** We will be using this blog to journal our travels into the high country and share the glory of God’s majesty in the outdoors sharing galleries of pictures that you can download. You can go to: http://picasaweb.google.com/howethru to view our picture galleries at any time.

June 13-July 4th, 2008:

We have been finding time to head out on the weekends to partake in our favorite activity: mountains: climbing and hiking. We have been out 4 times thus far as of July 4th, and Independence Day was the best to this point. We did lower altitude warm-ups on Matthews-Winters Park and moved up to 10,000’ at Bergen Peak followed by Squaw Mountain at 11,400’. Bergen Peak offered some great weather that day along with some great photos of a large bee and a butterfly photo that was a one in a million snapshot. (See the galleries)

Squaw Mountain beheld a day of clouds and sun. At the higher altitudes you feel every step once you get past 11,000’ and breathing correctly becomes paramount. There were some great shots of cloud banks rolling into the valleys below and some mountain tundra that beheld flowers and mosses that only thrive and survive in higher altitudes.

Colorado’s mountains are a fine example of God at work. As the season closed last year the leaves had turned and it was a sign of the change of seasons. As we broke into the mountains this year a new season had emerged; new growth and the end of spring. Such is the way of our lives. Every season has an end and a new season begins. We see this in all who are around us. For Debra and I, we passed from a season of being single into marriage. At times the sun is shining brightly and that season ends. At times we are in the midst of adversity and that season ends. The point is that life is spent in seasons that are not always the same as the calendar.

Paul speaks of seasons and the stance we can have:

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:11-13)

We hit the top of Chief Mountain on Independence Day at just a hair under 12,000’. This is my first high altitude climb for the year and the first big one for Debra. The weather was gorgeous and the Lord’s work is evident in the beauty and majesty of the peak and views of the 360 degree panoramic view from the top.

To see the photo journeys in more detail head to our gallery site at http://picasaweb.google.com/howethru and click on the Chief Mountain icon. We passed many people on the way and met with quite a few at the top who are all too willing to have their pictures taken with their cameras and ours. We take joy in the journey whether by sweating the climb or summiting the top of the peak and being rewarded with the views.

My next goal is to get Debra up her 1st 14’er: Mt Bierstadt in the next few weeks. Last year the Lord blessed me with summiting 6-14’ers and 9-13’ers and we are looking forwards to all that we will get out and see this year. I am like a little kid wanting to take Debra to all these places. Last year she got broken in rather well in the art of free style rock climbing and loves it and this year will entail more high altitude climbs as well.

When climbing I am often reminded of this passage:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7)

It takes work, drawing on the strength that comes from the Lord and perseverance to reach the top of the peak but if we are faithful the rewards at the top are awesome!