Foggy Mountaintop

There was one thing I had to do while in Utah; even if it meant hiking the long trail alone, I was going to get to my cabin. Thank goodness my dad and his best friend love going and were free, because it would have been a very cold hike. The trail to my cabin is rough... it's not something I would feel comfortable driving, myself, so I was grateful my dad was available to take me.

This particular day was unseasonably cold and wet; it felt more like March. My cabin happens to be on the top of a mountain, and I thought we might see snow fall at any moment. But oh my... I don't know if it's ever been more magical up there. The clouds were very low, they came sweeping over the ridge, making it feel like a dream. The wildflowers were still in bloom and their vibrant colors stood out among the fog and deep greens. We were only able to stay for a couple hours; just enough time to take some photos, make sure everything was ok, and eat lunch. Before we left, we decided to try and drive to the very top, or as far as a vehicle can go, anyway (which happens to be pretty far).

It got to the point where there really was no point in continuing, the clouds were just too thick to see more than a few feet ahead. But I wanted to try, so we kept heading on up. And just as we rounded a corner, a large coyote ran in front of our truck... It froze in the middle of the path, stared at us for a few seconds, then took off, down the other side of the ridge. It hadn't been more than fifteen feet away from me. My hands instinctively flew up to cover my mouth, in pure awe. It was such a beautiful sight... The russet coyote with it's bushy tail, surrounded by mist and pines... I wish I could have captured it in a photo. It was over in a flash, but it's one of those moments that will always remain clear in my mind.