On the afternoon of May 19th a 21-year-old female from Virginia, Illinois, died after falling into Adams Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park. Her body was recovered later that evening. Adams Falls is located on the East Inlet Trail on the west side of the park.
Grand County Sheriff’s Office, Grand County EMS, Grand County Search and Rescue, and Grand Lake Fire assisted the park. Her body was transferred to the Grand County Coroner. The woman’s name will be released after next of kin are notified.
Park visitors are reminded to remain back from the banks of streams, rivers and waterfalls, especially during spring runoff. Rocks at streamside are often slippery. Water is extremely cold and can be deceivingly deep and swift. Always provide proper supervision for children, who by nature, tend to be attracted to water. Powerful currents can quickly pull a person underwater.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Monday, May 30, 2022
Deceased Male Located In Avalanche Debris Other Two Individuals Rescued
At approximately 5:15 p.m. yesterday evening a deceased male was located by searchers who were using a RECCO device and probing in avalanche debris. The recovery operation will be delayed due to winter weather conditions. The ages and hometowns of the three individuals are being withheld until family members are notified.
At 9 a.m. this morning a rock fall and avalanche were reported near the Dreamweaver Couloir on Mt. Meeker. The rock fall and avalanche were witnessed by climbers in the area.
Three individuals were involved in the incident including a female and two males. Due to the location and severity of injuries of one of the males, Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members requested assistance from a Colorado National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to extricate him via a hoist operation, using a winch operated cable. This occurred at approximately 2 p.m. when there was a brief weather window. Rocky Mountain Rescue assisted with the helicopter hoist operations. The man was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows, transferred to Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance and then flown to Medical Center of the Rockies. The female suffered minor injuries and was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows at 4:15 p.m. where she was transferred by ground to further medical care. Rescue teams worked in terrain above 11,500 feet and at times experienced winter like weather conditions throughout the day.
Several agencies assisted Rocky Mountain National Park’s Search and Rescue team with this operation including Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Flight for Life, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Colorado National Guard, and Med Evac.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
At 9 a.m. this morning a rock fall and avalanche were reported near the Dreamweaver Couloir on Mt. Meeker. The rock fall and avalanche were witnessed by climbers in the area.
Three individuals were involved in the incident including a female and two males. Due to the location and severity of injuries of one of the males, Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members requested assistance from a Colorado National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to extricate him via a hoist operation, using a winch operated cable. This occurred at approximately 2 p.m. when there was a brief weather window. Rocky Mountain Rescue assisted with the helicopter hoist operations. The man was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows, transferred to Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance and then flown to Medical Center of the Rockies. The female suffered minor injuries and was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows at 4:15 p.m. where she was transferred by ground to further medical care. Rescue teams worked in terrain above 11,500 feet and at times experienced winter like weather conditions throughout the day.
Several agencies assisted Rocky Mountain National Park’s Search and Rescue team with this operation including Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Flight for Life, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Colorado National Guard, and Med Evac.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Trail Ridge Road Opens For The Season / Timed Entry Permit Reservations Required For Trail Ridge Road 9 am to 3 pm
On May 27th, Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park opened for the season. Due to melting snow on the road and the potential for freezing temperatures visitors should be prepared for icy conditions. At this time, night-time closures will not be implemented. However, because weather conditions may change rapidly, and winter weather is forecast for higher elevations this holiday weekend, including freezing temperatures and some snow accumulation, park visitors should be prepared to adjust travel plans accordingly and are encouraged to call the park’s Trail Ridge Road recorded status phone line at (970) 586-1222. Park staff will update the recorded line when/if the road status changes.
Alpine Visitor Center is tentatively scheduled to open Saturday, May 28. Trail Ridge Store will likely be opening later in the week.
Timed Entry Permit Reservations Effective May 27
Rocky Mountain National Park is implementing a pilot timed entry permit reservation system which began today, May 27. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the busiest national parks in the country, with over 4.4 million visitors in 2021. Visitor crowding and congestion have led to increased negative impacts to visitor and staff safety, resource protection, visitor experience and operational capacity. The park has piloted various visitor use management strategies since 2016, including first-come, first-served as well as different park wide Timed Entry Permit Reservation systems in 2020, 2021 and again in 2022.
