I walked up the slope in silence, overcome by how barren the landscape looked. Charred trees stood with bare branches, devoid of life. The morning sun blasted through, baking the ground. The ground lacked any cover, excepting for occasional patches of blooming Arnica, their happy yellow flowers loving the sun but seemingly out of place. ​

The Lodge closed for good the following year and sat vacant except by vandals before the Park finally removed it in 1976. Only the 1925 Patrol Cabin remained, and now that too is gone, one of the many casualties the Park endured from the East Troublesome Fire last October. 

Finally having reached the lake and standing in the very place where the Lodge once stood, I could see how the path of the fire split and pushed around the lake with one leg of the fire coming in from the northwest, engulfing the Patrol Cabin, and then skirting the western shoreline before racing east across the hillside that separated Fern Lake from Odessa Lake and heading up Mt Wuh, leaving the south and east shoreline mostly untouched. ​

I wandered down to the footbridge that crosses the outlet stream. Standing in the middle, I gazed into the clear mountain water of the little outlet pool surrounded by green vegetation and reflecting Notchtop Mtn above. The view across the lake was a mix of green and brown/black, but still an inspiring view. 

I decided to hike the additional 0.7 miles to Lake Odessa. Walking through another charred section of the trail, I observed the trail work that the Park described in their Historic Places report as, “some of the largest and most complex rock walls in the park and utilized Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) labor.” 

What a relief when I finally I crossed out of the fire zone and back into beautiful subalpine terrain, walking along a cascading mountain stream with lush green ground cover and green forested hillsides spectacularly framing Notchtop on the path to Odessa Lake. Snacking on the lake shore along with other hikers that had dropped into this paradise on the trail from Bear Lake, I took in the quiet, watching small wispy clouds float along. This was truly Rocky Mountain splendor.

The weekly spring snowstorms rolled in like waves crashing onto the beach and like a surfer watching to ride the crest, I watched the weather to catch the sunny days. It was getting into the latter part of May and while we had been getting a few warm days causing the snow to begin melting off the trails, just as quickly the springs snows were adding inches back on. 

On this day, the trail remained snow-packed in the shade of the trees, but the summer sun was having it's effect and some areas where the sun could reach were snow free. The trail gradually climbs 500ft for the first mile, then drops 250ft the next 1/2 mile, before rising 600ft for another 1/2 mile to Storm Pass. The last seven tenths of a mile climbs 750 before obtaining the summit of Estes Cone at 11,006ft.

​(Continues below)

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Suddenly, we break out of the trees where the trail cuts across a rocky talus slope, snow covered in these spring conditions.   A couple more switchbacks brought us to the saddle between the two “sisters.” ​

Here a stone hut and a radio communication tower stand which are still used today for emergency purposes.  We stay right of the stone hut then turn slightly left up a small gulley.  Scrambling up the rock outcroppings we work our way up to the western summit.   A fire lookout tower used to rest on the summit but now just a bit of history as it was taken out in 1977.
​

We headed down for lunch near the stone hut gazing over to the eastern summit. We decided to forgo the east summit and retrace our steps back in the snow. The snow had softened so much we could easily “boot-ski” to timberline! The snow had also melted considerably at the end of the trail leaving thick, sloppy mud behind.  Mud season 2021 had officially arrived!

Story and photos by Barb Boyer Buck

Back on skis after 20 years!

​I broke my back 21 years ago.  It was a fracture which resulted in spondylolisthesis and it brought on years of physical therapy, chiropractic treatments, loss of mobility, and pain.  It was the time when orthopedic surgery was very much feared, and outcomes were relatively unpredictable.  It was also the time when conservative treatment was recommended and surgery was avoided at all costs.   

I was told to give up skiing altogether, and especially snowboarding.  "One wrong fall and you could be paralyzed," was the doctor's advice.  Pretty scary stuff.  

But by 2018, I could barely walk, had to quit my job waiting tables (which supplemented my writing career) and I had pretty much given up most of the things that gave me pleasure, most notably outdoor recreation in the form of hiking and of course, skiing. 

I finally went to an orthopedic center to have an x-ray.  After seeing the results, the surgeon scheduled me for an emergency 3-level spinal fusion the very next week.  

I can see why people avoid this surgery, recovery was long and extremely painful.  To make a living, I crocheted and sold hats.  It was incredibly boring, to say the least. 

But today, I am almost back to normal!  So, I decided to try cross-country skiing again, something I had enjoyed for many years before my back injury. 

Dave Rusk, the publisher of Hike Rocky Magazine and an extremely patient man, agreed to accompany me and give me a refresher lesson.   Here's a video of that day, which took place on March 1 of this year. 

We rented equipment from the Estes Park Mountain Shop, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how far cross-country skis had come!  I definitely want to get the kind of skis I was using that day. 

In order to get the most out of my "lesson," I needed to start from scratch.  The patience I had developed during my nearly three years of recovery helped with this.  I approached xc skiing as if I had never done it before and thereby, I was able to take advantage of tips that Dave provided.   

First, I want to talk about the equipment.  These days, you can opt for skis that have scaling on the bottom of them,  where your boots clip in on the other side.  This helps you when going up inclines - you can literally walk on the snow with them.  Technically, they are called backcountry skis and you can "walk" up slopes and ski down them, which many people like to do at Hidden Valley.  I'm not ready for that yet, by the way.  Marlene Borneman explains about these type of skis in her piece, "Ski tracks in Rocky," published in the February, 2021, edition of HIKE ROCKY magazine. 

It's so much easier than waxing skis, or even putting on skins when you are doing a cross-country tour on sloped trails (most of the trails in Rocky Mountain National Park are sloped, by the way).  

The bindings on these new skis are so convenient. You can just toe-kick into them, and twist to take them off.  I rented the entire package, which included poles and boots, too, for about $20. 

​The place we chose for my first time back was Endovalley; the road to the picnic grounds is closed for the winter and can be used for skiing, snowshoeing, or when the snow melts off, walking.  It extends past the Fall River Road fork and ends at the picnic grounds.  The road is fairly level. 

I put on my skis just after the "road closed" gate and tried to recapture the feeling of skiing by taking a few tentative kick/glides.   On the newer skis, it felt more stable.  

If I stood straight, putting my full weight on the middle of the skis, they stopped sliding and I could "walk" on them.  In order to ski, I needed to learn forward slightly, bend one knee and kick backward, with the other leg extending out.  Alternating legs, eventually I started to feel a rhythm and began gliding. 

