the Mariposa Lily

In search of the Mariposa Lily........Yes I have gotten a little crazy about wildflowers here in the Rockies and more than a little ambitious about locating some of the more "exotic" ones. Thus the hike up the Carbonate Creek trail. It was on this trail that I would have my best chance at seeing the Mariposa Lily. So once on the trail our little hiking group, well at least three of us all of whom were ladies (I am not sure about the two males with us), looked and looked for the lily where it was suppose to grow. No Mariposa lily to be found.

But to our delight we did see Jon's goal.....the Mountain Goats. They are difficult to see in the wild because they inhabit the very tops of the mountains in the rocky terrain. I even bought Jon field glasses for Christmas in hopes that he could see these elusive white goats. As we ate our lunch in an alpine meadow surrounded by Elk Mountain and Mount Daly we were rewarded by seeing a couple of adult mountain goats and two little babies through the field glasses! Did I do good or what buying those for Christmas?

But no Mariposa lily.........So a couple of days later Starbuck (my yellow lab) and I were hiking up the Mike Lane road. Once we were above what I have named Hallelujah Point (because the view is such that I always shout out Hallelujah when I get there) along side of the road was ONE SINGLE MARIPOSA LILY! I started screaming and jumping around scaring Starbuck and yelling to no one because I was alone, It's the Mariposa Lily, it's the Mariposa Lily!

Now the interesting part is that this lily should not have been growing in that particular terrain according to my wildflower book. But there it was. I could not help but think that God gave me that special moment to behold this flower. You cannot imagine the gratitude and wonder that filled my heart upon seeing this flower!!!I know it may sound silly but for me it truly was a "God moment"!

O that I would have eyes that see! O that I would have a heart always open to God's handiwork all around. O that I would see not only His handiwork in nature but also His handiwork in the lives of the people I see everyday. This is my prayer! And I pray this prayer, in part due to the Mariposa Lily!

Holy stillness

Holy stillness.....I went for a solo hike this morning. Now I did not break the first rule of hiking, do not hike alone, because I walked up the Quarry Road. Again one must be reminded that we only have one short paved road in Marble and that was not it.

Since I was alone I used the time to be with God. As I walked and I thought of someone, I would pray for them. But as I continued I began to be quiet and to listen. The scripture "Be still and know that I am God," echoed in my soul. I continued walking up the long hill but I allowed my soul to enter a stillness. Then it was as if the Holy Spirit spoke into my soul that it is not enough to be still but your soul should enter into a Holy stillness. I took a deep breath as if to breathe in more of the Holy Spirit and I began to listen.

The birds that were singing became hymns to the Holy One. The occasional breeze through the aspens and the firs became the accompanying music. The sound of Yule Creek running below became a praise of glory! I was part of this Holy Stillness. Then I began to see......

I looked at the beautiful wildflowers many of which I have learned their names: red paintbrush, white paintbrush, larkspur, fireweed and then those that I could not recall. In the Holy Stillness I realized that God knew my name. "He clothes the lilies of the valley; how much more would He take care of me." "Who am I that God should be mindful of me?"

The mountains in the distance seemed too grand for me with their peaks soaring into the heavens. I could not know all their crevices or reach all their summits. Is that not like God? He is too great for complete human understanding! Yet He loved us enough to send His son to pay the price for our transgressions. All powerful yet so very intimate if only we enter into the Holy stillness in which He calls us.

Yes there is stillness.......but God calls us into a Holy stillness. It is in this place that we truly enter the Holy of Holies! And like Moses, we come down from the mountain a different person.

Okay....so we live in bear country.... Jon and I hiked up and past the Anthracite Pass trail. Once we dropped down into the next valley, we were in the Ragged Wilderness area. We were still on the trail but it was not a heavily hiked trail. But again the scenery was, of course breathtaking.

Anyway as many of you may have guessed by now I have gotten into wildflower identification. So the trail was full of Mountain Lupin blooming everywhere. After we had our sandwich, I told Jon I was going just a little further up the trail but not too far. The path (a single person path) suddenly had this beautiful collection of Mountain Lupin on one side with the white bark Aspen on the other side. So I just had to get a couple of photos! Not that I even come close to being a photographer.

