The Return

On June 2nd I went hiking at my new favorite spot. Little did I know, I would not be back there for 28 days. The High Park Fire started up on June 9th and all hiking was closed. All I could do was watch and wait, and wonder if this beautiful place would look the same when I could finally return. 

On June 26th the park was finally reopened! 

I made my first return trip on the 29th. I was so excited to be going back, but it was too hot to hike that day. So I simply checked the smoke levels and planned my hike for the next morning.

I started hiking this morning at 6:30 am and I had a great time!

There was a haze but it didn't really smell of smoke.

The fire never made it to the park and so all the foliage was still beautiful.

I made a deer friend on the way. 

The whole way up I kept thinking of this verse:

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:14

I saw a helicopter making it's way from the reservoir.

A smoky haze hung over the city.

Off in the distance you can see the dark burn line.

There was one Winnie the Pooh rain cloud that sprinkled on me. 

He was so cute with his banana peel. 

I thought this cloud looked like a baby turtle swimming!

Those mountains that tower off in the distance tell me something. Though I don't consciously think about them everyday, they are the first thing I notice missing when I travel away. And they are the first thing I see with great joy when I return. I'm so glad my favorite places to hike didn't burn up, but even if they had, it wouldn't have been able to burn up those mountains that tell me... I'm home.

And today... I got to return home.