There are two types of reservations available. One permit is for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which includes the entire corridor and access to the rest of the park. This reservation period is from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. The second permit is for the rest of Rocky Mountain National Park, excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor, and includes Trail Ridge Road. This reservation period is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Permits issued using the reservation system will allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of availability. The reservation system will apply to all areas of the park. To learn more visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm
Trail Ridge Road historically opens on Memorial Day weekend; last year the road opened on May 28. The earliest the road has opened was on May 7, 2002; the latest June 26, 1943. Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, climbs to 12,183 feet and connects the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. Trail Ridge Road officially closed for the season last year on October 25.
National Park Service plow operators began clearing the snow in the middle of April. Crews from the west side of the park and crews from the east side of the park move along the road and eventually meet at the Alpine Visitor Center. The visitor center is the highest in the National Park Service, sitting at 11,796 feet above sea level. Spring storms often impact plowing activities. This year, crews ran into average to below average snowpack and a heavy spring snowstorm in late May.
For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Information Office at (970) 586-1206. For a recorded status line on Trail Ridge Road please call (970) 586-1222.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Alpine Visitor Center is tentatively scheduled to open Saturday, May 28. Trail Ridge Store will likely be opening later in the week.
Timed Entry Permit Reservations Effective May 27
Rocky Mountain National Park is implementing a pilot timed entry permit reservation system which began today, May 27. Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the busiest national parks in the country, with over 4.4 million visitors in 2021. Visitor crowding and congestion have led to increased negative impacts to visitor and staff safety, resource protection, visitor experience and operational capacity. The park has piloted various visitor use management strategies since 2016, including first-come, first-served as well as different park wide Timed Entry Permit Reservation systems in 2020, 2021 and again in 2022.
There are two types of reservations available. One permit is for the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which includes the entire corridor and access to the rest of the park. This reservation period is from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. The second permit is for the rest of Rocky Mountain National Park, excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor, and includes Trail Ridge Road. This reservation period is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Permits issued using the reservation system will allow park visitors to enter the park within two-hour windows of availability. The reservation system will apply to all areas of the park. To learn more visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm
Trail Ridge Road historically opens on Memorial Day weekend; last year the road opened on May 28. The earliest the road has opened was on May 7, 2002; the latest June 26, 1943. Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, climbs to 12,183 feet and connects the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. Trail Ridge Road officially closed for the season last year on October 25.
National Park Service plow operators began clearing the snow in the middle of April. Crews from the west side of the park and crews from the east side of the park move along the road and eventually meet at the Alpine Visitor Center. The visitor center is the highest in the National Park Service, sitting at 11,796 feet above sea level. Spring storms often impact plowing activities. This year, crews ran into average to below average snowpack and a heavy spring snowstorm in late May.
For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Information Office at (970) 586-1206. For a recorded status line on Trail Ridge Road please call (970) 586-1222.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Incident On Dreamweaver Couloir On Mount Meeker In Rocky Mountain National Park
At approximately 9 a.m. yesterday morning, a rock fall and avalanche were reported near the Dreamweaver Couloir on Mt. Meeker. The rock fall and avalanche were witnessed by climbers in the area.
Three individuals were involved in the incident including a female and two males. The female suffered minor injuries and is still on scene. Due to the location and severity of injuries of one of the males, Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members requested assistance from a Colorado National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to extricate him via a hoist operation, using a winch operated cable. This occurred at approximately 2 p.m. when there was a brief weather window. Rocky Mountain Rescue assisted with the helicopter hoist operations. The man was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows, transferred to Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance and then flown to Medical Center of the Rockies. Rescue teams are working in terrain above 11,500 feet and are experiencing winter like weather conditions.
A search is continuing for the second male who is still missing in the area where the avalanche occurred.
Several agencies are assisting Rocky Mountain National Park’s Search and Rescue team with this operation including Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Flight for Life, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Colorado National Guard, and Med Evac.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Three individuals were involved in the incident including a female and two males. The female suffered minor injuries and is still on scene. Due to the location and severity of injuries of one of the males, Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members requested assistance from a Colorado National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to extricate him via a hoist operation, using a winch operated cable. This occurred at approximately 2 p.m. when there was a brief weather window. Rocky Mountain Rescue assisted with the helicopter hoist operations. The man was flown to Upper Beaver Meadows, transferred to Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance and then flown to Medical Center of the Rockies. Rescue teams are working in terrain above 11,500 feet and are experiencing winter like weather conditions.
