Rocky Mountain National Park

We aren’t real quick to get on the road any day.  We usually have a couple of cups of coffee, read, chat and finally get dressed for the day.  This process takes about two hours as a rule.  If we leave the campground before 10:00 AM we are doing good.  Today we pulled out just a few minutes before ten.

Buddy sleeping with her Teddy Bear.

We drove through Steamboat Springs noted as a winter ski resort area.  By the looks of the ski slopes here I would say there is a great deal of difference in the ability of the average skier here compared those who fling themselves off the top of Jackson Hole, WY.  These slopes look very tame by comparison.  

Mountain lake near Steamboat Springs.

Our objective today is to drive through the Rocky Mountain National Park.  It is also the source of the Colorado River.  We passed by it along our path today.  Many were in waders fly fishing.  At the continental divide we viewed the source of the Colorado.  It would be difficult to imagine what a mighty river it becomes looking at these humble beginnings.

Colorado River

Source of the Colorado River near Continental Divide.

The source of the Poudre River just a short distance the other side of the divide.   The grey areas you see in the forest are dead trees as a result of the pine beetle infestation.  In many areas most of the forest is dead.  :-(

This trip over the mountain pass was another white knuckle trip for the driver, ME.  Darlie was snapping photos all along the way.  There is no shoulder and it drops hundreds of feet at the edge of the pavement.  I kept asking her how much room I had at the edge of the pavement.  She kept saying I was doing fine and to just keep hugging the centerline.  She continued to snap while I kept my eyes glued to the centerline.  I was one of only 3 motor homes I saw on the enter trip and I was bigger than the other two.

Note pavement in corner of photo.  One wheel off and  you will tumble a very long way down this hill.

I do love the thrill of driving this big thing up over something like this.  It scares the daylights out of me but I still love doing it.  Today we made our highest pass ever.  We topped out at 12,183 feet!  That is high.  We were up even with the highest peaks.  I can check off another high mountain adventure.  I have traversed some passes and roads that were much more hazardous than this one.  The pavement here was wide.  I have gone on some that barely are wide enough for the motor home.  I creep over those places. 

12,183 feet.

You can tell I get a charge out of this.  I am not taking any undue risk.  I asked the rangers if the road was passable in an RV my size.  They assured me it was.  I wonder why I didn’t meet too many up there?

Lava Cliffs 

I have to comment on my disappointment in Timber Creek campground in the National Park.  It was a horrible looking place.  I wish I took a photo so you could see it.  It was very uninviting so we passed it by.  After seeing how beautiful the Canadian National Park campgrounds are, it is a great disappointment to see how poorly provided for are our own.  I often wonder what Canadians think when they see our campgrounds.  

Little mountain lake.

We drove out of the park to a NFS campground called Olive Creek.  It has no services and the sites are small but very well kept.  They are also nicely treed and private.  Large boulders protrude from the ground everywhere.  Numerous chipmunks parade around your campsite looking for a handout.  I think they have been very spoiled by the campers.

Darlie had to have a photo of my glee after descending the Rocky Mountain Park highway.

Several older couples stopped by for a chat while we sat by our campfire.  We shared stories of our travels and adventures, family, grandkids and home.  It has been a good day.  But sadly it will be our last day in the mountains.  We will head east out across Kansas tomorrow.  We love these mountains.  Had we seen them years ago we would be out here rather than in Florida.  But then maybe the Lord had other plans for us.

Splitting firewood at Olive Creek.

One of our neighbors at Olive Creek.