After lunch the sky opened up on us. Looking back on most of our hiking / camping adventures I've posted, I realized they are by far almost always sunny fair weather events. Well, maybe that's because we boast over 330 days of sunshine a year here. However, is does rain... sometimes. Monsoon season is here and that brings afternoon thunderstorms to the mountains. After some quick map consultation and a brief discussion of being above treeline, we opted for the alternative route that would keep us in the trees for the most part of the remaining hours that day.
Not always sunshine and happy rainbows,
sometimes it's soggy and sloppy.
"ABEL LUCERO 7 13 1923"
We came across old tree markings from the turn of the previous century. These are common in the high country but not always easy to find. Left by sheep herders and cattlemen to mark trails, camps and grazing areas.
Funny we were there on 7 11 2014.
Rocking W and XX
We saw these brands numerous times through out the area.
"LP 8 11 33"
So old the tree had fallen.
Lazy W Brand
"WALTER JONES"
Jim found this one, hidden behind huge branches that had grown over it from the neighboring tree.
Of course rain meant stream crossings.
Not sure of the brand
"09"
This one was found near the entrance of the forest by a stream.
We knew we were at the half way point when the trails merged and the sign on the left read " Taylor Lake 8 1/2" and the sign on the right read "Taylor Lake 9". We had just come down from the left and were now turning up the right to head up Bear Valley in search of a camp for the night.
We found a stand of pine trees that actually had dry ground beneath them! Jim set up the tent in the few minutes the rain subsided and I hung up soppy wet things. There was a rock fire ring and some logs set up just outside this wonderful treed canopy to sit on. Judging by the poop, the deer and elk must use this camp to bed down as well.
A sip and a rest!
No sooner was the tent up and secured and the rain came again.
Might as well sit under the dry pine and enjoy the view.
Flowers and Hubby
The rain stopped again and I got busy in the "kitchen". I baked brownies, garlic Parmesan bread and a big pot of pasta. Yum!
A happy Hubby with a full belly.
A perfect end to a perfect day.
Yes, despite the rain I think it was a perfect day. We didn't see another person since the mountain biker pedalled by at lunch. The lightening was a bit intense at times. In fact, when we first reached camp I was crouching down pulling stuff out of my pack and there was a flash so blinding and a boom so thunderous it rocked my body, I lost my balance and crumpled to the ground. Shaking, I looked up at Jim with tears in my eyes. He was standing and laughing. Being the super logical one, he burst into this diatribe about being in a valley, being low, blah blah blah. His logic fell on deaf ears. Truth was I was rocked to my core and scared for the moment. I just needed another moment to recover and gather my own logical senses. A few more booms and the storm moved on and I was fine. We proceeded to filter water, cook dinner and enjoy the fading daylight. Then night fell and we crawled into the tent...
As we lay there reflecting on the day we began hearing the strangest sounds. A screeching noise that seemed to travel up and down the valley. First far, then near, then north, then south - almost like a couple of hawks or other birds of prey swooping through the valley calling to one another. Not owls. What other nocturnal bird lives here? Stumped in the dark we lay there and let the sounds fade into the backs of our minds as we replaced them with dreams.
Join us for the answer to these mysterious sounds and our final ascent back to the truck in my next post.
To be continued...
*My lightening fears should not go unrespected and laughed at. Lightening kills more people in Colorado every year than any other state (Actually, I think we flip with Alaska for #1 & #2 most years.) That very weekend on the opposite corner of the state, in Northwest Colorado (Rocky Mountain Park), 2 or 3 people were killed and many more hospitalized due to two seperate lightening strikes. Yes, logic and education does play a big part in your safety in the backcountry but sometimes it's just plain nerve-racking.
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