A search is continuing for the second male who is still missing in the area where the avalanche occurred.
Several agencies are assisting Rocky Mountain National Park’s Search and Rescue team with this operation including Colorado Search and Rescue Association, Flight for Life, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Front Range Rescue Dogs, Colorado National Guard, and Med Evac.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Sunday, May 29, 2022
Rocky Mountain National Park Announces Hiker Shuttle Will Operate May 27 Through October 10
Rocky Mountain National Park will be operating the Hiker Shuttle from May 27 through October 10, from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Park & Ride Transit Hub located on Bear Lake Road. There are no other stops in the park. At the Park & Ride, riders will transfer to the Bear Lake or Moraine Park shuttles to get to their trailhead destinations.
As part of the park’s overall pilot timed entry system, two things will be needed to ride the Hiker Shuttle: reservation tickets for all passengers plus a valid park entrance pass. One person may reserve up to 4 tickets per $2 reservation. At 5 p.m. the night before, a limited number of tickets will be available for seven specific time slots at RMNP Hiker Shuttle Reservations For example, if you want to reserve a spot on the Hiker Shuttle for May 27, tickets will be available on May 26 at 5 pm. Space is limited, please only reserve the number of seats needed. Park entrance passes are also required. Riders can use an existing annual or lifetime pass, such as a senior pass, or purchase a day pass on recreation.gov. Private vehicle access is not permitted with a Hiker Shuttle ticket.
The Hiker Shuttle will depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 9 am, 9:45 am, 10:30 am, 11:15 am, noon, 12:45 pm, 1:30 pm, and 2:15 pm, May 27 through October 10. Passengers are required to depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center using the specific time slot reserved.
The Hiker Shuttle will return from the Park & Ride to the Estes Park Visitor Center roughly every 45 minutes beginning at 9:45 am through 5:15 pm. Passengers can return using any Hiker Shuttle throughout the day. The last shuttle will depart from the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 5:15 pm. There are no other buses back to the Estes Park Visitor Center after this time. For further details on the Hiker Shuttle and the Bear Lake and Moraine Park routes please visit RMNP Shuttle Buses
The Hiker Shuttle route has been in place since 2006, however it was not operational in 2020 and 2021. In 2019, there were over 45,000 park visitors who utilized the Hiker Shuttle. Park visitors can park at the Estes Park Visitor Center parking garage or utilize the existing town of Estes Park transit system to ride from their lodging or other locations to the Estes Park Visitor Center. Since 2017, wait times for the Hiker Shuttle from the Estes Park Visitor Center were often between one to two hours.
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the busiest national parks; third in the country in 2019 with over 4.6 million visitors. This represents a 42 percent increase in visitation in seven years. Visitor crowding and congestion at the park have led to increased negative impacts to visitor and staff safety, resource protection, visitor experience and operational capacity. The park has piloted various visitor use management strategies over the last six years, including managing vehicle access to first-come, first serve (2016-2019) in highly congested areas. These first-come, first-serve restrictions had some limited success initially, but over time began to lose effectiveness; the length of time they were necessary kept expanding and impacts were pushed elsewhere. The park piloted park wide timed entry permit reservation systems (2020-2021) and will be piloting a similar system again in 2022. Park staff are learning from these various strategies since 2016, including piloting timed entry reservations on the Hiker Shuttle, to help inform long-range day use visitor access strategies.
For more detailed information on how to book a private vehicle timed entry and details about the times of day they are required as well as Frequently Asked Questions, please visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
As part of the park’s overall pilot timed entry system, two things will be needed to ride the Hiker Shuttle: reservation tickets for all passengers plus a valid park entrance pass. One person may reserve up to 4 tickets per $2 reservation. At 5 p.m. the night before, a limited number of tickets will be available for seven specific time slots at RMNP Hiker Shuttle Reservations For example, if you want to reserve a spot on the Hiker Shuttle for May 27, tickets will be available on May 26 at 5 pm. Space is limited, please only reserve the number of seats needed. Park entrance passes are also required. Riders can use an existing annual or lifetime pass, such as a senior pass, or purchase a day pass on recreation.gov. Private vehicle access is not permitted with a Hiker Shuttle ticket.
