Neither snow nor rain nor cold nor gloom of night stays these tourists from the impatient completion of their appointed rounds.
And so the Rocky Mountain blues continue. This holiday weekend has been mostly rain, clouds, and temperatures in the 40s and 50s. Snow and clouds obscured the camera at the Alpine Visitor Center on Trail Ridge Road. And in addition, the cloud ceiling dropped so low that most sought-after mountain vistas were obscured. Those who dared leave their cars probably encountered soft ground even more vulnerable than normal to damage. And yet they continued to crowd into Rocky Mountain National Park.
The calendar and their reservations required they be there this weekend if they were to be there at all. And while I abhor the presence of the mobs, I hope each individual manages to absorb a bit of the majesty and wonder that is Rocky and vows to return someday at a much quieter time to enjoy what they were denied this week.
Those more interested in glamping, drinking, fireworks, petting wildlife, trashing the environment, etc. can jolly well go elsewhere. And as long as we’re stuck with a reservation system including names, addresses, and, hopefully, license plate numbers, let’s establish a database of such individuals and deny them admission in the future. To this or any national park.