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CHAPTER TWO
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Chipmunks and Gray Jays and Elk, Oh My!
It was only four o’clock when they finally found their campsite at Rocky Mountain National Park, but already the sun was dipping low towards the mountaintops. The ride from Denver had not taken long, but they had stopped once for some supplies, and then had stopped again at the park’s visitor center to get maps and their camping permit.
The scenery was beautiful as they drove through Big Thompson Canyon on the way up to the park. A river snaked through the canyon, and the road followed its path. Rocky cliffs towered above the road on either side. The little town of Estes Park stood between the canyon and the entrance of the park. The girls eyed the charming little shops with longing and hoped they would have the chance to come back sometime during the week to do a little shopping.
“Tourist traps! Those shops are just tourist traps, Kristi!” Skeeter teased. “Just waiting for you to spend your money on junky little souvenirs made in China! You girls don’t want—whoa! A fudge shop! Look, Dad—a fudge shop! I love fudge! Can we come back sometime and get some fudge? Huh, Dad? I just love fudge...”
“Tourist trap, Skeeter! You don’t want to spend your money on some stale old fudge, do you?” the three girls teased back. They laughed at the sheepish look on Skeeter’s face.
Rachel chuckled. “Well, I just love tourist traps, too—and junky souvenirs and stale old fudge! Of course, we’ll come back! There’s no way we girls could go a week without shopping!”
Steve groaned. “We’d better get out of town fast, guys! I feel a big delay coming on!”
The park entrance was just outside of town. The scenic route was very different than the ride through the canyon had been. If they thought Big Thompson Canyon was beautiful, the views in Rocky Mountain National Park were absolutely magnificent. Deep forests gave way here and there to wide open vistas of mountains and meadows, lakes and little brooks. The setting sun beyond the mountains gave everything a golden glow. The mountains stood tall and dark purple, edged by the fiery gold of the sun’s rays as it lingered a little longer at their edge.
It wasn’t long until they reached the Aspenglen Campground. “Kids, we’re going to have to hustle to get the tents set up before it gets dark,” Steve said. “Dan and Pete, why don’t you get the campfire going, okay? Don’t pick up any wood from the ground—it’s not allowed. I bought several bundles of wood when we stopped for supplies. Skeeter, you can help me unload the van. Rachel, would you and the girls set up the tents? You remember how, don’t you? I’ll help you when we get done unloading. Come on, everyone—it’ll be totally dark in about 30 minutes.”
They had two large tents with them—one for the guys and one for the girls. The girls had no problems getting the tents set up in a hurry. They had done it before when they’d camped in Hawaii on a small deserted island. By the time the tents were up, the fire was roaring and the van was unloaded. And, as usual, Skeeter was moaning that he was starving.
“Well, Skeeter, supper is simple tonight—roasted hot dogs over the campfire. So if you’re that hungry, why don’t you look around and find us some good long sticks to put the hot dogs on. Everyone else, grab your sleeping bags, backpacks and other gear and let’s get things put away in the tents.” Rachel picked up the box of kitchen supplies and headed toward the picnic table. “Oh and, Steve? Would you mind lighting the lanterns? We could use a little more light than just the campfire. Thanks!”
The hot dogs were sizzling over the fire in no time. “Umm,” Skeeter groaned as he stuffed his second one in his mouth. “This is soooo good! Pass the chips, would you, Robyn? And Kristi, no fair toasting marshmallows until I’m ready! I plan on eating at least two more of these hot dogs before I start making s’mores!”
Dan gave his little brother a light punch in the arm. “You eat four hot dogs, Skeeter, and you won’t be eating s’mores! You’ll be begging for no more!”
The campfire felt wonderful in the chill of the night. The girls had piled on sweatshirts and knit caps before they ate but the toasty warmth of the fire was welcome as they huddled around it with their long sticks of marshmallows. “Now, these are yummy!” Robyn said. “The last time I remember having s’mores was at your grandfather’s ranch in Texas, Anna!” She licked her sticky fingers, trying to reach every bit of the marshmallow and chocolate that had dripped out of the graham crackers.
