Dave Lively Storyteller of History

19/04/2024

Planning for summer and fall trips to Rocky?

Beginning May 24 to mid-October, timed entry vehicle permits will be required to enter Rocky Mountain National Park during certain hours of the day. There will be two different options to choose from: Timed Entry or Timed Entry + which includes the Bear Lake Road Corridor.

📅 Mark your calendars!

Timed entry permits for the dates of May 24 - June 30 will be available to reserve on www.recreation.gov beginning at 8 a.m. MDT on May 1.

For more detailed information and a list of frequently asked questions and answers, visit RMNP's timed entry webpage at go.nps.gov/romo/timedentry

Image Credit: NPS Graphic

05/04/2024

Get your timed entry reservation early or try for the ones that are held back until the day before you want to enter RMNP. A third option is to contact the local tour company in Grand Lake.

19/02/2024

Happy Moose Monday

13/02/2024

RMNP QUOTE OF THE WEEK
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:
I love not Man the less, but Nature more...
-Lord Byron, 1812
(NPS: RMNP image of a high alpine lake in summer by D. Bialeschki)

04/02/2024

When I founded Historic Fraser this was one of the highest priorities I wanted to get done. Other people took it on and got the job done and SAVED!
I was proudly one of the three people to be recognized for saving the site and buildings.

Located just outside of Fraser, this 320-acre ranch was first homesteaded by Dick McQueary to provide a stop for the Georgetown Stage Line as well as a hotel...

18/12/2023

20/10/2023

20/10/2023

18/10/2023

It's that time of year. They try to reopen the road about Memorial Day depending on the weather.

Today, Wednesday, October 18, Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) officially closed for the season to through travel.

Trail Ridge Road is not designed to be an all-season road, with 11 miles above 11,500 feet, few guard rails, and no shoulders. Winter conditions of drifting snow, high winds and below- freezing temperatures occur above 10,000 feet.

Trail Ridge Road is currently closed at Many Parks Curve on the east side of RMNP and at the Colorado River Trailhead on the west side of the park. Closure points on the road may fluctuate this fall, however the road is closed to through travel for the season.

Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road remain open to bicycles, hikers, and people walking leashed pets through November 30. Leashed pets and bicycles are only allowed on the road, not on side trails. On December 1, both of these roads will revert to "winter trail status" which means that bicycles and leashed pets will no longer be permitted beyond the closed gates, but pedestrians, snowshoers and skiers are.

Visitors coming to Rocky in October should be prepared for winter driving conditions at any time and be ready to adjust travel plans as needed.

Image Credit: NPS Photo - Snow on Trail Ridge Road, taken October 16, 2023

18/09/2023

Another step forward to this preservation story.

29/07/2023

09/06/2023

A combination of high water from seasonal snowmelt and recent rains have contributed to flooding near the Colorado River. The Colorado River Trail, located on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park, is temporarily closed approximately ¼ mile north of the Red Mountain/Colorado River Tail Junction. The trail is currently under water and impassable.

This trail will reopen when the high water that is currently flooding across the trail recedes. Use caution when hiking near all river and stream crossings. Water in all mountain rivers, streams, and waterfalls is flowing very high and fast this time of year.

For your safety, if water is flowing across a trail, stop and don't try to cross. The power of the current could knock you off your feet. Turn back and complete your hike another day.

Image Credit: NPS Photo - A section of the Colorado River Trail is under water. taken June 7, 2023

24/05/2023

Trail Ridge Road is now open to Milner Pass! Reach this point, and you'll be at an impressive elevation of 10,759 feet (3,279 meters) above sea level.

Milner Pass marks a significant point along the famous Continental Divide. It serves as the boundary between the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds. The pass provides a haven for a diverse range of Colorado wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for moose, elk, marmots, grey jays, and even the elusive mountain goats as you explore this section of the Rocky Mountains.

Make Lupine Village at Grand Lake your homebase for summer adventures in Rocky Mountain National Park this summer. Visit lupinevillage.com - only a few summer dates left!

