Rocky Mountain National Park

Visiting this Park has been on my bucket list for a very long time. Not quite sure why I didn't make it here when I lived in Monte Vista, CO, but probably because I was only there a couple of years & I ended up visiting places a bit closer like Zion & Mesa Verde. I did my best to make up for it while on detail by changing my planned week long vacation to Maine to staying out here an extra week!

Since my contractor was not working weekends, I rented a car my 2nd week & drove down to RMNP to spend a couple of days sightseeing & hiking. 

WARNING: LOTS & LOTS of photos to follow!

One of the best resources I found for planning my hikes in such a limited time was this website:  www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com . The detailed trail descriptions as well as ratings by difficulty & features really helped me prioritize how to spend my limited time.

After much deliberation, I took on the Fern Lake/Cub Lake loop for my 1st hike. It was a beautiful day & the Ranger at the Visitor's Center had warned me that it would be very hard  to find parking near Fern Lake, so I was mentally prepared for a road walk if necessary. Little did I know how hard it would be to even get near Fern Lake as the elk were bugling in all the meadows around Moraine Park & I would be tied up in "elk jams" from the very start! I eventually made it within a mile of the trailhead & took the first available parking spot I could find. I was ready to hit the woods!

The first couple of miles (after the road walk) were really nice - the trail follows the Big Thompson River & was not steep at all. This is also where I saw the most people.

Once the trail turns to follow Fern Creek, it gets a lot steeper in a hurry. Luckily there was plenty of room to take a break beside the 60 ft tall Fern Falls.

After another mile or so of climbing I finally arrived at Fern Lake. It wasn't just the elevation that took my breath away!

From here I backtracked & looped around to Cub Lake. It was a bit of a let down after Fern Lake, but it was pretty in its own way. Kinda neat to see all the lily pads.

As I was hiking back towards the trailhead I suddenly heard a loud noise ahead. The elk were bugling! And they were close! I don't care how many times you hear them, it still makes the hair on my arms stand up. I got a seriously stupid grin on my face & even started to run down the trail (like I thought I would miss them or something). I turned the corner to find a huge meadow & HERDS of elk! There were a couple of young bulls posturing & antler wrestling along the edge of a pond & I stood & watched them for a while.

Then I followed the trail a little further to watch the older bull defending his harem. At this point I was getting closer to the road & other folks were venturing out to see the elk. Some were so close to the trail & so unconcerned with people being there that it really reminded me of the "wild" animals in GSMNP. But I was in awe a how truly large these animals are! 

This guy really had alot to say:

 Once back to my rental car I headed up Trail Ridge Road to Forest Canyon in hopes of making sunset. It was a little hard to drive as the views were so great that I constantly wanted to stop. Along the way I got my best first view of Longs Peak, the iconic Fourteener of the Park.

And I did make it for sunset!

The next day I got an earlier start as I had a challenge in mind. As much as I would have liked to take on Longs Peak, the fact was I was hiking solo & had not brought my micro spikes for the ice & snow that would be present on top. So I decided to go for the consolation prize of almost 13,000 ft Hallett Peak by way of Flattop Mtn.

This gorgeous hike starts at the very busy Bear Lake area. I was early enough to get a parking spot & was on the trail before 8 AM. I did stop to take a quick photo of Bear Lake with the aspens in the background:

From here is was a steady but not too steep climb up to Flattop trail. Nice views along the way as well!

Once on Flattop trail the climb really began & I was reminded that I am not completely acclimated. The views were just surreal & the camera on my phone just doesn't do them justice.

About 3 miles in I was well above treeline & really starting to feel the effort. Luckily there were plenty of cool overlooks to stop & take a break. I especially liked the one above Emerald Lake. Had to be over 1000 feet down. And a bit disconcerting to sit right on the edge.

From here to the summit of Flattop Mountain was rocky & steep tundra. The wind was very cold & I got chilled despite the climb. I definitely could tell I was above 1200 feet as I was having to stop & take more breaks just to breathe. But again, the views! Eventually I made it to the top of Flattop Mountain at elevation 12,324 feet.

