A Hike To Upper Cascade Falls and Chief Ouray Mine

I've always found Upper Cascade Falls difficult to photograph, primarily due to the precipitous, and at times, vertical landscape that encircles this natural wonder. I think a drone mounted camera would be the best tool to photograph Cascade and other falls. Maybe I should give Mike of Ouray By Flight a call.

Another Day, Another Overlook, Another Rant.

“When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such moments, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready."  Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym

So That's How They Did It! Bobbie Finally Unlocks A Mystery Regarding Grizzly Mine

There are more than a few mountain mine locales that Bobbie and I frequent...scratch our sweaty brows in wonderment at how miners managed to cart hulking, cumbersome pieces of heavy equipment up to their hard-rock digs. One of the more astounding examples of this is Grizzly Mine, with its improbable narrow access literally etched into the cliff-face above Bear Creek. You'll find this trail less than five miles south of Lovely Ouray on the infamous Million Dollar Highway...another etched-in-a-cliff-face wonder, as in "How in the Hell?"

Inspired By Primrose On The Perimeter Trail

As with the improbable evening primrose that blossoms from south-facing hardscrabble earth, life can be tough, fragile, and tenuous. Our task is to not surrender to our plight nor place blame on our assigned plot of gritty, parched soil that sucks us dry. Rather, we must live on in spite of peril, and blossom like the Primrose...
Today's thoughts, inspired by American poet and author Anthony Liccione.

Grinding Out High Roads In Preparation For Long Summer Days above Timberline

While cherry blossoms are likely wilted to Long gone where you live...carpeting your manicured, thrice-mown eastern blue-grass lawn with the sweet funeral flower fragrance that reminds us, at this point in time, of a welcomed death...we who reside here in the "upper-lands" endure winter's dawdling demise with unhinged agitation. The white plague turns us back from lofty, preseason destinations...places we need to inspire us with a renewed since of will-to-live in a world run amuck. Nature and solitude seem to be the only things that can take our minds off the current buttloads of contradictory blather-slather. 

Dinosaur Tracks, and Twin Peaks Trail Still Locked Down By Snow

A little down this Saturday, especially after reading a NY Times article this morning that suggested we might be living with the Virus for years, as it comes and goes in waves until we either develop "herd immunity" or a vaccine comes to our rescue. Though the Virus has yet to greatly affect our lives here in "Tiny Town"—we are doing pretty much everything we normally did pre-Virus, outdoor things like hiking, biking, exploring, etc. etc.. However! I am beginning to wonder if this "social separation" and mask thing is going be part of our new normal, at least for seniors, anyway. I must say: Of all the accommodations I've surrendered to this fucking pandemic, it is the handshake/hug exchange I miss the most.
I know, I know: It could be worse...

Guns and Roses

Smack dab within the city limits of Lovely Ouray there's a steep, winding trail that will spirit hardy hikers up to the  "Bridge Of Heaven." It's a quad-crushing 5 mile hike to the "Bridge," the last 2 miles of which involve substantial post-holeing through knee to waist-deep mounds of snow. Trust me, even the last week in April is considered too early to attempt "Heaven's Bridge" without snow shoes. In fact, some years June's pushing it...unless, of course, you like post-holing and bloody shins.