Fatality On Broadway Ledge On Longs Peak

Early yesterday morning, Thursday, July 30, park rangers received an emergency call from a group of climbers on Broadway Ledge, near Fields Chimney, on the east face of Longs Peak, who witnessed an unroped climber in another climbing group fall while traversing Broadway.

Park rangers responded and reached the 26-year-old male from Golden, Colorado, at the base of the Chimney. The man died from injuries sustained in an approximate 600 to 800 foot fall.

The victim’s body was flown by Northern Colorado Interagency Helitak to a helispot in the Upper Beaver Meadows area of the park at 3:45 p.m. His body was then transferred to the Boulder County Coroner. The man’s name will be released after next of kin are notified.




Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

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

Search and Rescue Responds to Gunshot Injury near Emerald Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

On Sunday afternoon, July 19, park rangers responded to a report of a 70-year-old male, from Missouri, with a gunshot wound at Emerald Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Bystanders assisted the man with initial first aid. Rocky Mountain National Park Search and Rescue team members responded and provided advanced medical care. The man was carried out via a wheeled litter to the Bear Lake Trailhead where he was taken by Estes Health Ambulance to a meadow in the Glacier Basin Campground where he was flown by Lifeguard Two Air Ambulance to Medical Center of the Rockies.

Park rangers investigated the incident. The man was hiking in the area with a handgun in his backpack. When he set the backpack on the rock, the gun discharged firing a round. The round struck the man in his leg. The round did not exit the man’s body. There were numerous visitors in the Emerald Lake area when this incident occurred.

It is the responsibility of visitors to understand and comply with all applicable state, local, and federal firearm laws before entering the park. Open carry of handguns and rifles, and transport of the same in vehicles, is permitted. Concealed carry is allowed pursuant to a legal Colorado concealed carry permit and applicable state reciprocity laws. Federal law prohibits firearms in certain facilities (visitor centers, ranger stations, government offices); places that are marked with signs at all public entrances. Recreational target shooting or discharge of a firearm is not allowed in Rocky Mountain National Park. Firearms should not be considered a wildlife protection strategy. Bear spray and other safety precautions are the proven methods for preventing bear and other wildlife interactions.

The investigation is ongoing, no further information is available at this time.








Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

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

Celebrate Colorado Day with Free Entrance into State Parks on August 3

In celebration of Colorado Day, and the 144th birthday of the state, Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers free entry to 41 state parks on Monday, August 3. Although the state recognizes this annual holiday on the first of the month, state parks celebrate the occasion with free entrance on the first Monday of August.

Colorado Day was created by the state legislature to mark the anniversary of statehood, granted in 1876 by President Ulysses S. Grant.

“Colorado Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the natural beauty of our state and spend time outside,” said State Trails Program Manager Fletcher Jacobs. “Coloradans have a rich tradition of embracing an outdoor lifestyle, and our state parks offer a variety of outdoor activities that people of all ages and physical levels can enjoy.”

This free entry day provides an opportunity to experience Colorado’s state parks and the diverse landscapes they showcase. All other park fees remain in effect, including camping reservations, boat and off-highway vehicle registrations, and hunting and fishing licenses.

In an effort to thank military members for their service, CPW offers active duty and veterans free admission to all state parks for the entire month of August. Military members and veterans can pick up a free August Military Pass at any Colorado state park or CPW office by showing proof of military service. Passes become available on August 1, 2020.

For more information about Colorado’s state parks and outdoor recreation, visit: https://cpw.state.co.us/








Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

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

Alluvial Fan Hiking Area Closed To Visitor Use July 27 Through September 21

Beginning on July 27 through September 24, the Alluvial Fan area in Rocky Mountain National Park will be closed for major trail work. This closure will be in effect on weekends as well. Due to materials and equipment staging, there will very limited parking available on the west side and the east side parking area will be closed. In September, the west side parking area will have additional closures tied to an exclosure fence project.

The Alluvial Fan Trail project includes stringent accessibility standards. Heavy equipment will be used to complete significant grading and rock wall work. Once this is complete, a new tread surface will be placed. A large park trail crew, comprising of up to 20 members at a time, will be constructing this trail.

The Alluvial Fan was created as a result of the Lawn Lake Dam break and major flood in 1982. In 1985, an asphalt trail and pedestrian bridge was built in the Alluvial Fan because it had become a popular visitor attraction. A major flood event in 2013 destroyed the bridge and trail.

The project is being funded by $200,000 in federal funds as part of the Centennial Challenge program and is being matched by $200,000 from the Rocky Mountain Conservancy (RMC), the park’s nonprofit partner. Approximately $125,000 of recreational fee funds are also being used to assist in funding this project.

For more 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
HikingintheSmokys.com

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

Rocky Mountain National Park answers FAQs about Timed Entry Permit System

Earlier today Rocky Mountain National Park posted the following that answers several frequently asked questions about their Timed Entry Permit System:

Visitors must have a timed entry permit to visit any area of Rocky Mountain National Park when arriving by vehicle between 6am and 5pm, whether parking within the park or outside the park boundary. This includes driving through the park on Trail Ridge Road and visiting any outlying areas like Lumpy Ridge, Lily Lake, Longs Peak, Wild Basin, East Inlet, and North Inlet.

- Timed entry permits can only be reserved online via Recreation.gov: https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/300013.

- One permit covers one vehicle and all passengers.

- The timed entry system applies to all visitors, including annual, lifetime, and senior passholders.

- You may enter at any time during your permit’s two-hour block. Blocks are 6–8am, 8–10am, 10am–12pm, 12–2pm, 2–3pm, and 3–5pm.

- At the entrance booth, you’ll be asked to show your email confirmation (on your phone or printed out), along with your annual/lifetime/senior pass if relevant.

- Once you’ve arrived during your entry window, you may exit and re-enter the park as often as needed for the rest of the day, and you can stay in the park as long as you’d like.

- A timed entry permit isn’t needed before 6am or after 5pm, but the park remains open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

-On August 1, reservations will become available for the month of September.

-10% of permits are marked "not yet released" on recreation.gov and held until 8am Mountain Time two days prior to the entry date. For example, at 8am on Monday, July 27, "not yet released" tickets will be released for Wednesday, July 29.

- If you have a campground reservation or wilderness camping permit, that serves as your timed entry permit. Learn more at go.nps.gov/RockyFees.

Why was a timed entry system put in place?

On June 4, 2020, Rocky Mountain National Park implemented a timed entry system to increase park access while providing the public a reasonable opportunity to comply with COVID-19 public health guidelines by reducing crowding. Rocky Mountain National Park was the third most visited national park in 2019 with over 4.6 million visitors, leading to congestion in many areas of the park throughout summer and fall. The system helps address this.

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
HikingintheSmokys.com

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