When I started to feel unsteady, I just straightened up again.   This was a big difference from the skis I used to have; my cross country skis from the late 80s were much more narrow with very smooth bottoms.  Stopping was always an adventure on those. 

The poles helped keep me steady, too - these need to fit into your hands while your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle.  

Skiing on the road was a bit difficult because it was icy in spots and melting while we were on it.  As you learned in the above video, the only time I fell was when I tried to ski off the road to a picnic bench, missing a turn on the slight downhill slope. 

It was a wonderful adventure and even though I'll probably need to wait until next year to do it again, I'm looking forward to it! 

by Dave Rusk

The forecast was billed as clear and mild, but there was a high level of thin clouds screening the sun with a mild breeze. Walking out of the treeline, there was also a dark and somewhat ominous lenticular cloud hovering like a giant UFO off somewhere over Netherland, or maybe Ward.

The tundra above treeline had been swept clear of any deep snow with the only snow accumulations occurring on the leeward side of willow shrubs. The Diamond of Longs came into view, obscured partially by Mt Lady Washington. We also could see our immediate destination, Granite Pass, to the north. 

We had anticipated an increase in wind once on the west side of Granite Pass, but it continued to stay mostly calm with occasional gusts, pretty pleasant for this first day of February. 

Threading through the Boulderfield now, we turned our gaze to the north of Longs Peak along the north ridge to our destination, Storm Peak. Appearing as mostly a knob on the ridge next to the dominating Longs Peak, the summit of Storm is at a very respectful 13,326'. 

Having traveled the 6 miles to get to the base of Storm Peak, the unknown question we had was what kind of snow would we find. It needed to be hard enough to make solid steps in. We had brought crampons if the conditions warranted them.

While there was some soft stuff layered on the surface, there was also some more solid footing underneath, so we continued to work our way up.

The sun made more of an appearance moving into the afternoon and when the wind wasn't blowing, it felt a little balmy. But when those wind gust did come up, picking up and blowing small snow particles into our face, we had to turn away and wait for the gust to blow off.

About three quarters of the way up, the slope angle became too steep for my comfort zone and I perched myself on a rock outcrop, pulled out a thermos, and took a coffee break while Kip completed the ascent to the ridge giving him a commanding view into the Glacier Gorge, with frozen Black Lake below and endless peaks to the west and north.

With shadows starting to grow long in the afternoon light, we descend through the Boulderfield.

Story and photos by Barb Boyer Buck
 
A hike to Emerald Lake, that was the intention.  It had lightly snowed overnight and the sky was a cloudless, cobalt blue.  Most importantly, there wasn’t any wind. If you don’t know about the wind in the eastern foothills of Colorado – most notably in the valleys– well, It’s brutal.  When air is forced over the Continental Divide and combines with Chinook upslope winds, the result is a cacophony of directionless and fierce wind. It’s just as crazy-making as the sound of a symphony warming up. 

When I was the renewable energy manager for the Town of Estes Park, my team thought perhaps wind turbines would be able to harness this crazy wind, but no.  The wind comes from too many directions, is too fast (70-90 mph is not uncommon) and is never consistent.  It’s either windy or it’s not, at least from October through April. 

​I was excited to take a hike in the fresh snow with no wind.  But it was a late start – we probably didn’t reach the Emerald Lake Trailhead until close to 1 p.m.   I brought my snowshoes just in case, but micro-spikes and poles worked just fine.

From its trailhead, Emerald Lake is 1.8 miles, so we figured we’d get there around 3 and have plenty of time to get back down before dark.  It was nearly a month after Winter Solstice and the days were getting a bit longer. 

​But we were stopped quite literally in our tracks with almost every step. 

​Snow doesn’t usually stay on the tress very long in RMNP (again, the wind) but that day, it covered every branch like fluffy icing, it sparkled in the full sun. 

The views along the way were spectacular and even with my cell phone, I was able to capture amazingly clear photos with great detail. 

​This was a function of the afternoon lighting as well, which became increasingly rich as the day wore on.  

​The Emerald Lake Trailhead is by far the most popular one in Rocky Mountain National Park, any time of the year.  This day, a Tuesday in mid-January, was no exception.  There were a lot less people than in the summer months, but the route was still fairly crowded. ​

Here’s the etiquette for passing on the trail: those traveling up have the right-of-way.  This is especially important when the trail is snow packed and/or icy.  Further measures to take during these COVID times is to step aside, pull up your mask (if it’s down), and turn your back to the trail.  Six feet of distance is just not possible on these popular trails. 

​But I found myself stopping many more times than I technically needed to because of the stunning sights, especially of the Keyboard of the Winds formation on the “back” side of Longs Peak.  The wind I was talking about earlier can make some unearthly sounds as it passes through this jagged ridge.
The trail to Emerald Lake is packed full of amazing views and destinations – if you count Bear Lake (which is just a few steps from the trailhead) you see four lakes, amazing views of Longs Peak, many other stunning peaks, and beautiful geologic formations. 

The first destination along the trail is Nymph Lake.  In the winter, when the lakes are frozen over “winter trails” are established at each lake which cross over the frozen waters.  Be very careful when you do this – sometimes the ice is thin in places you cannot see.  Make sure that every lake is completely frozen on all edges before you try to walk across it.
​
Views of Hallet Peak, first seen over Bear Lake, were now joined with the spires of Flattop Mountain. 

A bit further up, and you reach Dream Lake with more  stunning views of  these features.   

​Other things we noticed at Dream Lake were the limber pines (colloquially, twisted pines).  These trees are actually shaped by the wind as they grow, and they are some of the oldest living organisms on earth. 

​Some limber pines in RMNP date back over 1,000 years, according to a report by several federal forestry agencies, “Limber Pine Conservation in Rocky Mountain National Park,” published in 2013.  

​At this point on our hike, the sun was setting – as it sank over the peaks shading Dream Lake, a final alpenglow lit the scene in a spectacular way. ​

Emerald Lake was not to be, not that day.  But it’s days like that which make me glad to be alive. 

​For me, rushing past the gifts of Nature, especially when they were laid out so beautifully for us to experience, is unforgivable.  Emerald Lake isn’t going anywhere, and neither am I.  ​

By Dave Rusk

It was 20 days past the Winter Solstice last week when we ventured up into the Glacier Gorge area. Even though it was still 60 days until the Spring Equinox, the snowpack at the trailhead was very thin and it seemed like it wouldn't take much warmth to melt it away. But on this day, the trail was still snow covered, the skies were blue, and there was hardly a wiff of wind. The morning temperature was still cold.