At this point I was feeling rather discouraged. I was so tired & lightheaded that I couldn't imagine trying to climb another 400 feet. Especially with the way the route looked from my perspective. That's Hallett Peak behind the Tyndall glacier. If you look close you can see hikers on the ridge above the glacier:

I sat behind a rock to get out of the relentless wind & ate lunch while watching other groups head up to the peak. Eventually I sat long enough that I a)got cold & b) decided what the hell- go for it! Not like I will get a chance like this very often. So off & up I went. The trail was very vague - mostly just rock cairns marking a "path" - but the peak was pretty self evident. I trudged on with my head down & finally made the summit. And wow. Just wow.

There were enough hikers up there that I even got one to take my summit photo!

And one last view.....

Whew! Didn't realize this post was gonna take so long. Vacation pictures will have to wait for next post!

Working in Colorado

One of the best things about being on detail on another Forest is the ability to focus on just one project. Like most folks, I am faced at work with constantly shifting priorities & often left juggling several projects at one time. While I was working on the Arapahoe - Roosevelt I only had one responsibility: ensure contractor compliance with the construction drawings & specifications. 

Sounds pretty black & white, right? 

Then you have obviously not dealt with a Gov't contract before!

First, a little more background on the contract: As I mentioned in a  previous post, the original construction was scheduled for September of 2012. After delays due to wildfires, floods & the government shutdown of 2013, the contractor was more than ready to get this project started when I arrived in September 2014. 

The primary purpose of the project was to replace two small culverts located on Sheep Creek with larger bottomless arches to remove barriers for fish passage, specifically native greenback cutthroat trout. When fish cannot migrate up or down a stream the populations tend to get fragmented & isolated, which can imperil the genetic diversity & continuity of the species. 

Sheep Creek

This project had other complications besides just schedule delays. Located at 10,000 feet elevation, Sheep Creek is a sub alpine stream adjacent to the Comanche Peak Wilderness. Colorado Fish & Wildlife regulations restricted any stream disturbance activities to the months of September & October only. And did I forget to mention that muzzleloader season for deer/elk/moose begins September 11th? And that the road I was going to close provided the only access to the wilderness? Makes you wonder why I signed up for this!

Good thing I like a challenge.

The subcontractor for the job was a real cowboy contractor. And I mean that in the true western sense, not that they wore cowboy hats & line danced. They brought one of the oldest excavators I have ever seen in working condition to this job. It reminded me of the old steam shovels for some reason. Maybe because the bucket was so big.

 Or maybe it has something to do with the way they kept repairing it with bungee cords & baling wire.

It got the job done though! Excavation to remove the old culvert & construct the footings for the new steel arch was completed very quickly. Which was a good thing, because these guys did nothing else the easy way. As a matter of fact, if there was a more difficult way to take on a task, they somehow managed to find it.

Luckily the weather held pretty good & they were soon placing the concrete footings that would support the steel arch.

Since the primary purpose of this project was to eliminate barriers to fish passage, the next step was to "construct" a more natural stream bed under the culvert. I found this to be almost a bit more of an art than a science! But with the help of the local fish biologist, I think we got pretty good results:

The actually assembly of the steel arch was not complicated at all & now the project was starting to really show some progress.

After a good bit of backfilling & compacting of material, but within 3 weeks of my arrival, we had a completed project at the West Fork of Sheep Creek. One down, one to go!

Now it was time to start on the East Fork project & this is where I really had fun! As part of the project we needed to move any existing trout below the construction site to a reach above the site so they would not be impacted by any potential sedimentation. A small net stretched across the stream would ensure that they did not enter the construction area either. The method to do this involves electrofishing, which is a commonly used method for sampling fish populations. The fish are briefly stunned by electricity, but are unharmed & return to their normal activities pretty quickly.

I assisted the fish biologist by basically carrying a 5 gallon bucket & walking along the bank while watching for fish. You can only imaging my excitement when we found one. And it even turned out to be a greenback cutthroat trout!

What a beautiful fish!

Poor little guy was pretty stunned for a little while, so we kept him in the running stream for a time to keep water flowing through his gills. Then we measured him (by his size he was about 3 years old) & took him upstream to his new home in a nice little pool with lots of woody debris & shadows. He immediately took off to hide under a small log across the channel, so I knew he was fully recovered!

