HIQH COUNTRY HEADLINES ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK WINTER SUPPLEMENT
Vol .1, No. 1 February 14 -June 12,J992
EMERGENCY INFORMATION National Park Service rangers are here to provide assistance if an emergency occurs. In case of fire, medical or law enforcement emergency call: ESTES PARK ParkHqtrs. 911 or (303) 586-2371 GRAND LAKE Hqtrs. 911 or (303) 627-3471 EMERGENCY PHONES are located throughout the park at McGraw Ranch, Lawn Lake Trailhead, Chasm Falls and Willow r- Park (along old Fall River x Road). Deer Ridge Junction c^ and Fall River Pass (along c Trail Ridge Road). Bear _o.
Common Sense •••Don't Leave Home Without It Emergencies Estes Park Grand Lake 911 or (303) 586-2371 911 or (303)627-3471 HYPOTHERMIA - THE BIG CHILL GETTING TICKED OFF Ticks are abundant in late spring and early summer. Some carry diseases Hypothermia, the including Colorado Tick Fever and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. No cases of lowering of the core Lyme Disease have been reported in Rocky Mountain National Park. To pro body temperature, is a tect yourself from ticks: Tuck pant legs into socks; treat clothing with insect serious and sometimes repellant; check daily for ticks. To remove an embedded tick pull it out fatal threat, especially gently with tweezers; it is important to remove all head and neck parts to to those who are prevent infection; notify a physician if tick parts remain in your skin or if a unprepared. Symp rash develops. toms of hypothermia include; drowsiness, loss of judgment or coordination, slurred GIARDIA - A GUT REACTION speech, and uncon Giardia is a microscopic organism found in many lakes and streams. If trolled shivering. On ingested it can cause diarrhea, cramps, bloating, and weight loss. To kill Giar all your explorations: dia, boil all untreated water for 3-5 minutes. Be prepared for sudden weather changes; carry extra layers of protective NO CLOSE ENCOUNTERS - BEARS AND clothing; wear a hat OTHER ANIMALS ARE DANGEROUS (50% of your body heat escapes from your head and neck) and carry water and snack foods such as raisins, nuts, and granola bars. Rocky Mountain National Park is not a feeding or petting zoo. Photograph all wildlife from the safety of your vehicle or from at least a 25-yard distance. Respect the wildness of other creatures by not feeding them. A $25 fine may be issued to DON'T TAKE THE BIG DIVE anyone who feeds Glaciers and snowfields are extremely dangerous. Most have steep slopes or disturbs wild and end in a jumble of boulders. Many visitors have been seriously injured or life. killed by venturing onto these "super slides." AVALANCHES are serious safety hazards BEAR to winter recreation enthusiasts. Check at WITH US visitor centers for Grizzly bears no avalanche condition longer live in Rocky information. Ava Mountain National lanches may occur on Park, but black any snow covered bears still find a slopes with slope home here. They angles of 25-55 emerge from their degrees. Overnight dens in early March camping in the and begin foraging backcountry requires a for food. Unnatural non-fee permit. For foods can cause extended day hikes sickness and even death to bears. Please take the following precautions, so that or climbs, always let neither you nor a bear gets hurt. Never approach a bear; enjoy them from a someone know your distance. Do not store food in your tent; store food in airtight containers in plans. the trunk of your car. Ice chests are not bear-proof. Backcountry campers should hang their food in a tree at least 10 feet above the ground and 4 horizontal feet from the tree trunk. Pack out all your refuse from the backcountry and always Keep a clean camp. A $25 fine may be issued for improper storage of food, or for feeding or harassing animals. Ranger-Led Activities
