 October is the month for flannel shirts, warm socks, waterproof boots, and hearty hikes into Rocky Mountain National Park’s high country. Our last chances to hike on snow-free trails are here and those chances will only be reduced with each passing October day. Autumn will overwhelm our senses with the sight of snow dusted peaks on the horizon and the sound of golden aspen leaves quaking overhead. Morning frost, crunchy dry leaves underfoot, and the chances of high country snow mixed with low elevation rain will have us smiling despite our hunched shoulders braced against the chill. The full moon of “Falling Leaves” arrives Thursday October 17, 2024 and the Orionid meteor shower begins a few short days right after. Wasted days and wasted nights should have no place on our calendar when it comes to October. Lace up those boots, pack a pack, and go take a hike in Rocky Mountain National Park! Owl Banding in Rocky Mountain National Park by Scott Rashid, Director of the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute  Boreal Owl in Rocky Mountain National Park, Photo Scott Rashid Since 2007 the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute has been studying the fall movements of both Boreal and Northern Saw-whet Owls in Northern Colorado. This is accomplished by capturing birds in the fall. After they are captured, we check their condition by measuring and weighing them, then a numbered leg band is placed on each owl to identify individuals, before releasing them. Keep Reading…  Whortleberry - Vaccinium myrtillus, Photo Marlene Borneman In the autumn months, Colorado is known for spectacular displays of golden quaking aspens (Populus tremuloides). Mountainsides glow in deep golds, red and oranges mid-September through mid-October. No doubt an aspen grove or even one lone aspen tree in the autumn months can take your breath away. In Rocky Mountain National Park many native shrubs and flowering plants give brilliant fall colors on the forest floor, on hillsides, and along streams and creeks. Here is a photo tour of Rocky’s Best autumn colors beyond the aspens to take in while hiking this fall. Keep Reading… Continental Divide Research Center  Photo: A beaver pond at the Moraine Park study site in RMNP. Courtesy of Sarah Dunn Beavers were once hunted almost to extinction in North America. However, the increasing volume of scientific studies supporting the benefits of beavers in the ecosystem continues to grow. The Continental Divide Research Center (SDRCL), part of a National Park Service wide initiative to promote scientific research in national parks, recently published a study that shows the benefits of beavers and their damns in a post fire environment. Think East Troublesome and Cameron Peak Fires which combined burned more than 30,000 acres in Rocky Mountain National Park. Hopefully, some critters will be very busy… Rocky Mountain Conservancy  Come join the Rocky Mountain Conservancy (RMC) in planting limber pine seedlings! The East Troublesome wildfire of 2020 burned several populations of limber pines within Rocky Mountain National Park so intensely that natural regeneration will likely take several decades to begin again. This is your chance to participate in the recovery process and give limber pine saplings a helping hand. Click here to learn how to volunteer for this great opportunity to give back to a wonderful national park. Available Dates to volunteer: October 15, 16, 17, 2024. And here is another volunteer program offered to high school students ages 14 to 17 years old supported by the RMC. The Conservancy’s High School Leadership Corps is a program that offers teens new adventures, an introduction to public service, outdoor education, and personal growth. Perhaps you know someone who would be interested? Help spread the word and share this link. Thanks! Know Before You Go (RMNP Press Releases) 10/2 Bierstadt Lake Parking Area to Close for Six Weeks 9/28 Old Fall River Road Closed to Vehicles Beginning October 8 9/4 Rocky Mountain National Park Lifts Total Fire Ban, Restrictions Still In Place 9/2 Annual Meadow Closures in Place Beginning on September 1 for Elk Rut Season Trail Talk
Parting Shot  Parts of Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park had an early taste of what many of us expect with the fall season. Heavy dark clouds, a sustained rain in the lower elevations, and snow dusting the high peaks. It all came true this past September on Sunday, the 22nd. Snow and cold, rain and wind, bright gold aspen trees, deep spruce green, all mixed with a wintery white made for an exceptional day to be in the park! Photo: Bear Lake in RMNP. September 22, 2024. Jamie Palmesano
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