We quickly moved up the trail to where the mostly snowed over Icy Brook dropping out of the Loch Vale and joins with Glacier Creek.  The snow was deeper here where it is sun and wind protected. 

We climbed up out of the drainage heading toward Mills Lake. The lake was frozen solid and there was still a couple of inches of snow on the lake that had fallen a few days before. We trudged across the middle of the lake to the far end.

Once at the south end of Mills Lake, we followed the short drainage that connects Mills Lake to the small Jewell Lake and crossed it. At the south end of that lake, there was an area where Glacier Creek flows into Jewel Lake where the snow did not stick, like maybe the warmth of the water melted the snow, but left these odd puff balls of large flakes. It was kind of an odd phenomenon that was hard to explain.

After Jewel Lake, we returned to the trail and worked through the blowdown area from a Nov 2011 wind event and started to move into the upper part of Glacier Basin with Arrowhead appearing to the west and then finally McHenry's Peak. 

Once at Black Lake, also with a thin layer of of snow on it, we moved up the drainage that leads to the upper hanging valley. Part way up, now at about noon, with the sun at it's zenith for the day, we stopped for a bite to eat and take in the amazing view. The day had been warm and we were casual on our break. In the summer, there are lots of seeps, water that flows out of the cracks on down the rock face. These had turned into ice flows as the winter temperatures settled in.

Up to this point, the trail to Black Lake was pretty well packed from snowshoers the previous day and shoe spikes was all that was needed for travel. But for moving into the upper basin, we decided to go with snowshoes.

We climbed up into the Upper Basin that sits at the western base of Longs Peak. There was only one set of tracks and they were several days old, someone without snowshoes. Despite being mid day, the sun sat low on the horizon and I need to use my gloved hand to shade the camera lens.

From the upper basin, McHenrys Peak and Arrowhead rise dramatically to the west and turning behind us, we could see all the way across to the Mummy Range in the north. Jet contrails were the only things breaking up the blue sky.

We navigated our way through the boulder fields heading for Green Lake. There was snow coverage over the krumholtz shrubs, but grass, willows and rock cairns were poking through the thin layer of snow.

The sun had now dropped behind Chiefs Head Mtn and temperature started to drop and the downslope wind picked up. But the Key Board of the Winds rock formation continued to bask in the afternoon light.

Finally at Green Lake at the base of Pagoda Mtn, we stopped for some more food and water before heading back down. We had caught a beautiful day in the Park.

Trails Correspondent Marlene Borneman reports in on her recent trip to the West Side Of Rocky Mountain National Park:

West Side RMNP

This past week my husband and I got to spend time on the west side of RMNP.  Please do not misunderstand when I say we have held the west side of Rocky special in our hearts for many years.  We enjoy every square inch of Rocky from corner to corner.  However, as soon as Trail Ridge Road opens in the spring until it closes in the fall, we hike, climb and backpack as much as possible on the west side of the divide.  There is something about fewer trails, remote lakes/peaks and the sheer ruggedness that is a strong pull. The west side of the divide receives more precipitation resulting in lush, captivating forest, powerful waterfalls, vast meadows and a variety of plant life.

Summer 2020 was no exception.  We did several cross-country hikes and backpacking trips to remote areas.  I’m pleased we took the time and effort to make these trips happen and fully took in all that surrounded us.  Who knew what was to happen in the coming weeks that would dramatically take that away?   

I read reports and have seen a few photos of the trailheads from the fire damage, but nothing prepares you for hiking/snowshoeing the trails that are affected by the Troublesome Creek fire! The blacken sticks on the hillsides, charred lichen on rocks, the private cabin in Summerland Park along the North Inlet Trail destroyed.  I worry about the streams; will they be healthy?  I feel much discomfort,  but strangely also comfort in nature’s healing.

I am thankful for what the fire did not take away.  Much of the Never Summer Range is intact, Timber Lake Trail, Colorado River Trail, Holzwarth Ranch  intact.  I saw bright spots among the destruction; snow on the ground and frozen ice crystals that will nourish plant life, a green ponderosa pine sapling, , the sunset over Mount Craig and Grand Avenue with shops and restaurants open for business.

Thank you Snowy Peaks Winery for sponsoring Notes From the Trail

Visit : www.snowypeakswinery.com

The weather prediction for Estes Park was for sun on this first day of winter, the shortest day of the year, but a blanket of clouds hung low on the mountain peaks as we began our trek up the Flattop Mtn trail from Bear Lake.

The trail was mostly packed, but there was enough soft snow that we decided to put the snowshoes on early, we knew we would eventually. Morning sun filtered through the trees and the temperature was moderate.

Most of the trail along the lower eastern flank of Flattop Mtn was packed and as we looked east into the Estes Valley, we could see that it was sunny, and lacking snow. But where we were, at just over 10,000ft, there was about 1-3 ft of settled snow. A little further on and you can see the fire scar on Mt Wuh.

The trail travels through subalpine spruce and even though we were close to treeline at this point, there are some big spruce trees in this part. This is also a difficult section of trail to route fine as the trail often gets covered over with blown snow off Flattop Mtn in an area known in the winter as the Flattop Drift.

Keeping track of where to go can be difficult if no one has traveled through recently. It can also be a spot where you can follow the tracks of someone who doesn't know where the trail goes and you end up wandering around until you eventually happen upon the trail, or just make your own way.

Once around on the north side of Flattop Mtn, before the trail descends into the Odessa Gorge, there are two smallish ponds, Two Rivers Lake and Lake Helene, that most people pass by in the summertime on their way to Odessa Lake, but become the common destinations in the winter. On a clear day, Notchtop Mtn rises dramatically and there are fabulous views from these two lakes.  But on this day, unless the clouds began to lift off, most of Notchtop Mtn remained hidden from view.

It was very windy at Lake Helene as is usually the case in the winter, and the lake was frozen over but free of snow. We braced ourselves against the wind and crossed over. We could tell we were right at the edge of the clouds, looking north Joe Mills Mtn kept appearing and then disappearing into the clouds. It would be like that all day. We continued past Lake Helene and started towards Ptarmigan Glacier and into the clouds.

We really didn't have a specific destination at this point. It was a matter of how far could we safely go and leave enough time for the return before dark. Higher up, there is an unnamed tarn that sits roughly at the bottom of Ptarmigan Glacier. 

We crossed over and marveled at the designs of the frozen air bubbles. 

We had switched from snowshoes to spikes at this point and the travel up was slow, but it was easy to pick our way up the hillside. We were getting into some steeper terrain and in certain places there was a lot of debris on the snow that had come down from above. 

