Saturday, June 14, 2014

First hike of 2014

We drove up very early Friday morning to hike in Rocky Mtn National Park. It was our first time up the mountain since the massive flooding in Sept 2013 so we saw a lot of the aftermath that remains.  The roads were good both ways and we look fwd to taking Beth and the kids up when they arrive. We saw several animals we have not seen before and some that we have seen. We spotted elk, a ptarmigan on a large spruce, a large hair (black with big white feet), several chipmunks, a woodpecker, and many other birds.

A house ruined by the floods. So many homes were completely gone; parts of Route 34 that were lined with houses are now lined wit debris.

In this photo you can see how high the water was as it eroded the side of the mountain up toward the house with the red door.

Although I am not sure what this looked like prior to the flood, it appears that the mountainside was drastically changed by the water and mudslides that came as a result of weak soil.

Getting started in the chilly a.m. temps

Warmer now and maneuvering across some stepping stones

at the highest point of the hike, what a perfect day.

At Alberta Falls

A female elk greeted us along the road

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