Rocky Mountain NP — Day 2

Today we visited the southeast corner of the park, starting at the Wild Basin Trailhead.  We intended to hike an easy 5.4 mile out-and-back to Ouzel Falls.  Because of the early start and the good hiking conditions, we decided to continue and hiked out-and-back to Ouzel Lake, a round-trip of 10 miles with about 2000 feet of climbing. 

We're pushed by the limited parking and high park usage to get an early start.  Today, we had breakfast at 7 AM, we on the road just before 8 AM, and arrived at the trail head a bit before 9.  The weather forecast included a chance of thundershowers starting at 3 PM.  We got back to the trailhead at 3:30 and were back at the hotel in time for free afternoon cookies, just after 4 PM.  As of 5 PM, the storms haven't arrived, but it's good not to push our luck with summer afternoon hiking.

I probably had some mild "acute mountain sickness."  The onset, at 8 PM last night, was marked by a a dull and persistent headache.  I also had GI discomfort including mild nausea.  After sleeping not-too-well, I was still feeling out of sorts through breakfast, the drive to the trailhead, and about the first hour of hiking.  But as suddenly as it came on, it also cleared, and so from 10 AM onward, I have felt well again.  Weird that the symptoms didn't come on, for example, when we were hiking at 12,000 feet yesterday.  (Today's hike was between 8500 and 10,000 feet.  We're staying in Estes Park, which is at about 7500 feet.)