We crossed over a snowfield to a rock outcrop and decided we had reached our high point for the day. 

It had been our hope that as the day went on the clouds would begin to lift and give us that magical site of mountains emerging through the clouds. ​But the clouds just hung in there only giving us glimpses of the sunny day beyond. We made our way over to Two Rivers Lake before returning to the trail. 

It had been a great first day of winter!

Yesterday was Winter Solstice. Over the last 48 hours or so, on the last day of Fall, we have been experiencing a winter wind storm with steady nonstop high winds and incredibly forceful gusts. The kind of wind that if you were a pica up in the tundra, you would want to be deep in your little cozy hole, far below the surface, surrounded by lots of dry flowers and grasses, curled up in a tight ball, fast sleep with visions of sugar-plums dancing in your head, while the wind ravaged those poor little tundra plants at the surface. It’s the kind of wind that sculptures bristlecone pine trees into marvelous twisted living art. The kind of wind that is so forceful it inspires awe.  

​Having completed our shakedown trek to Sky Pond two weeks earlier, my brother and I felt ready to take on winter as it is on the east side of the Divide. So, late in the week last week we decided to head to Andrews Glacier, one of the eight named glaciers in Rocky Mountain National Park. Andrews Glacier sits between Taylor Peak to the south and Otis Peak to the north. Andrews Tarn is nestled at the base of the Andrews Glacier which, over the centuries, carved out a very high hanging valley that sits on the other side of The Sharkstooth Ridge from Sky Pond.

Still, it was warm enough that as we worked our way up, I would occasionally pull off my cap off my head to regulate my body temperature. Once I cooled down enough, the cap went back on. We continued up the Sky Pond trail until crossing on the footbridge that spans Andrews Creek, and then branched off the main trail and began heading into the Andrews Creek drainage.  

Once down into the treeline, we did not follow our tracks out, but choose instead to stay in the basin until we reached the Sky Pond trail, completing our loop. Our legs were tired, but we knew darkness was approaching quickly. We barely beat the darkness back to the parking lot and found that we were the last car in the lot. Cheers went up at what had turned into an adventurous day.

It was 17 days before the Winter Solstice and the sun was getting low on the horizon. The temperature above 9,000ft had stayed below freezing, but on this day, the temperature hovered near the freezing mark and the sun felt warm, even spring like. 17 days after Winter Solstice would put us into early January and I would hope by then the temperature would feel considerably colder.

(Click on the photos for a larger image)

In other words, it was a pretty mild day, on top a string of mild days, for our first winter venture out for the season. My hiking partner and I were heading up the four and a half miles to Sky Pond. We found the trail covered with packed snow, but not icy, so we knew there had not been very many days above freezing, which would make the trail icy with the melting and freezing.

Alberta Falls was pretty well frozen over with thick ice for the winter, though we could hear the water flowing below the ice, but snow had not yet covered over the falls. It had been a while since there had been any significant snowfall.

Not far past the falls and a short step off the trail there's an overlook that looks off to the north. To the left, the crags of Flattop Mtn above Emerald Lake are barely visible. In the foreground, the Bear Lake Road switchbacks up, and off in the distance were the snowy Mummy Range. Normally, those would be the notable features to point out at this spot. But this year, sitting in the middle of all of that is Mt Wuh and the burn scar visible on its' western slope from the recent Troublesome fire. That part of the Park is currently closed to hikers.

We continue on, following the windy trail around the east Glacier Knob until, finally around its east flank, the Loch Vale comes into spectacular view. Even though it was near mid-day, the low sun cast bands of sunlight across the scene. But in the far distance, the Taylor Peak massif basked in the midday sun. 

It was quite a stellar day once we reach The Loch. The lake had completely frozen over and there were many tracks that headed across it, which we followed. There was about and inch of snow on top of the ice, which indicated that there had not been even a wiff of wind since whenever the last little bit of snow fell, very unusual. Timberline Falls was, of course, spectacularly frozen over and on the return, we watched as a couple of ice climbers make short work of a one pitch ascent of the right falls.

This was a shake down hike. We had gathered our winter gear and needed to figure out what we had forgotten for future trips. But we felt we scored a pretty good first winter day out with fantastic conditions.
​Now, bring on the snowstorms!! We're ready!!

In 2015 Rocky Mountain National Park celebrated its 100th birthday!  Three weeks ago, I celebrated my sixty-eighth birthday.  I’m learning that with the aging process comes both physical and emotional scars.  I have an appendix scar, back surgery scar, in-situ melanoma scar, scar from childhood slide accident and a few other minor scars.

​The deaths of my parents, my sister, dear friends and a divorce left me with emotional scars.  I have healed and live a rich life in spite of these scars.  Rocky has it share of scars too from beetle kills, floods, fire, and even initials carved  into aspen trees. ​

by Barb Boyer Buck

The fires surrounding my home in Estes Park caused me to evacuate for a time with my parents; experiencing the mass exodus under midday dark-orange skies with suffocating smoke and ash is something I won’t forget soon.
​
Wildfire is common in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains but this ongoing situation is unprecedented. 

The Cameron Peak Fire started in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, less than 100 miles north of Estes Park, on August 13 when the Pine Gulch Fire, 18 miles north of Grand Junction, had already burned more than 137,000 acres.  Pine Gulch was declared the largest wildfire in Colorado’s history until Cameron Peak grew much larger; today, the Cameron Peak Fire has grown to 208,913 acres with 89% containment.  

​This is the equivalent of nearly half of the acreage contained in Boulder County, or more than twice the size of the City of Denver.  ​

On August 14, the Williams Fork Fire started 10 miles southwest of Fraser, Colorado, and has burned nearly 15,000 acres with 76% containment. 
On October 14, the East Troublesome Fire ignited north of Hot Sulphur Springs, west of the Continental Divide.  High winds pushed the fire more than 100,000 acres overnight, extending north into the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park.   

Grand County Sherriff Brett Schroetlin reported this fire growth as “unheard of. This is the worst of the worst of the worst,” he said, in an interview with NPR.  Today, the East Troublesome Fire’s footprint is 193,804 acres with 37% containment.