As I was getting a few photos I heard a huge thrashing of the undergrowth below the trail. I thought to myself, "Wow that is one large animal!" Then I got a little concerned when it seemed to be getting closer. Mind you the creature was moving quite fast. Then I heard the huffing and snorting of the animal and it did not sound too friendly; not that I am fluent in animal talk. So I am pretty sure a bear was headed toward me.

I responded......I backed a little further up the hill (to look bigger, I read somewhere that might help). I called out to Jon in a calm, that I did not feel, sort of loud voice. "Jon, I need a little help. Jon a bear is after me! A little help please and could you hurry?" He responded, "really? Do you see him?" I then yelled out my usual mountain wild life I am here call, WOOOOHOOOO! The large creature finally stopped whatever it was doing and I heard no further sound.

Jon arrived on the scene and again wanted to know if I saw him. Now I am still standing up the hill a little and looked at him wondering if he truly knew what just happened. He goes on to tell me that he had heard the creature as well and would like to see it and yes he did think that the creature was upset and perhaps letting me know that. I responded that I certainly DID NOT WANT TO SEE HIM! I led back in the direction that we had come from, telling him to stay close and in military terms to watch our 6s!! His next response was," good thing we don't have grizzlies here!" What can I say, he was right about that!

Once I got home I looked up Black Bear encounters and am pretty sure that he was doing what is called a "bluff attack" which means that he was warning me to get out of his territory. And to my dismay, in my shock I did what the internet said I should do. Do you think the internet has really ever encountered a creature in the wild?

Well anyway God took real good care of us and for that I am truly grateful!!!

Hike to Schofield Pass......Our little hiking team hiked to Schofield Park and I continued up to the actual pass. This was a new hike for us and was filled with many surprises. There were unusual columbines (wildflower) in different shapes and unusual colors. There were numerous waterfalls from the melting snowpack. There was one bear but he was across the canyon and I might add for Mother's sake, unable to get to us! In the Schofield Park there was tundra (because we were at 10,000 feet), wetlands, and copious amounts of Avalanche Lilies and delicate white Marsh Lilies. Yes, I did sing "The Sound of Music" once!

The hike was a long one and we got .7 miles from the Schofield Pass which was always MY destination. However Jon and Joy had enough of the hike and decided they wanted to head back. I looked at them and said, "Oh no, I am out-voted!" Imagine that! Joy, seeing my disappointment, told me that since I was fast that I could go on up to the Pass and catch up with them as they headed back. Jon was quiet. I thought about it.....(remember the hiking rule, do not hike alone.) I asked Jon if he thought it was stupid for me to continue and he responded yes but that it had never stopped me before so I could just go ahead.

The path up to the Pass was a dirt road and not the rocky slopes that got us to the point that we were. I was following hiking rules 2 and 3: someone knew where I was going and I was not going to bushwack. So I reasoned it should be safe to go ahead and that is what I did. I got up to the Pass and took a picture of the sign to prove that I had made it. Thus I had to hurry to catch up with the "hiking team" that was on the return trip.

As I began the fast-pace back, I was alone over the flats, the alpine meadow of Schofield Park. I saw the tundra, the wetlands, the flowers, the surrounding mountains, the blue cloud-patched sky and I became tearful at the beauty! Of all the babies born on April 17th, 1957 how was it that I was so blessed to be experiencing this moment! It was just God, me and His majestic creation! I was surrounded by His wonderful imagination and was aware that I too was a part of this brilliant canvas in which there are not enough words to describe! The humbling part is that out of all creation He loved me enough to send His son to die for my transgressions and to live again so that I could one day be called home to be with Him for eternity........so I allowed myself the quiet tears because truly there were no words adequate for the moment!

As a side note I did catch up with my hiking team and thus am able to write this!

Took my wildflower friend and hiking buddy on the Milton Falls trail in search of the Fairy Slipper that I found this past Sunday with the Church hike. We were rewarded by finding several of the delicate little Calypso Orchid, the Fairy Slipper. Better photos follow. God's little gifts are everywhere if we would only have eyes that see and ears that hear and hearts that are open......so this is my prayer......

