This isn't a stuffed Elk.  It is a REAL Elk.  It wandered into one of downtown Estes' stores last week.  What would you do if you looked up and this BULL ELK was right next to you looking at pink slippers?  Eventually, the police came and lured him out of the store with some apples.  We are still investigating whether he bought any pink slippers!  NOTE TO SELF:  Be on the lookout for a BULL ELK with PINK SLIPPERS!

Here is a good picture of the Overlook at night in winter.  As you can see, the Overlook is more than just a home.  It stands like a sentinel overlook the Estes Valley.  There is nothing behind the Overlook except forest. This picture shows the Overlook and associated property. Parking is on the far left behind the fence.  The Outdoor Bar is shown on the far right.  You can also see the Custom Gazebo standing between the home and the Outdoor Bar.  This picture shows the final hill to the Overlook which can be slick in winter.  This final hill is the reason we recommend four wheel drive.  Are you looking for more than the typical vacation rental?  The Overlook is more than a traditional vacation rental.  It is a historical treasure that has welcomed visitors from all over the world for nearly 100 years.  Ready to reserve?  Simply hit the RESERVE button to find out more and to reserve this property.

As we all know, the days are shorter in winter.  However, when you are surrounded by mountains, days are dramatically shortened.  Why?  Because the sun hides behind the mountains when it is rising and quickly sets behind the mountains in the evening.  This picture is from today at 9:00 a.m.  The sun still hasn't risen above the mountain in front of the Overlook, Giant Track Mountain.  You can see it on the right side of the picture where it is about to break free.  It rises on the left side of this mountain and follows the contour of the mountain up and to the right without ever rising above the actual profile.  As a result, the first time we see the sun is just after 9:00 a.m.  If this doesn't shorten the day enough, it settles behind Eagle Cliff Mountain around 3:00 p.m.  This leaves us with just six hours of sunlight each day during the winter.  As you can imagine, this makes it difficult to melt snow in winter, and challenging to start a garden in the spring. 

With snow covering the ground, our animal friends are frequently found begging at the door.  We aren't suppose to feed the wildlife but could you resist?

Estes Park is recognized as one of the top five weekend escapes in the US in 2016 by USA Today!  For more information about the other destinations that made this list, visit ...
​http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-small-town-weekend-escape/

NOTE:  This is picture of Mary's Lake Lodge in Estes Park.

After a big snow storm, like the one we just had, one of the more interesting things to look out for are the Snow Bombs.  These are the large snow balls that sit in the tree and wait for you to walk underneath them...suddenly they drop with the force of an elephant falling on your head!  I've had these things hit me so hard I nearly fell down.  They seem to prefer falling in just the right way to fall down the back of your coat and shirt.  Here are some of the future Snow Bombs that are waiting for an unsuspecting soul to walk beneath.

My last blog included the forecast for the area.  Boy oh boy was I wrong.  They forecast less than an inch the first couple days of the week.  Here are the pictures after the storm dropped 24 inches!  Yikes!

The forecast for this week in Estes Park consists of light snow on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with highs in the 20s.  By the end of the week the temperatures will drop to zero or below at night and the snow is expected to stop.  As of today, the roads to Estes are clear.  I expect they will continue to be clear for the entire week.  There is a light covering of snow on some of the roads within Valhalla Resort.  All of these are easily negotiable. This picture shows the valley in front of the Overlook.  The road shown is the final portion of the road to the Overlook.  This shows the last hill which is the steepest.  It has less than an inch of snow but there is ice beneath this snow making it impossible to climb without four wheel or all wheel drive.  If you are planning on driving to the Overlook this week, do not stop on this hill...keep your momentum.  Dress warm.  There is significantly more snow in the Park.