“And you’re just as messy now as you were back then!” Anna giggled. “But I wonder who is messier—you or Skeeter?” Everyone turned to look at Skeeter and burst out laughing.
“Me? What’s wrong with me?” Skeeter asked innocently. Chocolate covered his mouth and there was a dab of marshmallow right on the end of his nose.
“Well, Skeeter, let’s put it this way,” Pete said. “If a bear gets you tonight, he’ll have dinner and dessert all rolled into one!” They all burst into laughter again.
“Bears?” Anna and Kristi said then in unison. They looked over their shoulders nervously, trying to peer into the shadows beyond the reach of the campfire.
“Oh, yes! And lions. Mountain lions,” Dan said seriously.
“And tigers,” Pete said.
“Lions, and tigers and bears, oh my!” the two older boys chanted in glee.
“Oh, you two!” Kristi sputtered. “I should have known you were teasing!”
Peals of laughter rang out once more from their campsite. Kristi’s dad said seriously once the laughter had died down, “Well, actually, kids, there is some truth to that. There are bears and mountain lions in this park, although we’re not likely to see them. They’re usually in the more remote areas. No tigers, though! I think I can say with confidence, there are definitely no tigers in Rocky Mountain National Park!”
“Ooh, I hope we don’t see anything like that,” Robyn shuddered. “I don’t even like coyotes.”
“Me, either,” Skeeter said seriously, remembering a close encounter he had had once with a coyote and her pups back in California.
“Well, just in case you should run into a bear or mountain lion, here are a few things you should remember,” his dad said. “First of all, if you talk, sing, whistle or just make noise while you’re hiking you’ll be less likely to catch a bear by surprise. Somehow, with this bunch, I don’t think that will be a problem! Second, don’t leave food and beverages around in the tents or around the campsite. Don’t even leave garbage sitting around. Even buried garbage will attract bears. If you do see a bear, don’t go near it, even to take a picture! Usually a bear will run away from you, or he may stand up on his back legs or pretend to charge at you, but that does not necessarily mean he is going to attack. Just back away and go the other direction or make a wide detour around it, making sure it can hear you. Never corner a bear or cut it off from its escape route.”
Steve continued, “Mountain lions are even more dangerous—but also more rare. Never hike alone—especially you younger kids. The smaller the person, the more he is at risk with a mountain lion. So if you see a mountain lion, try to appear as large as possible; don’t bend over or crouch down. You can’t hide from a mountain lion, and never run because it will chase you down like a rabbit. Stand still or back away slowly. If the lion acts aggressively, wave your hands, shout, and throw sticks or stones at it.”
“Whoa, Dad! You’re scaring me!” Kristi said. “That was scarier than any ghost story I ever heard around a campfire!” Robyn, Anna and Skeeter all nodded, their eyes as big as saucers in their faces.
“Sorry, kids,” Steve laughed. “I didn’t mean to scare you. But it’s always best to be prepared. I promise—there’s nothing to worry about! We don’t plan to go to any remote areas, and we’ll all be together wherever we go. I’ll protect you!”
Dan jumped up and put his arm across his dad’s shoulder. He puffed out his chest and struck a “Superman” pose and said in a deep voice, “And I’ll protect you, too!”
“And I’ll pr
otect you, too!” Pete echoed, striking his own pose on the other side of Steve.
Rachel and the girls started giggling. “Boy, do I feel safe now!” Rachel laughed. Skeeter cried, “Save me, Mama! Save me!” He threw his arms around his mother and pretended to shake in his boots. That did it. The tense moments were over as the family laughed about who could protect them better—the trio of Supermen or “Mama.”
They lingered a while longer around the campfire until finally Steve said, “Okay, everyone. Time to clean up and get to bed. It’s been a long day and we have a lot of fun planned for tomorrow.”
Kristi was just snuggling down into her sleeping bag when Robyn whispered, “You don’t suppose a bear will come into our tent tonight, do you?”
