MyFishFinder Forum

MFF US Northeast => New York => Topic started by: Bartman44 on Sep 25, 2021, 07:11 PM

Title: Trip West 2021
Post by: Bartman44 on Sep 25, 2021, 07:11 PM

For our 35th anniversary, my wife and I hit Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado for week of fun and exploration. Stayed just outside Estes Park but spent a lot of time in the National Park, sightseeing, hiking, and of course, fishing.
 
The Park – Beautiful, Trail Ridge Rd goes right over the mountains and you start in the valley but end up in the tundra. The park is accessible for all with trails for every skill level.  On top you’re over 12,000 feet above sea level.
(https://i.postimg.cc/VrFLjD3G/c1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/VrFLjD3G)

(https://i.postimg.cc/LnW4Bqbp/c2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/LnW4Bqbp)

(https://i.postimg.cc/wt86ZCz4/c3.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/wt86ZCz4)

(https://i.postimg.cc/QHCxTgSm/c4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/QHCxTgSm)

(https://i.postimg.cc/8stzcXds/c5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8stzcXds)

(https://i.postimg.cc/mPFLdbvF/c6.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/mPFLdbvF)

Wildlife – The elk are the big draw in the fall as they invade the town of Estes by the hundreds and go where they want and do what they want. They like the manicured green grass so they were set up in the town square or on the golf course but they also were in the National Park. We’d drive in the park at dusk, park and listen to them bugle. 
(https://i.postimg.cc/8FmV3sts/c10.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/8FmV3sts)

(https://i.postimg.cc/t1jj2FdL/c11.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/t1jj2FdL)

(https://i.postimg.cc/7fjDJF5P/c7.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7fjDJF5P)

(https://i.postimg.cc/R6Czz9Dd/c8.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/R6Czz9Dd)

(https://i.postimg.cc/pm8vfsjf/c9.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pm8vfsjf)


Fishing – The area is known for numerous but small to medium sized wild and colorful trout and it didn’t disappoint.   I fished the Big Thompson (reminded me of the West Branch of the Ausable River here in NY), Fall River, the upper Colorado in the Park, and some other streams in the area. Also fished Dream Lake which was full of cruising greenback cutthroat trout that were happy to take a size 20 dry fly. Special props to my wife for putting up with my addiction to stop and cast into any body of water that looked promising.   
(https://i.postimg.cc/878QzLYj/c12.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/878QzLYj)

(https://i.postimg.cc/Tp5vxtCz/c13.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Tp5vxtCz)

(https://i.postimg.cc/5j0M74vN/c14.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5j0M74vN)

(https://i.postimg.cc/Vrk2VgJH/c15.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Vrk2VgJH)

(https://i.postimg.cc/njSNbm7V/c16.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/njSNbm7V)

(https://i.postimg.cc/nXv8jC8T/c17.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nXv8jC8T)

(https://i.postimg.cc/zLj976Gg/c18.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/zLj976Gg)

(https://i.postimg.cc/TyGzrffx/c19.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/TyGzrffx)

Also took a tour of the Stanley Hotel and hit numerous breweries, Great trip, would recommend as Estes is only an easy 2 hour drive from Denver International. 
(https://i.postimg.cc/WqDC246G/c20.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/WqDC246G)

(https://i.postimg.cc/s11tPndM/c23.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/s11tPndM)

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: meandcuznalfy on Sep 25, 2021, 07:15 PM

Nice, looks like a great trip.

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: taxid on Sep 25, 2021, 07:41 PM

Thanks for sharing! Nice pictures!

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: oatkasut on Sep 25, 2021, 07:50 PM

Thanks for sharing those great pictures!Love those fish.

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: Raquettedacker on Sep 26, 2021, 04:32 AM

Looks like a great time Bart..
 Did you go to the full throttle brewery in Estes?

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: filetandrelease on Sep 26, 2021, 07:45 AM

 Thanks BM looks like a awesome trip and great pics thanks for posting them

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: iceman260 on Sep 26, 2021, 07:56 AM

Looks like an awesome trip, congrats on 35th anniversary, pictures are beautiful.

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: bbfrogger on Sep 26, 2021, 08:27 AM

Great pictures - sounds like an awesome trip

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: wallyworld on Sep 26, 2021, 09:40 AM

Congrats on the anniversary !! Great pics, thanks for sharing !!  Hoping to do that trip next fall.

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: reeleyz on Sep 26, 2021, 10:17 AM

Awesome pics! I love it out there.

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: Mac Attack on Sep 26, 2021, 10:24 AM

Awesome pics.
I showed Donna.
With the motorhome we recently bought, these are the type of trips we are looking forward to taking.
Thanks for sharing.

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: rgfixit on Sep 26, 2021, 01:33 PM

Happy anniversary Bart. Great way to celebrate it.

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: trapper2000 on Sep 26, 2021, 06:51 PM

beautiful .....and  going to the  Stanley is  icing on the  cake ...happy  anniversary Bart and thanks  for  sharing

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: hunts2long on Sep 27, 2021, 06:02 AM

Looks like you had a great trip, thanks for sharing it with us....h2l

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: Bartman44 on Sep 28, 2021, 05:54 PM

Thanks everybody.  If anyone needs any intel just PM me.  The National Park required timed entry this year and it was a bit funky but worked, I figured it all out in advance but still was a bit confused when we got there. I have it down now, be glad to share on that or anything else.

Dom, I did not see the  full throttle brewery in Estes but hit many more in Estes and outside Estes as well. Maybe next time.

Bart

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: Jim C. on Sep 28, 2021, 06:23 PM

Congrats on a great trip. Best looking batch of wild trout I've seen on here in a long time 8)

Title: Re: Trip West 2021
Post by: lowaccord66 on Oct 04, 2021, 06:59 PM

Really awesome trip!