On October 17 three miles northwest of Jamestown, the Calwood Fire started.  It is currently 76% contained and has consumed more than 10,000 acres.
​
The Lefthand Canyon fire began on October 18, one mile west of Ward and consumed 438 acres of brush and timber before it was 100% contained on Oct. 22. ​

Also on Oct. 22, the East Troublesome Fire experienced another “unheard of” growth, jumping over the Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park, miles of rock and tundra that usually provide a natural fire break.  As of today, this spot fire, named the Thompson Zone, has burned 4,346 acres just west of Estes Park, within the boundaries of the national park. ​

Way back in 1996, the Rocky Mountains experienced a cyclical, natural event: the beginning of a pine-beetle infestation.  Pine beetles are insidious creatures, boring into the bark of lodgepole pines and slowly killing them.  Pine-beetle infestations occur every 30 years or so, but this one was different. 

​This one LASTED for nearly 30 years because of the increasingly warm climate.  If it doesn’t get cold enough in the winter, the beetles don’t die and continue their destruction of our forests. ​

A pine tree that has been infested with pine beetles is killed from the inside out.  Their needles turn red and eventually fall off; what’s left become “gray ghosts.”
Since 2009, these gray ghosts have been more and more prevalent in Rocky Mountain National Park; 95 percent of Colorado’s lodgepole pine forests were killed during this infestation which began to abate in about 2015.

These dead, yet standing, trees also create extreme fire danger.
​
Now, add the extended drought Colorado has been experiencing and it becomes clear, it would take only a few years to create the tinderbox that is burning all around my town.  According to RMNP’s website, Colorado has been experiencing warmer-than-normal conditions for the past decade.  ​

But those conditions still would not have been enough to cause the situation in and around Estes Park right now.  The second part of Polis’ statement on the wildfire’ intensity must be taken into consideration. 

In 2019, Rocky Mountain National Park hosted 4.7 million visitors, most coming through the community of Estes Park.  The impact of human utilization of our wilderness is a significant threat, especially when regulations in place to limit harm are ignored.   

When COVID19 became a significant threat in the spring of this year, it was essential to limit the number of visitors to the national park and Estes Park’s mayor requested it be closed.   When the Park reopened in late May, NPS soon implemented a timed-entry reservation system to limit vehicles entering to numbers that were last experienced in 1996. 
​
But the reservation system ended on October 12 and even before that, thousands of visitors crowded the Park after 5 p.m. (when a reservation was no longer needed) to watch the elk rut season which began in early September.

The National Park, forest service, and Estes Park has had a fire ban since August 15, yet every fire I mentioned above was believed to be caused by human activity except for the Pine Gulch Fire, which was caused by a lightning strike on July 27.  The exact causes for all of the other fires are still under investigation but the blame has been laid squarely on humans.

Estes Park lifted or downgraded evacuations in town last week but Rocky Mountain National Park and all forest service land surrounding town is closed to all access, except for firefighters. There was a caveat to lifting evacuations orders and to visitors coming back into town: “be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.”

422 structures have been lost in the East Troublesome Fire to date; it is still unknown how many were lost in the Cameron Peak Fire.  Residents in Glen Haven and its surrounding communities were only allowed to return home yesterday. ​

There has been some progress on the containment of the two fire’s edges that directly threaten Estes Park, and visitors are being welcomed back into town. 

But without the National Park or the Forest Service to recreate in, the only choice is to visit the business establishments in town and COVID19 cases are increasing in all communities in Colorado.  

Another spell of dry, warm, and windy conditions is predicted for this coming week.

To date, the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires have burned 29,000 acres of RMNP - the most acreage burned in any fire or combination of fires in the same year since the Park was established more than 100 years ago.  
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If 2020 is teaching us one thing, it’s that we must always pay for our actions.  If we don’t take care of our environment, it will take care of itself. No consideration will be given to the fact that humans live here, too.  Wildfire serves to clean out the dead growth in our forests, but the extent of wildfire in northern Colorado this year is more than a warning.  It signals a significant climate shift and we must all take heed or humans will be another casualty of Nature’s wrath. 
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The following slide show features pictures of the destruction caused in RMNP by the East Troublesome Fire between Oct. 23-25. Photos courtesy of RMNP or Larimer County Sheriff (as noted):

I revel in the subalpine and alpine environments in Rocky Mountain National Park.  So with the perfect autumn weather this past week my husband and I headed out for Frozen Lake.

I note this is a cross-country hike. I would recommend be familiar with Leave No Trace ethics, be prepared with the ten essentials, have experienced hiking in uneven terrain, boulder/scree slopes, slabs, route finding and lastly do not hike off trail alone. 

Trailhead:  Glacier Gorge                                       
Round trip miles: 12
Destination elevation:  11,580  feet                                              
Trailhead elevation:  9,180 feet
 Elevation gain:  2,400 feet  ​

At mile 3, we stopped at Chasm Falls.  At this point,  the most notable fall color were much lower to the ground.

The trees were starting to lose their leaves, but the ground cover was spectacular. 

Colors below and above Chasm Falls were the most vibrant. ​

In Willow Park, young Engelman spruce and lodgepole pines thrive against the backdrop of the "grey ghosts," killed by pine beetle.  The last pine beetle infestation was unprecedented.  It began in 1996 and extended well into 2014, killing most of the established lodgepole forests in RMNP. 
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"Hard winters with cold temperatures can kill beetle eggs and larvae wintering under a tree's outer bark. Related to general climate warming, average winter temperatures in the Rocky Mountains have been higher than normal over the past ten years. Trees have also been weakened by a prolonged period of low precipitation. The combination of milder temperatures and low precipitation has aided a vast outbreak of beetles." - NPS/ROMO

After the most recent snow on October 11, both Old Fall River Road and Trail Ridge Road closed.  Trail Ridge reopened today, but it is unclear whether Old Fall River Road will again this season.  Since 2016, Old Fall River Road has closed for the season on the first Monday in October (it used to be Labor Day) but it stayed opened this year five days after that, to give firefighters access to the remote areas in the Park.

I am very grateful for this, because my mother got the birthday present she wished for.  ​

The days are getting shorter and a sunrise start for the dayhiker is much later now. As I met my hiking partner in Grand Lake, there was a definite autumn wind that was rustling the gold aspen leaves around town. A mild cool front had moved into the area the night before and there was more than a little winter nip in the air on this morning. Our destination on this crisp, blue sky day was Lake Verna, and then perhaps to some of the lakes beyond, as the shorter daylight of late September would allow.

This is an excellent trail with a lot of diverse terrain and numerous destinations at different lengths. As with many trails in the Park, this one starts wide and smooth, the short hike to Adams Falls is very popular with many of the visitors to Grand Lake. After taking the short detour off the main trail to check out the falls, the valley opens wide into the East Meadow where the East Inlet Creek meanders through before eventually flowing into the east end of Grand Lake.

