Flash Flood Warning for Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park posted this on their social media yesterday:

Rain storms are in the forecast this week for Rocky Mountain National Park. The flash flood risk for areas in the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome burn areas range from limited to elevated from Wednesday, July 27 through Saturday, July 30.

If hiking in or downstream from recent burn areas, use extreme caution. Park visitors should be aware of additional hazards when recreating in burn areas, including:

- Flash flooding and significant debris flow possible in burn areas
- Burned-out stump holes where the ground may be weak and unstable
- Unstable dead trees, especially in windy conditions
- Loose rocks, logs and rolling debris
- Dry, hot conditions with little forest canopy to provide shade

Approximately 30,000 acres, or 10 percent of Rocky, was impacted by the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires of 2020. Some trails are still closed in the west and northwest areas of the park. For more safety tips and to see the park's "Area Closures" map, visit this park page.

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Night Sky Program at Rocky Mountain National Park Tonight

Experience the wonders of the night sky - join park rangers and expert astronomers on Friday, July 22 at 8:15 p.m. at Upper Beaver Meadows for an evening under the stars in Rocky Mountain National Park.

This program kicks off with a 30-minute ranger-led program at dusk followed by the opportunity to view the night sky using telescopes.

Parking is limited, plan to arrive early. This program is free and open for participants of all ages. Pick up your Junior Ranger Night Explorer book and participate in fun interactive activities. Remember to dress warmly and bring a flashlight.

To learn more and to see the full schedule of Rocky's Night Sky programs for the summer 2022 season, visit our website at https://www.nps.gov/.../planyourvisit/astronomy_programs.htm



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Update on Rocky Mountain National Park Trail Closures

Rocky Mountain National Park posted this update on their social media yesterday:

The Upper Tonahutu Creek Trail from the junction of Onahu Trail at Tonahutu to Flattop Mountain has closed again for ongoing evaluation. The Green Mountain/Onahu Trail loop will remain open to hikers. The Green Mountain Trail remains closed to stock users. All stock users are advised to use the Onahu Trail in and out.

On the west side of the park, the Sun Valley and River Trail and the Lower Tonahutu Trail (between Big Meadows and the KVC Turkey Spur Trail) remain closed to all users.

In the northwest area of the park the Mirror Lake area trail system remains closed. On the east side of the park the Spruce Lake Trail remains closed. Park visitors should be aware of additional hazards when recreating in burn areas including:

- Burned-out stump holes where the ground may be weak and unstable
- Unstable dead trees, especially in windy conditions
- Loose rocks, logs and rolling debris
- Flash flooding and significant debris flow possible in burn areas
- Dry, hot conditions with little forest canopy to provide shade

For current fire information, maps and details on areas closures within RMNP, visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/learn/fire-information-and-regulations.htm

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Collaborative Kawuneeche Valley Ecosystem Restoration Efforts Highlighted July 23 in Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake

The Kawuneeche Valley Ecosystem Restoration Collaborative (KVERC) is holding a public outreach event on Saturday, July 23, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to inform community members and visitors to Grand County and Rocky Mountain National Park about ecosystem impacts and proposed restoration efforts in the area.

KVERC is a partnership comprised of Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Grand County, Town of Grand Lake, Northern Water, Colorado River Water Conservation District, and The Nature Conservancy. KVERC is focused on ecological restoration to support the environmental well-being of the Kawuneeche Valley, located where the Colorado River headwaters flow through Rocky Mountain National Park and private lands and into Shadow Mountain Reservoir near the Town of Grand Lake. Its ecosystem is in transition, having changed dramatically throughout recent history. KVERC was formed to address ongoing environmental changes in the Kawuneechee Valley and is considering a variety of stream and wetland restoration projects on public and private lands. Critical funding support is being provided by Rocky Mountain Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and Northern Water.

KVERC Outreach Event Details:
Booths will be set up at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and at the Town Park in the community of Grand Lake, where visitors can meet with KVERC members to learn more about the initiative. Additionally, field tours of an existing restoration site in RMNP will be led by KVERC members on the hour (at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12 p.m.) to highlight conditions inside and outside of elk and moose exclosure fencing. Interested field tour participants should park at the Holzwarth Historic Site parking lot and plan to hike approximately 0.8 miles on a dirt road and off trail across the Kawuneeche Valley meadow.

Rocky Mountain National Park requires a timed entry permit to enter the park between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Participants can either enter the park before 9 a.m. to attend one of the hikes or obtain a permit through the Recreation.gov website. To visit the booths at Grand Lake or the Kawuneeche Visitor Center, no timed entry permit is required.

