. It's nice to know that the Park Rangers suggest somewhat easier hikes for the general public obviously not knowing what their abilities are.

Becca and I being from NH and all found all of these trails incredibly easy. We took the advice of Fern Lake and decided instead of doing and overnight, to just hike it in a day. We were glad we did. It didn't take us all the long, and it wasn't all that difficult. There was a gorgeous waterfall on the way up as you made your switch back, and it was roaring, to a point where if you stood there for a few minutes it would soak you. We actually made that mistake when running into a couple on trail heading up as well. They were telling us an incredible story about their same hike up this trail a few years back when a tree fell directly in front of them nearly taking them out. How lucky they were that it didn't.

Once at the lake, it was a little chilly but the sun was shining and we took our photos and enjoyed our lunches. We took a nice long relaxing break. There was even still ice and lots of snow at the lake and surrounding it. At this point we were glad we opted out of a high altitude hike.

Fern Lake

Once back at the car we checked out our little information map and noticed this one place we wanted to check out and see what it was. I talked about the floods in Estes Park earlier in this post that happened in 2013. Well this point on the map was the site of the Lawn Lake Flood in 1982. This was caused by a dam that was built at 11,000 ft at the lake and when it failed the waters rushed down the Roaring River valley, which falls 2,500 feet (760 m) in 6 miles (9.7 km), at a peak rate of 18,000 cubic feet per second (510 m³/s), scouring a large gully out of the mountain stream and killing one person camping alongside it. At this rate, the lake emptied in about half an hour. When the waters reached the broader valley of Fall River at Horseshoe Park they spread out and slowed down, leaving behind a large alluvial fan of debris.

This was by far one of the coolest things I had seen yet. Just to imagine the amount of force of all that rushing water just consumed my thoughts. The boulders were massive in size, what once was a road passing through completely wiped our and made impassable, the concrete from that road dispersed all over the place, and then to see the plant life that grew back after all those years was enchanting.

The following day we had heard about the Trail Ridge Road and decided to spend our day in the car exploring the rest of the Rocky Mountain. This road travels through the valleys of the mountains and then taking you the tops of them traversing across an entire range. As we traversed across these mountains the snow piles on the side of the road were several feet in height. There were skiers skiing all over the place, we passed and saw many avalanche crown lines, and marmots peeking out all over the place. At one point we got out to take some photos and the wind was whipping at roughly 40mph. Here is where we attempted our headstands. We continued onward making it to the Alpine Visitor Center. Here is where you could start to feel the difference in altitude. This visitor center is located at 11, 796 ft above sea level. This was incredible!! We parked here, and headed inside to check it out and pick up our post cards. It was beautiful, built pretty much on the edge of a cliff, looking out the window to the back was a beautiful view of a ravine basically.

Headstands at 40MPH

Our next and final stop on the road was the Continental Divide. Another place we thought we  may hike, but changed our mind due to the amount of snow still on the ground.  This is a place I had seen so many people post picture from. It's a popular spot. If you hold water bottles in each hand and dump them out in this spot, apparently the one in the left will flow out to the Pacific Ocean Drainage and the one to the right to the Atlantic Ocean Drainage. How cool is that! There had to of been at least 5 feet of snow easily, still on this trail.

Later that afternoon, we decided to take a tour of downtown Estes Park. I was in search of a cupcake- which I did not find unfortunately. We did however get an ice cream while there and Becca got an awesome Henna Tattoo. A beautiful little town with lots of shopping and touristy things to do! We were both just about ready to head back to camp for the day and start up dinner.

Once back at camp we had a family approach us and ask about our vehicle and what we were doing, also noticing we were coming from Maine (our plates). We got into conversation with that family for a while and they were kind enough to invite us over for dinner. It was a couple who was traveling in their camper for 2 months with their 2 grand daughters. We happily excepted their invite to a home cooked meal and joined them. They made this yummy Frito Mexican Pie. It was incredible! Also, they served us up some cervesas! yummm! They were incredibly delightful to spend time with and the girls seemed excited to meet 2 other girls that worked for a magazine. We happily autographed 2 magazines for them on our photos in it and they were all smiles! That  night we also gave them some helpful fun tips for camping. One of them being our dessert ideas that we use. Once they left the campsite and returned to theirs, they found out they had the ingredients to make it and were going to try it that night! It was the roasted banana recipe I gave them.

Becca had ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth and I was just getting into my sleeping bag when I hear footsteps outside the tent door and some giggles and whispers. Then I hear "Hello?" I open up the tent and the 2 girls standing there, with huge smiles across their faces. "We are going to make the roasted bananas." I was so happy to see that we could inspire such young children, and that they would follow in our footsteps and truly took our advice! I hope we made their summer that much more enjoyable!

We were finally off to bed for our last night in RMNP. We had plans to hike one last small hike to a waterfall before leaving to head to Boulder. We awoke pretty early the next morning and hit the road. We stopped at the trail head for Alberta falls. Another great recommendation from locals and it was worth every step! Somewhat easy, for great pay offs! It was a great way to end our RMNP adventure!

We were off to Boulder, CO. Boulder is the home base for Backpacker Magazine so we were pretty pumped to finally meet everyone face to face and see the offices! We enjoyed lunch with some co-workers and then had our event right in Boulder. This was a nerve wracking event for us because not only would half of Backpacker Magazine would be there, but also a lot of our big sponsors would also be there. All went amazing though and we were soon packing up our stuff and getting ready to make a long drive back to the hotel. Then we would be off to Pikes National Forest for our next big adventure exploring the mountains of Colorado!