We listened to the echoing sound of a bull elk bugling somewhere in the meadow, but he was no where to be seen. At this time of year, the wide creek is moving so slow that the breeze coming from Grand Lake put a ripple on the stream that made it look like it was flowing backwards, I had to give it a double look to figure out what I was seeing. Farther up the hill, we could see fall aspen leaves and pretty soon the trail led us right into the aspen grove.

This is the first of several uphill stretches on the trail. This one leads to a second possible destination 3 miles from the trailhead, some broad rock outcrops that overlooks Grand Lake at the end of the wide, glaciated U-shaped valley. 

These rock outcrops provide a nice place for a snack break or even a picnic if you wish to make this your destination. One of the things that is noticeable from here are the many dead lodgepole pines from the Pine Beetle epidemic. It is hard for me to imagine that the most significant damage occurred over 15 years ago. But I also noticed a healthy stand of trees coming up in their place. For more information, click here, here, and here.

One of the interesting parts of this trail are the pockets of large spruce forests that seem more out of the Pacific Northwest than the rocky mountains. As we walked through these beautiful sections, we were struck by a large number of very recent blow down trees, and these were big trees. 

The trail travels around the southeast shoreline of the lake before dipping briefly back into another deep and beautiful spruce forest. The trail then switchbacks up through the forest before popping out into more familiar rocky mountain terrain.

At this point, most of the elevation has been gained and before too long, the long Lake Verna suddenly comes into into view, 6.9 miles in. Verna was apparently a sweetheart of a member of the US Geological Survey (according to the book, High Country Names, 1977).

Looking up to the eastern ridge line, you can see the Boulder-Grand Pass to the left. The maintained trail ends at the beginning of the lake, but a smaller unimproved trail continues tight along the northern shoreline and on up into the valley. Two more large lakes, Spirit Lake and Fourth Lake can be found following this narrow trail, though we also encountered some new blow down to navigate around.

On our hike, we watched a couple of Bald Eagles soaring over Fourth Lake. There was also an immature Bald Eagle that flew right overhead. On this day, with the shorter days upon us, this was as far as we made it. But I have journeyed up to Fifth Lake on another hike, a beautiful but smaller alpine lake that sits right at treeline at the base of Isolation Peak.

The late day sunlight on our return gave a new look to the territory we had already seen earlier.

Dropping back into the East Meadow at dusk, we watch a young bull moose strolling across the meadow, taking a snack break when he crossed the stream. My wide angle lens didn't do much to bring that moose closer, but what a magnificent scene!

Having covered most of the distance back, we paused to watch the nearly full Harvest moon rise at sunset over Mt Craig. A beautiful hike on a beautiful day!

Recently, the Cameron Peak fire was blown into the northwest section of the Park. The devastation from that fire will be noticeable for many years to come. By taking a hike up to Ouzel Lake, we can imagine how things will look in that section of the Park in another 40 years. This last August marked the 42nd anniversary of the Ouzel Fire which started as a lightening strike in the southeast corner of the Park. Last week, on an afternoon when the fall colors were starting to come into their own, I ventured up the 4.9 miles to Ouzel Lake. 

It was a late day hike. I didn't leave the Wild Basin trailhead until almost 3:30 in the afternoon. I knew that by the time I walked the 4.9 miles to Ouzel Lake, it would be 6 or 6:30 and it would be dark by the time I returned to the lot, so I checked the batteries for my head lamp and threw that in the pack.

The afternoon had clouded up and I encountered some rain on the drive south from Estes Park toward Wild Basin. But there was just occasional drizzle as I started my hike, not enough to get anything damp. Many of the aspen tree were still green, but those that had turned colors looked spectacular! 

My attention was mostly toward stopping to capture the fall colors as I quickly moved up the trail. I was glad to see the clouds breaking up once I hiked past Ouzel Falls.

Sun was starting to get low on the western horizon when I reached the Bluebird Lake trail cutoff at just over 3 miles. The trail junction is in deep, dark forest being  surrounded by tall spruce. But the trail quickly switchbacks up to the more open ridge that follows Ouzel Creek. This is where the hiker can best experience the 40 year natural restoration from the Ouzel Fire. 

I remember hiking this section of trail the summer after the fire in '79 and noticing how terrible things looked. It was a mostly barren landscape then. 40 years later, I could see the area was still a very long way from being fully recovered, but there was a healthy mix of aspen and spruce that were well on there way. 

Along this section of the trail, there were a few scattered dead trees that rose up over the new growth, ghostly remnants of the fire that sometimes gave the appearance of flames. One burned out log had fallen across the trail and I hoped the trail crews would leave it lay instead of cutting it up. I felt like it was an old soldier with the scars of battle showing.

The fire opened the once forested ground to sunlight and part of the evolving ecological revegetation cycle allows for new plants and wildflowers to thrive. 

The late day sun made for good photography with long shadows and backlit leaves. But I knew I wouldn't have too much daylight left by the time I got to the lake. Fortunately, I was near the trail cutoff.

There was just a little bit of daylight on the hillside as I approached the lake. Barely enough light to get some photographs if I hurried.

I loved the orange tinged grass that highlighted the edge of the eastern shoreline

The grassy shoreline was muddy and in places showed a little too much trampling from people walking around. I tried to step carefully so as to not contribute to the trampling. 

It took me two and a half hours to get to the lake, stopping for photographs along the way. I packed my camera into my day pack and left the lake at 6:30. It only took me an hour and a half to get back to the car. What a great hike!

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower”---Albert Camus

Every year I make the trek over the Continental Divide, 42 miles of which snakes through Rocky Mountain National park.

​There are several trails used to accomplish this mission but on Sunday of Labor Day weekend I chose to hike with three friends from Bear Lake to the Green Mountain Trailhead via the Tonahutu Trail, 15 miles one way. My husband was designated to pick us up at the destination trailhead.   ​

The summit of Flattop, 12,324 feet, is always perfect  for a second breakfast.

​Sweeping views of the Never Summer Range to the west were striking,  but also melancholic as no winter snow was left, due to drought conditions. ​

Soon, we approached the intersection of the Tonahutu Trail and North Inlet Trail.   We headed down the Tonahutu to the north and west over Ptarmigan Pass.  Sightings of marmots, ptarmigans, and watching for elk and bighorn sheep absorbed us. ​

​The junction for Green Mountain Trail head came into view, we were only 1.9 miles to the awaiting car.  

But wait, what?