The Hiker Shuttle will depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 9 am, 9:45 am, 10:30 am, 11:15 am, noon, 12:45 pm, 1:30 pm, and 2:15 pm, May 27 through October 10. Passengers are required to depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center using the specific time slot reserved.
The Hiker Shuttle will return from the Park & Ride to the Estes Park Visitor Center roughly every 45 minutes beginning at 9:45 am through 5:15 pm. Passengers can return using any Hiker Shuttle throughout the day. The last shuttle will depart from the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 5:15 pm. There are no other buses back to the Estes Park Visitor Center after this time. For further details on the Hiker Shuttle and the Bear Lake and Moraine Park routes please visit RMNP Shuttle Buses
The Hiker Shuttle route has been in place since 2006, however it was not operational in 2020 and 2021. In 2019, there were over 45,000 park visitors who utilized the Hiker Shuttle. Park visitors can park at the Estes Park Visitor Center parking garage or utilize the existing town of Estes Park transit system to ride from their lodging or other locations to the Estes Park Visitor Center. Since 2017, wait times for the Hiker Shuttle from the Estes Park Visitor Center were often between one to two hours.
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the busiest national parks; third in the country in 2019 with over 4.6 million visitors. This represents a 42 percent increase in visitation in seven years. Visitor crowding and congestion at the park have led to increased negative impacts to visitor and staff safety, resource protection, visitor experience and operational capacity. The park has piloted various visitor use management strategies over the last six years, including managing vehicle access to first-come, first serve (2016-2019) in highly congested areas. These first-come, first-serve restrictions had some limited success initially, but over time began to lose effectiveness; the length of time they were necessary kept expanding and impacts were pushed elsewhere. The park piloted park wide timed entry permit reservation systems (2020-2021) and will be piloting a similar system again in 2022. Park staff are learning from these various strategies since 2016, including piloting timed entry reservations on the Hiker Shuttle, to help inform long-range day use visitor access strategies.
For more detailed information on how to book a private vehicle timed entry and details about the times of day they are required as well as Frequently Asked Questions, please visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Monday, May 23, 2022
Glacier National Park: A Day Hikers Overview
"Give a month at least to this precious reserve. The time will not be taken from the sum of your life. Instead of shortening, it will indefinitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal. Nevermore will time seem short or long, and cares will never again fall heavily on you, but gently and kindly as gifts from heaven."Encompassing more than a million acres, Glacier National Park in northwestern Montana is home to some of the most beautiful alpine meadows, lakes, pristine forests, rugged peaks and glacially-carved valleys in the world. Its diverse habitats support nearly 70 species of mammals, including grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, moose, wolverines, gray wolves and mountain lions. With more than 740 miles of trails leading to some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, Glacier is also a hiker's paradise.
- John Muir on his visit to Glacier National Park in the early-1890s
Considering its massive size, most people divide the park into sections in order to focus on one or two areas at a time. The four most popular areas in the park are West Glacier and Lake McDonald, Two Medicine, Logan Pass, and Many Glacier. The following are a few suggestions for day hikes in each of these areas.
Two Medicine
The most well-known backcountry hike in the Two Medicine area is Dawson Pass. Although this route usually gets most of the attention, I think the views from Pitamakan Pass are much more dramatic. From the knife-edge ridge you can see five cobalt-blue lakes on either side of you. Can’t decide on which one to hike? The two passes can be combined to create one epic day on the trail.
Many Glacier
One of the most popular destinations in the park is Many Glacier. Classic hikes such as Iceberg Lake and Grinnell Glacier get most of the attention; however, there are two other destinations that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially if you’re seeking a degree of solitude in this stunning valley.
The other destination, Cracker Lake, has to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It has the most beautiful turquoise color you could ever imagine. If it were possible to ignore the magnificent scenery of the surrounding mountains, it would still be well worth the 12.6-mile roundtrip hike, just to see the amazing color of this lake. Cracker Lake’s deep shade of turquoise is the result of light refraction through its suspended load of glacial silt.