“Not unless you’ve smuggled some marshmallows in here, Robyn! Go to sleep!” Kristi yawned and rolled over in her sleeping bag. “Oh great,” she thought to herself as she closed her eyes. “Now I’m probably going to have nightmares!” She woke up once during the night, thinking she heard snuffling around the tent, but she finally realized it was her dad snoring in the other tent. Kristi went back to sleep and the only bear she dreamed about that night was a teddy bear clutched in the arms of a special little girl.
The smell of bacon and eggs cooking on the camp stove and coffee brewing over the campfire brought the teens out of their tents in a hurry. The morning sun was bright, but a chill still hung in the air and a bit of fog rose from the meadow near their campsite. Rachel and Steve had been up for a while, enjoying a cup of coffee and the peace of the early morning in the great outdoors.
“Shh!” Rachel whispered. “Look!” She pointed toward the meadow. Through the thin morning mist the young people saw what she was pointing at. An elk stood in the meadow, quietly grazing. As they watched, several more elk stepped from the trees and joined the first in the field.
“Wow!” Skeeter breathed. “That’s so cool!”
“I’ve never seen an elk before,” Anna whispered. “They’re big—as big as the horses on my abuelo’s ranch!”
“The elk here in the park are used to people, so they’re not afraid to come out in the open,” Steve said softly. The words were no sooner out of his mouth when one of the elk turned toward them and slowly approached their campsite. They held their breath as the huge animal drew closer. It stopped at the edge of the campsite and stood staring at them. They stared back. Finally it turned and slowly disappeared into the trees beyond.
“Wow!” Skeeter said again.
“Where were its antlers, Daddy?” Kristi asked. “I thought elk had great big antlers?”
“That was a female, Kristi. Only the males have antlers.” Steve replied.
“Well, that sure was neat, but now I’m hungry!” Skeeter said. “That bacon really smells good! Let’s eat!” Everyone agreed and soon they were enjoying bacon, eggs and toast, toasted over the campfire. There was fresh juice and milk, too, icy cold from the cooler.
After breakfast the kids explored the campground a bit. It had been too dark to see much the night before by the time they had their tents pitched, although they’d certainly made the acquaintance of the path to the restrooms in a hurry!
There were a few other tents and a couple RV’s at Aspenglen, but many of the campsites were empty. “It must be because it’s September and most kids are in school. Boy, did we luck out!” Kristi said. The others agreed enthusiastically.
Most of the campsites were surrounded by trees, and heavy forest encircled the campground itself. The large clearing where they had seen the elk that morning was near the center of the campground. A small brook ran along one edge. They greeted a few of the other campers who were up and about, and were just headed back to their own campsite when they heard Rachel calling them.
“Come on, kids!” she called. “We’re going hiking! Grab your backpacks and a jacket and let’s go!” They all piled into the van and headed for the trailhead Steve had chosen for their first hike. The road wound for miles through the east side of the park and ended at Bear Lake.
The area around Bear Lake was one of the most popular places in the park. Several hiking trails began nearby, leading to other lakes, mountain waterfalls and even a glacier.
“We’re going to begin at Bear Lake,” Steve explained, “and from there hike to Nymph Lake, Dream Lake and finally, Emerald Lake. It’s only about two miles to the furthest point, and two miles back again, of course, but it’s not a hard hike or very steep. By the time we get to Emerald Lake we should be ready for lunch.”
“Sounds good, Dad!” Dan said. “Come on, guys! Last one there’s a rotten egg!” The teens grabbed their backpacks and eagerly took off toward Bear Lake.
There were far more vacationers at the picturesque little lake than there had been at their campground, but not nearly the crush of people there would have been during the peak summer months. The sun was warm, but a crisp breeze made the air a bit nippy. They noticed that they were huffing and puffing right away, also. Steve explained that they were at 9500 feet in elevation and the air was thinner than what they were used to. “Slow down, kids! There’s no rush. This little loop around Bear Lake is only a mile or so around—just right for a leisurely stroll!”