Right then we got a text that the Park will be closing Trail Ridge Road at 3:00p.m due to heavy smoke from the Cameron Fire to the north.   This was to be our route on the drive back to Estes Park!
 
I checked the time -  2:45p.m. - and we hiked out a little unsettled thinking about the four-hour ride back, which usually takes 45-minutes when Trail Ridge Road is open (it has since reopened).   We happily agreed to relish our day, including the long ride home.   BE PREPARED you never know what will happen in the mountains.


OPTIONS
If you still feel ambitious after hiking over from Bear Lake instead of heading to the Green Mountain Trail Head, you can continue south along Big Meadows on the well maintained Tonahutu trail to Grand Lake.

Here the Tonahutu Creek snakes down all the way to Grand Lake and beyond. This adds another 4.5 miles. This section is very showy in autumn with golden grasses, shrubs in red colors, lodgepole pine forests, gold aspens, and the chance of wildlife sightings.   Encounter a little history by passing the Harbison Ditch as it no doubt helped irrigate the Harbison sisters homestead in 1895.
 
Another option I have taken for a mellow day hike, not involving crossing the Continental Divide, is to hike this section as a 5.8-mile one-way hike with a car shuttle starting at Green Mountain Trail Head  ending at either the Kaweeneche Visitor Center or Grand Lake.   Or approximately 12 miles round trip.  The entire way hiking is in rhythm with Tonahutu creek. 
The possibilities in Rocky are endless.    
 

NOTE:  Last week I hiked  Tonaahutu Creek./Big Meadows trail to Grand lake from Green  Mountain Trailhead and back.   Earlier in the week  there was an “wind event” resulting in  MANY down trees across the trail.  The downfall increases the difficulty of hiking this section.  Be sure to appreciate trail crews as they are working on clearing these trails.

Rocky Mountain Day Hikes has developed a free app for smart phones (either Apple or Android) called GPSmyhike to help with these concerns.  
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• Step one:  download the app by following instructions on the GPSmyhikewebpage.

 

• Step two:  select an RMNP hike on the app from several hiking categories.

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• Step three:  download the trail map before you enter Rocky Mountain National Park and lose reception.

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• Step four:  refer to the downloaded map which uses GPS to tell you exactly where you are while hiking on the trail you've selected.

The downloaded topographic trail map indicates the trail with a red line and a moving blue dot (which we've named ED) tells you exactly where you are at any point along your hike. ​

RMDH founder and app developer Dave Rusk had an opportunity to test the app's efficacy in early June, while hiking the Flattop Mountain Trail.  Portions of the trail were covered in snow and it quickly became unclear where it went. 

"Even if there are tracks in the snow, it doesn't mean that it's the actual trail," Dave said.  GPSmyhike helped him to find the trail which he & his hiking partner had wandered away from.   Read his report of that hike here. ​

This hike was done several weeks ago, on September 2. Before the area received several days of hot, dry winds that blew up the Cameron Peak fire and eventually closed Trail Ridge Road due to heavy smoke conditions. And before the dramatic change in the weather that dropped temperatures by nearly 50 degrees overnight and kept Trail Ridge Road closed for many more days with as much as 16" of snow. Conditions can change very quickly in the mountains.
 
​I left the Bear Lake parking in the dark with other hikers wearing headlamps to see their way on the trail. My destination on this day was Powell Peak via the Flattop Mtn trail and across the tundra, rounding the backside of the many peaks that make up The Front Range. Because of the extended amount of time cruising above treeline, it was important that there was a zero percent chance of thunderstorms in the forcast.

I started up the Flattop Mtn trail like a race horse out of the starting gate, but then settled into a steady pace as I rose in elevation with the sun.

I worked my way around the western flank of Hallett Peak until I could see Longs Peak and Taylor Peak, two prominent landmarks. I needed to go around Taylor Peak to get to Powell Peak, so I headed for a low spot to the right of Taylor and kept that spot in my sights while I navigated the terrain.

After passing Otis Peak, a visible trail appeared that led to the top of Andrews Glacier. I took a peek down to The Loch Vale before continuing on my tundra traverse. 

Once I reached the high point on the shoulder of Taylor Peak, I found I was still not far enough around to see my direction to Powell Peak yet. But I was able to see across the valley to the southwest at the dramatic range, with Andrews Peak to the the left and Ptarmigan Mtn to the right, and I could also see the two lakes, Nakoni and Nanita, that sit below them.

The actual summit of Powell Peak is hard to make out. It is not as prominent as many of the other surrounding peaks are, especially from the back side. And because of the rising elevations, some things are hidden. I kept an eye on a really prominent peak which at first I thought was neighboring McHenrys Peak. But later I realized that Powell Peak was hiding McHenrys Peak and what I was looking at all along was Chiefs Head Peak.

It wasn't until I was on the actual summit of Powell Peak that I realized my error. Right in front of me, sticking up like a sore thumb, was the backside of McHenrys Peak between Longs Peak and Chiefs Head Peak behind it. The topography can be confusing, and very dramatic when trekking across the tundra. 

At 13,208 ft, Powell Peak is slightly lower than McHenrys Peak by only 19ft, but higher than the more prominent Taylor Peak by 55ft. But the distance to get to Powell Peak is considerable, and I began to make my way back. It took me six hours to reach the summit of Powell Peak from the Bear Lake Parking lot, but only four and a half hours on the return.

This summer, I have enjoyed some spectacular hiking into the backcountry areas of Park. Last week, I changed things up a bit and visited a variety of  shorter hikes. I began my day by taking a walk on the tundra.

I entered the Park at sunrise, the first rays of the sun lighting up the clouds that were forming. By the time I reached Many Parks Curve, the sunrise was putting on quite a show. Note: click on each photo for a larger image.

The Tundra Communities trail begins at the Rock Cut pullout on Trail Ridge Road, at an elevation of 12,090', according to a sign posted on one of the restrooms at the parking lot. The 1/2 mile trail is paved and there are not any steps on the trail. The first part of the trail ramps up a ways before leveling off. Of course, there are mountain peak views in every direction.

On this day in late August, the sky was fairly overcast. But the sun found a break in the clouds and shone down on the Never Summer Range to the west. Looking to the northwest, the smoke from the Cameron Peak fire was laying low and filling the valleys below.

Along the trail, there are interesting rock formations of dark colored schist that originated at the bottom of a sea. The lighter colored granite pushed in as magma. The granite erodes more quickly than the schist and forms forming mushroom shaped rocks.

The trail offers the hiker plenty of informative interpretive signs where one can stop and rest while taking in the view.

