Notes:

- Throughout this FAQ, I use a few acronyms:

Acronym	Translation
-------	----------------------------
RMNP	Rocky Mountain National Park
NPS	National Park Service
WWW	World Wide Web

- Any question with a '*' indicates the question is not answered at this time.

Contents:

Section I - FAQ Administrative Information

1.1 Why a FAQ for RMNP?


Section II - Visiting The Park

2.1 How do I get to RMNP?
2.2 What do I do when I get there?
2.3 Where are the best places to hike in the Park?
2.4 Do I need a permit to camp in the Park?
2.5 How do I reserve a camp site?
2.6 What is a good place to stay near the Park?
2.7 How soon should I reserve a room at a resort near the Park?
2.8 What areas of the Park are handicapped-accessible?


Section III - Longs Peak

3.1 What is Longs Peak?
3.2 Why is Longs Peak so popular?
3.3 Great! How can I climb it?
3.4 Somebody said Keyhole Route is closed...?


Section IV - Working In The Park

4.1 How can I get a job at RMNP?
4.2 How can I get a job at a resort near RMNP?
4.3 How do I volunteer to work at RMNP?

SECTION I - FAQ Administrative Information

1.1 Why a FAQ for RMNP?

The FAQ was started in 1995 (and first appeared in 1996) in an attempt to answer the more frequent questions regarding the Park (surprise).

SECTION II - Visiting The Park

2.1 How do I get to RMNP?

RMNP is located in the northern mountains of Colorado. Two major towns serve as ports of entry to the Park: Estes Park in the east, and Grand Lake in the west. The Park is approximately a two hour drive from Denver.

The most used route to the Park is via Highway 34 (which, incidentally, becomes Trail Ridge Road in the Park). To reach Highway 34, take I-25 north from Denver (or south from Fort Collins) to the Loveland/Highway 34 exit. From there, follow the road through Loveland and the Big Thompson Canyon to Estes Park, or even to the Park itself.

Two other highways serve the Estes Park area: State Highway 7 and US Highway 36 can be reached via Boulder or Lyons.

To reach Grand Lake, either drive over Trail Ridge Road from the east, or take Highway 34 north out of the town of Granby. Granby can be reached by taking Highway 40 north of I-70 (passing by Winter Park recreation area). This route will also take you over Berthoud Pass.

If you are arriving from Denver International Airport, you can take a shuttle to Estes Park. Some resorts offer shuttles to their customers. Otherwise, try Charles Limosine Service, which offers a shuttle from DIA and Boulder to Estes Park: 970-586-5151. Thanks to Peter Marsh for this information.

2.2 What do I do when I get there?

RMNP is full of exciting opportunities. By far, the most popular is driving along Trail Ridge Road, to elevations over 12,000 ft. A visitors center near the summit offers gift-buying and a resteraunt. A second road, Old Fall River Road, is a one-way dirt road that begins in Horseshoe Park and intersects Trail Ridge Road at the visitors center. Other visitors centers include the Kawuneeche Visitors Center (near Grand Lake), Lily Lake Visitors Center (south of Estes Park on State Highway 7), and the Moraine Park Museum on the road to Bear Lake.

Alternatively, you may wish to hike or backpack. The Park includes over 355 miles (570km) of trails, along with dozens of camp sites. All camping is by permit reservations only. See the section on camping for more info. Several stables in the area offer horse tours. Or, if you are adventurous, the Park hosts hundreds of popular and classic technical and alpine mountaineering routes.

RMNP is home to dozens of species of wildlife. Horseshoe Park in particular is a popular viewing area for sheep and elk. Another good area is the Never Summer area, north of Grand Lake. Please take care not to disturb the animals during your visit.

In the autumn, views of colorful aspen are hard to beat. Good areas include the Bear Lake and Glacier Gorge areas. Also, arrive in the early evening to hear the "elk rut", that is, the elk mating calls.

In the winter and spring, cross country skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, snowshoeing and snow camping are popular. However, many sections of the park receive both deep snows and cold weather. Come prepared!

And, of course, no trip to RMNP is complete without enjoying the multitude of wild flowers and plants the Park offers.

