Family Fun in Estes Park

Hiking the Alpine Trail to Milner Pass

Our family (The A & O Clan) has gone home after a week of good times here in Estes Park. The A & O Clan includes our son, his wife, and their three children and our daughter, her husband, and their three children. The total is twelve when you add Wayne and me and thirteen when we include my mom. Having ten extra people staying in our house is a challenge but we've worked out a good system which makes it enjoyable and not too much work for any one person. Our camper, set up in the back driveway, becomes the annex, sleeping three or four. The others sleep on our guest beds and inflatable mattresses. I prepare and freeze a few meals ahead of time; we eat some meals out; and the family is in charge of a couple of meals (including shopping, cooking, cleaning up).

Our agenda included hiking, attending a Rockies game, picnicking, shopping, playing games, watching the wildlife, and enjoying each other's company. Carly was the first to spot a big black bear across the road from our front porch. None of us managed to get a photo but it reminded us to keep windows closed on the lower levels at night and when we're not at home. We also spotted elk, deer, chipmunks, pikas, big horn sheep, and mink.

Picnic spot near Glen Haven

Rain delay at Rockies game

North fork of the Big Thompson River

Double Rainbow

Rainbows are a common occurrence here in Estes Park due to an abundance of sunshine and frequent late afternoon showers. Our deck, which faces east, is a perfect vantage point to view single and double rainbows. And, here's an interesting phenomenon ... I had never noticed before that the primary rainbow shows red on the outside and violet on the inside while the secondary and fainter rainbow shows violet on the outside and red on the inside (mirror image). I saw this double rainbow last week.

Old Fall River Road - Part II

Old Fall River Road starts in the montane zone and rises through the subalpine to the alpine zone getting cooler as the elevation increases. Each zone has its characteristic plant and animal life. Each has its own beauty.

Start of Old Fall River Road

Peaks and spires as seen through the trees

Entering the subalpine zone

Elk herd on snowy tundra in alpine zone

Elk on parade

Alpine wildflowers

Marmot posing for photos - Forest Canyon in background

Storm moving in over the mountains

Old Fall River Road - Part I

Wayne and I got home yesterday afternoon from two days of impromptu camping at Moraine Park Campground. Monday was the perfect day for us to drive up Old Fall River Road which opened for the season almost a week ago. It's a narrow, one-way up, gravel road with frequent switchbacks and spectacular views!



We parked at mile marker 19 and hiked to the old Willow Park Patrol Cabin built in 1924 to house work crews to open the road each spring. It's in a beautiful meadow filled with wildflowers where Fall River is just a meandering stream.

Willow Park Patrol Cabin - now on the National Register of Historic Places

Below are photos of the meadow and its wildflowers.

Greening and Blooming

harebell (blue) and blanket flower (yellow, orange, red)

The glorious rain showers the past few days have caused a greening and blooming in our yard. The wildflowers are everywhere and spectacular. In between showers this afternoon, I photographed several for my Catalog of Rocky Mountain Wildflowers.

yarrow

Richardson's geranium