Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park

The Rockies. YAY!

Today began with a thrilled-as-hell woman driving into Rocky Mountain Park and with a genuine thrill handing over my $10 Senior Pass at the ranger kiosk. Once in I was off to the high country for some spectacular scenery.

Most know how lazy I can be, certainly I do. So I surprized myself by actually - wait for it... wait for it... getting OUT of the car and hiking uphill for a chance at seeing even more scenery.  Shocking, right? I know!

Tromping up to the walled overlook

See this little fellow below...

First thing I saw was the photo below.  See the gray ridge? See the brown smudge on it? That's the Yellow-bellied Marmot from the photo here on the right. Shows how far off the critter was. 

Then looking around below the don't-let-the-tourists-fall-off-the-cliff wall, I spotted a little brown somethings scampering around and nearly lost my s*it with excitement. PIKAS!

Cute bunny-relative, a Pika

So exciting. The only other Pika I'd ever seen was in Denali Park way back in 1997. Now here were Pikas everywhere I looked. It is interesting it took four visits to see Pikas at Rocky Mountain Park. You know, it's almost like if you get out of the car you see more. 

Nothing a Pika loves more than talus rocks to bounce around on

I headed on up the mountain - in my car of course - stopping at the Alpine Visitor Center. 

Behind the Visitor Center, just behind that white van on the left is an uphill hike

I as feeling my oats, and thought this could be the year I hike up to the overview at the Alpine Visitor Center. 

Uh... naw. Maybe next time. 

3 seasons of White-Tailed Ptarmigan

My true reason for my repeat visits to Rocky Mountain Park, is to see several 'lifer' birds the park holds for me. There are the White-tailed Ptarmigan, three different species of Rosy Finches, and the should-be-easy-enough-to-find Dusky Grouse. There were taxidermied specimens of all of them in the Visitor Center. Probably there just to torment me.

One species of sneaky Rosy Finches 

View behind the Alpine Center

Another snow dotted view behind Center

 Spent most of the remainder of the day hitting spots around the mountain, searching for elk, which didn't want to be found. Saw no accidental Dusky Grouse on the roadways (big surprise, right?) but otherwise enjoyed being surrounded by the splendor of the views. I had Copeland melodies floating around in my mind. 

The end of the day was again, not quite the end of the day. I got online and signed myself onto - for no good reason as it is not Halloween - a ghost tour at the Stanley Hotel late this afternoon.