Jeff & I recently spent a day in Rocky Mountain National Park. This beautifully preserved wilderness is located near Estes Park, Colorado, and it covers an area of 265,873 acres. It was a lovely day spent celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary.
"Hear the summons night and day
Calling us to come away.
From the heights we leap and flow,
To the valleys down below.
Always answering to the call,
To the lowest place of all.
Sweetest urge and sweetest pain,
To go low and rise again."
~Hinds' Feet on High Places~
We saw some elk cows off in the distance.
The bulls were by themselves.
I went to get a closer look.
Mountain Man got bored with my picture taking and went for a short hike.
Triumph!
These elk were magnificent!
Antlers in velvet are sensitive (making the elk more docile)
and can grow up to one inch in a day.
and can grow up to one inch in a day.
Elks eyes are designed to detect movement.
The can see ahead, beside and somewhat behind them.
The can see ahead, beside and somewhat behind them.
An average bull weighs 700 pounds and stands five feet at the shoulder.
A set of antlers on a mature bull can weigh up to 40 pounds.
Elk are herbivores, which means they only eat plants.
These elk were above 11,000 feet.
The temperature was a very pleasant 60 degrees.
The temperature was a very pleasant 60 degrees.
About one million elk live in the western United States.
I was glad I had my long lens.
Don't forget to visit Laura's Ice Cream in Estes Park.
My personal favorite: Turtle Ice Cream served in a waffle cone
that's been dipped in chocolate & toffee.
It's so worth the trip!
I am the bread of life:
he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me
shall never thirst.
~Jesus~
