The idea of Rocky Mountain National Park: A History was first generated in 1976. Much of the credit for insuring the publication of this volume should go to Glen Kaye, Rocky Mountain National Park's Chief Naturalist. Mr. Kaye's enthusiasm for the project made the research proceed smoothly and his advice and assistance were always helpful. In addition, numerous people associated with Rocky Mountain National Park offered their time and knowledge, especially Superintendent Chester L. Brooks, Edgar Menning, James Wilson, Dr. Ferrel Atkins, Michael Smithson, Teresa Vazquez, Marji Dunmire, Connie Neal, Jody Magnuson, Kris Johnson, and Jean Menning. Devoting hours to the painstaking task of photographic reproduction were Walter Richards, Bill Chase, and Skip Betts.

National Park Service officials at the Rocky Mountain Regional Office in Denver frequently and freely provided information and assistance. James Randall, James Olson, Dr. Michael Schene, Jim Harpster, Mary Culpin, Dr. Adrienne Anderson, Dr. Ann Johnson, and Dr. Kenneth Hornbeck were particularly generous with their knowledge. Ruth Larison at the Rocky Mountain Regional Office library was especially considerate in her assistance.

The efforts of Joe Barker at the Federal Records Center in Denver, of Lee Carr of the United States Forest Service, and Richard Crawford at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. expedited many research problems. Mel Busch, curator of the Estes Park Area Historical Museum, rendered special help with photographs.

Over the years, ideas and details supplied by Bob Frauson, William Colony, Robert Haraden, Doug Erskine, Gary Bunney, Frank Betts, and Jerry Hammond proved to be especially beneficial to this study.

The assistance of Ellen Leuthauser, Jean Deahn, and Karen Sackett of the Arapahoe Community College Library is appreciated as are the efforts of Mrs. Lennie Bemiss of the Estes Park Public Library. Staff members of the Edwin A. Bemis Library in Littleton, the Estes Park Public Library, the Colorado State Historical Society, Norlin Library of the University of Colorado, and the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library also provided help. Of special importance were my colleagues, Carroll Williams, Richard L. Morgan, Sally Kurtzman, Jenni Caldwell, Claire Rogers, and Jackie Wilcox, who frequently assisted in clarifying some of the finer points in history and in writing as well as adding their encouragement to this effort.

The Rocky Mountain Nature Association generously granted research funds for this project, enabling the author to initiate this study, and for that award he is particularly grateful. Living with a task as absorbing as this book has not been easy, and the author wishes to thank his wife Marcy and his sons Brett, Austin, and Jesse for their consideration and understanding.