Treading among the high places can bring about the presence of beauty and mystery. Even as memorable snapshots to capture what the place would say. Ever watchful, ever-present, the spirit within available to the truth of creation and its existence. To spiritually feed on the place to observe, learn, and testify about the wonder and glory of God.
Low elevation overcast skies at a distance to remind an observer of a different mood. By place and circumstance, there is a separation of daylight and darkened skies. To affect a perception among a population about the quality of the day. At least for a while until the layer burns off. For a period of time while people go about their lives in a thin middle area between the earth’s surface and its cloud cover. A middle layer of providence and calm, or a layer to veil what is just beyond and what is to come.
This photo I took by happenstance in passing while out on a peak ascent in the San Gabriel Mountains. The unique nature of the tree stood out to bring into remembrance the tales of J.R.R. Tolkien.
“The first White Tree of Gondor came from a fruit that Isildur, at great personal risk, managed to steal from Nimloth the Fair, the White Tree of Númenor, before that one was destroyed at Sauron’s insistence. He suffered many wounds at this mission, and he came near death, but when the first leaf opened in the spring, Isildur was healed of his wounds.
This sapling was brought to Middle-earth on Isildur’s ship, and it was eventually planted in Minas Ithil before the house of Isildur. But when Sauron returned to Middle-earth, he launched a sudden attack in S.A. 3429 that captured Minas Ithil, and he burned the White Tree. Isildur escaped taking with him again a sapling.”
Source: White Tree of Gondor
A series of photos that are of Redwood Canyon. A forested loop route in between Sequoia and Kings Canyon. A lovely area worth exploring with full effort and an open heart. With much to see and do while giving care to location, direction, and the weather. For safety and best use of time to get the most of the experience.
When setting out, there are often times where there really isn’t a trail or clear route to the top of a mountain. Cross country approximation to the top of a well-known peak isn’t to be taken for granted. It isn’t just a concern about losing your way or getting off your bearing. It is largely about pace and energy conservation at altitude to maintain your way. Even if by successive approximation until at the top.
There are times when out and about the trail just vanishes. Or at best becomes sketchy. The Windy Cliffs upside the mountain in Kings Canyon is just such a place. The trail comes and goes while cut horizontally along a cliff with a slope greater than the angle of repose. Meaning, enough rock slides happen on their own weight where a trail gets knocked out or covered. And that’s especially disconcerting when a trail is at best 12″ or so wide while making your way along the slope along a cliff. When you pull and hang onto vegetation roots along a path to keep going when you know you shouldn’t.
Another long walk back. From a high desert summit plateau just West of the Mojave. Places like this help me with perspective about individual significance and value. It’s sort of like looking up at the stars in wonder. As if our comparative individual size and stature have full bearing on our relevance or rarity. Other than size, what “weight” or significance does a person have among far-off places like this? Since we are self-aware sentient beings with the enormous significance of a different type. Are we not valuable and meaningful in the grand scheme of things?
A ‘sub-atomic’ speck in the universe from one perspective and individual singularities from another.
A route far less traveled. A path much less followed. Along the ridge from one summit to another. Much of its technical terrain with loose boulders, shifting rocks, and large vertical slabs. The topology is with steep relief and contours well above the tree line. Not many living creatures up there at about the 13,000 feet range.
This is why there is sometimes the false choice of seeing the forest through the trees. To dismiss detail, beauty, and a way to go. Where there is shelter, safety, and acuity in the detail. The forest gives context, situational awareness, and bearing. There is just as much unseen here as there is seen and observed. What is the place doing? What happened here? Who or what feeds off this place? How are the vertical surfaces formed? What do the leaves, wind, and birds say? What angle of elevation is this at? What is dying and what is thriving? Why is moss predominately concentrated on one side of most trees? When did that lightning strike? How much snow weight did those small branches have to bear before being stripped of their growth?
“The true ownership of the wilderness belongs in the highest degree to those who love it most.” – John Muir
Still waters in Yosemite. On a clear and beautiful day. Even after you have visited so many times, there are always fresh new places to learn more about. The farther and wider spread you go, the deeper the wilderness captivates the heart.
Castle Rock stands in prominence across from Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park. High above the Kaweah River, it is a visual formation that stands out and comes into view for miles. Aesthetically, it presents a character and vertical profile that attracts climbers and explorers from all walks of life.
Here is a section of the cross country route up to Ontario Peak. With a number of observations to read what the mountain says. It speaks to you if you listen. If you observe with humility. This gentle ridge to the summit gives a way to read the force of wind from West to East. Look at the shape of the branches on the worn trees. One side of the ridge was consumed by fire, the other side was defended or survived. Strong winds contribute to the erosion and shape of the Western slope. There isn’t much undergrowth at this elevation at about 8,700 feet. Arid exposure damage on one side with a lower thermal gradient on the other. What the wilderness says is what it is willing to speak to anyone who would listen. Visual observation and by what you feel, hear, smell, and touch. The more you abide in its presence, the more it changes you.
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