11/05/2023

As always, they are working hard at it to get it open for us. Thank you RMNP employees.

02/05/2023

Get involved during Historic Preservation Month. Nominate to the Colorado Endangered Place list at Colorado Preservation Inc.

Thank you for your interest in Colorado Preservation, Inc.! There are various ways to get involved with the work we do to preserve historical places in Colorado.

23/04/2023

Ticks are out! The tick pictured here hitched a ride when someone was out hiking and was found inside one of the park's offices.

What are ticks? Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks (Dermacentor andersoni) are parasites that feed on the blood of their hosts. It is important to be tick aware, as they can transmit diseases to humans.

Help protect yourself from ticks through the following steps:

🥾 When hiking, try to walk in the center of the trail and avoid tall grasses. Check yourself and your kids for ticks every few hours. Check your head, ankles, wrists and waistbands.
👕 Cover your skin by wearing long sleeves and long pants. Pull socks over the cuffs of your pants to prevent ticks from attaching to the skin around your ankles.
🎒 Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
🌲 Use insect repellent that contains DEET, which can be effective in repelling ticks.

For more information on Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks, visit our Tick Safety page at https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/tick-safety.htm

Image Credit: NPS Photo

19/04/2023

Get your nomination in for this wonderful program.

📣Nominations are OPEN for the 2024 Colorado’s Most Endangered Places List!📣

Know of a threatened historic resource in your community? Nominate it to CPI’s Most Endangered Places Program today.

Join 135 historic resources in building advocacy and awareness for Colorado’s threatened and endangered places. The nomination deadline is Monday, August 21, 2023. Visit http://coloradopreservation.org/programs/endangered-places/ for more information.

Questions? Email Katie Peterson, Endangered Places Program Director, at [email protected].

PHOTO: Supporters standing at the South Platte Hotel, one of the most recent additions to CPI's Colorado's Most Endangered Places.

15/04/2023

Planning a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park? It's always a good idea to check the weather first.

While temperatures are warming up elsewhere, spring in Rocky often means there will be snow on the ground. March and April are typically the snowiest months for the park. Be prepared for winter hiking and driving conditions.

For the most up to date weather information on Rocky, visit the National Weather Service's page at https://www.weather.gov/bou/rmnp.

Image Credit: NPS Photo

06/04/2023

Lively Tours and Talks operates under a permit with RMNP allowing a permanent reservation. You do not need a RMNP reservation on a tour into Rocky with Lively Tours and Talks.

Planning a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park this summer? Know before you go and plan to obtain your Timed Entry Permit if visiting from May 26 through October 22, 2023. The reservation permit system will be similar to that used in 2022, with two types of reservations available:

⛰️ One permit will be for the Bear Lake Road Corridor (Estes Park side of the Park), which includes the entire corridor, as well as access to the rest of the park. This reservation period will be from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.

⛰️ The second permit will be for the “rest of the park,” excluding the Bear Lake Road corridor (the West/Grand Lake side of the Park). This “rest of park” reservation period will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This system helps manage the number of visitors entering the park at any given time, reducing overcrowding and ensuring a more enjoyable and safer experience for all. Plus, it helps preserve the natural beauty of our national treasures.
Timed Entry Permit Reservations to enter the park will be available starting at 8 a.m. MDT on Monday, May 1st - visit https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/timed-entry-permit-system.htm for more info.

02/03/2023

🎯 💯

04/02/2023

Planning to go hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park? Trails in the park are snow packed and icy.

Be prepared for winter hiking conditions. Bear Lake has over 50 inches of snow and expect blowing snow due to the wind. When hiking on trails at higher elevations, snowshoes are recommended.

Did you know that Rocky has a trail conditions report? Learn what other visitors have shared about their recent hikes in the park. See the latest trail conditions report at https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/trail_conditions.htm.

Image Credit: NPS/Bialeschki

26/01/2023

Happy Birthday to Rocky!

05/01/2023

I'd never seen this or heard anything about it. Can I have one?

CriticalPast is an archive of historic footage. The vintage footage in this video has been uploaded for research purposes, and is presented in unedited form....