Raspberry Ridge Hike......Have you ever wondered why a certain trail is referred to as a certain name? The sign at the trailhead said Raspberry Creek trail. But around Marble the trail is referred to as the Raspberry Ridge trail. Now that may have been due to fact that the 11,000 some feet mountain has a long ridge line. But after hiking it I have a different idea.
The trail has become rather infamous of late in Marble circles due to the adventure another Air Force Chaplain who came here and helped the church to hire us had. He started the trail at 4pm. Folks, that is late to begin a hike!!! As he went further and it got later, he decided to try to bushwack down. At one point he cliffed out ( which is hiking lingo for he came to a cliff edge.) So he eventually ended up coming down a snow runoff area on his behind gathering speed until he was out of control and eventually ended up in the Crystal River. He suffered from hypothermia and a Marbleite couple saved him by warming him up quickly. But we all confirm that God was the miracle in his survival!

I digress. So Jon, Joy and I took this hike upon my recommendation. It started out as a normal uphill climb. But then the trail became a footpath. I do not mean a footpath as in 12 inches wide but a path in which you only have room for one foot in front of another. Then the mountain trail opens up and you can see the sheer drop-off just by your footpath. I started using southern vernacular and prayer, "Lord have mercy!!" At one point we had to cross where the snow was still running off in a stream of water. If you slipped while crossing, it would truly become a 'Lord have mercy' experience! Jon used his walking stick to help us to cross safely! Therefore it is my deduction that the reason the trail is referred to as the Raspberry Ridge trail is that for portions of it you are literally on a ridge along the side of the mountain! Did I mention that the "footpath" tilted slightly down toward the drop-off?

Eventually the trail rounded the mountain and we found ourselves in a beautiful peaceful aspen grove. The aspens had the new leaves that are the perfect shade of green that says new and tender. The trail was a little wider and there was no apparent drop-off. We could hear a stream close by and we sat on a log and had a picnic. Food tastes so much better above 9000 feet! There was only one problem. We had to return the way we came. Footpath, ridge, drop-off......Lord have mercy!!!

Life's journey can be much like this hike. You come to places where the path is narrow and you may feel as if you are just clinging to the ridgeline. But as God has so mercifully revealed to me along the way, the peaceful safe haven of the aspen grove is just around the corner. He will sustain you there to give you the strength you need for the return journey!

"Come unto me .......and I will give you rest. Take my yoke......and I will give you rest" May we always be open to the rest that God offers when we take the time to be quiet before Him. May I always breathe in the peace that He offers so that I may have strength for the journey.

Spring hiking in the mountains......... My hiking buddy, Joy and I have been on two spring hikes in the past week. Once again this place of Marble has amazed me. Our hike today took us to Crystal (an old mining village that people still summer in). This hike follows the Crystal River.

Spring brings the runoff from the mountain snowpack and the river was in a state that I had never seen. Last year we did not have enough snowpack and I did not get to see this showing off of nature. The river was a torrent with waterfalls filling it from the peaks surrounding it. This massive power of water rushing and raging across boulders and rocks was breathtaking! It was also a display of power that required great respect! It would not be wise for one to fall in!

Then in contrast to this great power were delicate flowers just sprouting out from the rocky soil. Tiny violets that were not only violet in color but yellow and white as well! I have never in my entire life seen tiny yellow and white violets. On another hike with a similar contrast of nature's power and delicacy we were able to see the Avalanche Lily. This flower only grows at higher altitudes and springs out of soil that has been heavily snowpacked. It only lasts for a brief period just after the snow melt and before summer heat claims it.
 

We also saw mountain lion scat (if you do not know the meaning of scat, it is the end results a meal, if you know what I mean). And yes, I have a pamphlet of various animal scat so as to know what is lurking around when in the backcountry. The scat of a mountain lion always has fur in it from the remains of the last meal. Joy and I made lots of noise so that said mountain lion would not come out of some hidden spot and try a diet change!

In contrast to the gratefully hidden mountain lion were the delicate tiny blue butterflies flitting and flying around in some delightful dance. The air was also filled with the distinct sound of the lovely broad-tailed hummingbirds. They were quite brash and flew all around us while we picnicked.

Is this not unlike Almighty God? He is all powerful and in one sense must be feared as in held in great respect and honor! For we as humans cannot grasp Him in all of His glory! Yet He creates and cares for the very tiniest and most delicate of His creation. And more often than not, we are the delicate ones in the midst of the All Powerful.