Rocky Mountain National Park

The one and only true, authentic hike that we did make on this trip was our hike in RMNP. It was planned as a "get-out-of-the-car-so-we-dont-go-insane" break and suited its role nicely. Unlike Florissant Fossils this park was not out of the way. However like Florissiant Fossil Beds you need to know where to go in order to find it. At first we went to a gate that was closed in the winter and didn't have any of the nice park maps around only newsletters with a rudementary map that might be well understood by frequent park guests but did little to hep us. We did eventually figure out the newsletter map with the assistance of my Verizon Wirelless Navigator (a shout out to all modern technology here). We arrived at a park gate and were furnished with a proper map and offically within park boarders.

The one thing I walked away from this trip was the overwhelming understanding that I have been cured of my city ways, and have realized that I forever belong in a small and simple town on the edge of the wild. The city was nerve racking and loud. It stunk and had me worried for the few feet of space that I let grow between me and my kids. I had a contstant death grip on at least one child (Gak) and usually reaching for another. It was terrifying. Once again in a National Park, surrounded by trees, snow and wind I felt a sigh release from me that I hadn't known I'd been holding for days.

 I had known that  Rocky Mountain National Park would be different than our span of the Rocky Chain here in Wyoming, and it was oddly familiar and yet unique. RMNP is softer and more lush, It has a soft facade and gently slopes compared to the sheer and jagged edge of the Tetons. However the roads here lead into the mountains winding to the tops of snow blanketed peaks. We decided to take a road that closed in the winter and hike from there. It assured a nice clear path and a set way back to the car. We didnt plan on going off trail here or making a campfire as signs stated that both activities were prohibited.

We stoped at Many Curves Road Parking area where they close the gate in the winter, then we all bundled up and set out for our hike. It was very windy and there was about 4 inches of snow on the ground. I was a bit concerned that the cold was going to be to much and had a moment of doubt. But I settled on the idea of a hike and I couldnt let our first opportunity be wasted so we set out and bared down. The road is easy, with a mild ascent as it leads to the first bend. There a simple stone wall marks the edge of the road in a sharpe curve, it took us about 15 minutes to reach the small wall. Up to this point we had been followed by a group of three young men apparently on a little tourist trip of their own. At the wall however they turned back and we kept on, which was nice as we couldnt set a dteady pace with the kids and they often stopped to take pictures so we were often passing each other. It was obvious that many people walked to that wall for a panoramic view of the mountain from such an advantagous overlook, few kept on. After we made the first bend there were only two lines of tracks in the snow, and understandably so. As we turned the corner and broke through the protection of the trees we were meet by an icy and fericous wind. We kept on hiking for another 20 minutes untill we came to a spot on the road that wind and trees protected enough to leave bare. We rested here and had some water before we headed back.

The return trip was delightfully less frigid as we were now walking with the wind to our backs. as bundled as we were the cold was not a bother, unless the wind lashed us with it. On the way back, as is his fashion Kevin made up a game for the kids to keep their spirits up and their feet moving. This time it was a game of white-out, the basic purpose was to see if you could knock anyone in the snow. However as Lulu and I both seemed to understand the discomfort awaiting those being shoved into snow that blankets pavement, we opted out and settled with each others hand to hold.  Kevin, Emma and Jack spent the half hour walk back to the car running, sliding, shoving and ocassionally falling into the icy powder. None complained and the walk back was more enjoyable than the hike in.







We made it to the car and survived the long car ride home. since we've been back we went on a quick welcome home/ welcome to winter hike. I will post that adventure here in the next day or so and then we will be all caught up! Until Then!