Rachel and Steve “strolled” along, enjoying the views of Long’s Peak, the highest mountain in the park at 14,225 feet, reflected in the smooth surface of the lake. The teenagers never slowed down, though, in their excitement at finally hiking in the Rocky Mountains. They were far ahead of Kristi’s parents when they came across a small stream running into the lake. They could see rainbow trout and a few speckled trout swimming in the clear water. Skeeter was on his stomach, trying to catch a fish with his bare hands when his mom and dad caught up with them.
“Skeeter!” his mother said in disbelief. “Get up right this minute! You’re going to freeze your hands in that icy water!”
“Aw, Mom,” he protested, holding his beet-red hands in the air. “They’re okay! I can’t even feel them!”
“No, of course not! They are frozen!”
Skeeter just laughed and shoved his fists into his pockets. He took off running after the other kids who had continued down the trail. Steve laughed and patted his wife’s arm. “Don’t worry, Rachel. They’ll probably have lots of little adventures on this trip that will worry you. But just think of it this way—they’re making memories!”
By the time they reached the teenagers again they were back at the parking lot. The trailhead for the other lakes began there, so after getting something to drink out of the cooler, they took their lunch supplies from the van and set out once more on the trail for Nymph Lake.
Nymph Lake was only half a mile up the trail. It was a pretty little lake, but a little more than half a mile further on was Dream Lake, and it was just what the name implied—a dream. The deep blue of the water mirrored the morning sky. The trail hugged the shore line under dark green pines. It was tempting to linger there and have their lunch, but in the end they decided to press on a little less than a mile to Emerald Lake. The trail was a little rougher and steeper between Dream Lake and Emerald Lake but not really a problem. By the time they reached Emerald Lake, though, they were more than ready for a break and something to eat.
They had the lake to themselves—or so they thought. They were the only park visitors that autumn morning that had braved the longer hike. They settled on a rocky outcropping overlooking the lake with their sandwiches and cookies and for a few minutes there was little conversation as they chowed down. Suddenly Anna chuckled softly and said, “Look!” They turned to see what she was looking at.
A pair of little chipmunks was creeping quietly toward Kristi and Robyn. They stopped in their tracks at the sudden movement of the group of people, but when nothing happened they bravely scampered a little closer. Kristi tossed a nibble of bread toward the little fellow closest to her. He grabbed it, stuffing it quickly in his cheek. The other chipmunk ran a little closer, looking for his share. Robyn tossed a piece to him.
/> “They’re so cute!” Rachel whispered.
Skeeter held out a piece of bread and made a little clicking noise. The chipmunks looked at him and without another glance at Kristi or Robyn, ran toward Skeeter. They waited for him to toss the bread to them, but he continued to hold on to it, reaching toward them. One of them courageously edged closer to Skeeter. The closer he got, the more agitated the other little guy got. Suddenly he scampered right past his little buddy and up Skeeter’s leg! He grabbed the crumbs from the boy’s fingers and leapt down, running away with his prize. Skeeter let out a little yelp.
“Did he bite you?” Rachel asked in concern.
“Nah—he just startled me,” Skeeter answered sheepishly. He looked down at the other chipmunk who was sitting there looking at him expectantly. “No way, little guy!” he said. “All I have left are my cookies, and you’re not getting them! I’m still hungry!” He held a cookie high in the air to keep it out of reach of the chipmunk.
Suddenly he let out a real yell as a blur flashed down from the tree above him and snatched the cookie from his uplifted hand. “Hey, he stole my cookie!” he yelled in outrage. The rest of them were just as surprised as Skeeter, and looked to see who “he” was.
Overhead was a gray jay, clutching the cookie, and scolding them loudly in his raucous voice. “I want my cookie back,” Skeeter yelled back, and shook his fist at the robber.
The others burst out laughing. Finally Pete said, “I don’t think he’s going to give it back, Skeeter. Here, you can have one of mine.” He slipped a cookie into Skeeter’s hand, taking care not to let either the chipmunk or the bird see it. He murmured with a twinkle in his eye, “Hmm, and to think just last night we were worried about lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!”
Rocky Mountain Rescue (Kristi Cameron Book 3) Page 2