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Mon 24 Sheep Encounters 10:30 a.m. Sat 6 Tundra Nature Walk 10:00a.m. MAY Sheep Encounters 10:30 a.m. PROGRAM Tue 26 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Wild Things 1:00p.m. Sun 10 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Alpine Aspects 2:00p.m. DESCRIPTIONS Wed 27 Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. Evening Program 7:30p.m. Wed 13 Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. Shadows & Tracks: Mammals Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. (Park Headquarters) Fri 15 Wild Things 10:00a.m. Thu28 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Evening Program 9:00p.m. ALPINE ASPECTS Longs Peak: Seekers of the Summit Explore the tundra during a V2 hour Sat 16 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Fri 29 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. (Moraine Park Campground) Evening Program 9:00 p.m. walk. Meet at Alpine Visitor Center. Quakes, Freezes & Floods 2:00 p.m. Wild Things 2:00p.m. Things That Go Bump in Rocky Light: Light Affecting Life (Aspenglen Campground) the Night 7:30p.m. Sat 30 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. BUDS& BLOOMS (Park Headquarters) Wild Things 1:00p.m. Sun 7 Hummingbirds to Eagles 7:30 a.m. Become familiar with wildflowers. Sun 17 Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. Quakes, Freezes & Floods 3:00 p.m. Tundra Nature Walk 10:00a.m. Meet at the Cub Lake Trailhead for a Evening Program 7:30p.m. Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. I-V2 hour walk. Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Gardens of the Rockies: Plants Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. (Park Headquarters) Flood of'82 1:00p.m. 3 Evening Program 9:00p.m. Mon 18 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Alpine Aspects 2:00p.m. FLOOD OF '82 Return of the Peregrine See the effects of a flood. Meet at the (Aspenglen Campground) Mon 8 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Tue 19 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Evening Program 9:00p.m. first (east) parking lot at the Alluvial Backpackers Guide to the Galaxy Fan. 1 hour. Wed 20 Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. Tue 9 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. (Moraine Park Campground) rt HIDDEN FOREST Thu21 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Wed 10 Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. C Sun 31 Hummingbirds to Eagles 7:30a.m. Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Unravel the mysteries of a forest. Fri 22 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. Flood of'82 1:00p.m. Meet at the last parking area on Up Wild Things 2:00p.m. Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Wild Things 2:00p.m. per Beaver Meadows Road. I-V2 Evening Program 7:30p.m. hours. Things That Go Bump in the Night Thu 11 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. (Park Headquarters) Evening Program 9:00p.m. JUNE Fri 12 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. HUMMINGBIRDS TO Rocky Roads: Early Tourism & EAGLES Roads Sat 13 Tundra Nature Walk 10:00a.m. I Mon 1 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Meet at Cub Lake Trailhead with (Moraine Park Campground) Flood of'82 1:00p.m. binoculars and bird books for this 2 Tue 2 Hidden Forest 10:00a.m. Alpine Aspects 2:00p.m. hour walk. Sat 23 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Evening Program 7:30p.m. Wild Things 1:00p.m. Gardens of the Rockies: Plants Quakes, Freezes & Floods 3:00 p.m. Wed 3 Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. (Park Headquarters) QUAKES, FREEZES & Mountains and Glaciers 7:30p.m. Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Evening Program 9:00p.m. FLOODS (Park Headquarters) Flood of'82 1:00p.m. Backpackers Guide to the Galaxy Evening Program 9:00p.m. (Moraine Park Campground) Find out what shaped the Rocky Return of the Peregrine Thu4 Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Evening Program 9:00p.m. Mountains. Meet at the Moraine Park (Moraine Park Campground) Rocky Light: Light Affecting Life Museum. I-V2 hours. Fri 5 Sheep Encounters 10:00a.m. (Aspenglen Campground) Sun 24 Raptor Rendezvous 8:00 a.m. Wild Things 2:00p.m. Evening Program 9:00p.m. RAPTOR RENDEZVOUS Buds & Blooms 10:00a.m. Bring binoculars and guidebooks to Sheep Encounters 10:30a.m. Things That Go Bump in the Night Evening Program 7:30p.m. (Moraine Park Campground) learn about birds of prey. Meet at Freedom of the Hills: Climbing Evening Program 9:00 p.m. Twin Owls parking lot. 2 hours. (Park Headquarters) Return of the Peregrine Evening Program 9:00p.m. (Aspenglen Campground) Pioneer Portraits: SHEEP ENCOUNTERS A Mountain Man's Adventure Meet at the Sheep Lakes Information (Moraine Park Campground) Kiosk to learn about bighorn sheep. V2 hour.