2.3 Where are the best places to hike in the Park?

That depends on your tastes. The most popular trails in the Park are the Flattop Mountain trail, Lawn Lake trail, Glacier Gorge/Loch Vale trail, East Longs Peak trail, and the Dream/Emerald Lake trail. However, these trails are also among the most crowded. Arrive early.

If desolation and quiet are what you are after, all I can say is explore the Park and find your own special areas (this keeps our personal favorite areas from becoming too crowded!). You will find that exploring the Park is as much fun as enjoying the secluded areas!

2.4 Do I need a permit to camp in the Park?

All backcountry camping in the Park requires permits. During the summer, permits cost $15. Permits are also required for bivouacs. RMNP maintains five campgrounds (Longs Peak, Aspenglen, Timber Creek, Moraine Park, Glacier Basin) that do not require permits. Longs Peak, Aspenglen and Timber Creek are first come first serve, while Moraine Park and Glacier Basin require reservations. See question 2.5 for reservation information.

2.5 How do I reserve a camp site?

Longs Peak, Aspenglen, Timber Creek Campgrounds: First come, first served. These campgrounds are open year-round.

Moraine Park, Glacier Basin Campgrounds: Reservations required. Call 1-800-365-2267 to make reservations. Group sites are available at Glacier Basin.

Backcountry Sites: Backcountry sites cost $15 per permit during the summer. For backcountry or bivouac permits, call (970) 586-1242. Permits may also be picked up without a reservation, but to be safe, phone reservations in ahead of time.

2.6 What is a good place to stay near the Park?

There are literally dozens of hotels and resorts in the Estes Park area that cater to a wide variety of tastes. The Estes Park Accomodations Association maintains a current list of Estes Park area lodgings, including everything from camp sites to ranches to bed and breakfasts. It is located on the WWW at:
http://www.estes-park.com/lodging/

2.7 How soon should I reserve a room at a resort near the Park?

Ideally, as soon as you can. It is nearly impossible to find a room in Estes Park during the summer. The Big Thompson Canyon (Highway 34) also contains many hotels, but they too fill quickly. During the peak season (July/August), even Loveland hotels are full. I would suggest contacting a potential hotel at least 4 to 6 months in advance at the minimum. It is not uncommon for folks to make reservations a year or so in advance.

2.8 What areas of the Park are handicapped-accessible?

All of the visitors centers and museums in the Park are accessible to handicapped visitors. Also accessible are trails to Bear Lake, Beaver Boardwalk and Coyote Valley. A handicap accessible backcountry camp site is at Sprague Lake. Many road-side pullouts and overlooks are also accessible.

SECTION III - Longs Peak

3.1 What Is Longs Peak?

Longs Peak, at 14,255ft (4345m)is the highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. It is also one of the most often climbed peaks not only in the Park, but in all of Colorado. In fact, most of the questions I see from people have something to do with Longs Peak. Hence, I have given it its own section in the FAQ.

Longs Peak has a shear eastern face (called the "diamond" for its diamond- like appearance from the east), roughly 1200-1500ft high.

3.2 Why is Longs Peak so popular?

Despite the fact that Longs is only the 15th highest peak in Colorado, Longs enjoys immense popularity. Longs Peak is one of three 14,000ft+ peaks visible along the front range (the other two being Pikes Peak and Mt Evans. However, south of Boulder, all but the very top of Longs Peak is hidden behind the large mass of Mount Meeker). Longs is the northern- most "fourteener" in Colorado.

Longs is popular for a multitude of reasons - the view from the top, the challenge of the climb, the proximity to major cities, and of course, the inspiring view of -- and from -- the peak itself.

3.3 Great! How can I climb it?

This is a difficult question to answer. Dozens (and dozens and dozens) of routes climb this peak, and almost all of those routes are technical in nature. To be perfectly blunt, even the handful of non-technical routes are difficult. On an average summer weekend, roughly 1/2 to 1/3 of those who attempt the climb actually make it to the summit.

Here's the point: if you are contemplating a climb of Longs, be prepared! Make absolutely *sure* you are in shape to make the climb (this can be done by climbing a few of the surrounding peaks, such as Twin Sisters or Mount Lady Washington). Also make sure you are used to high elevations (especially if you are arriving from at or near sea-level). A major complaint is "mountain sickness" due in part, to the high elevation. Also be sure to carry necessary gear, esp. water and extra clothing (including rain gear). Weather changes fast on Longs Peak. In short, don't let Longs be your first high-altitude climb. Many "fourteeners" are *much* easier than Longs (such as Mt Evans, and Grays and Torreys Peaks), and offer some good "training" for a climb of Longs.

