Marlene and I have been able to travel throughout the American West for the last 15 years. As I was looking through the pictures from these travels, this image brought a smile to my face. It is of Alberta Falls along the Lower Glacier Gorge Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park . It was taken in July 2008. This picture makes me smile for many reasons.
I smile because the trail guide listed this trail as an easy, short hike (1.6 miles roundtrip) . Being a Central Texan unaccustomed to mountain trails, I remember having images of a brief walk in the park. I did not realize that “easy” is a relative term in Colorado. The .8 mile trail included a bit of an elevation, for me at least. At one point there were switchbacks along sloping, forest trails where the footing felt a bit slippery. There were a few spots where we had to climb rocky steps. It all had the feel of “false advertising.” Ten years later, after walking a few more mountain trails, I have come to see that that short hike was “a walk in the park.”
I also smile because along the way we encountered a forest orchid. It was not very tall, roughly 8 inches and was on the up side of a sloping, muddy trail. I really wanted the shot with the forest in the background. There was only one way. It was time to get down and dirty with the mud. Here is the shot.
Yep, I got muddy. Yep, the pants and shirt were wet. Yep, folks laughed when they had to step over me on their way up the trail. Yep, I felt very self-conscious. But I got the shot! That was a brief moment in time when I actually felt like a photographer.
The picture of the falls also causes me to smile because while on the trail I discovered the joy of hiking in places I had never been or seen on television. Every foot of that trail was a surprise. My preconceptions were completely erased and I spent that time in a state of wonder. I could not wait to get around the corner to see what awaited us. But, at the same time, I wanted to linger with the present moment long enough to really soak it in. It was an incredible feeling to live in constant expectation of something new that would widen the crack in my assumptions. Every step along that trail confirmed, for me, that the world is still a place waiting to be discovered for those who leave their familiar paths.
Finally, that picture brings joy to my soul when I remember how it felt to finally see the Falls appear among the trees. I remember hearing the laughter of the water as it crashed down on the boulders. I remember how each of the thousands of droplets reflected the sun with their own special sparkle. My imagination came alive as the Falls became part of who I had become along my way up Glacier Gorge. Was it life changing? Only in that these memories are as alive today as they were when I returned to the bottom of that trail 10 years ago.
In the last ten years, Marlene and I have walked countless trails in mountains and deserts alike. I have continued to build on the lessons I learned from Glacier Gorge as well as adding a few more along the way. Regardless of where we go, I hope that I will continue to find deep, soul-filling joy by simply taking one step after another on unfamiliar trails. I look forward to getting, down in the mud in order to appreciate the scenery. I eagerly await living in constant anticipation of surprise. I yearn for the delight that comes with the changes that these moments will have on my soul.
The Glacier Gorge Trails of the world await us all. Good Hiking!
Bob