Day 12 – Glenwood Springs

Day 12 – 5/24/2021 – Glenwood Springs

This morning we head to Glenwood Springs and we wake to cloudless, crystal clear skies.  Yesterday when we drove the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, it was cloudy and ran into a snow squall near Rainbow Curve Overlook.  This morning we will try the road again and as we drive on RT-34, and even before we are in the Park, we have a great view of the mountains. 

Now in the Park, we still have great views; fields, mountains, snow, we have it all. 

Making a quick stop at an turnoff, while looking at the snow covered mountains, I see this bird perched on a sign.  Now I’ve search to find out what this bird is, but have so far failed to find a reference to it.  It could be a Lark, Sparrow, Finch, or even a Warbler. 

Not too long after leaving the bird, we see a couple more elk.  They were too busy eating to look up.

As we make our way back up the road we drove on yesterday, I am able to get clear sky pictures of the same mountains that were cloud covered.  I find the snow covered mountains fascinating. 

Back at the road where the snow bank is located, Carmen gets another picture of the snow as this truck drives by for size perspective.  The bank must be at least 4-5 feet high and it will probably take several more weeks before it clears.  I can understand now why the road through the Park to Grand Lake is not open, especially since it is not cleared.

At Rainbow Curve Overlook, we have a fantastic view of Fall River leading into Estes Park and the Park road leading up to here.  The river is visible by the reflection of the sun. 

Looking in the other direction and along the mountains, we can see Sundance Mountain on the left and Chaplin Mountain in the center.  Chaplin Mountain at 12,500 ft and Sundance at 12,260 ft and the 14,000 ft mountains in the park are impressive to look at. 

Before we leave Rainbow Curve Overlook, I see where water has been running over the rocks by the road.  Icicles have formed and as cold and early in the morning as it currently is, the icicles remain. 

Back down in the valley before leaving we get yet another fantastic picture of the fields and mountains.  Did I say that I could not get enough of this view?  We could stay here all day, but we must be on our way. 

Because the Trail Ridge Road is not opened through the Park, that means we have to backtrack and go around through Boulder to get the Glenwood Springs, which will take more time.  Well, we have enough time to stop for more elk pictures.  There is always time for elk pictures. 

Back on route 36 and somewhere near Boulder, we see this house in the middle of a burned out area.  Either the owner was lucky or did some major preparation and planned for a fire.

Before or after Golden, Colorado, not really sure which, we pass a couple of Monster trucks.  This one Named King Kong had a giant skeleton standing next to it.

The other one Godzilla, has a tail and fins along the back or top.  Check out the frame work under the truck.  Not sure which came first the trucks or the movie, Godzilla vs. King Kong.

Even around Golden Colorado, the mountains are impressive.  We are near Lookout mountain, having seen the signs, which is where Buffalo Bill’s grave is located.  We have been there, but not on this trip.

Passing through Apple Meadows and still on route 93, we pass several stegosaurus dinosaur sculptures on a hill by the road.  

We have not traveled far from the dinosaur sculptures, we see this white stone cliff.  Again, we are amazed as we see the hills and mountains along the roadways. 

Not sure what is going on here, but at first I thought there were a number of people taking pictures of birds or an animal, but after reviewing the picture it appears that they are surveyors.  Probably learning how to use and practicing using laser survey equipment.  You can just make out a person to the right who seems to be carrying a measuring pole. 

Now on I-70 and as we head west we are at the Veteran’s Memorial, just before reaching Idaho Springs.  It is a short tunnel, only 765 feet long, and we are through quickly. 

Once again, we are seeing mining buildings along the I-70 route we are driving.  This is a big building and not sure why the building is so large.  I’m not really sure if these are indeed mining building.

These buildings are definitely buildings used for the mining process.  You can even see some of the tailings or waste rock generated by the extracted stone when looking to get to whatever ore the mine was digging.

Traveling through more mountains along this section of the road, we can see why there are so many ski resorts along I-70. 

Speaking of ski resorts, we travel through Eisenhower Tunnel, and just over it is Loveland Ski Area.  Some of the ski trails run over the tunnel as does a chair lift. 

Not long after passing through the Eisenhower Tunnel, we come to a scenic turnoff overlooking Dillon Reservoir.  From here, we can see Swan Mountain and I think Keystone and Independence Mountains in the distance. 

Continuing past other ski resorts like Copper Mountain, Vail and Beaver Creek, we pass through a couple more tunnels, this one, Hanging Lake tunnel one of them. 

As we travel through Glenwood Canyon, we begin to see some steep mountain faces.

The canyon has nice rock formations.  The rock weathered both horizontally and vertically and with names like French creek, dead horse creek, blue gulch, deadman’s gulch, grizzly creek, and grindstone creek it is easy to see the ruggedness before getting to Glenwood Springs. 

I am not sure, but I think this is the Shoshone Hydroelectric Facility.  You can see where the water funnels down, from where I do not know, into the generators. 

One last tunnel before we get into Glenwood Springs where we are staying for the night.  Glenwood Springs is where Doc Holliday retired to because of his tuberculosis, which was the thing back in the 1880’s, move to Colorado for tuberculosis.  He died in 1887 at the age of 36 and buried here in Glenwood Springs. 

Tomorrow we head to Moab where we will spend several nights while we visit several Parks.