On top of the world

Yesterday, we spent most of the morning driving into Rocky Mt. National Park via Trail Ridge Road. This is the highest paved road in the US, and it's only open during the summer - this year, I think it didn't open until late May. The side of the road is lined with tall poles that puzzled us until we realized they marked the edge of the road for snowplows.

We took our time, stopping for a couple of short hikes and making frequent stops at turnouts to take in the amazing views of the Rockies. We passed a surprising number of cyclists on the road, and even met a cyclist from Louisville. These folks are tough. Along the way, we crossed the Continental Divide again & encountered the Colorado River for the last time - a small stream not far from its headwaters in the Kawunechee Valley.

The highest point of the road is at 12,183 feet - more than 2 miles above sea level! After being in the desert it was weird to stand next to snowdrifts and feel a chill in the air. The highest part of the drive is above the treeline, and my favorite hike was at Rock Cut, where the trail went out into the tundra and offered spectacular views in all directions. The tundra was blooming with buttercup and many other alpine wildflowers. Beautiful. At one point, Caroline said, "It feels like we're on top of the world," and it did.

We camped at a walk-in site at Moraine Park - once again, we loved the site. The weather turned as we set up, with scattered rain and high winds during most of the afternoon.

We saw a lot of wildlife during the day. We saw a group of 4 moose soon after entering the park, as well as a marmot sunning itself high up on the rocks. During the drive, traffic came to a stop as a large herd of elk - at least a couple of dozen - crossed the road. We all loved it.