Carlsbad Caverns National Park (8.7.11)

In Carslbad we left the 100 degree weather of the Chihuahuan Desert and hiked one mile to spend 5 hours in the lovely 56 degree caves 700ft underground.

We wandered the labyrinth of caves spending most of our time in the Big Room, which has an area equivalent to 6 football fields! Even more impressive were the decorations. Polar bears and lions tails...

Stalactites & stalagmites were just the beginning! The features are incredible to see and a challenge for photographers. Our pictures barely do it justice & we highly recommend you check it out for yourself!

We also got to experience a total blackout. Where's Ailey? (part III)

Great Sand Dunes National Park (8.5.11)

Since we were down from Mt Elbert by lunchtime we packed up & drove to Great Sand Dunes National Park: 750ft tall dunes in southern CO.

We headed into the dunes armed with cereal boxes against the fierce wind.

It felt like walking across the Sahara.

Good times at the beach ... 1000 miles from the ocean.

Mt. Elbert (8.5.11)

As we left Rocky Mountain National Park a friendly ranger convinced (guilt-tripped) us into climbing nearby Mt Elbert - 2nd tallest in the lower 48! We had to start early from the base at 9600 ft to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms.

And were on the trail before sunrise.

We broke our personal record of 11,000ft early in the hike.

The trail was 4.5 miles UP and shot straight out of the treeline.

And we reached the top by 9am! (We found this sign under a rock at the top.)

Rocky Mountain National Park (8.2.11)

We escaped the crazy crowds by backpacking in the Rockies. Times were tough in the beginning: rain...

mosquitos...

and ... llamas?

However we were soon rewarded with beautiful flowers,

serene pools, 

and awesome views.

We had to wait out a thunderstorm under a boulder...

before clambering past waterfalls...

up and over rocks ...

and squeezing past snowdrifts...

for a better view of the Alpine Lakes.

We then followed a stream ...

down to a good fishing lake.

Still lots of mosquitos...

but with this view, who can complain?

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (7.26.11)

We stumbled upon this park on the map and, of course, couldn't pass by a national park! This one is a smaller and much narrower version of the Grand Canyon.

We took the "river access" trail down to the Gunnison river at the bottom of the canyon: 1800 ft down in 1 mile!

The trail was so steep that chains were required at times to navigate the loose dirt & rock.

We made it down to Gunnison - beautiful spot for fly fishing!

And Adam caught his first fish with a fly rod!!! Unfortunately Ailey was too busy reading to capture it on film so below is a picture of Adam animatedly relating the story of his catch.

We then made the short, but incredibly steep trek back to the rim of the canyon and rewarded ourselves with the mighty watermelon of the Gunnison!

Oregon Trail Interlude (7.24.11)

We had a fortuitous stop at a campground that abutted the Oregon Trail! 

We caulked the wagon & were ready to ford the river, but saw this sign and decided to head back to the general store to resupply.