January Centennial Events

Year-round Activities

RMNP Centennial Ranger Programs
Starting in Summer 2014, these FREE talks, walks, and evening programs with a ranger are offered throughout the year. Please consult our park newspaper when you arrive for ranger programs being offered during your visit.


Celebrate our Centennial with the Colorado Mountain Club (Starting September 2014)
The Colorado Mountain Club was instrumental in the formation of Rocky Mountain National Park 100 years ago. Original members participated in a 1914 pack trip organized to give Arapaho names to area peaks and features in an effort to help persuade Congree to establish Rocky Mountain National Park. James Grafton Rodgers, who began lobbying for designation as a national park in 1907, became the first president of the Colorado Mountain Club in 1912. Cut and paste this web address into your browser for details: http://www.cmc.org/About/YearoftheMountaineer/RMNPCentennial.aspx

  • Climbs, Hikes, and Snowshoes of 100 of the 125 Named Peaks in the Park
  • 100 Mile Hike Combo
  • Wildflower Hikes led by Colorado Native Plant Masters

YMCA of the Rockies Centennial Hikes (Starting September 2014)
The
YMCA of the Rockies has been leading educational excursions into Rocky Mountain National Park since the park's creation in 1915. Come enjoy the beauty and backcountry of the park with one of their talented hike-leaders. Fees: Free for YMCA guests, $20 day pass required for non-YMCA guests. Cut and paste this web address into your browser for details: http://www.y-hikes.com/index.html.

Climb On! - an exhibit (September 26, 2014 - October 4, 2015)
Join us at the Estes Park Museum (200 Fourth Street, Estes Park) and experience the vertical side of Estes Park, home to some of the nation's most spectacular rock climbing. Granite boulders, sub-alpine crags, and high mountain walls make the Estes valley and surrounding high peaks a world class training ground for elite and amateur climbers alike. Learn about ascending rocky terrain and how individuals pioneered local routes that pushed the limits of gravity. 10am - 5pm daily. Free admission.

Grand Lake Chamber and Visitor Center 100th Anniversary Activities (Starting September 2014)
Starting in September 2014 and continuing through September 2015, the Grand Lake Chamber and Visitor Center will be offering activities for all ages.

  • 100th Anniversary Children's Coloring Map (with Crayon Pack): Young visitors will enjoy this way to explore the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and learn unique details of the park's history.
  • Grand Lake "Then and Now" Walking Tour: This self-guided walking tour starts at the Grand Lake Chamber and Visitor Center and highlights many of the locations that RMNP visitors have enjoyed throughout the years. Visitors will find, in store fronts, photographic examples of Grand Lake's tourist destinations - then and now.
  • Grand Lake Geo-cache Adventure: Come experience this FREE Family Fun GPS treasure hunt using the Grand Lake Geocaching Challenge Passport that is available at the Grand Lake Visitors Center. Caches are located throughout the Grand Lake area and highlight many of the historical sights and attractions which have existed during the past 100 years of the park. Complete the Challenge and receive a Commemorative Coin (Wooden Nickel). Additionally, more than 35 Earth and Virtual Caches located in Rocky Mountain National Park are listed in the Passport.

Centennial and RMNP Information at The Old Gallery (starting September 2014)
Visitors traveling into the RMNP area of the Peak to Peak Highway (Rt. 7) can stop at The Old Gallery (14862 Peak to Peak Highway, Allenspark, CO) for park information and promotional materials.

 
January 2015 Events
December 6, 2014 - January 3, 2015
The Wonder of Art from the Park - an Art Exhibit - DATE CHANGED FROM 11/22
Time: Tues (10-6), Wed (10-6), Thurs (10-7), Fri (10-3), Sat (10-2), Closed Sunday and Monday
Location: Granby Library, 55 Zero Street, Granby, CO
Details: Local artists showcase their paintings and photographs highlighting the Wilderness, Wildlife, Wonder of RMNP. This exhibit is open to all Grand County artistis and is sponsored by Art Out of Thin Air. Call Patricia Alander at 970-531-3439 for more details.
January 16, 2015 National Western Stock Show and Rodeo Honors the RMNP Centennial
Time: 1:30pm
Location: National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St., Denver, CO
Details: The ProRodeo on January 16 at 1:30pm will honor Rocky Mountain National Park's 100th Anniversary. For tickets call 1-866-464-2626 or visit nationalwestern.com.
January 17, 2015

Rocky Mountain National Park's Centennial Film Release
Time: 7pm
Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Details: Come join Rocky Mountain National Park, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, and Fall River Productions for the relase of the new Centennial film Rocky Mountain National Park: Wilderness, Wildlife, Wonder. A small reception will follow the screening.

