Day 2
I get up early, wanting to get by the horrid downhill that I climbed up yesterday in the open sun, but I linger long enough to let the morning sun play across the opposite cliffs, making new shadows and highlights on the fractured rock. Beautiful! I fire up camera and camcorder, feeding my obsession to get that right picture.
…you hope for that one or two pictures that somehow catch the magic of the moment…
When you’re a rank amateur like me, I guess I keep hoping if I blast away, with different settings and angles, and sheer volume that I must wade through when I get home, (sigh), you hope for that one or two pictures that somehow catch the magic of the moment…My digital appetite now sated, I pack up to leave, and head back.
As I approach the previous days burn, For some reason, the refrain, “I been cookin’, man!” enters my mind. Don’t know why, just seems fitting for some reason…There’s smoke in the air, again, and for some reason, it seems heavier…Walking through the thick wafts covering the trail, I stop to glance over at the singed area, and it doesn’t appear to be worse…Probably just my imagination.
Still, I’m relieved to be leaving the area, and putting it behind me. At least, now I’m on the right side! I mark the spot with a waypoint on the GPS unit, so that I can inform the rangers of the precise location when I get back. Before I get to Little Heart Lake, I run into two guys carrying axes, and I wonder, “Trail Crew?” so I ask them. Nope. They’re a fire crew, dispatched to check out the burn. I tell them where it is, and then continue my trek home.
Guess it won’t be necessary to let the rangers know, appears they’re already on top of it. My pace quickens, as I watch the time pass, and temps move upward, and dread the wide open space during the heat of the day. Now I’m past Copper Lake, and still making good time! This time, as I pass little “Salvation Creek”, I only give it a quick sideways glance, before entering the clearing. Into the full on glare from the menacing orb overhead! Drat! Still hot…At least, I’m heading down, not up, and I know that I can make good time.
…During my headlong descent down Parboil Hill, I pass others toiling to get uphill, and recognize the pained expressions on their faces…
Every once in a while, I notice as I drag a breath in, the air seems superheated, as if I had just stuck my head into a kiln and drawn a deep breath. Okay, that may seem exaggerated, but who’s telling the story here? This only makes me more determined to get out of the direct sun, so onward! During my headlong descent down Parboil Hill, I pass others toiling to get uphill, and recognize the pained expressions on their faces. That was me yesterday!
Funny how no one wants to stop to chat, instead we all just mumble something as we pass, understanding the need to get to shade quickly. I’m relieved to finally make the tree line, but why slow down now? I can still feel the humidity and heat, and want nothing more than to get to the car, and the AC unit…When I reach the part of the trail where I went horribly awry, I look around…Now, I can see why I was led astray! There is a cairn, beyond the trail head, pointing you upstream…Beautiful. Just beautiful. With reluctance, I stop, and add another GPS waypoint, indicating “TRLHD” in capital letters.
Sure, I’m drenched, my feet feel as if they just crossed the Sahara barefooted, and my back is contorted to the point I feel relatively certain it now resembles Quasimodo’s hump, but hey! I made it back to the car,
I’m sure that the sarcasm and frustration of the moment cannot be correctly conveyed during my finger smashing entry, but I feel vindicated somewhat, with the large, bold, letters that I manage to bang out…Aaaaaahhhh…Back to the car, and in 3.5 hours!!! Sure, I’m drenched, my feet feel as if they just crossed the Sahara barefooted, and my back is contorted to the point I feel relatively certain it now resembles Quasimodo’s hump, but hey! I made it back to the car, and AC!!!
Shedding pack and boots, I hurriedly slip behind the wheel, insert key, and crank the air up to high! Not sure what preoccupied my thoughts more on my trek home, the customary burger at the end of the trail, or the AC…
All in all, an eventful trip, and a first of sorts for me, as I ventured out alone this time. The awesome views of the alpine lakes in this area make it a worthy trip, especially if you like to pack in your fishing gear.
A journey that I can heartily recommend, preferably when the heat is turned down somewhat. That, and the company of a friend, to share the adventure with. Sure, it’s beautiful there, but it has more impact if shared with someone else, to have that common memory, to help one another remember and to reminisce. It’s kind of like that old saying, “If a tree falls in the forest, and there’s no one around to hear it fall, does it make a sound”? I say, the best memories are those that two or more experience…