Chapter 12
Drive thru Rocky Mountain National Park

Today we had to leave our beautiful mountain retreat house. We had spent the past three days hiking in the Sangre de Cristo Mts and now it was time to drive north to the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Nora and Duncan wanted to do some day hiking in the Collegiate Peaks area but Diane wanted to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. We had been there before but the Trail Ridge Rd thru the park had been closed for the season. Here was our chance to go back to the park and do the drive.

From Westcliffe, we drove north thru Breckenridge and Frisco to Kremmling where we turned east to Granby and entered the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Unfortunately, the weather was slightly overcast and misty with occasional light showers or snow. Diane didn't quite get the clear views she was hoping for, but at least we got an idea of what the views would be like. Along the Trail Ridge Rd we stopped at the visitor center and several other stops and did little short tourist hikes walks. On the way out of the park near Estes Park we were treated to two elk grazing in a meadow only 40 feet from the road. Naturally the elk's presence created a bit of a traffic jam from all the tourists gawking and trying to take pictures.

From Estes Park it was a straight shot south to Nederland and the motel we were staying in, Sundance Lodge. Nora and Duncan were already there when we finally arrived.

This is a short tourist walk we took along the top of Trail Ridge Rd.
It was cold with occasional light snow showers.

^ Above is Diane with the Trail Ridge Rd visitor center behind her. <-- To the left is Dave, the dark Schist rock is on the top and the softer white granite is slowly being eroded below. It was cold wearing shorts.

This is one of the elk we saw from the road near Estes Park.