IOU Rocky Mountain National Park...
Written by Mike...IOU takes no responsibility for his bantering and slight filtration of the facts :-P
Four of us road tripped it to RMNP. Once we got there we had to jockey for campsites at Long's Campsite. We simply asked around if we could share a site with these nice folks from CO and they moved over to take one site instead of 2.
We were joined that night by "Chillie" her husband RJ and their new golden retriever Jackson. RJ join us for the 1st day of backcountry and a nice day hike, we of course had enough food and he had enough "stuff" in his car to make the that leg of the unplanned adventure.
Our 1st day back country was great. We had wonderful weather, but it was a large elevation change. The trailhead is over 9,000 ft. which is substantial since Iowa tops out around a mere 700ft. After making camp we decided to hike up to the pass if we could and be in the shadow of Long's Peak, the only "14-er" in the park and reaches up into the sky to an elevation of 14,255 ft. All of us were sucking a little more wind and Ken decided to turn back and get some rest. Stacey, Mel, RJ & I trucked on. We took some incredible photos and saw a beaver at 11,ooo ft. Ok it wasn’t a beaver but a Marmot, but its more fun to call it a high elevation beaver.
We ran a bit low on water on the way back to our campsite and made some gator-aid and chugged two Naligen bottles before we did anything else. The camp site was incredible! It was off the main path and had plenty of room for our tents and a stream near by.
We took slept well that night and RJ departed without breakfast. Doesn’t he know that is the most important meal of the day. We packed up and headed off. The hike was much more difficult with full packs on, but we made head way. We stopped for lunch at the Chasim Lake trail head. The fact that it is over 3 miles form a parking lot, Mike does not understand how it can be called a trailhead, but that is way besides the point. After lunch we begrudgingly put our packs back on. The clouds starting their taunting their threat of rain. We still had a few miles to go and it was all up hill until Granite Pass.
We marched on and talked little. The winds picked up and almost on que as we reached the pass. We made a quick stop to put on our rain coats the sky opened up a bit and rained on us for the next hour. We didn’t seem to mind the rain because it was the 1st part of our trip where we were going down hill and off the Long's stair master.
The next few miles flew by, until we were really wondering where in the heck our campsite was. We eventfully came upon it. It seemed like it took forever to find the campsite. Once we found it and set up, the search for the "privy" continued. It started up earlier but we decided to set up camp and then resume the search. We never did find it. Love the back country life.
We marched on down to Alberta Falls and the Bear Lake trail head. Had lunch and laughed. There were a number of folks at the falls and the trailhead. I am sure they were wondering why we had huge backpacks on for the .5 mile hike, but of course they had no idea that we triumphed over grant pass and were in the back country for the previous 2 days and not at the Holiday Inn like themselves. Of course, once down wind I am sure a few figured out that were did not start from our car a stones throw away. We filled up our water bottles and bladders and of course emptied our other bladders took the shuttle to the Storm Pass trail head for the fun of it, well kinda. Mel and Mike decided to march on and Stacey and Ken took another route with some local assistance form RJ.
The conversations between Mike and Mel are never to be repeated while going over Storm Pass and the mention of leaving a body behind did not really come up as much as the rumors have it, nor the part about Mike saying that he never wants to do this again :-) Storm Pass is rightfully named due to the fact that it rained most of that after noon and the gentle rumblings of thunder seemed to increase the higher they went. The two groups were re-joined at the campsite and the other tent was put up quickly and easily. Everyone changed into dry clothes, then the search for a water source began and dinner plans were being made as well as the search for the bear bag. Note: we need to bring a bit more rope next time :-) We had a fine dinner and the beverage selection was fabulous! ;-)
We hiked out on the last day, tired but wow the sights, the sounds, the friends. We cleaned up at Long's Peak Trail head, got the car, packed up and had a buffet of a trail lunch with our leftovers and other snacks and foods that we had. Then we high tailed it to Chillie's and RJ's home for showers and an incredible meal. We are grateful to our CO hosts! We had an incredible adventure and are looking forward to our next visit to RMNP.
