Total Trail Mileage: 93 miles
There’s been a lot that has happened. I hope I can remember it all.
P.S. – This blog was written on July 30 no matter what the blog title says.
We’ve traveled the Grand Tetons a little, crossed the Jenny Lake and did some scrambling on some rocks off trail, sang some hymns in a rock fall cave, and had great fellowship in the outdoors.
I did some catching up with ole Lauren Tidwell on a trip to the Fairy Falls with a failed attempt to view Grand Prismatic due to some rain. However, after lunch I managed to go back and get a quick minute-long glimpse of the vivid, multi-colored thermal pond before it started raining once again. I then chased the storm into the Beartooth wilderness, which the road takes you to ‘the top of the world’ or at about 11,000 feet. Watched the sunset at 11,000 feet. And let me just claim it, sunset over Beartooth is the most gorgeous scenery I have ever witnessed. The sad thing is that the glory that is seen is easily forgotten once away. But, nonetheless, I still remember being in absolute awe of the beauty that is of God and is created by God.
Electric Peak is a beast. It’s a 20 mile long journey there and back, peaking at 10,969 feet. Basically all of the elevation gain is done within 4 miles, starting at the base of the mountain and heading up nearly 3400 feet. It was exhausting and incredible. In order to reach the true peak, there was a little bit of scrambling and climbing involved, but the danger is worth the reward (disclaimer: danger is not always worth the reward). The view from the top was absolutely incredible and made all other peaks look pretty tiny. We took it all in, exhausted, excited, resting, and in awe at the landscape 3500 feet below. It’s moments like these that you’ll remember for the rest of your life. God is more creative than we give him credit for.
In three weeks from today, I will be finished with work. In three weeks and one day, we will hold our last Sunday service in the park. In three weeks and two days, I will be headed back home via about six different national parks and monuments.
It’s been going fast but it’s been going good. I’ve really fallen in love with God’s creation in Yellowstone and with my ministry team here. There’s been a lot learned, done, seen, and experienced here that I hope to never forget. Although, I have noticed that some things that I want to hold to memory to keep, like scenery, just remains pretty vague and thin, despite trying to retain them. I have pictures to look back on, but some things are temporary. Some things are to be experienced for the time you have them, some things are to be learned as you experience them, and then those experiences are to be let go of. It keeps us doing the things we need to be doing, going to the places we need to be going, and experiencing the things we need to experience. We are called to where God wants us to go, and those callings are not always permanent. I would argue that most callings are temporary. “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” We have things to do. We have places to go. We have experiences to be had and shared. But don’t let the want of reliving previous experiences hold us back to do what will become experiences that we will also cherish.
Grand Tetons
Grand Prismatic Edge
Near sunset in Beartooth
Sunset in Beartooth
Electric Peak
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