Day 8 - Rocky Mountain National Park

We can see the Rockies as we head into Estes Park which is at the entrance to the Rocky Mountains National Park.  I certainly see where these mountains got their name -- they are very very rocky.

We are still at low elevations here looking up at the mountains which we will soon be cliimbing.

A slightly different view of the mountains.

Starting to get higher here!!

Now we are into tundra and snow and probably at 11,000 feet by now.  Joan has donned her coat as it was starting to get downright chilly with no sun!

We finally get as high as we are going and you can see the snow still piled up!

 The views from the top were pretty spectacular!!

It was a bit dreary here but no snow falling!!

We found picnic tables on our way up and were entertained by the Colorado Chipmunks who were trying to get some food.

Here you can see his stripes!!  He was bigger than our chipmunks around here.

I spotted this Clark's Nutcracker high in the mountains.  It was a new bird for me but did see one again at Yellowstone.  It is in the jay family.

 We also saw this small herd of Mule Deer(or maybe elk?) in the tundra near the top.  This one wouldn't turn around so I could get a good picture!!