Last Thursday when we made our move from Colorado Springs to Gunnison (CO), we traveled in the footsteps of Zebulon Pike and his expedition. Pike was traveling in the opposite direction when he got stuck in the Bighorn Canyon during a bitterly cold winter. We were going west on a beautiful sunny summer day.
When Pike’s expedition came through here, they were walking through a frozen world. They were unable to hunt and fish. There was no dry firewood. They were stuck between high mountain walls forced to walk on the frozen river through snow and bitter cold, weighed down by their heavy wet clothing and equipment.
Their trail was covered by snow. When they looked up they saw high rugged rocky walls. When they looked ahead, they saw rugged high rocky walls and mountains.
Any little valleys offered little comfort. They were covered in snow and empty of any game or people, and offered little in the way of shelter.
Because of the hardships endured by these explorers, people today are able to thoroughly enjoy the canyon.
Even with a modern, paved road and lots of people, the canyon is still a wild and potentially dangerous place. These CDOT workers are there to rescue a car that went over the edge of the road and ended up roof down in the river ten feet below.
The whole area we are exploring now is the same. There are dams to control the rivers and paved roads for safer, easier travel, but no one can control nature. We have to be wary of sudden storms (lightning strikes are a real danger), flash floods, falling rocks, and large, wild animals. Despite these dangers, with care and planning, we are thoroughly enjoying our stay in this wild and beautiful place.
More wild stuff coming up.
Louise and Duane
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