The Call of Nature: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA

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Ever since I have been a little boy setting up my tent in the garden in front of the house, I have loved camping. There is something special about sleeping in a tent and being close to the earth and nature. The United States is home to a number of breath taking national parks filled with nature and scarce with people. All the more reason that on vacation in the United States, to make a trip to a national park I had never been to but had heard great things about: Rocky Mountain National Park.

To make the trip more fun, instead of simply camping in one of large designated camp sites the park provides (often with 150 or more sites), Lorena and I decided to backpack through the back country. This means packing and carrying everything you will need for the duration of the trip (tent, sleeping bags, mattress, food, cooking gear, clothes and trash). The weight quickly adds up especially when carrying everything on your shoulders over a 12,000 feet (~ 3700 meter) pass. But the beauty of untouched nature, the solitude and breathtaking views make the effort well worth it and very rewarding.

The cycle of the sun and weather dictating our daily activities, we backpacked about 50 kilometers in 8 days, which lead us through green valleys, above the tree line, over steep mountains (I no longer wonder why they are called the Rocky Mountains), passing crystal clear lakes, refreshing creeks and thundering water falls. It is amazing how quickly the body gets used to being close to nature and starts to follow its cycle: wakes up with the early sun rays and gets tired with their departure. Packing our backpacks the first day must have taken over 1 ½ hours and by the last days we were down to not even 30 minutes. You start to know exactly where each of your belongings are and what the fastest way to pack them is.

I have never considered myself a “high maintenance” person, but one of the most rewarding things about a back country backpacking trip is that it reminds me, how little one really needs to be happy and get by. Compared to all the things we tend to accumulate in the storage rooms of our apartments and leading lived dictated by schedules, appointments and mobile phone interruptions, it is wonderfully refreshing to leave all these things behind (if only for a few days) and discover a new and much simpler life. Backpacking always makes me feel free and independent. I can sit on a rock enjoying the view for an hour if I feel like it or watch the chipmunks play in the trees. Then there is the hiking part itself, which I love: relaxing, challenging and rewarding at the same time. After hours and hours of walking, the body seems to fall into a semi-meditative state, entirely focused on putting one foot in front of the other. The mind can never drift off too far as the heavy backpack and the rocky trail requires constant attention.

One of the highlights of the trip that should receive mention was my ascent to Longs Peak (Elevation: 14256 feet or ~4750 meter). At 6am the alarm rings and I stumble outside the tent to check the weather (which not only can change within minutes in the mountains but is also the single biggest factor of one making it up to the top or not on any day). I only see some scattered clouds so I decide that this is the day. 10 minutes later I am on the trail only wearing a light backpack (water, power bars, sweatshirt and camera). The first hour follows a well visible trail higher and higher eventually rising above the tree line. As I cross the last river, I thankfully refill my water bottle. Gradually the trail become elusive and the rocks covering the path get bigger. After about 2 hours I reach a giant boulder field and slowly make my way across, jumping from rock to rock. The majestic Longs Peaks towers above me. After finally crossing the boulder field, one reaches the Key Hole, which is a steep ridge exactly on the continental divide and presents the first truly spectacular view. The remaining two hours of the ascent I spend climbing (now using all arms and feet) the steep trail curving behind the mountain. The path becomes increasingly challenging and steeper. But eventually after 4 hours I reach the top and all the effort was well worth it. A spectacular 360 degree view brings awe and a smile to my face. I relax for the next 90 minutes on the mountain top and would have probably stayed longer, if it had not been for the weather. A dark and rapidly approaching cloud convinces me that the time has come to descend (a rain cloud in these elevations usually means hail and fog, which is a bad combination with slippery rocks). But I make it down in time, back through the key hole, the boulder field, the tree line, crossing the creeks and finally back to the tent. It definitely felt good to take my shoes off that night as I put my feet up and lay down on the air mattress. As my body finally gets some rest and the adrenaline from the steep climb wears off, I find myself filled with happiness and revisiting many of the spectacular views in my mind.