TUNDRA NATURE WALK Meet at the Alpine Visitor Center to WATCHABLE WILDLIFE Nigh twa tch ers... see grand views and small flowers. 2 They're waiting for you ... hours. Daywatchers ... the things of the night... 'A Look For These Activities... n WILD THINGS WILD Things ROCKYAFTER Learn about Rocky's mammals. tt SHEEP Encounters DARK Meet at the last parking area at the end of Upper Beaver Meadows 5 BEAVER Tales WALKS 'A Road. I-V2 hours. -3 s
x o c •Q. A3 X > a Bear Lake Shuttle Bus System Coming June 19 to September 20 DOIN' THE BEAR LAKE SHUFFLE
"Leave the driving to us" and do your part to ease traffic congestion and reduce pollution by riding the free Bear Lake Shuttle Bus. Riding the bus not only allows you to enjoy the scenery along the Bear Lake Road, but also provides out standing opportunities for exploring park trails. By parking your vehicle at the shuttle bus parking area across from Glacier Basin Campground Bear Lake to the Fern Lake or at trailheads and then using Trailhead (10.5 miles). With the shuttle bus, you can leisurely an early morning start, park hike classic, one-way trails. your car at the Fern Lake Trail- Hikes vary from half-day outings head and stroll east 2.0 miles to to full-day excursions. Easy to the Moraine Park Campground difficult hikes are suggested Bus Stop. Ride the shuttle to below. Bear Lake. From Bear Lake, hike north .4 mile to the trail descend gradually through Bear Lake to Glacier Basin Falls. From the Glacier Gorge junction to Fern Lake. Hike west Bear Lake to Bierstadt Lake lodgepole pine forest to Bier Campground (5.8 miles). Park trail junction continue east and ascend to the open wood (3.2 miles). Park at the Bier stadt Lake. At the trail junction at the shuttle bus parking area through forests and meadows to lands of treeline. Descend to stadt Lake Trailhead and ride west of Bierstadt Lake, hike across from the Glacier Basin Sprague Lake. Hike past Spra- Odessa Lake continuing past the bus to Bear Lake. (Note: An south descending switchbacks to Campground, and catch the bus gue Lake another 1.4 miles to Fern Lake. Descend the north- early start is recommended as your vehicle. Optional trip to Bear Lake. Hike southeast the Glacier Basin Campground. facing switchbacks past Fern this parking area fills early in the extensions continue another 1.5 from Bear Lake descending .6 From the campground, return to Falls to The Pool. Hike east on day). From Bear Lake hike miles to the shuttle bus parking mile to the Glacier Gorge Trail- your vehicle by walking west .5 level terrain to the Fern Lake northeast ascending the trail. area or 2.6 miles to the Hol- head. A side trip may include a mile along the campground Trailhead. This is an all-day After crossing a small hill. lowell Park Trailhead. .6 mile detour to see Alberta road. hike!
Planning Your Look for warbling vireos and Wildflowers common flickers in aspen EMERGENCY INFORMATION l Tin (Continued from page 1) Colorful displays of wild groves. Pygmy and white- flowers appear in April and May streamside habitats. Watch for (Continued from page 1) breasted nuthatches, western at the lower elevations on the Moraine Park Museum the gray colored water ouzel bluebirds, brown creepers, yel- eastern side of the Rockies. Hol- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. bobbing and dipping in fast storms, plan on encountering low-rumped warblers and soli lowell Park, Upper Beaver Never Summer Ranch moving water. Also look for the large snowplows on the road. tary vireos are found in pon- Meadows and Moraine Park flo 9 a.m.-4 p.m. spotted sandpiper running back Use caution when near plows derosa pine woodlands. wers bloom mid~May through Sheep Lakes Information and forth between gravelly and stay 100 feet behind Higher elevation spruce-fir mid-June. Station 9 a.m.