For additional information, please visit KVERC’s website at www.co.grand.co.us/KVERC.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Incident On Ptarmigan Fingers In Rocky Mountain National Park

On Sunday, July 10, park rangers were notified that a 61-year-old male from Boulder, Colorado, had been injured in a significant tumbling fall on a snow couloir in the Ptarmigan Fingers area above Odessa Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. It was later determined that a 59-year-old female from Boulder, also suffered injuries from a fall in the same area. Bystanders heard her calls for help and aided her.

Bystanders were able to use their satellite communication devices to contact park rangers. Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance assisted Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members with air reconnaissance to determine the man’s exact location. Because of the location and severity of injuries of the male, the park requested assistance from a Colorado National Guard helicopter from Buckley Air Force Base to extricate the man via a hoist operation, using a winch operated cable. Rocky Mountain Rescue assisted with the helicopter hoist operations. This occurred at approximately 8 p.m. last night. 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 also suffered serious injuries and was cared for overnight by Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members and overnight campers at Odessa Lake. She was flown out by Northern Colorado Med Evac air ambulance this morning at approximately 11 a.m. Over 45 people were involved with this two-day incident.

Several agencies assisted Rocky Mountain National Park’s Search and Rescue team with this incident including Northern Colorado Med Evac, Rocky Mountain Rescue Group, Colorado National Guard and Larimer County Search and Rescue.

No further information is available at this time.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Massive glacier collapses in Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan

Below is an amazing video that just emerged of a massive glacier collapsing in the Tian Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The footage was captured by Harry Shimmin, a British tourist on a trekking tour. According to Gaurdian News, 10 people were caught in the avalanche last Friday, but apparently all of them survived.

The first time I watched this I was thinking that the person taking the video was potentially exposed to being in the path of the slide, despite the seemingly long distance from it. Hopefully this will serve as a lesson for anyone who is in a similar situation, in that you take cover sooner rather than latter.




Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Wild Basin Road Will Be Closed To All Uses For Road Maintenance Tuesday, July 19 through Friday, July 22

Beginning Tuesday, July 19, through Friday, July 22, the Wild Basin Road in Rocky Mountain National Park will be closed to all uses, including vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians for road maintenance. This closure will occur at the Wild Basin Entrance Station and will include the entire two-mile section of the road to the Wild Basin Trailhead.

The park’s roads crew will be spreading gravel and grading this narrow road to address ruts, potholes and help with drainage. Due to the road being closed to all uses from July 19 through July 22, visitors should avoid this area of Rocky Mountain National Park during this time.

For further information about Rocky Mountain National Park, please visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Information Office at (970) 586-1206.


Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Video of Hallett Peak rockslide

Earlier this week a large rockslide was reported in Upper Chaos Canyon on the south slopes of Hallett Peak. Here's two videos of that slide that was captured and then aired on Denver News9 and CBS Colorado:







Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

National Park Service Director highlights infrastructure investments at Rocky Mountain National Park

National Park Service Director Chuck Sams visited Rocky Mountain National Park this week to announce $20 million in Fiscal Year 2022 investments from the Great American Outdoors Act that will increase fire resiliency and upgrade and modernize key park infrastructure needed to support growing visitation. Sams also met with employee groups to hear directly from them on how he can best support them in Washington.

During the visit, Director Sams announced the NPS has awarded a $19.9 million contract funded by the Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund to rehabilitate water, wastewater, and electrical distribution systems and improve accessibility, address fire risk, and modernize the Moraine Park Campground. This project will also relocate electric powerlines in the campground underground to reduce system damage caused by snow, wind, falling tree branches, electrical hazards or wildfire and will add electrical hook-ups to approximately 25% of the campsites. Additionally, there will be improvements to the ranger station, entrance kiosk, accessibility and drainage in the campground.

He also celebrated a Fiscal Year 2022 investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for Rocky Mountain National Park. Fuel treatment projects, including at Deer Mountain, will build on the park’s prior fuel reduction work and further reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. This is part of the $103 million investment announced by the Department for wildfire risk reduction efforts throughout the country.

The Director was briefed on the park’s fire management program and saw the impacts of the devastating October 2020 East Troublesome Fire, which fueled by record-high temperatures and drought became the largest fire in Rocky Mountain National Park’s 107-year history and burned over 21,000 acres within the park. Sams heard firsthand how past fuels mitigation projects aided firefighting efforts during the East Troublesome Fire in 2020. Fire fighters were able to use these past projects as anchors to prevent the fire from moving into the surrounding community of Estes Park.

Sams visited the west side of the park to see how Rocky Mountain National Park is working with affiliated Tribes to tell a more complete and accurate history and planning for new exhibits for the Kawuneeche Visitor Center. These exhibits, which will directly incorporate Tribal voices, showcase important Indigenous connections, encouraging visitors to the park to see the park not only as a beautiful natural setting but also as a place where Native peoples hold strong historical and contemporary connections.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park