These views once again were writen by Mike without the premission or appoval of the other three.
Four of us road tripped it to RMNP. Once we got there we had to jockey for campsites at Long's Campsite. We simply asked around if we could share a site with these nice folks from CO and they moved over to take one site instead of 2.
We were joined that night by "Chillie" her husband RJ and their new golden retriever Jackson. RJ join us for the 1st day of backcountry and a nice day hike, we of course had enough food and he had enough "stuff" in his car to make the that leg of the unplanned adventure.
Our 1st day back country was great. We had wonderful weather, but it was a large elevation change. The trailhead is over 9,000 ft. which is substantial since Iowa tops out around a mere 700ft. After making camp we decided to hike up to the pass if we could and be in the shadow of Long's Peak, the only "14-er" in the park and reaches up into the sky to an elevation of 14,255 ft. All of us were sucking a little more wind and Ken decided to turn back and get some rest. Stacey, Mel, RJ & I trucked on. We took some incredible photos and saw a beaver at 11,ooo ft. Ok it wasn’t a beaver but a Marmot, but its more fun to call it a high elevation beaver.
We ran a bit low on water on the way back to our campsite and made some gator-aid and chugged two Naligen bottles before we did anything else. The camp site was incredible! It was off the main path and had plenty of room for our tents and a stream near by.
We took slept well that night and RJ departed without breakfast. Doesn’t he know that is the most important meal of the day. We packed up and headed off. The hike was much more difficult with full packs on, but we made head way. We stopped for lunch at the Chasim Lake trail head. The fact that it is over 3 miles form a parking lot, Mike does not understand how it can be called a trailhead, but that is way besides the point. After lunch we begrudgingly put our packs back on. The clouds starting their taunting their threat of rain. We still had a few miles to go and it was all up hill until Granite Pass.
We marched on and talked little. The winds picked up and almost on que as we reached the pass. We made a quick stop to put on our rain coats the sky opened up a bit and rained on us for the next hour. We didn’t seem to mind the rain because it was the 1st part of our trip where we were going down hill and off the Long's stair master.
The next few miles flew by, until we were really wondering where in the heck our campsite was. We eventfully came upon it. It seemed like it took forever to find the campsite. Once we found it and set up, the search for the "privy" continued. It started up earlier but we decided to set up camp and then resume the search. We never did find it. Love the back country life.
We marched on down to Alberta Falls and the Bear Lake trail head. Had lunch and laughed. There were a number of folks at the falls and the trailhead. I am sure they were wondering why we had huge backpacks on for the .5 mile hike, but of course they had no idea that we triumphed over grant pass and were in the back country for the previous 2 days and not at the Holiday Inn like themselves. Of course, once down wind I am sure a few figured out that were did not start from our car a stones throw away. We filled up our water bottles and bladders and of course emptied our other bladders took the shuttle to the Storm Pass trail head for the fun of it, well kinda. Mel and Mike decided to march on and Stacey and Ken took another route with some local assistance form RJ.
The conversations between Mike and Mel are never to be repeated while going over Storm Pass and the mention of leaving a body behind did not really come up as much as the rumors have it, nor the part about Mike saying that he never wants to do this again :-) Storm Pass is rightfully named due to the fact that it rained most of that after noon and the gentle rumblings of thunder seemed to increase the higher they went. The two groups were re-joined at the campsite and the other tent was put up quickly and easily. Everyone changed into dry clothes, then the search for a water source began and dinner plans were being made as well as the search for the bear bag. Note: we need to bring a bit more rope next time :-) We had a fine dinner and the beverage selection was fabulous! ;-)
We hiked out on the last day, tired but wow the sights, the sounds, the friends. We cleaned up at Long's Peak Trail head, got the car, packed up and had a buffet of a trail lunch with our leftovers and other snacks and foods that we had. Then we high tailed it to Chillie's and RJ's home for showers and an incredible meal. We are grateful to our CO hosts! We had an incredible adventure and are looking forward to our next visit to RMNP.
These views once again were writen by Mike without the premission or appoval of the other three.
posted by IOU... | 11:43 PM
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