January 18, 2015

The Town of Estes Park presents a Rocky Mountain National Park Birthday Celebration
Time: 2-3pm
Location: Estes Park Events Center
Details: Celebrate the 100th Birthday of Rocky Mountain National Park with cake and a viewing of the new Centennial film by Fall River Productions at the Estes Park Winter Festival. Fun events will be going on all weekend including live music, chili tastings, local Colorado wine and beer tasting, equipment demos, and short programs on fun winter recreational opportunities in Rocky Mountain National Park. For more information, cut and past the following link into your browser: http://www.visitestespark.com/events-calendar/special-events/winter-festival/

January 24, 2015

Centennial Speaker Series: Dr. James Pickering
Enos Mills and the Creation of Rocky Mountain National Park

Time:
7pm
Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Details: Come celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the signing of the legislation creating Rocky Mountain National Park! Join the Historian Laureate of Estes Park for his reflections on the efforts that led to the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park.

January 24 - March 29, 2015 History as Art: In Three Parts
Part Three: Rocky Mountain National Park
Time: Museum Hours
Location: Loveland Museum, Loveland, CO
Details: Interpreting historical objects through the use of art can promote engagement with creative and critical thinking. Using objects from the RMNP museum collection, artists will interpret the objects through their artwork and the park's rich 100 year past.
January 24 - May 2, 2015

Harold Dunning's World View
Time:
Museum Hours
Location: Loveland Museum, Loveland, CO
Details: Harold Dunning was a collector and the founder of the Loveland History Museum, which is now the Loveland Museum/Gallery. Dunning was also an avid outdoorsman who climbed Longs Peak over 100 times! Recently, Dunning's family donated many of his personal items and photos, several of them reflecting the time he spent in Rocky Mountain National Park. This exhibit will also feature accompanying programs about Dunning and also about climbing and hiking in the park.

January 26, 2015 Cake!
Time: 12pm until the cake runs out
Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Kawuneeche Visitor Center
Details: Join park staff for birthday cake while it lasts to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the signing of the legislation that created Rocky Mountain National Park back in 1915.
January 26, 2015

Pioneers of the Peaks: Local Climbers Who Made History - "Zoomin' with Zumie"
Time:
7pm
Location: Estes Park Museum, 200 Fourth Street, Estes Park, CO
Details: For several decades, a small group of men and women made history exploring and ascending the summits surrounding the Estes Valley. This hardy group paved the way for others to pursue the challenges of our alluring landscapes. In 2013 and 2014, the Estes Park Museum and the Estes Valley Library gathered their inspiring stories. This January through June, a monthly series will feature special guests from among the 18 local climbers and mountaineers who were interviewed for the Climbers' Oral History Project. These monthly talks will be held at the Estes Park Museum in conjunction with the museum's "Climb On!" exhibition celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park.

"Zoomin' With Zumie" will highlight the life and climbs of Clerin "Zumie" Zumwalt, illustrated with a slideshow and talk by his friends Drs. Tom Hornbein and Jim Detterline. Clerin "Zumie" Zumwalt was a well-known Longs Peak climbing guide of the 1930s and worked for the Boulderfield Shelter Cabin operations on Longs Peak. At nearly 13,000 feet above sea level, the Boulderfield Shelter Cabin was touted as America's highest inn. It was razed in 1937 after the walls began to come apart due to the rock-covered glacier on which it was situated. Zumie and his partners guided clients, many of whom had ridden horseback to the Shelter the day before. He has more features named for him on Longs Peak than does anyone else. In 1990, Zumie returned to Longs Peak for a reunion with fellow guides Hull Cook and Ev Long. Their reunion became the catalyst for the Longs Peak Reunions, organized events in which generations of "Longspeakers" come together to celebrate the iconic mountain, its human history, and lasting friendships.

January 26, 2015

Grand Lake Centennial Film Presentation
Time: 5:30 - 7pm
Location: Grand Lake Community House
Details: Come join Rocky Mountain National Park, the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, the Grand Lake Women's Club, and Fall River Productions for a viewing of the new Centennial film Rocky Mountain National Park: Wilderness, Wildlife, Wonder. A small reception will accompany the screening.

January 26, 2015 Grand Lake Nordic Center Centennial Free Ski Day
Time:
All Day
Location: Grand Lake Nordic Center
Details: Come celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the signing of the legislation creating Rocky Mountain National Park with amazing views, free nordic skiing, and 100th Anniversary memorabilia!
January 31, 2015 Centennial Saturday Night: an Evening of Wilderness, Wildlife, and Wonder
Time:
7pm
Location: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center Auditorium
Details: Join a ranger for a fun 45 minute program that highlights wilderness, wildlife, and wonder found in the park year round! What better way to get through the cold winter than to think about the abundant wildflowers that bloom throughout the summer. Behind every pretty face is a story. Join us for this ranger program and discover the ulterior motives and secret pasts of some of the park's prettiest wildflowers.


Last updated: January 6, 2015

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1000 US Hwy 36
Estes Park, CO 80517

Phone:

970 586-1206
The Information Office is open year-round: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. daily in summer; 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Mondays - Fridays and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - Sundays in winter. Recorded Trail Ridge Road status: (970) 586-1222.

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