2012.06.29 18:24
Waldo Canyon fire forced evacuation of 32,000 people in Colorado Springs, Colorado as of June 27, 2012. Waldo Canyon has been our favorite place for hiking. Due to lower altitude and south-facing slope, it gets the first signs of spring with wildflowers. We go there every year and sometimes 2-3 times a year. They say that wildfire is the way of nature to take care of the land on which we live. It is something we should leave as "let it be" but we, human beings, have intruded into the wild so much and so deep that their properties come on its way and disappear in smoke. Sometimes, I think, the wildfires may be what the nature intended. I live in a subdivision in the middle of a forest of ponderosa pines where deer, elks, bears, and mountain lions used to live. As we try to take a good care of them, some of them are still staying with us but we chased most of them away. Someday, my house could be one of those victims of wildfires. I am full well aware of that those fresh young green leaves and pretty flowers are, by now, turned into gray ash. Those beautiful pine barks turned into charred remains on dead trees. Here, I get myself calm and poised, I am writing about the day in the Waldo Canyon as if nothing so terrible would ever happen in this paradise. We will be back to Waldo Canyon probably in the spring of next year. We don't know how much will be left for us to see. We may even get more abundant wildflowers that frequently happen after a wildfire. A disaster is sometimes a blessing in disguise. We will never know.
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Hiking at Waldo Canyon Shang Rhee was visiting from Nashville and we decided to hike the Waldo Canyon. It was early summer in Colorado and there's a lot of snow in the higher mountains. But in the sunny south-facing slope in lower altitude, we were expecting a lot of wildflowers in the Waldo Canyon. Having met at a parking lot of a shopping center in Castle Rock, we headed south to Colorado Springs. At the northern end of the city, we turned into US Highway 24 West to Manitou Springs. Shortly after passing Manitou Springs, we arrive at the Waldo Canyon trailhead. There is an error in this trail map. The actual elevation gain is about 1,050 feet, starting from 7,100 at the parking lot and ending at 8,150 feet at the top. Not like an exhausting high altitude hikes, this is an easy gentle slope gaining 1,000 feet in 3 miles. (For example, to gain 1,000 feet in one mile at 12,000 feet is a very tough trail.) A picture of us (except the photographer), before leaving the trailhead parking lot (without order): Shang Rhee*65, Nashville, TN Y. J. and E.S. Lee, Castle Rock, CO S.Y. and Myoungho Kim*75, Englewood, CO Mr. and Mrs. WM, Castle Rock, CO Looking down the parking lot at the side of US highway 24-West. There are a lot of red rocks in this area as you can see at the canyon walls on both sides of the road. A few "Yellow Salsify, Goatsbeard", being considered as a weed. Like a giant dandelion, puffy globular seed balls form after the flowers and parachute-like seeds spread through the wind. On a hiking trail, they never look like weeds.
Note: An accurate identification of the wildflowers are not my cup of tea. There may be some errors. |
2012.06.30 03:41
2012.06.30 05:54
2012.06.30 06:00
It's sad and terrible to watch Colorado Wildfire on TV screen these days.
I hope the Wildfire stops there where it is now, not reaching your home.
Please, take care, WM.
PS; You're a great Essayist.
2012.06.30 08:30
Thanks. Our village is safe from the fire.
Waldo Canyon fire is abour 40 miles south and Boulder fire is about 40 miles north from us.
High Park fire is about 100 miles north and is almost contained.
We had a much closer call about 2-3 years ago when Hayman fire threatened us.
Evacuation order came to our village then as the fire came with a mile.
Ashes fell on our heads and we were coughing in the smoke as we played golf.
Wildfires can happen anywhere even within our village or in my own backyard.
Most of the July 4th fireworks in Denver area have been cancelled.
I smelled some smoke this morning but we are not worried.
The most I can do is that our home is covered by a fire insurance.
That's about all we can do.
Every year, there are some wildfires going on in Colorado.
Our life go on as usual regardless.
2012.06.30 08:53
Glad your place is safe.
Take care of yourelf & the pretty ones.
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A life in communion with nature.
A humble, quiet, calm attitude as one of created beings
in the middle of awesome wonders of Colorado mountains and valleys.
Once again reminding us of the nature's cycle according to its own biological clock
through this monster wild fire in spite of the 21st century human civilization,
which occupies much of peoples' mind every day.
Thank you, WM, for sharing your thoughts and life in the great State of Colorado.