19 replies to this topic

[Aaron]

According to the great rangers at RMNP, "The Crater Trail is usually closed from May 1st to August 1st."

--Aaron

[ProfHall]

Cool...I knew that the folks here would have lots of good information, spark some extra thoughts, and track down any unknowns! The August 1 date is nice, since we'll be there PAST that date and it will give us a few days to acclimate before hiking up, and to wait if the barrier happens to be up.

Keep the good information flowing, folks!

SIDENOTE: Yesterday I was helping one of my fifth graders on a science report; his class is studying biomes and he had to write about the Taiga. I'll leave it at this for now...what's a biome and which is the Taiga?

[waterrat]

Cool...I knew that the folks here would have lots of good information, spark some extra thoughts, and track down any unknowns!  The August 1 date is nice, since we'll be there PAST that date and it will give us a few days to acclimate before hiking up, and to wait if the barrier happens to be up.

Keep the good information flowing, folks!

SIDENOTE: Yesterday I was helping one of my fifth graders on a science report; his class is studying biomes and he had to write about the Taiga.  I'll leave it at this for now...what's a biome and which is the Taiga?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Check this site
Taiga

[ProfHall]

Waterrat, you are a good student...if I were on the home computer I'd attach the ppt figures I "helped" make yesterday for you to see. The report had to include discussion of two animals found in the biome, and my fifth grader picked the moose for one of them. I wonder why...

I've learned a lot being the parent of elementary school kids...

[ProfHall]

The report went to school today...I think it turned out well. It is very, very hard to help put together a report, typing and so on, and let it stay in the student's words when I know it could be tweaked here and there...But, I certainly can't do that and maintain any integrity when I grade the things my own students turn in.

I found it an interesting coincidence (there are those who believe there are no coincidences) that his assignment was the taiga, which extends around the globe at higher latitudes just below the tundra (another biome). Of course, because of the altitude gains in RMNP, one can pass through examples of several biomes in a single hike, and the coniferous forests of the taiga are a big part of the park. So, we got to learn together and talk about vacation plans, too.

This morning in the car on the way to school, they all pretty much agreed that if 5 year olds can hike up hill a mile, then they could, too. And the chance to see bighorns and maybe mountain lions (FAR AWAY, please!) helped.

Thanks to all for adding information to this thread. I'm going to print it out for the vacation "notebook" that is already started...(imagine that!).