I was on vacation with the family this summer and broke away early one morning to do this quick hike, I was up to the top (3.5 mi) in an 1.5 hours and and back down in 1 hr. This was my first time in the Rockies and I can't wait to go back! My only complaint was what the pack animals leave behind all over the trail.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/67119626@N00/sets/72157601883961796/

Thanks for sharing the photos. I'm taking the family to Yosemite this summer, and wonder if I'll be able to slip out for a quick hike too. Interesting to see the no dogs sign, but pack animals are OK. I've never been to the Rockies, so I'm also jealous of the fokls that have them for their backyards.

Your photos made me jealous since I don't live by RMNP anymore. I did Dear mountain as a warm-up for my solo winter climb up long's peak last thanksgiving weekend. The icy switchbacks and steady altitude gain make it a great trail for getting acclimatized after coming from Kansas. Sorry to hear about the animal droppings, never had that problem when hiking there in the winter. The view from the summit makes it all worth it though. Give me a few days and I'll post up my pics of deer mountain covered in a 2 foot layer of snow. If you get back there sometime I recommend parking at the Glacier Gorge trailhead and hiking to either sky pond or black lake. Don't being the kids though...

Edited by pbrown19 on 02/29/2008 09:41:59 MST.