“The TMTA Huts are preserved by people who seek the peace and solitude of the back country. Please respect this privacy.”
We were determined to scale the last part of our hike so we could look down on the brownish-red rock pile of, well, rocks perched on the very next ridge.
Such a cliche, you know?
Amazing vistas
Ragged peaks in the distance.
Wildflower-filled meadows.
Step-by-step we hiked a dirt trail taking us in and out of shaded mini-forested clumps of pine trees.
Later on we found out the names of the wildflower photos —
Indian Paintbrush,
Columbine (Colorado’s state flower) and
Lupine.
In the span of just a the few days since we left the San Juan Mountain Range outside of Durango, the quality of wildflowers started to decline in color and vitality.
The season, prolonged by a week or more of showers, was coming to an end.
Hey, look this was the end of July after all.
At the base of the hike we crossed a weathered brown-gray wood sign with the following description.
“The TMTA Huts are preserved by people who seek the peace and solitude of the back country.
Please respect this privacy.”
Tacked on below the etched-in description, on a wooden arrow pointing to the left, we read “Shrine Mtn Inn”.
Which in turn pointed us to a washed out-colored meadow with clumps of dark green pine trees.
And to another sign, “Shrine Ridge Trail” anchored in an old decaying stump of a log along the path.
In and out of dark shadows and open meadows we hiked.
Small creek beds with white water mini waterfalls splashed out of the darkness onto dark brown rocks surrounded by light and dark green vegetation.
Flowers grew out of grey, burned out tree trunks in the meadow alongside the trail to Shrine Ridge.
Tucked away off the trail under more green foliage brownish, reddish outcroppings pointing up at 45 degrees with over a dozen rock layers grabbed our attention.
Oh, ok, my photo-tourist attention.
The trail elevated at a steeper slope, enough to cause us to pause in the shadows under a grove of trees.
We sat on fallen logs to snack on sandwiches, string cheese and water.
Only momentarily.
We became bait for swarms of mosquitoes.
Waiting for us near the summit a dirty patch of unmelted snow demonstrated why the rock and dirt valley was so well-worn.
Mounting our final push to the crest revealed more red rock and dirt.
But, looking out in every direction we saw those iconic high elevation meadows and distant peaks spread out before us.
And except for aching muscles and joints and the high elevation which slowed us down, we weren’t going to give up.
We were determined to scale the last part of our hike so we could look down on the brownish-red rock pile of, well, rocks perched on the very next ridge.
At the crest of the meadow the direction couldn’t have been more clear.
A gray weathered wood signpost bolted into a wood column simply said, “Trail” with a arrow pointing the way.
Which, of course, must have been to the Cathedral Rock photo op.
Mission accomplished.
We caught our breath, posed for selfies and group shots and realized the hike took longer than planned.
But wait, the lighting in the late afternoon provided more dramatic photo subjects.
So I lingered behind while the rest of the party kept pace with the dogs galloping downhill far ahead.
Steps:
(32) Plan extended seasonal vacations during summer and winter months. Group destination locations together in regional trips to explore what several bucket list towns have to offer in the general vicinity – with only a week or two vacation time to spend, we recommend organizing your itinerary by travel regions.
An excerpt from Book Four in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Rocky Mountain State.