Trail to Peak: The Adventurous Path
Hiking, Exploring, Travel & Adventure
Channel Your Inner Elk-Ness
Seamus & I went for one of our exercise walks today… nothing special, just a wee hike we’ve done countless times before. Because we hike there often, my mind tends to wander and novelty… the idea of seeing and experiencing something new… doesn’t snap it back to reality.
We’ve had an unfortunate cold snap, of late, with temps plummeting down into the minus 20’s (that is, around -25C or -13F), just when spring is supposed to be upon us. With the amount of daylight increasing rapidly, it is nice and bright at 7:30am now (where it used to seem as though it was the middle of the night, when the clock face read the same in the depths of December). So those extra minutes of daylight we’re gaining each day, at a rate of about 3 minutes a day where we live, is such a tease when it is so cold!
UGH. I am so ready for spring, I’ll tell ya!
These rather bleak thoughts were going through my head as I was hiking up the Highline. But there’s only so long that this kind of negativity can pull you in… when the exercise endorphins start to kick in, when the rhythm of your footsteps work their trance-like magic, and when you begin to be aware, visually, of your surroundings, like the dawning of a new day, creeping up on you.
The snowfall, of late, has been coming in horizontally, driving its way through the forest canopy and catching itself on the tree trunks. The resulting patterns it has created on the roughness of the tree bark, the hairs of the lichen and moss and the exhalation of the trees (I imagine them actually breathing) are beautiful. These features have created sticky patches that have snagged themselves lines of snow… but only on one side of each tree trunk, throughout the forest.
And then there are the faces, staring out at you, from the trunks alongside the trail…
It’s hard to keep miserable when faced with smiley tree sprites all around you. Or maybe it’s just the cold temps, and the prolonged winter, messing with my head and driving me a little bit insane!
11 Comments on “Channel Your Inner Elk-Ness”
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Trail to Peak: The Adventurous Path 
Wow was this long go?I’m asking because it the snow still handing on, or has it gone now ? Snow and elks are as foreign to me as are really hot summer days ( like 45 degrees Celsius and kangaroos probably are to you,. Can getting too close to elks be dangerous or are they shy? Do they arrange their herd formations so that the stronger bigger elks are on the extremities keeping guard of the herd? Louise
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This was today. I broke the cardinal rule of posting twice in one day. One follower mentioned I was having far too much fun and asked if I was getting sick of winter yet…and I’d just been out on my walk thinking…. ugh. I’m a little fed up with this recent cold snap. We’ll try skiing tomorrow, but I’m not sure how long we’ll last. It’s due to get up to -18C. Enjoy your summer!!!
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I cannot even imagine -18C
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The elk, because they’re protected here (we’re on the border of a national park) are not shy at all. They’re only aggressive in the fall during their rut (mating season). That being said, I still walked way around them as I had my dog with me.
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Don’t you just love slipping into a hiker trance? But it looks like you’ve both mastered the art of finding your happy place without losing sight of the beauty around you.
I loved the snow garland, but was even more tickled by your cloud-gazing turned towards the trees.
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Glad I could make you smile! Sometimes the beauty is there in unexpected places and with unexpected glances.
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Faces in the trees, trees waving at you – I think the dryads are trying to tell you something. Like, “don’t be so hung up on mountains, trees are cool too!”
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ha ha ha… or stop being so bleak and moody…
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It’s 89 °F in the Palm Springs Area today. A bit too hot for vigorous activities. If only I could give you 20 degrees. Hang in there.
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If only…. the temps should be better here today. We’re heading off to do a snowshoeing adventure. Enjoy the desert! 🌵
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