Buses will begin boarding at 7:15 a.m. at the YMCA Hyde Chapel Parking Lot and will depart at 7:30 a.m. SHARP. Buses will return at 4:30 p.m. Field trip attendees should get breakfast in the Dining Hall quickly before boarding buses. The Dining Hall opens at 7:00 a.m. for breakfast. Spend a full day exploring Rocky Mountain National Park and learning about our cervids, to include Rocky Mountain elk, mule deer, and moose. The tour will follow Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous motorway in the US, taking you to 3,713m elevation and across the alpine tundra - ensuring spectacular 360-degree views throughout the day. Our tour guides will be local experts who are conducting research studies and guiding management programs. Topics to be experienced will include:
- History and ecology of the elk population, to include impacts on native flora and fauna and current management. Updates on ongoing research.
- History, status and management of chronic wasting disease in RMNP and the surrounding region.
- Seeing a vast area of forest impacted by beetle kill and learning about its impacts on our cervids.
- Ecology and habitat of moose, briefing on a multi-year study just being initiated.
- Local issues with mule deer and elk in and around Estes Park and other area communities.
During the field trip we anticipate seeing large numbers of elk, some mule deer, and, hopefully, a moose or two. Other mammals we may encounter include bighorn sheep, marmots, and pika among other species. Avifauna could include several species of jays and other corvids, woodpeckers, and passerines as well as bald and golden eagles. We hope you join us for this fun and information-packed day in the glorious Rocky Mountains.
This trip has a maximum capacity and is strictly for conference attendees only. Regrettably guests cannot attend. The cost is $50 and includes a bag lunch, water and snacks.
