Day 11 –Rocky Mountain National Park, Bighorn sheep and high altitudes
Today we went to the Rocky Mountain National Park just outside Estes Park Colorado. We drove the Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park’s “highway to the sky” and reached an altitude of over 12,000 feet! The road was narrow (at least it looked like it was) with amazing drop offs and not nearly enough guard rails to make me happy. The trade-off was the view – all I can say is – WOW!
Welcome Welcome to the park!
Julie and I at the canyon over look above the treeline
As we went up into the mountain we saw elk, deer, marmot, and our first Bighorn sheep.
From the Trail Ridge Road
We found a Bighorn herd at about 12,000 feet
(I can’t wait to work on these two Bighorn photos when I get home)
The Bighorn "big guy"
We also walked in "the land above the trees". Rocky Mountain National Park is one of only two tundra areas south of the Artic circle – the other is the Frozen Tundra of Lambo Field.
Jenny and I on top of a rock in the tundra
Kirsten at the highest altitude of the trip so far 12, 358 feet above sea level!
This is some Macro(ish) photography of an very pretty blue and purple flower in the tundra area
This is to give some sense of perspective to the size of the little blue flower (that’s my foot-size 10 1/2)
showing our highest recorded altitude for the trip so far of 12,358 feet above sea level. Click here to see a map of the location
The girls ended the day with a trip to the hotel pool to relax.
Tomorrow is a trip to Boulder, Colorado.