West Glacier / Lake McDonald
For more than a century one of the things that has made hiking in Glacier unique are its two Swiss-style backcountry chalets: Granite Park and Sperry. The Granite Park Chalet can be reached by taking the epic Highline Trail from Logan Pass, or by taking the 4.2-mile climb from The Loop area on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Unfortunately the historic Sperry Chalet dormitory building was severely burned during the summer of 2017. Fortunately the outer stone structure survived, and as of right now, the park is moving forward with the possibility of rebuilding the lodge. Moreover, the historic dining room survived, although it’s not clear as to whether that will reopen for lunch to day hikers in 2018, nor is it clear as to how far hikers will be able to travel along the Sperry Trail. If open, the 6.1-mile hike from the Lake McDonald Lodge passes through Glacier Basin where hikers will enjoy views of several waterfalls flowing hundreds of feet down the cliff walls that surround the alpine meadow.
From the same trailhead is the hike that leads to the historic Mt. Brown Fire Lookout. The trail climbs 4250 feet in only 5 miles, making it one of the toughest day hikes in the park. The elevation gain is similar to the amount gained on many of the trails leading to the summits of 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado. However, at a much lower elevation, hikers will have far more oxygen to breathe. From the lookout the views into the heart of Glacier are simply amazing.
For a much easier hike, but one that still includes stunning scenery that Glacier is famous for, be sure to check out Avalanche Lake.
Logan Pass
To see the best of what Glacier National Park has to offer you have to go deep into the high country. One of the most popular hikes in the park is the Highline Trail. In fact, this world famous hike should be on the bucket list of every self-respecting hiker! The views, the wildlife and the wildflowers, all combine to make this a hike you'll remember the rest of your life. From Logan Pass, high adventure awaits from the start. Just beyond the trailhead hikers are forced to pass
Just a notch below the Highline Trail on the “awesome meter”, but far less crowded, is Piegan Pass. The trail offers mind-blowing views of mountains, glaciers, alpine meadows and an up-close view of the Garden Wall, a glacially-carved arête that marks the Continental Divide. Near Piegan Pass, and one of my absolute favorite areas in Glacier, is Preston Park. In the early summer, after the snow finally melts, this incredibly beautiful alpine meadow becomes a carpet of wildflowers.
For more information on all these hikes, and many others throughout the park, please visit HikinginGlacier.com.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
30th Annual National Trails Day Celebration on June 4, 2022
Millions of people from across the country will hit the trail on June 4, 2022, celebrating the 30th annual American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day®. This year’s celebration is about coming together to leave the trail and the outdoor community better than they found them. Hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, paddlers, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, land trusts, and businesses will partner at events across the country to forge a more inclusive trail community and advocate for, maintain, and clean up trails and public lands.
American Hiking and the nationwide trails community invite people of all ages and abilities to connect with their local community around their love of being outside. Anyone can join the national movement by giving back to the trails and making sure everyone can enjoy the outdoors with three simple actions:
To find a local event, please click here.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
American Hiking and the nationwide trails community invite people of all ages and abilities to connect with their local community around their love of being outside. Anyone can join the national movement by giving back to the trails and making sure everyone can enjoy the outdoors with three simple actions:
To find a local event, please click here.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Saturday, May 7, 2022
Reservation system will open soon for Mount Evans and Brainard Lake
Visitors to Mount Evans and Brainard Lake, two popular locations on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, will need to make advanced reservations through Recreation.gov. Reservations for both areas go online this month.
Mount Evans Recreation Area is tentatively scheduled to open May 27, weather dependent. Reservations for Mount Evans can be made on recreation.gov starting around 10 a.m. May 3 and reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance. Reservations are required if planning to park and visit one of the developed visitor locations between 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Brainard Lake Recreation Area is tentatively scheduled to open June 10, weather dependent. This includes reservations for the day use area and the Red Rocks picnic site. Reservations for Brainard Lake can be made on recreation.gov starting around 10 a.m. May 26 and can be made up to 15 days in advance. Reservations for the upper elevation parking lots will go on sale in mid-June and the area is tentative scheduled to open July 1. Overnight parking reservations for wilderness permit holders have been available since Feb. 1.
