We climbed the Rockies. Actually we drove through the Rocky Mountains National Park. We did alot of walking and driving and the higher we went, the harder it was to walk. We took lots of photos, however, they just can't compare with the real thing.

We started by walking Bear Lake. Apparently I made a mistake when I suggested we walk to the left rather than the right. As we walked around the lake, everyone seemed to be walking toward us. Also, we noticed the numbers on the signs were descending rather than ascending. I guess I was the only one who thought there was an option as to which way to walk!!

We crossed the continental divide at Milner Pass. There are two photos of us, because we couldn't find anyone to take our picture together.At one of the stops, I saw someone with a baseball hat with a B and asked them if they were from MA. They said yes. Turns out they were from natick, but not anyone we know. You really have to trust the person who is driving because some of the roads were cut into the side of the mountain and had no guard rails. It was scary at times, but I still thing Mt. Washington is scarier. There were actually cyclists riding up (and down) the mountain roads -- that is really scary. We talked to one guy who had been doing it for 35 years.

At its highest point, Trail Ridge Road is 12,128 feet above sea level. When we were in the Alpine Visitor Center, which is only 11, 796, we were both feeling kind of light-headed, but otherwise that wasn't a problem. Walking at times was tiring, but then that too passed. There were lots of long walks up trails (Mushroom Rocks) and lots of places to stop to check out the view. The scenery went from forest to short trees and ground cover to glacial rocks as we went up the mountainside.

BTW - check out our photo album on the home page (lower left corner)

Bear Lake

roads carved in the mountain on the Trail Ridge Road

scenery just breathtaking

lava rocks

water splits to Atlantic & Pacific