Last month I told you about a trip we were going to take. Well, it came to be and we had a nice getaway to clear the mind and rejuvenate the soul.

The climb up Ephraim Canyon was steep, with sharp winding turns making the ascend long and slow. But once you make it to the top, that’s all forgotten. The summit at Skyline Drive is 10,231 feet in elevation. We set up camp with a few of our friends and took in the spectacular view of endless mountain ranges.

This was the home of Bear, the herding dog we rescued ten years ago. His story is one for another time, though abandoned and starving, we took him home with us, nursed him back to health, and gave him five years of happy retirement. So, it was natural for us to think of him as we spent the week in his homeland. And the irony here is we were camping along side a sheep herders camp!

One of our friends knows this mountain like the back of his hand. We called him our “tour guide.” He knows every lake and trail there is up there. We drove miles of trails and saw beautiful lakes and streams. Some trails were wide and flat, some steep and rocky, a true test for man/woman and machine. Patches of snow still remained at the highest peaks. We saw horses and sheep standing or lying down on the frozen snow seeking comfort from the heat.

Fishing was relaxing. We did catch a number of lake trout in the crystal clear cold waters. Some trees we came across showed evidence of bear in the region. Claw marks were distinct in the bark of a few trees. Luckily, we didn’t see any bear. I am deathly afraid of seeing such creatures in the wild and that would have truly put a damper on my camping trip.

The night sky was amazing. Being that high on the mountain, stars were endless. The planets, constellations, and the Milky Way were so brilliant. We even got to see the comet!

There’s nothing like sitting around a campfire telling stories and having a laugh or two. We didn’t want to think about heading home, but it was inevitable. All things must come to an end. But we know we will do this again sometime, hopefully sooner than later. The fall would be beautiful.

Our drive down the canyon will be one we will never forget. We lost our brakes. The scariest thing ever! We just happened to be in the right spot at the right time or we would have gone over a cliff. We reached the only pull over on the canyon road and if it weren’t for my husband’s quick thinking and driving ability, we wouldn’t be here today. We truly believe Bear saved us that day, as we had saved him those ten years ago. We always said he was our “Angel From The Mountain.”

So now I have more memories to write about. How about “Skip Thomas Goes Camping”? I already have that in the making…

Til next time, God bless and stay safe.

Skip’s mom, Cb