Wild Basin

There is an place not too far from my home called the Wild Basin Area. Though I have never researched the reason this was the given name I like to think it has to do with all the rivers, streams, creeks, and waterfalls located in the beautiful place. It was here I was hiking with a goal to reach the magnificent Ouzel Falls. The trail is not a difficult one and follows the banks of the St. Vrain River and two other waterfalls along the way. The mountains had been receiving quite a bit of rain recently and though this day was clear and sunny the river was swollen and raging beside us. As we made our way along the trail I began to notice that I could actually follow the trail without assistance by using the sound of the St. Vrain. Of course I still needed to exercise caution because there were rocks on the trail and I certainly didn’t want to stumble and fall in the river. Still, it was an amazing feeling hiking without help if only for a small while. The river was telling me where I was and where I needed to go. I did not know exactly what was behind me and I certainly did not know what lies ahead but in that moment I knew exactly where I was. We stopped for a short rest near Calypso Cascades and I began to realize this hike was synonymous with life.
The past is behind us and the future is not set but do we know where we are in this moment? We are told to live in the present but so often we find ourselves lost in our past or daydreaming of the future. As humans we seem to be unique in this way. When a beaver dam breaks the beaver does not simply sit and stare at the ruined structure. He moves on and rebuilds. The black bear does not sit and dream of its long winter slumber. It roams the land, feeding and frolicking in its domain. Should we not follow the beaver and bear’s example? Too many unfortunate souls get mired down in the mistakes of their past while others get lost in what they consider their glory days of old. Meanwhile, many become so focused and, sometimes, obsessed with the future that they can think and see nothing else. What I know on this day is that the warm sun, the raging water, and the chirping insects will never be quite the same as they are right now. On this night the cool air that comes with the evenings in the mountains will never feel quite this good. Certainly we can and should remember the past and plan for the future. But is not enjoying whatever joy you sense or feel around you at the present not receive the bulk of your attention?  With each dawn, a beautiful day. With every cup of tea, a wonderful sensation of flavor. With each chirping bird, a joyous wild song. Life with every breath. It seems as though the overall quality of life can only improve if we all savor each moment. For my own part I know that reliving the trauma of losing my sight and worrying about what future I can or cannot have will only lead to my own personal ruination. Living, learning, and loving in the present can allow us all to overcome any obstacle no matter how big or small. Our pain will be lessened while our joys are heightened.
As we prepare to continue down the trail, I attempt to take in all that is around me for I know now it will never be quite like it is in this moment. In this land known as the Wild Basin I have learned to accept and appreciate the most important gift I will ever receive, the present.

Lulu City

One day in early August I ventured back across the Divide to hike to a place called LuLu City. It is the site of an old gold mining town that reached its peak glory days in the late 1800’s. Today very little remains to let us know a town was ever here. After passing the site we continued on to a peaceful spot along the Colorado River. It was a relatively flat grassy spot that was well shaded by the surrounding trees. We chose to stop here in this peaceful place to eat our lunch and rest for a bit. As we sat there, I listened to my companions chat with one another. Some were talking about the history of LuLu, while others shared their reason for vacationing here in the mountains. As I listened to the chatter and ate my sandwich I began to reflect on the various reasons people come to this wild place.

So many people come up here to the high country for such a variety of reasons and have been doing so for hundreds of years. Some of the earliest American explorers that first came to these mountains did so for the adventure while others were running from the past they left behind them. The inhabitants of LuLu City had come to the mountains like so many others in that era to seek their fortune in gold and other minerals. Today tourists come here for somewhat different reasons. Some are here for an adventure they can brag about to their friends back home while others are just trying to escape their somewhat drab “normal” lives back wherever they came from. Then, there are those who venture out here for the reason I chose to make this my home, for the sense of peace and serenity these mountains can bring. For all the different reasons that brought and continue to bring people out here, how many of them actually find what they seek? Did those seeking to escape their past manage to outrun their demons out here? Did all the miners and prospectors claim a vast fortune and live their days out in wealth and comfort? Do the modern day adventure seekers truly feel that adventurous and bold upon returning home? Does everyone find their desired peace and serenity amongst the tall hills?

Simple logic tells us that it is simply impossible that everyone received what they sought from the mountains. History only confirms what we already know to be true, but we also know that some lucky individuals did indeed find what they were after and many others that did not find their personal goal found something else just as valuable if not more so. The man who was a murderer back east made his peace with God after confessing his sins. The miner did not find a fortune in gold but raised a fine loving family blessed with good health. The adventurer did not make it up the peak he dreamed of but falls in love and marries the girl he meets out in the mountains. For my own part, I wandered out here to this magnificent land not sure where life was taking me but have now found a home where my soul is happy, content, and free.

We travel to so many places seeking so many different things. Sometimes we find what we are after and sometimes we do not. We find something completely different than we dreamed of and some of us find nothing at all. These mountains are teaching me to take whatever gift I find and not waste time seeking that which I do not really need. The wild places can give us peace of heart, mind, and spirit. Once we acquire those gifts I believe all else will follow in good time. Gorge your spirit on a wild place and let the crows feed on the mundane.