“The timed-entry program was extremely successful in reducing crowding, wait times, and environmental impacts in 2021,” said Reid Armstrong, public affairs specialist. “As the program continues in 2022, we hope visitors are growing accustomed to advanced planning. Before heading out on any adventure, visitors should check the forests’ Know Before You Go page for all the latest updates and alerts.”
Mount Evans and Brainard Lake are among the Forests’ most visited recreation areas, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. The timed-entry system is aimed at reducing wait times, lines, and crowding at these areas’ welcome stations, visitors’ centers, and attractions. Dispersing visitors across the days and weeks reduces impacts on wildlife and improves available parking.
Mount Evans Recreation Area features the highest paved road in North America, which leads to the summit one of Colorado’s famous 14ers. Along the way are stops that offer glances into life in the high alpine environment, including Mount Goliath and its demonstration garden managed by Denver Botanic Gardens. Mount Evans is managed in partnership with Colorado Department of Transportation, which oversees the road, and Denver Mountain Parks, which runs Summit Lake Park.
Brainard Lake Recreation Area is a portal to Indian Peaks Wilderness Area with hiking trails that lead into some of the area’s most rugged, high alpine terrain. The lake itself offers opportunities to picnic, fish and view wildlife within the stunning backdrop of the Continental Divide. The general area is open year-round but in the summer is managed by American Lands and Leisure, a private concessionaire contracted to provide daily maintenance and operations. Visitors with a campground reservation at Pawnee Campground will not need an additional reservation.
At each location, visitors will be able to select a reservation time slot from multiple windows throughout the day and decide on details about where they want to go (e.g. which parking area at Brainard and which sites on Mount Evans). Customers will be charged a $2 reservation fee by recreation.gov in addition to the standard fee. Annual and lifetime passholders will still need to make reservations and will only pay the $2 reservation fee. People who arrive without a reservation will need to return to a place where they can get a cell phone signal to secure a timed entry ticket, if available. Reservations are not required for biking and hiking into these areas.
For more information, visit the recently improved website at www.fs.usda.gov/arp.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Mount Evans Recreation Area is tentatively scheduled to open May 27, weather dependent. Reservations for Mount Evans can be made on recreation.gov starting around 10 a.m. May 3 and reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance. Reservations are required if planning to park and visit one of the developed visitor locations between 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Brainard Lake Recreation Area is tentatively scheduled to open June 10, weather dependent. This includes reservations for the day use area and the Red Rocks picnic site. Reservations for Brainard Lake can be made on recreation.gov starting around 10 a.m. May 26 and can be made up to 15 days in advance. Reservations for the upper elevation parking lots will go on sale in mid-June and the area is tentative scheduled to open July 1. Overnight parking reservations for wilderness permit holders have been available since Feb. 1.
“The timed-entry program was extremely successful in reducing crowding, wait times, and environmental impacts in 2021,” said Reid Armstrong, public affairs specialist. “As the program continues in 2022, we hope visitors are growing accustomed to advanced planning. Before heading out on any adventure, visitors should check the forests’ Know Before You Go page for all the latest updates and alerts.”
Mount Evans and Brainard Lake are among the Forests’ most visited recreation areas, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. The timed-entry system is aimed at reducing wait times, lines, and crowding at these areas’ welcome stations, visitors’ centers, and attractions. Dispersing visitors across the days and weeks reduces impacts on wildlife and improves available parking.
Mount Evans Recreation Area features the highest paved road in North America, which leads to the summit one of Colorado’s famous 14ers. Along the way are stops that offer glances into life in the high alpine environment, including Mount Goliath and its demonstration garden managed by Denver Botanic Gardens. Mount Evans is managed in partnership with Colorado Department of Transportation, which oversees the road, and Denver Mountain Parks, which runs Summit Lake Park.
Brainard Lake Recreation Area is a portal to Indian Peaks Wilderness Area with hiking trails that lead into some of the area’s most rugged, high alpine terrain. The lake itself offers opportunities to picnic, fish and view wildlife within the stunning backdrop of the Continental Divide. The general area is open year-round but in the summer is managed by American Lands and Leisure, a private concessionaire contracted to provide daily maintenance and operations. Visitors with a campground reservation at Pawnee Campground will not need an additional reservation.
