“It was a delightful spring day…….. In July?!”

Independence Day 2009 seemed more like a spring day than summer. In years’ past it has always been much hotter and dryer in the high country by this time; even on years that Colorado didn’t have a drought. This year we can’t seem to get “sunny days“ to coincide with “hiking days” very often. With temperatures in the low to mid 60’s in the high country and only occasional sun peeking in through darkening clouds, we took our best shot and headed up into the Mt Evans Wilderness.

While a 4X4 is not required to reach the trail heads up there you sure don’t want to use your “Father’s Oldsmobile” unless you are crawling. The Mt Evans Wilderness provides very scenic, and remote hikes that rank in the moderately difficult range. Most of the people up there are at the camp sites and not on the trails themselves. All of the trails are tied to a very large trail network that spans a large area. The trails will take you up to the various alpine lakes that reside below the summits of Mt Evans and other peaks surrounding it on the eastern slope.

We hit 2 different trails that reside up at the end of Upper Bear Creek Road: The Lost Creek Trail & the Beaver Meadow Trail. Both offer lots of photo opportunities. Since the weather wasn’t the best pictures of the mountains were not as prevalent as catching the close in stuff. My wife has observed that I am more about the views and large picture and she is more about the granular and smaller stuff. We will normally bring both of our cameras but left with only mine.

I did some shooting but she had the camera most of the time. These 2 picture sets are filled with the “Debra Eye View” and there are some spectacular shots she got, especially close ups. I took some of the close ups but am not as well versed in detail as she is. If you look at the picture set on Lost Creek you can see I spent a lot of time with women all day; My lovely wife as well as a “gazillion” (my wife’s term) lady bugs. They were in huge abundance blanketing the leaves; entire colonies! The wet weather has produced a large amount of them this year.

As always you can find the photos of these trails at our picture website:

http://picasaweb.google.com/howethru

With the weather patterns as they have been this year “green & wet” would describe the high country well. Life is abundant up there! The amount of new growth is enormous. The columbines are in full bloom now.

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:9-11)

I am reminded that Jesus is the Living Water for us; His way is the way to abundant life. The storms we face in life are meant to stretch and grow us, not harm us. As we weather the storms and those storms pass, when the sun does reappear our lives reflect the growth we went through.

Despite all of my pleading (whining) to God about nice hiking days and less rain, His work up there in the mountains this year has been phenomenal!