ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK WITH RYAN

We spent a week with my nephew, Ryan, at Rocky Mountain National Park.  The weather ranged from warm sunny days to sleet, rain, hail and thunderstorms (and that was all in one day).  We'd start our hike in the sunshine and end up getting soaked or pelted with hail.  It made the hikes an adventure and we laughed a lot.  One trail we took was a horse trail and it started off dry with dried horse droppings along the way.  Ryan made a comment that this trail would be horrible if it rained and he was right.  Actually, I think we were walking along a dry river bed because after just a few minutes of rain, the trail was a rushing stream of water, mud and horse droppings.  Yes, we laughed about it.

Ryan and me nice and refreshed at the beginning of our climb

Scrambled the rocks and were rewarded with a beautiful view

I'm glad I didn't quit before reaching the top

We strolled along beautiful Lilly Lake with the park ranger for a narrated tour and he pointed out things we would have missed. He showed us a hummingbird nest, a beaver lodge, a snake sunning itself with her babies nearby and how to identify pine from fir trees.  One of our more challenging hikes was an elevation climb of just under 1000 feet and near the top we had to scramble  rocks. Actually, I love rock scrambling and it was worth the panoramic view.  We slept well that night.

Waiting for the storm to pass - Found out that my jacket wasn't waterproof

Blessed with a rainbow

Got a good picture of this guy grazing along the side of the road

Denis and I are not big fans of campfires but Ryan was an expert fire building.  We actually enjoyed sitting outside under the stars and watching the flames.  Ryan hated to waste a good cooking fire and grilled a couple of burgers.   One night while he was watching the fire, three bucks came down for a visit and walked right passed him.  What an amazing sight.

Proof that we did have some sunny days

The park ranger explained that these are the most dangerous animals in the park.  Do you know why?
If you guessed that they carry fleas, rabies and bubonic plague, you guessed correctly

Looks larger than it really is

The ranger explained that these mallards have done their job and get to rest now

I thought this was a common grounds squirrel but the park ranger referred to them as a Chickaree or Pine Squirrel.  They love to eat the pine nuts and make quite a racket when another Chickaree invades their tree

I thought this was a Clark's Nutcracker (but not sure) - Two of them swooped down when we stopped for a snack

Wild turkeys along the roadside

Ryan loved making a campfire and enjoyed sleeping out in his tent

Spied two of these guys hiding the the grass

Thanks for stopping in.