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.

 It takes more effort somedays...to muster my "half empty glass" to half full. They are equal, after all, half empty and half full. The difference is attitude. Today I shall rise up, throw back the curtain of gloom and doom, and go forth with a half full glass of attitude. 

Today's adventure takes us to the upper Oak Creek Overlook, where, as figured, we had to deal with leftover winter snow obstructing the trail. The Bad Ass Hiker Gals and your's truly circled counter clockwise on the Perimeter Trail...taking the Queen Street access just for kicks and giggles, not to mention a shadier/cooler way to join up with Oak Creek Trail. 

We will be headed to 10,000 feet, up the Oak Creek drainage that winds up the back side of Twin Peaks

As expected, we hit snow on the trail...and in a rather sketchy spot. A slip up (or down) here could send one over the edge of a waterfall into a deep canyon. Going down frozen snow was the hard part, it would be softer coming back in the afternoon.

Mining relics along the way...

Judging from the narrowness, the Upper Oak Creek Trail doesn't get much use.

It's not exactly jaw dropping beauty up Oak Creek...just someplace to go...

A snack, then time to head down...climbing back up on kinder/softer snow that had melted enough to make it muddy and slick in the dirt. You can't really see it in the photos, but that's a hundred foot waterfall below Bobbie...

Claret Cup cactus looks out of place at 8400 feet.

Soon enough...too soon, actually...we were descending into Lovely Ouray. 

Evening Primrose

That's my Sunday sermon.
Peace Out, beautiful people...
Mark and the Bad Ass Hiker gals