November 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)
TheYMCA 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.

 

	November 2014 Events
September 1 - November 30, 2014	One Book, One Valley Location: Estes Valley Library, Estes Park, CO The Estes Valley Library hosts this annual event to celebrate reading and civic dialogue through the shared community experience of a single book - the Big Burn by Timothy Egan. The year's event is designed to tie-in with Rocky's 100th Anniversary. The Big Burn builds its narrative around the dramatic events of a ferocious wildfire battering through the forests in Washington, Idaho, and Montana in August of 1910. This book's larger story encompasses the backdrop of the burgeoning American conservation movement. As you read this book, reflect on its story of conservation and how it relates to subsequent events in the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park. What was the mood of the nation in the 1910s? How was someone like Enos Mills different from Gifford Pinchot - and how was he similar? Would RMNP have come about without these earlier events? From September 1 through November 30, the Library will host discussions, lectures, storytelling, films, and more - all inspired by the Big Burn and its connection to the 100th anniversary of RMNP. Please visit www.estesvalleylibrary.org for details.
November 3, 2014	Meet Me @ the Museum: Vintage Souvenirs of Rocky Mountain National Park Time: 1-2pm Location: Estes Park Museum, 200 Fourth Steet, Estes Park, CO Details: Free Admission. See unique mementos and keepsakes once collected by visitors to RMNP. Now housed at the Estes Park Museum, these keepsakes were once purchased as a reminder of a special visit. Curator of Education Alicia Mittelman will discuss how they represent bigger themes about nostalgia, art, and collecting with items produced over the span of Rocky Mountain National Park's 100 years as a national treasure.
November 7, 2014	American Experience: The Big Burn Time: 7pm Location: Estes Valley Library Hondius Room Details: What the debut of this PBS documentary on television September 9 - or see it on the big screen at the Library. The film follows and explores the questions raised in Timothy Egan's book -the Big Burn. Preceeded by the special short film, "The History of Smokey Bear" from 1977.
November 8, 2014	Whooo's Up There? Time: 3-4pm Location: Estes Park Museum, 200 Fourth Steet, Estes Park, CO Details: $6 per child. Free admission as a chaperone. Registration encouraged at 970-577-3762 or [e-mail] to sign up. Scholarships are available. Children ages 5-12 will learn about owls of Estes Park and RMNP, the live ones and the famous rock formation ("Twin Owls") easily seen from the Museum. Following an illustrated discussion of these fascinating birds of prey, participants will paint a ceramic owl to take home with them.
November 10, 2014	Fire Rangers of Rocky Time: 7pm Location: Estes Valley Library Hondius Room Details: Join a ranger for a lively discussion of fire management principles and the role that fire plays in the future of Rocky Mountain National Park.
November 18, 2014	The Big Burn: An Evening with Timothy Egan Time: 7:30pm Location: Mountain View Bible Fellowship Church, 1575 S. St. Vrain Avenue, Estes Park, CO Details: Free tickets available at the Estes Valley Library or Macdonald Book Shop. Timothy Egan is an acclaimed writer and veteran chronicler of the West. His book, The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America, has been called "a tremendous tale". Publishers Weekly wrote: "Egan brings a touching humanity to this story of valor and cowardice in the face of national catastrophe, paying respectful attention to Roosevelt's grand dream of conservation and of an America 'for the little man'." This story sets the scene for the conservation movement that would result in the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1915.
November 22, 2014	Tree Lighting Ceremony Time: TBD Location: Riverside Plaza Details: Sweet treats and hot chocolate will warm bodies as people enjoy Radio Flyer wagon rides, stocking and ornament decorating, and visits from jolly ol' Saint Nick. Lights will be lit, including a surprise feature that honors Rocky's 100th Anniversary.
November 28, 2014	The Wonder of Christmas Time: 5:30pm Location: Town Park, Grand Lake, CO Details: Join Grand Lake for Rocky Mountain National Park's Centennial Tree Lighting Ceremony! The ceremony begins at 5pm on Grand Ave. in front of Town Square Park. Bruce the Grand Lake Moose, the Mayor, and one of the town's favorite singers, Juliette, will be there! Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers will be serving up hot cocoa with all the fixings and there will be plenty of treats to go around as Christmas carols are sung. Bring an ornament to add to the tree's sparkle! We look forward to seeing you there! This event is held outside so please dress accordingly. For more information call 970-627-3402.
November 28, 2014	Catch the Glow Parade Time: Dusk Location: Downtown Estes Park Details: Catch the glow from a beautifully lit parade and enjoy hay rides, smores, live carolers and visits from Santa.