Once you are physically (and hopefully mentally) prepared for the climb, you need to decide on which route to take.

ROUTES:

Of all the routes on Longs, only 3 non-technical routes are popular (there are more, of course, such as climbing up the Trough from Glacier Gorge, but they are all very strenuous and possibly even a bit too technical for a "non-technical climb"). They are:

1. Keyhole Route. This is the single most popular route on the peak.

2. Loft Route. Not as popular and a bit shorter than Keyhole route, but harder.

3. Keplinger's Couloir. Hardly ever climbed, due to a long (2 day) approach. This was the route taken on the first ascent of Longs.

Most of the routes on Longs are technical in nature. This means you have to have the skills, equipment and experience for alpine climbing to reach the summit on one of these routes. Routes range from the popular Kiener's Route (or Mountaineering Route) to the North Face route to countless difficult routes on the Diamond itself. RockByte has published some information on climbing the diamond.

Finally, no matter what route you choose, use common sense. Around 4 dozen people have died on the peak, many of them needlessly. If the climbing gets too hard, or the conditions start turning for the worse, please turn back! The mountain will still be there another day, when conditions will be better.

3.4 Somebody said Keyhole Route is closed...?

Well, sort of. The Keyhole Route never "closes" per se, unless the Park itself is closed (such as when the budget battle closed the Park in late 1995). However, Keyhole Route (and every other non-technical route on the peak) is generally snowed-in for 8 or 9 months out of the year. This means that they become technical winter climbs, meaning you need snow climbing gear and experience (ie, ice axe, crampons, rope, etc). In effect, the routes are simply "closed to non-technical climbing". Depending on how wet the previous winter/spring was, Keyhole Route is generally non-technical from mid July to mid/late September. A quick call to RMNP (970-586-1206) can confirm if it is "open" or not.

While, assuming you have the equipment and expertise, you can climb Longs year round, Longs is infamous for its avalanches. Be careful!

SECTION IV - Working In The Park

4.1 How can I get a job at RMNP?

First, check the Jobs section.

There are essentially two ways to work in RMNP. The first is to work for a park concessionaire, and the second is to work for the NPS itself.

The restaurant and gift shop at the Alpine Visitors Center atop Trail Ridge Road offers summer employment. For more information, view the following WWW page:

http://www.coolworks.com/showme/rockymtn/default.htm

The second option is to work for the NPS itself. Seasonal positions can be difficult to come by in RMNP, however. It is strongly recommended to gain experience by working in lesser known parks before applying at RMNP, as it will increase your chances for employment. First, check the Department of Interior's WWW site, at:

http://info.er.usgs.gov/doi/avads/announcements/index.html

Occasionally a job announcement for National Parks are posted. Alternatively, you can mail the NPS directly. The following info is from the NPS's WWW site, http://www.nps.gov, taken on January 1st, 1996:

First, contact an NPS Field Office for an instruction packet, including an application. The nearest field office to RMNP is:

Intermountain Area Field Office, NPS
12795 Alameda Pkwy
Denver, CO 80225
(303) 969-2000

Or, contact the Park directly (see Section I of this FAQ). Read through the packet, and fill out the application.

For winter seasonal employment, send the completed application to the field office, postmarked June 1 to July 15th.

For summer seasonal employment, send the completed application to

Seasonal Employment Unit, NPS
PO Box 37127, Room 2225
Washington, DC 20013-7127


postmarked between September 1st and January 15th.

4.2 How can I get a job at a resort near RMNP?

First, check the Jobs section.

You will have to contact each resort individually to find out about available positions. See question 2.6 of this FAQ for a list of resorts near RMNP.

4.3 How do I volunteer to work at RMNP?

The NPS offers what is called the Volunteer In Parks (VIP) program. However, the VIP program has no central administration for the entire NPS. Each national park administrates the VIP program for that park. To volunteer in this program at RMNP, contact the park directly (see Section I of this FAQ).

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