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Feeling Chipper

Another happy thought courtesy of our furry friend along a mountain trail. #bearlake #chipmunk #happythought

We enjoyed panoramic views of the mountains for the past 12 days, clear, crisp, and full of memories. The day before departure, clouds moved in and, ragged clouds hid the summit of Longs Peak though they did reveal the upper reaches of Mount Meeker. In a different direction, only one of the Twin Sisters wasContinue reading “Mountains of Memories”

Deerly Beloved

On a rocky hillside by the trail around Lake Estes, this deer appeared, totally undisturbed by our proximity. While we admired it for a few moments, it paid us little attention. I guess it preferred to focus its attention on things that were edible. #deer #lakeestes #estespark

Bear Lake

High in the Colorado Rockies at 9450 feet, Bear Lake rests ringed by towering mountains and cliffs, a relic of the last ice age. In the upper photo, the flat top of Longs Peak rises like a fabled monarch in the distance and was the scene of many family adventures. Dad had a treasured paintingContinue reading “Bear Lake”

Pika-Boo

High above timberline along Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, this gentle little critter danced around, under, and between the rocks much to the delight of admiring visitors. Not a mouse, it is more closely related to rabbits and hares but has short ears and legs. Perhaps it would love a handout fromContinue reading “Pika-Boo”

Same Window, Different View

Eight days ago I awoke to find Venus and Jupiter peaking through my window (see: https://eskildoodle.com/2025/08/12/planetary-windopeakers/). This morning it was the Moon paired with Venus peeping through the oval window. Jupiter had moved higher in the sky as seen on the photo on the right, while the Moon had descended into the early twilight besideContinue reading “Same Window, Different View”

Up and Down the Lake

The day dawned crisp and clear with a gentle breeze blowing down the valley. It was perfect for a cruise around Lake Estes for a couple of hours. Our captain, Jon, carefully motored us around the rocky shore past the few kayaks, paddle boats, and fishermen. Mostly, however, we had little traffic to worry about.Continue reading “Up and Down the Lake”

Once Upon a Cable

My dad and I likely held onto this section of cable when we climbed Long’s Peak in 1963 as mentioned in yesterday’s post. The cable, now on display at the Estes Park Museum, was an inch thick and had been installed in 1925 to assist climbers up the final steep pitch of the north sideContinue reading “Once Upon a Cable”

Long Peek

The rising sun illuminated not only mountains, but also memories as I looked long and longingly at this magnificent mountain. Longs Peak, in its morning glory looked similarly to this when my dad and I emerged from the forest to the boulder field in 1963 when we climbed it together. It was very important toContinue reading “Long Peek”

Ups and Downs

The Estes Park Aerial Tramway took us 900 feet up Prospect Mountain and provided spectacular views along the way and at the top. A cement walkway wound around the store at the summit revealing a panorama of mountains high above the timberline. Longs Peak appeared majestically along the shoulder of Prospect Mountain and we lingeredContinue reading “Ups and Downs”