Rocky Mountain High

Today is Saturday, so there was no counseling appointment. And, since I've got all my "homework" from the counselor done, Karin and I headed to Rocky Mountain National Park. We entered from Estes Park, and drove through the park along the Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake. We then decided to try a new route and followed the Fraser River valley south through Winter Park, and on to Interstate 70, where we headed back east to Denver. It was a long day, with a lot of driving (some of it quite intense as we drove the mountain roads), but we saw the glory of God revealed in his creation.

We marveled at the geology and the biology of the Rocky Mountains. We drove through a variety of eco-systems as we ascended and descended, and we saw the majestic Rockies, glacial deposits, a variety of rock formations. We were sad to see that many of the lodgepole and other pine trees were dead or dying because of the Mountain Pine Beetle infestation. Forests that would normally be evergreen were brown. Still, the views were gorgeous. Taking photos with a digital point-and-shoot camera can't possibly do justice to the wonders we saw, but we'll share a few photos anyway.
As we traveled through Rocky Mountain National Park along the Trail Ridge Road, we followed switch-backs and drove with no guardrails and very deep drop-offs. Karin was quite anxious about the drive, and even though I was driving, I was a bit nervous on a number of occasions. Still, we saw beautiful mountains and lakes and streams and wildlife. The road crosses the Continental Divide, and goes up over 12,000 feet! (There I am, "savoring the moment," this time on the Alpine Ridge Trail at 12,005 feet.)
We saw some wildlife, and got to see two species up-close. While at about 12,000 feet overlooking the Gore Range, we came upon a yellow-bellied marmot, enjoying a view of the mountains. Although we got a close-up view of him from behind, he wasn't interested in us, as he kept looking away at the beautiful view in front of him. Who could blame him?

In addition to the yellow bellied marmot, we got an up-close look at a herd of elk near the Alpine Ridge Trail.

The weather today was beautiful. Bright sunshine, a few stray clouds, pleasant temperatures (although it got quite chilly and windy at 12,000 feet). It was the nicest day we've had, and we enjoyed it!

Special photo for the YACS: This is Poudre Lake, the source of the Cache la Poudre River, where we whitewater rafted. If I were to turn around from where I'm standing as I take the picture, I'm within about 20 yards of the Continental Divide.