9 Comments

Great narration of a great adventure. I wish someone would organize something like this for old men.

Not to digress too much, but I wonder if the "grandeur" of the "mountains" is what makes the "valleys" of Manhattan so appealing.

Expand full comment

Hi, Julian, this is an amazing post.

Do you know any camping sites or something like that in Florida?

Expand full comment
Jul 19·edited Jul 22

I treasure my little Polaroid picture of Rock Springs reservoir from the 60s. There was nothing there but water and prairie. You are blessed. Thanks. I'll look at these pics on cloudy days in the city. There are many.

oops, make that Granite Springs.

Expand full comment

Though my experience is limited, I did two 'tours' of ten days each of the southern most rockies, the Sangre De Cristo range.. The first one we climbed to the second highest mountain in New Mexico, way above the tree line. Had a snowball fight. Later sent a postcard to my Mom & Dad dated that day. It was of the mountain. I simply said, "I am with God and the Astronauts!" Neil Armstrong set for on the moon that same day in his 'one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'. Always 'drawn' to mountains, we moved to Washington about ten months ago. They are everywhere, including 'The Mountain" or Tahoma, meaning ' that that wipes the sky'' or Rainier. Beautiful description of a journey 'up there'.

Expand full comment

Fantastic travelogue, Julian - I surely enjoyed it and was really taken by those very lovely photos of the amazing wildflowers. Like coming across the King’s jewels along the pathway.

Expand full comment

Appreciate this article, Julian. As a 20-something man back in the ‘70s, my uncle and I did a short trip to the headwaters of Wallace Creek in the Absorkies (Montana-speak for “Absarokas”) just north of Yellowstone NP. Grizzlies weren’t nearly as numerous back then, and any threat didn’t enter our thinking. The hike was strenuous. The beauty of that area was almost beyond description. Our camp was at the base of a titanic rock amphitheater of sorts where the creek emanates, and one could look north up a ten-mile narrow valley from that vantage point. In the distance, one saw the vertical east face of Mt. Cowan drop 4,000 feet to the valley below. It was the most spectacular mountain view of my life.

Anyway, you kicked off a great memory for me. Your Teton expedition truly was epic!

Expand full comment
author

Thank you! It is truly glorious. And yes, the wildlife has come back in good and sometimes controversial ways.

Expand full comment

Thank you, Julian. I lived in Alberta for many years and remember fondly the hikes and cross country skiing we did almost every weekend in our Rockies. I am back east now but here we have the Great Lakes and the Niagara river and falls to give us the soul food you talk about.

Expand full comment
author

Glad you enjoyed it!

Expand full comment