A little more on the native greenback cutthroat trout of Colorado: By 1937 they were thought to be extinct until a population was discovered in the South Platte basin in the 50's. This started an aggressive conservation/recovery plan & they were eventually moved from the Endangered list to Threatened Species. In 1996 they were designated as the official State fish of Colorado. Pretty cool, huh?


Is it any wonder that I love my job?

Week #2-1/2 in Colorado!

Survived (ENJOYED!) another week here!

And it has been a busy one....the project is going really well (hope I didn't just jinx it!) & we have even had a little snow! I also felt acclimated enough to take on some trails at Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend. I won't post too many of those photos here - I think the Park deserves a blog post of it's own. Mainly because I took so many photos I need to take some time to sort them all out.....

So, as a continuation of last weeks post of things I have missed here in Colorado:

#6 = Sunshine & blue skies!

No matter how cold it seems to get here, it's a good bet that the sun is still shining. Perhaps it is the lack of humidity, but even on a "hazy" day here the air is clear. My moods are very susceptible to the weather & too many days of rain do have an effect. Same way all these days of sunshine seem to make me very happy!

#7 = Wildlife!

So far I have seen the largest variety of animals I can remember, some for the first time ever. A few of the notable firsts......

A moose! I never realized how big they really are....

My first pika! These guys are just too cute
Looks like a cross between a mouse & a rabbit?

Marmot!

#8 = Wildflowers & trees!

It's a good change of pace to be back in Doug Fir & Lodegepole/Ponderosa Pine country. I left my Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains book back in TN, so I have not been able to figure out all the summer wildflowers, but I still enjoy seeing them. And the ASPENS! I am here at the perfect time to watch them change.

  

#9 = BEER!


I know I already mentioned beer in my last post, but really, there are just too many cool breweries located in Fort Collins for it to not get mentioned twice. 

Of course New Belgium was my favorite - so much that I took the brewery tour twice! I learned to play Rolle Bolle & got my first taste of 'sour' beer - another new favorite for me.

Loved the artwork & Space Ghost IPA at Equinox Brewing

 

Checking out the tanks at

Fort Collins Brewing

Really liked O'Dells IPA

Really really really wish they distributed to east coast!

Busted!

Now, just so you don't think I have been out here the past few weeks just playing, next post will be about some actual work being done!

Week #1 in Colorado!

I realize it has been wayyyyyyy too long since I have posted anything here, but in my defense I have several drafts just taking up space in the draft folder & I have been pretty busy! Now that I am in Colorado for a 3 week detail, I find I have extra time on my hands so I hope to get back in the routine of writing some of the fun stuff I do down.

This detail came together right at the last minute - right until I booked my flights I was unsure it would really happen. It turns out the Arapahoe - Roosevelt Nat'l Forest has an outstanding contract to install 2 large bottomless arch culverts to allow fish passage for native cutthroat trout on Sheep Creek near Fort Collins, CO. The contract was delayed in 2012 by the High Park Fire, which also was the 3rd largest wildfire in Colorado history at +87k acres burned. Then the floods of 2013 stopped the project again right at the time we (as gov't employees) were furloughed.

So what's up this year? Locusts? Frogs?

Regardless, the forest has had several retirements & has a lack of folks available to administer the contract. And that's where I come in.

I have to say it's really nice to only be working on one project!

So, I flew out here to Fort Collins last Wednesday & have been acclimating ever since. I lived in southern Colorado 6 years ago and it's been really great coming back. So in the past few days,  here's a few things I have found that I truly missed about being out west:


#1 = Hatch green chiles! 

I really think I could eat my weight in these little green bites of goodness. And if there is any smell more heavenly than a box of these in a big propane fired roaster, I don't want to know what it is.

I am still trying to figure out a way to freeze some & send them back home to TN. Think I can smuggle a few bags in my carry on?




#2 = Wide open spaces!

I know some folks struggle with being able to see so far, but I like the clarity of the air that allows me views like this. Plus the smells! I can't remember if it's sweetgrass or sage, but its almost as good as roasted Hatch chiles.....

#3 = Bike friendly!

I can't help but be surprised at the number of bike lanes here in Fort Collins. The Forest Service office even has a "bike shed" to store your bike in while at work (plus a loaner bike for us visitors!).