The best time to see the tundra in full bloom is mid summer. But the tundra is rich in autumn colors right now and it's not as crowded with other hikers. 

The trail dead ends at a high point of rock formations. If you scramble up the rocks, you will find a memorial plaque Roger Toll, the first superintendent for this Park. You can read more on the Park history here and on Trail Ridge Road here.

The site of the old McGraw Ranch still has buildings, including one that has been standing since 1871, the original homestead cabin of Harry Farrar.  Others were built between 1884-1887, and most of the guest cabins were built between 1935-1936 by Frank and John McGraw (for more history of the ranch's early days, see part one of The Cow Creek Trail, published last week). ​

The first part of the hike is a beautiful meadow that climbs a bit before it wanders back to Cow Creek.  For most of the hike, you can hear its rushing or trickling waters, something I enjoy very much. It's so relaxing.
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I needed a bit of calming down because I was anxious about taking this hike by myself, the first one with a distance of more 2 miles I've taken on my own since my back surgery. And there was no one else on the trail that early in the morning. ​

Every rustle in the trees had me looking - this is bear country after all!  It's also a hunting ground for mountain lions, although it's very rare to see these creatures anywhere near humans.  
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A bit further down the road comes another trail crossing, this time giving you the option to turn left to hook up with the Lumpy Ridge Trail to visit Balanced Rock and Gem Lake. ​

When I passed through the meadows again, the butterflies were flitting all around me, enjoying the late-August sunshine.

It took me about five hours to do six miles roundtrip but remember, I stopped to take many pictures along the way.  It was worth it and I needed it. It was the first morning without any smoke haze after two days of good rain.  The air was clear, the sky was blue and the morning light was perfect.  Happy hiking, everyone! ​

In the south end of Rocky Mountain National Park, as part of the Wild Basin trail system, there are a series of lakes that begin at the Finch Lake trailhead and can give the dayhiker some options on a trail that is not too crowded, but the destinations are all longer hikes.

The trail actually loses some elevation on the last strech to Finch Lake. There are a couple of good rock spots along the eastern shoreline to enjoy this peaceful lake.

Finch Lake is a comfortable distance for many dayhikers, and well worth the effort. But for another 2.5 miles, you can also bag Pear Lake. The trail skirts around the north side of Finch Lake, then drops a bit more to a footbridge crossing Cony Creek. There's not too much elevation gain between the two lakes and the trail is pleasant.

This trial is not an official trail of the Park. It is not maintained and there will be some downfall to climb over, for example. If the dayhiker is going to travel here, you will want to plan on a much longer day. After passing the lower of the three Hutcheson Lakes, the trail can be difficult to keep track of, so it's necessary to have an awareness of your surroundings. Having a topographical map and knowing how to read it is also a good idea. This is a pristine alpine environment, so travel carefully. Follow the small trail to reach the Middle Hutcheson Lake.

The three Hutcheson Lakes each sit on a self with the lower lake still below treeline, the middle lake in the subalpine and the upper lake right at treeline. Carefully navigate over rock outcrops that look over Middle Hutcheson Lake to reach into the upper basin and Upper Hutcheson Lake.

The upper Cony Basin begins to come into full view as the dayhiker approaches Upper Hutcheson Lake. Cony Pass that leads over to the Bluebird Lake basin to the north, can be seen in the distance. Ogalalla Peak can also be seen now.

On our day, we decided to travel up to the base of Coney Pass. The pass is steep with lots of loose scree. 

We reach our high point standing below Ogalalla Peak. The summit, 13,138', is part of the Continental Divide and is a high point marking the south boarder line of the National Park. 

by Barb Boyer Buck

Imagine it's 150 years ago (I do this all the time).  Imagine you have made the long trek via horseback to the beautiful mountain valley of Estes Park.  At that time, Colorado was a territory of the US and the land was declared "public" by the Homestead Act.

Every piece of the valley that is not already developed is open for homesteading.  All you have to do is pick out your 160-acre parcel, "improve" the property, and pay a small registration fee.

Put yourself in that scene.  What is your personal perspective?  Are you a child, part of a family looking for a new home?  Are you sick of the towns where you live and want some peace and quiet in the Colorado mountains?  Do you fancy yourself a wilderness man or woman, fiercely independent and resourceful? You're itching to live off the land and figure things out for yourself.  Whatever your perspective, I'm sure you'll agree.  The homesteading narrative is romantic and adventurous.

Let's say you’re a big game hunting guide and you marvel at the wide-open fields below you as you crest that final hill over Estes Park. It's  the late summer of 1871, and the basin looks mostly dry, with only the snake of the Big Thompson River slicing through it (there was no lake back then).  You notice the prime spots along the river were already claimed.
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Now, suppose you ride north in the valley, where the mountains meet the meadows and the elk are plentiful.  Finally, you see it.  The Cow Creek Valley. ​

Suddenly, I found context in past events. I studied possible motivations for historical figures.  I found similarities between myself and everyone who came before me.  I can imagine myself into the mindset of someone in Estes Park, 150 years ago.  In the case of the Cow Creek Valley, I can imagine the stirring excitement of the situation, being given just enough help through the Homestead Act to get myself started in something entirely my own. 

In reality, Estes Park had long been the hunting grounds for native Americans, a summer stop on their nomadic routes.  Just because a place had never been permanently settled, doesn't mean anyone should claim it.  It had been a public, shared, space for ten thousand years before the homesteaders arrived.
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Several buildings near the original homestead near Cow Creek were finished in 1887 after the property was developed with its sale in 1884.  The barn, the lodge, the bunkhouse, and two additional cabins started this valley along another journey.  It provided water for cows and the family that lived there. I imagine an idyllic scene, exactly how you'd imagine what a Little-House-on-the-Prairie homestead would be like here, in its perfect riparian ecosystem. Bounteous and cozy. ​

I'm an environmentalist, so I understand the damage human development has affected on our ecosystem, but the feeling of adventure, possibility, and excitement is intoxicating. 

John and Irene McGraw, grandparents of the surviving McGraw lineage, bought the ranch outright in 1909. John set it up so there could never be any debt on it.  There was no way any of his kin was going to gamble with the family home by using it as leverage in other concerns.  This pioneer tradition of establishing family ranches can be found in nearly every rural town, including those close to a National Park.
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Frank and his brother John, sons of the senior McGraws, turned the place into a dude ranch in 1936 by building additional cabins, eager to get in on the action so many in the area had at the time by taking in lodgers.  ​