Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Rocky Mountain, 100th anniversary 1915-2015 I 29.6:R 59/6/ PDF
Preview Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, Rocky Mountain, 100th anniversary 1915-2015 I 29.6:R 59/6/
Rocky Mountain 100th Anniversary 1915-2015 Nature’s Knife Edge To ascend Rocky Mountain National Park's Trail Ridge Road is to leave this world and enter another. It carries you, breathless with wonder and altitude, toward a fragile alpine realm, the tundra. Most animals hibernate or migrate dur- ing the harsh winters. No trees can live here. Despite the brief, six-week growing season, plants survive. Most conserve energy by minia- turizing, Each July thousands of brilliant alpine sunflowers, Rydbergia grandiflora (above), burst from the thin blanket of soil that covers parts of the tundra. For decades these hardy plants have worked toward this moment. Many tundra flowers track the sun to maximize their intake of light, required for photosynthesis Park your vehicle at the Alpine Visitor Center and behold 360-degree views of astonishing peaks, lakes, snowfields, canyons, forests, and meadows spread over 400 square miles. For a close look at the alpine ecosystem walk the Tundra Communities Trail to the east. To the west, the Rockies’ spine divides the continent into two watersheds. One flows west to the Pacific, the other east to the Atlantic. On the park's drier east side, snow blows in from the wetter west, replenishing the few remaining glaciers. All rest in cool, dark valley cirques, or bowl-shaped depressions. Higher summer temperatures since the 1990s have ‘caused the glaciers to melt back. On the park's US Department ofthe Interior west side, in the Never Summer mountains, the Colorado River begins as a tiny stream fed by snowmelt. Downstream, it will provide water to 40 million humans. Thrust skyward by Earth's forces between 40 and 70 million years ago, then sculpted by three glacial episodes, the Rockies are “new” in geo- logic terms. in 2009 Rocky Mountain National Park, a small neighborhood within this vast mountain range, became one of the nation’s “newest” designated wildernesses. Nature has always ruled this wild, fantastic place. But as. human-triggered events outside park boundar- ies increasingly affect life within the park, how will nature respond? What is our role? Nature’s Guideposts Travel through Ecosystems along Trail Ridge Road Montane below 9,000 feet ‘The montane ecosystem ithe parks gateway whether you enter fom Grand Ete ster Park of Wild Basin. On warm, Suti-fating slopes the ponderosa pines ‘mil greet you with ther sweet fragrance, The open, sunlight dappled forest of tall (ap to 150 feet tees feeds and sheers the tasseLeared Abert squire. the montanes streams. Ek: one ofthe Dark’ larger mammals, gather hereto rut Inall They eat the aspen trees sft inner Bark and shoots, and leave a calling cara ‘of abraded aspen trunks On cool, ‘orth facing slopes, forests are dense ‘with Dougis-fr and lodgepole pine. Montane Subalpine 9,000-11,400 feet down tothe subalpine, creating a wet conystem with over 30 nches of pred {ation annually sharptpped, pungent Engelmann spruce and flat-neadled fr teees preva reaching 10 feet. The un- derstory supports shrubs tke Blueberry, wax eurant huckleberry, and Wood's ‘ore. Wildflower like arma, ary sippet {winflower and purple elephants heas Colonize open meadows (on the park's southern edge, the water ‘Suze or Amerson dipper defies fat run ‘woods: Look forthe pocket gopher and ‘olden montled ground squire. Legacy of Stewardship Native Americans ved on Sd cared fr this land or centuries As human rumbers and uses grew, people recognized that preservation was need ed. Many passionate a voeates for park emerged Including naturist and guide Enos Mls (1870-1823) He led the push fora wider hess park. Mining. grazing. and fogging Incerets led for national forest ‘where commercial activites could contin. Ue: in 1915 Congress dedicated Rocky ‘Mountain tional Park Influential Estes Park resident Mary King Semon (1862-1835) aso campaigned hard te establish the park She promoted ‘utdoer education cling better health ‘nd an increased sense of vie duty a¢ benefits, Her idess are cornerstones of National Park Serie programs today. Long before anyone envisioned a Rocky ‘Mountain National Par, isabella Bird (1831-1908) published A Ladys Life in the Rocky Mountains. Her book helped make thers aware ofthe regions rugged Beauty and “unprotaned freshacss" and Paved the way for preservation Alpine above 11,400 feet Extremely thin sol, strong ultraviolet ligne drying winds, and biter cold define fe onthe tundra. Many pants hug the ‘round in dense mat (avene, Below Foe preserve moisture with waxen leat sacar wap warmth agai stems In summer but migrate in fal ke many ther species in the park to lower eleva tions the resilent white talled ptarmigan Ison exception. This bir stays al winter Inthe alpine zone, warmed by feathered veld, most legs, and feet Subalpine 1 1873 afar trapper called Mountain Ji helped isabella Bird climb Longs Peak. He was one among many who vaveled to the Rocky Mountains in Search of natural beauty of bounty. Native Americans preceded all thers in this wild place Tools, pottery, and rock piles whgper of human presence over 40,000 years ago, when Paleoindians sear Sonaly hunted and possibly waded here. {Stet Ute, cheyenne, and Arapaho bands Came to these mountains. They probably ‘ware the path now known as Tall Ridge Road. They left few other aces. —— Bec rane ver one milion people now pour into ‘the park in’ sh week period each sum ‘mor Neatby urban areas affect how the park's managed, Decades of fire suppres Son crated dense undergrowth, which ‘nly increased the threat to surrounding ‘Communities and caused changes inthe forest composition. ver 35 invasive. Plant species now mingle ith natives ‘To better understand these and other challenges, the park has set aide areas orscience and research, tis also home {the Continental Divide Learning Cen tec whore education and research pro ‘grams focus on park rerources. tonal park moves into second century It preserve natural Systems and cul tral stones for future generations What rte can you yt ply inthe park's next ‘one hundred years? Roaming Rocky Mountain National Park Pak information Check your foe park szards* While driving, out prior permision, » All vehicles includ More information rewspaper for current information about stay set for vildifecrosing the roads, ng Brel, must stay on Foads orn park- Rocky Mountain National Park ree lunva NVacierivess Uisitor centers safety and high country ing areos. stopping or parking on roads s 1000 Hwy 36. tn 2008 Congres protected Survival rangeried programs services, Pets Petsare prohibited in all areasnot prohibited. « Overnight parking requires a Estes Par, CO 80517-8397 hiking tail widife shut buses and acessible by motor vehicle, including permit. + Do not feed, approach, of ry to 97086-1206; TTY 97086-1319 more Find lodging and wsitor services at trallsand meadows. Do not leave pets. touch any wild anima. = Leave willow- waw.nps.govromo fetes Park and ‘ Unattended in vehicles, Where allowed, ers and other plants for others to enjoy. tetrad pater, Skaragecakoronccurveste CNAs Seeman Sand entrances Camp only in designated. Rocky Mountain National Park is one Campgrounds Allbackcountyy camping of ever 400 parks the National Park i Fequiesa permit: Bonet leave property System. To learn more about national 1 bid sudden weather changes present Unattended for more than 24hours with- parks, vst wwinps.9o. wideress [] Nowe mae
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