Mills Lake

I remember a hike I took with a few friends to a place called Mills Lake. We started late on the trail and took a very leisurely pace up the path stopping along the way to take in the views of the Glacier Gorge and the surrounding peaks. Two of my companions that day were a pair of young women from Brazil who had never hiked with me before. It was not hard for me to detect their awkwardness in guiding a sightless person on a mountain trail but they were clearly making a concentrated effort to be as helpful as possible. 

One thing that stood out to me while we hiked up in the warm afternoon sun was how these friends from afar mentioned every little bump along the trail so as I could never guess whether I was about to encounter an actual step or merely a small water bar placed to help prevent erosion. I attempted to explain to my fellow hikers that they need not bother mention the little steps but only needed to warn me of bigger steps and rocks along the trail. They merely insisted on letting me know of every step along the way because they feared that I may fall and suffer an injury. 

After traveling for two and a half miles and climbing seven hundred feet we arrived at our destination at last. As we sat there sipping water and admiring the view of Long’s Peak I began to think about my friends’ desire to keep me from harm. While there can be no doubt their honest intentions and deep concern and care for my wellbeing they clearly had not spent any time in the wild with me and had greatly underestimated my abilities. Certainly this was not the first time this had happened to me nor will it be the last but I found myself deep in thought about the whole episode. 

So often we underestimate one another not out of a sense of superiority but instead out of a desire to protect what we perceive to be a weaker person. I have no doubt that I too have been guilty of this noble but seriously misguided notion. We look at a quiet and shy child without realizing they have a natural gift for acting. We see a man in a wheelchair and want to do everything for him because we think he is incapable of doing for himself and yet this man could very well be a Olympic athlete and sole supporter of his family. We even ponder this in nature. The moose is a clumsy looking creature but in fact possesses great strength and can survive the harshest mountain winters. 

Where do we draw the line between concern and overprotection? I know for myself the answer lies within me. I know what I can accomplish and what I need assistance with. What I love about roaming about and living in these mountains is that I must be bold and daring but unafraid to ask for help when I truly need it. The protective cocoon we strive to wrap around others can very well snuff out their potential greatness. I think of my loving grandmother who supports me in all I do but is also there to help me when I stumble on my life path. What I now see with these blind eyes is a world of people with great possibilities and potential. People whom I will no longer try to protect but instead will offer whatever support they choose to accept from me. Just as I occasionally stumble and fall on the trail, we will all stumble and fall on our great journey. But when someone falls we will not stop them or attempt to get them to turn back. We will help them up, brush them off, and ask, “What is your next move?” 

This wild and untamed land has given me much this day. I am learning about myself, I am learning about the power others possess, and I am teaching others to look for the powers possessed by each other. Such a powerful lesson a short hike can teach us. I will no longer look at the obvious weakness; I will look for the hidden strength.

 

The storm

There is nothing quite like a big storm in the high mountains. The clouds come so low that you can no longer see even the nearest peaks and summits, but are instead amongst the clouds themselves. The rain hammers down in fat drops and there is no such thing as a warm summer rain up here. Instead, it is always a cold invigorating blast from above. The lightening is so close you could almost reach out and touch the great sky fire. Then there is the thunder. Great claps and booms so loud you feel as though the sky itself is cracking and fracturing around you. 

It was during a recent such storm that I found myself sitting on my porch and marveling at nature’s fury. I thought of all the tourists who were undoubtedly annoyed by the weather and wondering what happened to their blue skies and wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. It dawned on me that if someone were to come up here at this very moment and had never been to my home before they would likely have no idea of the splendor around them. This magnificent place would seem nothing but a gray, wet, and cold land. Were they to take the time to truly get to know these mountains, they would come to realize what a wild garden it truly is. 

So often we hear how we should not judge a book by its cover, but it happens nevertheless. A desert is thought to be barren and desolate though it has beautiful colors, amazing sunsets, and life swirls about it. A seemingly old man turns out to be a master craftsman using skills acquired over a lifetime. What many would call a hideous spider weaves the most intricate and beautiful web. A small bony child grows to be a star at track and field. 

Here in my mountains a wild storm rages, driving people to shelter, but brings the heavens so close we can almost reach out and touch God’s face. The storm, child, spider, old man, and desert are not ugly or weak or evil. They are strong, beautiful, and inspiring. How different would this world be if someone did not see the beauty and potential in all things around them? How many children would have never accomplished such amazing feats had not someone believed in them? How different would my own life had turned out had I listened to every person who told me I couldn’t because of my eyes? 

The storm should not frighten or anger us. Instead, we should be inspired by the rain, lightening, and thunder and let the storm within us rage and drive us whenever our souls need a little stirring and wild passion. The more the storm raged around me, the deeper my thoughts took me. No longer content sitting under cover, I left the shelter of my porch and walked into elements. I felt the rain hitting my face, I heard the thunder booming around me, and I sensed the bright flash of the lightening so close my hair stood on end. Such exhilaration! There was nothing in that moment I was not capable of! I wanted to shout and roar so that all would join me and feel the wild power that the mountains were begging to bestow on us. 

After a few minutes I stepped back under my porch, dripping wet. Though I love the sapphire skies and the peaks around me when in full view, I do not believe I had ever seen such a beautiful day such as that one. The storm is not concealing the beauty; it is a part of the beauty. Let your storm rage both within and without every once in a while so that your spirit may be refreshed.