Tuesday, March 19, 2024

The Lawn Lake Flood

In 1903 a 26-foot high earthen dam was built at Lawn Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park to enhance the natural lake from 16.4 acres to 48 acres, in order to help with crop irrigation in the Loveland area. Nearly 80 years later, on July 15, 1982, the dam catastrophically failed, while releasing more than 300 million gallons of water down the Roaring River valley. Some witnesses claim the failure created a wall of water 25 to 30 feet high! As the water ripped through the landscape it created the Alluvial Fan near the confluence with Fall River in Horseshoe Park. After killing three campers the water rushed down Elkhorn Avenue in Estes Park (see photos below) before stopping at Lake Estes. In all, damages to the area totaled roughly $31 million. Even today sections of the Roaring River's high gully walls remain unstable and prone to sudden collapse. The dam failure led to the removal of three other man-made dams within the park, including Pear Lake, Sandbeach Lake and Bluebird Lake.

Evidence of some the destruction from the infamous Lawn Lake Flood are still on display along the Lawn Lake Trail, but the lake itself appears to have completely recovered. In my opinion, Lawn Lake is one of the more scenic lakes in the park.
Photos courtesy of the Denver and Coloradoan Libraries.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Monday, March 18, 2024

Grand Teton National Park Foundation announces Mormon Row preservation project matching donation

The Grand Teton National Park Foundation recently announced that a donor will match all donations up to $300,000 for the Mormon Row preservation project. In a recent email, the Foundation stated:
As we near the conclusion of a multiyear campaign to renew the Mormon Row Historic District, we are excited to announce that a long-time friend of the park, John L. Nau, III, is offering a challenge grant to help us reach our goal:

Every dollar given to preserve Mormon Row will be matched up to $300,000.

This the largest cultural preservation project in Grand Teton's history. Any contribution, no matter the size, will help us ensure that the park's most popular historic district continues to inspire visitors for generations to come!
As noted, this is a multiyear campaign. In 2024, the GTNPF will be restoring the Roy Chambers Homestead:
What's Next in 2024
The next phase of work for our Renewing Mormon Row initiative is to continue restoring the Roy Chambers Homestead with the rehabilitation of the buildings and the installation of modern utilities. Once complete, the structures will be ready to house additional seasonal park staff.

Visitor experience improvement planning is moving forward this year with design development. This process will lay out plans for new, accessible pathways connecting the historic homesteads and inviting visitors to explore each site. The plan will also focus on the district's rich history through much-improved wayfinding and interpretive media.
For more information, and to donate, please click here.




Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Lion Lake No. 1

For whatever reason, I never took the chance to hike to Lion Lake No. 1 until just a few years ago. Wow! What was I waiting for? The rugged subalpine landscape that surrounds this lake offers some of the most beautiful scenery in Rocky Mountain National Park, while also arguably making it the most scenic lake in Wild Basin:




Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Friday, March 15, 2024

Pierce Brosnan fined for foot travel in a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park

Pierce Brosnan, 70, of Malibu, California, was fined $500, and required to pay a $1,000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Fund, a $30 court processing fee, and a $10 special assessment. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick imposed the sentence on March 14, in Mammoth, Wyoming.

Mr. Brosnan pleaded guilty to foot travel in a thermal area. According to court documents, on or about Nov. 1, 2023, Brosnan uploaded pictures to his Instagram page of himself standing on a Yellowstone National Park thermal feature at Mammoth Hot Springs. There are signs posted in the area that warn visitors of the dangers of thermal features and state that visitors must remain on the designated boardwalks and trails.

The United States Attorney’s Office asked the court to sentence Brosnan to 2 years’ probation and the maximum fine of $5,000.

The National Park Service (NPS) reminds Yellowstone visitors that the ground in thermal areas is fragile and thin, and scalding water is just below the surface. Therefore, trespassing on thermal features is dangerous and can harm delicate natural resources within the park. Additionally, the park was established primarily to protect these hydrothermal areas. NPS encourages visitors to exercise extreme caution around thermal features by staying on boardwalks and trails.

NPS also urges people to protect themselves and the fragile environment by taking the Yellowstone Pledge: act responsibly and safely and set a good example for others. If you see someone, in person or online, whose behavior might hurt them, others, or the park, tell a ranger. If you’re in the park, dial 911.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Thursday, March 14, 2024

USDA invests nearly $66M to improve roads, trails, and water quality

Earlier this week the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced nearly $66 million to improve water quality, roads, trails, bridges and fish habitat on national forests and grasslands nationwide.

With more than 160,000 miles of trails, 7,200 trail bridges, 6,700 road bridges, and 370,000 miles of roads in national forests, this investment will support urgently needed maintenance and repairs on roads and trails, including road decommissioning, and removal of barriers to fish passage, increasing resiliency on our forest lands across the country.

National forests are also home to more than 400,000 miles of streams and 3 million acres of lakes. Approximately 80 million people rely on clean drinking water sources that originate on national forests and grasslands. These investments will protect infrastructure and support healthy watersheds in national forests so that they can continue to provide clean drinking water to the people and communities that depend on them.

Of the total funding, $37.5 million will be invested in the Legacy Roads and Trails Program, which improves water quality, restores habitat for threatened and endangered fish or wildlife, and maintains access for visitors, businesses and wildland firefighters on national forests and grasslands.

$28.1 million will be invested through the Collaborative Aquatic Restoration Program to support a second round of projects to improve water quality, prevent the spread of E. coli, restore fish passage for threatened, endangered, and other aquatic species, increase landscape resiliency, and eliminate high sediment loads in drinking water systems.

For a complete list of projects being funding in fiscal year 2024, visit Legacy Roads and Trails and Collaborative Aquatic Landscape Restoration.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park