I first visited Estes Park in the summer of 2005. I went to Estes Park to volunteer with the National Park Service for several research projects taking place at Rocky Mountain National Park. I lived in a cabin on park property for about 2 months while volunteering for 6 to 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. I spent all of my free time exploring Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, and fell in love with the area.

There was something special about waking up as the sun rose, working hard during the day, and going to sleep shortly after it darkness fell. I ate three hardy meals each day, and needed all 4,000 calories that I consumed since I usually hiked 3 to 10 miles each day through the mountains. Sometimes I would hike alone and enjoy God’s beautiful creation, and other times I would find hiking partners to accompany me on routes. I’ll write some more about this experience soon. Meanwhile, here’s a picture I took in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Estes Park mountains