Son, Caleb, and dotter-in-law, Kelli, wanted to squeeze in one more snow-hike before they left to spend Christmas with her parents in Osage Beach, Missouri.
You might say Osage Beach is Caleb and Kelli's "Summer Home," as they spend a good deal of the off-season back in Colorado. Kelli's loving parents and business partners, Jim and Joyce, co-own Osage Beach Rv Park. (Shameless Plug 😜). If you like to fish, Lake of The Ozarks has some of the best around. At 92 miles long with 1200 miles of shoreline, it would take years to explore. So if you ever find yourself passing through the area, stay at Osage Beach Rv Park, and say hello for us.
Caleb and Kelli were intrigued by Jen's story about a doing the roughly 7 mile Silvershield/Oak Creek Trail loop-hike (emphasis on "rough"). Jen is a new Rv vagabond friend who, along with husband, Doug, eschewed Florida's sunny beaches and Arizona's shorts-N-flip flops weather in order to winter over in Lovely Ouray...in their Rv! I just love Rv'ers who rub against the grain of normality.
So off we go, bright and early the next morning. It was cold and cloudy...forecasted to blow and snow shortly after noon. I actually considered wearing long pants for a second or two. Naw...
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| The surreal nuclear colors of The Blowout... |
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| Bobbie loves a good snow slog |
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| The sun managed to peek through for a few minutes, lighting up colorful cliffs that enclose Lovely Ouray |
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| The coming storm? |
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| Kelli and Caleb...posing below Twin Peaks (a future winter objective) and Little Sister... |
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| From a scenic overlook where Silvershield meets Oak Creek Trail. Mount Abram, far left, Mark and Bobbie, right. |
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| A snow slog ensues on Oak Creek Trail...followed by a sudden storm front with high winds. |
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| Looking down on "our town," resting peacefully in the bosom of it's Mountain Mama |
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| Underdressed or Over confident? Ok, I did get a little chilled here, what with the gale force winds |
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| Heading down to Oak Creek |
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| Fortunately, south facing slopes were nearly free of snow... |
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| Uh, except for here...along a sketchy section above Oak Creek where if you slip, your dead. |
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| Oak Creek |
If only I could be more like Oak Creek in winter...renewed by cleansing fresh snow, smothered by winter's grace and purity till I, too, gurgle softly and, perhaps, become more accepting of the winter season of my Life...
Lovely ... especially the final paragraph. I hiked Silvershield during a summer visit to Ouray ... fun to see the scenery in winter attire.
ReplyDeleteI am terrible at accepting the winter season of my life, both the yearly thing, and the life thing. Winter season...geez. Nice to have photos and not have to slog through that snow. You, of course, sound like you are having fun.
ReplyDeleteI hear ya loud and clear Mark, just can't imagine the cutoffs though at this stage, you must have #$@s of steel: excuse me while I go get another hot toddy before I go over this hike again.
ReplyDeleteWe are waiting for Ouray to get dumped on big time, want to see that white stuff up to the door on the Elk's club. You've got to live up to being called Little Switzerland or lose that title.
Cheers ....& stay Thirsty my friends
Lovely winter hike. I too wish to be as accepting and serene as Oak Creek. Alas, I may never be.
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