Doug and I got together in Estes Park, the gate way to
Rocky Mountain National Park.
These are the sentinels to the east entrance of the park.
I took this from the parking lot that we left from.
From left to right, I think it is Notchtop Mt./Knobtop/Little Matterhorn
It was sunny and cloudy all day. The clouds would move in and the
temp would drop, they moved away and the temps would come up.
We first rode south up Marys Lake Rd and then up HW7 to Lily Lake.
Twin Sisters Peaks from Lily Lake.
After 1.5K' of climbing, we headed back down to Estes Park.
From there we headed down Big Thompson Canyon to Drake.
It's a fast, dessert laden ride. I love dessert.
At Drake, we turned north for the climb to Glen Haven and Devil's Gulch.
We stopped for a rest and shed the jackets along the North Fork of
the Big Thompson river. Up a bit, but still running clear.
The run off is yet to come.
A gradual 9mile climb to the village of Glen Haven,
a quick rest and on to the short, but brutal climb up Devil's Gulch.
Looking back down the climb from the top.....a really good place to be.
From the top of Devil's Gulch, there is an amazing panoramic view
of the valley and Mt. Meeker and Long's Pk to the south.
Mt. Meeker is on the left, w/it's twin summits.
Longs is on the right. The top of the Diamond Face is clear just below the
summit. The snow fields going from the middle up to the ridge on the right,
is the Boulder field approach to the Key Hole. The Key Hole is the small notch
on the far right of the ridge. It is the standard climbing route.
Up close and personal Long's summit. The Diamond Face is obscured by the clouds.
To the left of the big notch, is the Devil's Staircase. Another popular, but dangerous
climbing route. Somewhat obscured by the clouds in the lower left is Ships Prow.
.....and for that calendar/screen saver.....
A day of 43miles, 3.8K' of climbing......after 68miles, 1.4k' climbing on Sat.
w/the most important part in the middle.
10hrs Sat. night at 12.2cm/H20, AHI 1.0.
I'll see you on the road.