All the local stores have bike racks & you can take your bike on the bus or other forms of public transport. There are enough bike trails to successfully navigate across town in any direction without even having to get on a  public street. And if that's not enough, they even have a bike library where you can "check out" a bike for the day! How cool is that?

And here in Fort Collins I actually saw a car making a right turn wait for a bicyclist to pass through the intersection before proceeding. Huh?

#4 = Good beer!

So many choices, so little time.....

#5 = Sunflowers

These flowers have always been my favorite & I always loved how they popped up everywhere when I lived here. Warning: Lots of photos!

There's so much more I could go into but I will save a little for week #2. I will say I remember it's dry out here but I cannot keep enough lotion & eye drops at hand! Plus, SPF 30 sunblock doesn't even begin to keep the sun off. I am just hoping I don't look or feel like beef jerky by the time I get back!

I'll close out with a few of my favorite photos  from the Fort Collins area.....Enjoy!

Cache la Poudre River

Dixon Reservoir in Pineridge Natural Area

Prairie Dogs!

Pineridge Natural Area

Foothills Trail

Goats do roam!

"The life of a goat herder is easy, the goats take care of themselves."

Eddie Murphy, Coming to America, 1988

Although 2014 is the 7th year the goats have been on the Roan Highlands, it was only my second time being lucky enough to assist in "herding" them to their summer home. And, for the record, it is alot easier than herding cats!

2014 - And they're off!

I am not a botanist, so I cannot explain the purpose & science behind this endeavor as well as the people who developed it, but in a few words, here goes: This volunteer based project was basically created to try to help preserve the grassy balds of the Roan Highlands here in TN/NC. While there are many theories concerning the development and age of these balds, the fact is that this area remains an important habitat for many rare species of plants such as the Grays Lily and  Bent & Spreading Avens. The purpose of this project is to attempt to restore the diversity & growth of these plants through use of grazing animals. One of the primary invasive plants on the balds is blackberry, which also happens to be a favorite food of goats.

And did I mention that the "kids" are crazy cute?

2013 - Taking a break on the climb up

The majority of the goats used for this project are Angoras, which are known for their fiber. You can even purchase yarn spun with their mohair! 

2013 - Baxter at Round Bald

The "lead" goat herder (Jamey) camps out with the goats during the season - although they do ask for volunteers to help out on the weekends. The other protectors of the goats have been a series of very large dogs of the Pyrenees persuasion. The original dogs were littermates Bean & Baxter. I never met Bean, but I was introduced to Baxter last year as he was mentoring the new dog. Unfortunately, this year Bigdog will be on his own as Baxter was hit by a car the week before we took the goats up. Sigh...... He will be missed.

2014 - Lyndsey gets to meet Bigdog

Truth be said, there is really not much to "herding" the goats to the top - they pretty much know the way! Since they are put on a grain diet to prevent any invasive plant seeds from reaching the fragile balds, they are quite starved for greens & sometimes have to be encouraged to keep moving. The hardest part for the goats & the herders is heading straight up the side of Round Bald. Between the steepness & the tall grass, this is typically where we get stragglers of both kinds!

2014 - Heading up to Round Bald

Once we hit the top we then follow the AT - trail north. The goats are typically  kept in temporary movable paddocks at Janes Bald & along Grassy Ridge. We stayed back with this mama & her kid, who were struggling coming up though the tall wet grass. Once they hit the trail, though, they kicked it into high gear to try to catch the rest of the flock.

2014 - The last stragglers

2014 - Everyone present & accounted for!

While the weather was a little bit cool, misty & rainy this year, there was still a good turnout of volunteers & no goats were left behind!

Overall I feel like this is a very worthwhile endeavor & hope it continues in the future. The Baatany Project is always in need of assistance & support can be provided in a variety of ways: You can "adopt" a goat for a month or a summer, help pay Bigdog's kibble & vet bill, help carry food and/or water up, or even purchase a hand knitted hat made from the hair of the Roan Goats!

Check out www.baatany.org to get the whole story. 

Now I just can't help myself - gotta end this with some of my favorite goat photos!

2013 - Not a bad place to spend the summer

2014 - My buddy Harold finally gets to check "goat herding" off his bucket list

2014 - Lyndsey really enjoyed it as well

2014 - Mama! Wait up!

2013 - Hiding in the paddock