Winter Storm Advisory

4/4/09

The radio warned throughout the day that a winter storm was coming. And it hit Olympia and I as we hiked the rim trail. How bad it would get would only be discovered in the morning.

Wind buffeted our tent all through the night, even though the forecast was that the winds and storm would subside by midnight. To sty warm, I stuffed several hand-warmers into my sleeping bag and curled up with Olympia, covering her with the extra blanket I had brought along. Occasionally during the night I would wake up to snow drifting through the bug mesh - blown under the rainfly by the winds. We would awake to a desert winter wonderland.

The winds had not stopped at midnight, and with all the blowing snow I wasn't certain that the snow had stopped falling. I packed up as fast as I could, but first had to empty my boots of snow that I had left in the vestibule of the tent. Both the tent and rainfly were coated with snow. Six inch drifts formed against the tent and the tires of the car. I had to stomp around in the snow to find Olympia's water dish buried.

Our drive out was eventful. Winds shoved snow into drifts in the road. The bumper of the Subaru played snow plow through the drifts. The wind tried pushing the car around. And even in all this misery, the Moab Marathon was about to begin as I drove past the starting line.

Next year I'm going at the end of April.

Conspiracy Theory

Memories - Death Valley

Close your eyes and imagine. You’re riding in the passenger seat of a fast moving SUV through the moonless desert night. The only light visible on the dark stretch of highway is coming from the high beams of your own car. You hope, as you hurtle through the black, that no stray nightlife, or cows stray onto the road.

Just as the sun was setting, several hours before, your driver motions out to the great expanse of desert beyond to low-lying hills and informs you that this is where Area 51 is. The same Area 51 that holds the remains of aliens and spaceships. You find the thought interesting and watch as the hills become more inky in the darkening light. Soon the only movement you see is the jostling desert weeds as they are pushed to and fro by the gusty evening winds.

A few more hours pass and the only thing you can find in the radio is some conspiracy nut-job and his theories about extra-terrestrial life. Time and movement seem to halt, as your eyelids get heavier. You hope that your destination soon arrives, for you know you can’t stay awake much longer to help look for obstacles in the road. Then it appears. You think it is only a reflection from a light in your car. Then it disappears. You glance around the dash to see if you can distinguish which light was momentarily reflected in your window. You look out again and there it is; a tiny spot of light at eye level traveling through the darkness at the exact speed you car is traveling. Then it flicks out again only to reappear a few seconds later.

Your heart starts to race. You are now wide awake, searching the darkness for any clues to this hovering light, listening to the static-y talk radio and alien cover-ups. You look out the driver’s side window and there’s another light! You start to panic. Holy **** you’re surrounded! Another appears. And another! And, wow, that one looks like a four-pane window.

That’s when you realize, that you’re driving through ranch country. The floating lights in the darkness are no more than lights from a ranch house or barn. You feel kind of silly but you let out a long calming breathe and laugh a little at yourself. At least you’re awake now. Your destination, a campground inside Death Valley National Park, is getting closer. You’ll have a few hours of sleep before sunrise.

Nature's Garden

Westberg Trail, 5/31/08, 6 miles, 2050 elevation

Chased to the eastside of the mountains by snow clinging to mid-elevation trails, our CHS group found a place to stretch our legs and see some beauty in the hills near Thorp along Manastash Ridge. The description from our leader was that it was a steady climb for 2 1/2 miles where we'd be able to find our "forever" pace. However, even in the late spring the temps in Eastern Washington can be a force to be reckoned with especially for a cool weather gal like me.

Climbing the Westberg Trail through the sagebrush and balsamroot, left us unprotected from the sun. The heat sapped my strength and stamina - a "forever" pace was not in my ability this day. It was all I could do to climb a bit before resting and sucking down some more water.

At least with every stop there was the beauty that Karen had promised. Balsamoot covered the hills in gold, speckled with the purple of Lupine. Lomatium peaked out as did penstemon, asters and Bitteroots. When we finally reached the top of the hill, each one of us exhausted from the beating sun and heat, a view beyond compare greeted us. The Stuarts, still blanketed in snow rose to the blue sky far across the valley.

We had lunch there at the top of the hill, drinking in the view amongst nature's flower garden, before exploring more of the ridge. The views continued to gain beauty and inspiration and we finally decided to return to our cars - sadly leaving this place of wildflowers and mountain views.