The story behind this photo is a little long, so please bear with me.  You won’t find the picture in my portfolio on Nature’s Drama, nor will there be a link at the end to purchase it.  When you read the story, you’ll understand why.

I love Rocky Mountain National Park more than any other place on earth.  It’s as simple as that.  By all accounts, Jeff Christensen loved Rocky Mountain National Park, too.  In fact, he had the job I’ve always wished I could have ended up in – he was a Rocky Mountain National Park Ranger.  The very thought of getting to spend all summer in RMNP – and get paid to do it – sounded like paradise.  I hope that’s how Jeff saw it; I expect it is.

On Friday, July 29, 2005, Jeff set out on foot patrol.  He was headed to the Mummy Range area of the park.  As it so happens, the very next day I arrived at Rocky Mountain National Park.  I was there to meet 20+ friends from RMNP Forums, a website I help administer.  We had a pretty full week planned – a group hike on the Ute Trail from the Alpine Visitors Center to Milner Pass, a get together picnic, and a work project in conjunction with the National Parks Service.  I was looking forward to the week with great anticipation, but that all changed even before I arrived.  By then I knew that Ranger Jeff Christensen had not returned from his Friday patrol.  A massive search was launched, but so far he had not been found.

The search continued throughout the week.  We all wished we could do something to help; but short of praying, it seemed out of our hands.  That being the case, we carried on with our plans.  The group hike was a great success; the fellowship at the picnic was wonderful.  Unfortunately, our work day got rained out.  (We showed up but were not surprised when the NPS didn’t; no doubt they were busy with a more important issue than revegitation at Sprague Lake.)  Everywhere we went, we saw signs of the search that dragged on and on – helicopters flying overhead, media trailers at the Beaver Meadows Visitors Center, solemn faces all around.  Hope faded as our group broke up and headed on our different ways.

Saturday, August 6 was my last full day in the park.    I went to the annual Rocky Mountain Nature Association Picnic that morning.  Park Superintendent Baker spoke to us briefly before rejoining the search efforts.  I  stopped by the Longs Peak Trailhead to leave a note for Aaron, the Forums’ founder, and his friend John and then headed out for a hike up Lily Mountain.  It was late in the day, so I turned around before making it to the top.  That worked out well, because I had a voice mail from Aaron suggesting I meet them for supper.  I freshened up and went to meet them.

The first thing Aaron told me was the news we were all dreading but had come to realize was inevitable – the body of Ranger Jeff Christensen had been found by a hiker that afternoon in the Mt. Ypsilon area.  Eventually, we learned that he had fallen sometime the afternoon he set out, suffered serious head wounds and died shortly thereafter.

The members of RMNP Forums wanted to do something to honor Jeff, so we raised money to donate in his memory for search and rescue equipment.  That just didn’t seem like enough, though.  Marv, our other administrator, came up with an additional idea.  He suggested we observe July 29, the day Jeff died, as “Thank a Ranger Day.”  Each year, members send cards to the rangers at Rocky Mountain National Park thanking them for all they do, in memory of Ranger Jeff Christensen.  This year, we have begun the process of expanding “Thank a Ranger Day” nationwide, suggesting that anyone who loves a national park take this opportunity to let its rangers know how much they are appreciated.  Hopefully, as the years go by, this idea will catch on and grow as it deserves to.

I’ve already mailed my card for this year.  Nonetheless, I want to say a public “Thank You” to all the rangers out there.  Most especially, thank you, Ranger Jeff Christensen.  Every time I go to Rocky Mountain National Park, I will think of you.