At each location, visitors will be able to select a reservation time slot from multiple windows throughout the day and decide on details about where they want to go (e.g. which parking area at Brainard and which sites on Mount Evans). Customers will be charged a $2 reservation fee by recreation.gov in addition to the standard fee. Annual and lifetime passholders will still need to make reservations and will only pay the $2 reservation fee. People who arrive without a reservation will need to return to a place where they can get a cell phone signal to secure a timed entry ticket, if available. Reservations are not required for biking and hiking into these areas.
For more information, visit the recently improved website at www.fs.usda.gov/arp.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Climber Death at Independence Monument
At approximately 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, April 30, 2022, Colorado National Monument rangers were notified of a climber who fell.
The 67-year-old man was climbing Independence Monument when the fall occurred.
Colorado National Monument rangers, Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Mesa County Search and Rescue, and Lower Valley Fire District immediately responded. Rescue crews hiked several miles and climbed up the rockface to reach the injured climber. The 67-year-old male has succumbed to his injuries.
Colorado National Monument rangers are investigating the death.
The Mesa County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death, as well as release the identity of the deceased once next of kin is notified.
Staff of the Colorado National Monument would like to extend their condolences to the climber’s family and friends.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
The 67-year-old man was climbing Independence Monument when the fall occurred.
Colorado National Monument rangers, Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, Mesa County Search and Rescue, and Lower Valley Fire District immediately responded. Rescue crews hiked several miles and climbed up the rockface to reach the injured climber. The 67-year-old male has succumbed to his injuries.
Colorado National Monument rangers are investigating the death.
The Mesa County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death, as well as release the identity of the deceased once next of kin is notified.
Staff of the Colorado National Monument would like to extend their condolences to the climber’s family and friends.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Monday, May 2, 2022
Rocky Mountain National Park Announces Hiker Shuttle Will Operate May 27 Through October 10
Rocky Mountain National Park will be operating the Hiker Shuttle from May 27 through October 10, from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Park & Ride Transit Hub located on Bear Lake Road. There are no other stops in the park. At the Park & Ride, riders will transfer to the Bear Lake or Moraine Park shuttles to get to their trailhead destinations.
As part of the park’s overall pilot timed entry system, two things will be needed to ride the Hiker Shuttle: reservation tickets for all passengers plus a valid park entrance pass. One person may reserve up to 4 tickets per $2 reservation. At 5 p.m. the night before, a limited number of tickets will be available for seven specific time slots at RMNP Hiker Shuttle Reservations. For example, if you want to reserve a spot on the Hiker Shuttle for May 27, tickets will be available on May 26 at 5 pm. Space is limited, please only reserve the number of seats needed. Park entrance passes are also required. Riders can use an existing annual or lifetime pass, such as a senior pass, or purchase a day pass on recreation.gov. Private vehicle access is not permitted with a Hiker Shuttle ticket.
The Hiker Shuttle will depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 9 am, 9:45 am, 10:30 am, 11:15 am, noon, 12:45 pm, 1:30 pm, and 2:15 pm, May 27 through October 10. Passengers are required to depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center using the specific time slot reserved.
The Hiker Shuttle will return from the Park & Ride to the Estes Park Visitor Center roughly every 45 minutes beginning at 9:45 am through 5:15 pm. Passengers can return using any Hiker Shuttle throughout the day. The last shuttle will depart from the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 5:15 pm. There are no other buses back to the Estes Park Visitor Center after this time. For further details on the Hiker Shuttle and the Bear Lake and Moraine Park routes please visit RMNP Shuttle Buses.
The Hiker Shuttle route has been in place since 2006, however it was not operational in 2020 and 2021. In 2019, there were over 45,000 park visitors who utilized the Hiker Shuttle. Park visitors can park at the Estes Park Visitor Center parking garage or utilize the existing town of Estes Park transit system to ride from their lodging or other locations to the Estes Park Visitor Center. Since 2017, wait times for the Hiker Shuttle from the Estes Park Visitor Center were often between one to two hours.