-3 p.m. streamside and stream. A king plows during sanding opera forests are good places to see Winter snow melts in June in tions. Beware of slippery fisher may be sitting on a branch the pine grosbeak, ruby- the Kawuneeche Valley and in road conditions. CHAMBERS OF above the stream scanning for crowned kinglet, hermit thrush late June in the Alpine Tundra. COMMERCE trout. Violet-green swallows and and goshawk. Wildflowers spread color slowly ROAD CONSTRUCTION ESTES PARK barn swallows skim above the In the alpine tundra you may upslope as summer progresses McGraw Ranch Road will be (303) 586-4431 water pursuing insects. Wilson's find the rosy finch, ptarmigan with the culmination of the under construction 8-5 daily OR (800) 443-7837 and yellow warblers, and Lin and white-crowned sparrow. blooming season in mid-July on through mid-April. Expect GRAND LAKE coln's sparrows may be seen in One half hour to several the alpine tundra. A casual delays. Give road crews a (303) 627-3402 streamside thickets. hours can be spent in each habi observer may spend a few hours brake. ARAPAHO-ROOSEVELT Forest habitats provide other tat. Allow a full day if you wish enjoying springtime and sum NATIONAL FOREST birdwatching opportunities. to birdwatch in all habitats. mer flowers. An avid botanist CAMPGROUNDS Fort Collins (303) 482-3822 may spend a lifetime becoming OPEN ALL YEAR: Moraine Granby (303) 887-3331 familiar with the park's 900 Park. Timber Creek and wildflower species. Longs Peak. Longs Peak BACKCOUNTRY EXPLORE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FIELD Campground is for tents CAMPING SEMINARS! Hiking only. Fees collected when Free permits required for all Wildlife, wildflowers. geology, orienteering, meteorol water is available from backcountry camping. Send ogy, archaeology and photography are just a few of the Snow melts slowly on the west Memorial Day weekend for backcountry camping many exciting topics to study in Rocky Mountain National ern side of the Rocky Moun tains. A few trails are open in through October 1. information: Backcountry Park. Choose a day. weekend or week long seminar. Uni Office, Rocky Mountain versity credit is available for many of the classes. the Kawuneechee Valley in early summer. The .3 mile hike MISTIX RESERVATION National Park. Estes Park. For further information, call Nancy Wilson, Seminar CO 80517 Coordinator, at (303) 586-3565, ext. 258, or send for a on the East Inlet Trail leads SYSTEM for summer camp free seminar catalog. through dense forests to Adams ing at Moraine Park and Gla TO MAKE RESERVA Falls. A stroll across the Colo cier Basin TIONS: Name . , rado River flood plain leads to (800) 365-2267 or write: PHONE: January-May 20 the historic Never Summer MISTIX Corporation, P.O. only - (303) 586-4459 Address Ranch. Trails on the eastern Box 85705, San Diego, Cali FAX: (303) 586-4702 IN PERSON: City State_ Zip_ side open more quickly. In addi fornia, 92138-5705 tion to the winter hikes and ski Headquarters Backcountry tours discussed earlier, several Office SUMMER VISITOR Be a Partner with the Park hiking trails lead into Wild Sept.-May 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. JOIN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN Basin, Glacier Gorge, Moraine CENTER SCHEDULE, June-Sept. 7 a.m.-7 p.m. NATURE ASSOCIATION Park and McGreagor Ranch. MEMORIAL DAY Kawuneeche Visitor Center Inquire at visitor centers for WEEKEND THROUGH Sept.-May 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Promote environmental education LABOR DAY Preserve and protect natural treasures details on the 350 miles of trails June-Sept. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Purchase land for wildlife and wilderness that Rocky Mountain National Visitor Center Headquarters Prepare the park for the future Park offers. Hikers will find trails 8 a.m.-9 p.m. FISHING Alpine Visitor Center Individual ($15): Family ($25); Supporting ($50); ranging from easy to difficult, Colorado State fishing permit Contributing ($100); Lifetime ($1000). with walks that can take only a 9 a.m.-5 p.m. required; available at local Enclosed is my tax deductible membership contribution. few minutes and hikes that may Lily Lake Visitor Center sporting goods stores. Check take several days. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Visitor Centers for Rocky Name Kawuneeche Visitor Center Mountain Fishing Regula Address 7 a.m.-7 p.m. tions. City . State_ _Zip_ Send to: Nancy Wilson. Membership Coordinator, Rocky Moun Printed on tain Nature Association. Rocky Mountain National Park. £% Recycled Recycled Paper Estes Park. CO 80517