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Wet September Trip to Rocky Mountain National Park

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jato View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Wet September Trip to Rocky Mountain National Park
    Posted: 11 Nov 2013 at 9:26pm
A glorious trip, tremendous views of mountains, elk, mountain sheep and yes, lots of rain and water.  Fortunately we got out 1 day before the park was closed due to the flooding.  Here: a small sampling of what we saw on some of our hikes in the park.


First night at East Portal, just outside RMNP a couple miles from Estes Park.





Bear Lake, a short hike to get to this point, about 1/4 mile



en route to "the Loch" a 6.2 mile hike at about 8500 to 9000 ft elevation, your lungs feel the change if you're a flat lander like me from Michigan.


Unfortunately, he hadn't caught anything . . . yet.  This is the "Loch", could have gone much further but we didn't have enough daylight left to go to the end of this particular trail, another 6+ miles one way or 12 miles round trip from this point.


Getting here was easy, leaving was not.  Only the Lord God Almighty could create a "painting" like this!


Our campsite at Moraine Campground
Hope to go back in a couple years, maybe by then the roads and bridges to get there will have been rebuilt and there will be a sense of 'normalcy' once again.










































God's Pod

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Jim & Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Tweeners Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Nov 2013 at 9:11am
Absolutely beautiful!
Mike & Jody
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bubink Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Nov 2013 at 12:57pm
One of our favorites places in the WORLD is RMNP and the Estes area but I encourage EVERYBODY to rethink waiting to head up there because of the flood. They have done a lot of rebuilding and Estes is accessible via Lyons and highway 36 and that town needs as much support as possible. The park itself is primarily open and the town is thriving and shops and restaurants are open for business!! Don't write them off your list for camping next year!
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jato View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Nov 2013 at 8:38pm
It is unfortunate that nothing is said about the rebuilding progress in Lyons, Estes Park and surrounding areas in the news media, at least from where I gather info.  Do you have specific websites you visit or know people who live in the area that can give you accurate updates on the progress they are making?   We plan on going back, but will wait until 2015.
God's Pod

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bubink Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Nov 2013 at 8:42am
I get my updates on a few different Facebook pages. "Estes Park, CO", "Estes Park News, Inc", "Estes Park Trail Gazette" and the Rocky Mountain National Park page. I also checked the specific pages of the campgrounds in the area and, surprisingly, they are untouched by the flooding. Unfortunately, there isn't much reporting on the rebuilding so people are staying away or postponing trips based on the earlier reports. Estes IS open for business and NEEDS help to rebuild.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Nov 2013 at 10:54am
Thanks for the links!  Great to see the progress they are making in such a short time.  The road guys in Northern Michigan need to watch all this.  We had a renovation job on US-31 where they had to replace a 10' culvert pipe under the highway about 15 miles from our home.  Long story short, it took them 6 months plus of dinkin' around before getting the job done.  During the whole time it was one lane traffic, making for a lot of angry motorists.
God's Pod

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Jim & Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rambling Rose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2013 at 11:00am
Greetings from SW Michigan,

Just purchased a Rpod 172 in May 2013. So, I am still on the learning curve.
Enjoyed 12 nights out season of 2013. Would you be interested in
a camp out in spring (May) at Yankee Springs (near Kalamazoo)???
I want to pull together a Michigan group of FROGS. Thanks
Rambling Rose
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jato View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Nov 2013 at 7:05pm
Strong possibility.  As a golf course superintendent looking over 54 holes (3 courses) a lot will depend on which week-end you choose,  Keep me posted, Memorial weekend is out for me, too much going on at all 3 courses on that weekend; hence unable to get away.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hawkeyes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2014 at 8:48am
What campground were your last pictures taken?  I like!
Hawkpod
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jato View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jato Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Feb 2014 at 6:48am
Sorry it took so long to get back to you.  Just returned home after a week in Naples, FL enjoying 80 degree weather and bountiful sunshine.  Almost came back alone as my wife wanted to stay.  Got home last night to a 50 degree house, lots of snow and a low last night of - 16 C. 

Anyway we stayed at the Moraine Campground, it is very close to Estes Park on the East side of RMNP.  Hope to return there next year.  A great spot to camp !  I don't think any campground inside RMNP would not be nice because of all the natural beauty surrounding you.
God's Pod

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Jim & Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
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