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the busiest national parks; third in the country in 2019 with over 4.6 million visitors. This represents a 42 percent increase in visitation in seven years. Visitor crowding and congestion at the park have led to increased negative impacts to visitor and staff safety, resource protection, visitor experience and operational capacity. The park has piloted various visitor use management strategies over the last six years, including managing vehicle access to first-come, first serve (2016-2019) in highly congested areas. These first-come, first-serve restrictions had some limited success initially, but over time began to lose effectiveness; the length of time they were necessary kept expanding and impacts were pushed elsewhere. The park piloted park wide timed entry permit reservation systems (2020-2021) and will be piloting a similar system again in 2022. Park staff are learning from these various strategies since 2016, including piloting timed entry reservations on the Hiker Shuttle, to help inform long-range day use visitor access strategies.
For more detailed information on how to book a private vehicle timed entry and details about the times of day they are required as well as Frequently Asked Questions, please visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm
With more than 350 miles of trails meandering throughout the park, hiking is the absolute best way to see Rocky Mountain National Park. In fact, the park offers a wide variety of outstanding hikes that take-in the best scenery the park has to offer. If you do plan to visit Rocky Mountain this year, please note that our hiking website also offers a wide variety of accommodation listings and other things to do to help with all your trip planning.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
As part of the park’s overall pilot timed entry system, two things will be needed to ride the Hiker Shuttle: reservation tickets for all passengers plus a valid park entrance pass. One person may reserve up to 4 tickets per $2 reservation. At 5 p.m. the night before, a limited number of tickets will be available for seven specific time slots at RMNP Hiker Shuttle Reservations. For example, if you want to reserve a spot on the Hiker Shuttle for May 27, tickets will be available on May 26 at 5 pm. Space is limited, please only reserve the number of seats needed. Park entrance passes are also required. Riders can use an existing annual or lifetime pass, such as a senior pass, or purchase a day pass on recreation.gov. Private vehicle access is not permitted with a Hiker Shuttle ticket.
The Hiker Shuttle will depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center to the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 9 am, 9:45 am, 10:30 am, 11:15 am, noon, 12:45 pm, 1:30 pm, and 2:15 pm, May 27 through October 10. Passengers are required to depart from the Estes Park Visitor Center using the specific time slot reserved.
The Hiker Shuttle will return from the Park & Ride to the Estes Park Visitor Center roughly every 45 minutes beginning at 9:45 am through 5:15 pm. Passengers can return using any Hiker Shuttle throughout the day. The last shuttle will depart from the Bear Lake Road Park & Ride at 5:15 pm. There are no other buses back to the Estes Park Visitor Center after this time. For further details on the Hiker Shuttle and the Bear Lake and Moraine Park routes please visit RMNP Shuttle Buses.
The Hiker Shuttle route has been in place since 2006, however it was not operational in 2020 and 2021. In 2019, there were over 45,000 park visitors who utilized the Hiker Shuttle. Park visitors can park at the Estes Park Visitor Center parking garage or utilize the existing town of Estes Park transit system to ride from their lodging or other locations to the Estes Park Visitor Center. Since 2017, wait times for the Hiker Shuttle from the Estes Park Visitor Center were often between one to two hours.
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the busiest national parks; third in the country in 2019 with over 4.6 million visitors. This represents a 42 percent increase in visitation in seven years. Visitor crowding and congestion at the park have led to increased negative impacts to visitor and staff safety, resource protection, visitor experience and operational capacity. The park has piloted various visitor use management strategies over the last six years, including managing vehicle access to first-come, first serve (2016-2019) in highly congested areas. These first-come, first-serve restrictions had some limited success initially, but over time began to lose effectiveness; the length of time they were necessary kept expanding and impacts were pushed elsewhere. The park piloted park wide timed entry permit reservation systems (2020-2021) and will be piloting a similar system again in 2022. Park staff are learning from these various strategies since 2016, including piloting timed entry reservations on the Hiker Shuttle, to help inform long-range day use visitor access strategies.
For more detailed information on how to book a private vehicle timed entry and details about the times of day they are required as well as Frequently Asked Questions, please visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm
With more than 350 miles of trails meandering throughout the park, hiking is the absolute best way to see Rocky Mountain National Park. In fact, the park offers a wide variety of outstanding hikes that take-in the best scenery the park has to offer. If you do plan to visit Rocky Mountain this year, please note that our hiking website also offers a wide variety of accommodation listings and other things to do to help with all your trip planning.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
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