A distinguishing feature of Rocky Mountain National Park is its
profusion of precipice-walled canyons lying between the very feet, so to
speak, of the loftiest mountains. Their beauty is romantic to a high
degree. Like all the other spectacles of this favored region, they are
readily accessible from the valley villages by trail, either afoot or on
horseback.
Usually several lakes are found, rock embedded, in such a gorge.
Ice-cold streams wander from lake to lake, watering wild-flower gardens
of luxuriance and beauty. However, the entire park is a garden of wild
flowers. From early June to late September, even into October, the
gorges and the meadows, the slopes, and even the loftier summits, bloom
with colors that change with the season. Blues, lilacs, and whites are
the earlier prevailing tints; yellow predominates as autumn approaches.
There are few wilder and lovelier spots, for instance, than Loch Vale,
3,000 feet sheer below Taylor Peak. Adjoining it lies Glacier Gorge on
the precipitous western slope of Longs Peak and holding in its embrace a
group of lakelets. These, with lesser gorges cradling romantic Bear
Lake, picturesque Dream Lake, beautiful Fern Lake, and exquisite Odessa
Lake, and still others yet unnamed, constitute the Wild Gardens of the
Rocky Mountain National Park, lying in the angle north of Longs Peak;
while in the angle south lies a little known wilderness of lakes and
gorges called Wild Basin.
At timberline, where the winter temperature and the fierce icy winds
make it impossible for trees to grow tall, the spruces lie flat on the
ground like vines; presently they give place to low birches, which, in
their turn, give place to small piney growths, and finally to tough,
straggling grass, hardy mosses, and tiny alpine flowers. Grass grows in
sheltered spots even on the highest peaks, which is fortunate for the
large curve-horned mountain sheep which seek these high, open places to
escape their special enemies, the mountain lions. Even at the highest
altitudes gorgeously colored wild flowers grow in glory and profusion in
sheltered gorges. Large and beautiful columbines are found in the lee of
protecting masses of snow banks and glaciers.
[Illustration: A HIGH COUNTRY LODGE]
_Grant photo._
Nowhere else is the timberline struggle between the trees and the winds
more grotesquely exemplified or its scene more easily accessible to
visitors of average climbing ability. The first sight of luxuriant
Engelmann spruces creeping close to the ground instead of rising 150
feet or more straight and true as masts arouses keenest interest. Many
trees which defy the winter gales grow bent in half circles. Others,
starting straight in the shelter of some large rock, bend at right
angles where they emerge above. Others which have succeeded in lifting
their heads in spite of winds have not succeeded in growing branches in
any direction except in the lee of their trunks, and suggest big
evergreen dust brushes rather than spruces and firs.
Above timberline the bare mountain masses rise from one to three
thousand feet, often in sheer precipices. Covered with snow in autumn,
winter, and spring, and plentifully spattered with snow all summer long,
the vast, bare granite masses, from which, in fact, the Rocky Mountains
got their name, are beautiful beyond description. They are rosy at
sunrise and sunset. During fair and sunny days they show all shades of
translucent grays and mauves and blues. In some lights they are almost
fairylike in their delicacy. But on stormy days they are cold and dark
and forbidding, burying their heads in gloomy clouds from which
sometimes they emerge covered with snow.