When mountains beckon

Bell Canyon Reservoir_Little Cottonwood Canyon

I grew up at the feet of a soaring mountain range, granite-topped peaks that often retained snow year-round melted into forested skirts sweeping down towards my small little town. Mountains ground me, they keep me centered, and are my true heart-home. I mean, LOOK AT THEM! Snowy peaks, springy-green trees that show no trace of the browned, brittle wild-fire dryness of July and August.

Bell Canyon Reservoir_Little Cottonwood Canyon

I have been in Salt Lake this week for work, and I have made the most of the daylight hours after leaving the office by getting into the mountains and soaking in the gorgeous views, the nature-y noise, and fresh pine-y smells.

Bell Canyon Trail_Little Cottonwood Canyon

The melting snow has turned the creeks and rivers into white thunder, storming down the mountains and smashing into rocks and trees. This cold, terrifying sound is like a lullaby to me. I mean, I don’t want to go wading or anything, but I could listen to spring runoff rush down the canyon for hours and hours.

Bell Canyon Waterfall_Little Cottonwood Canyon

A friend and I hiked up Little Cottonwood Canyon to the Bell Canyon waterfall and reservoir (photos above) and while the climb was brutal for my suburban, lower-altitude legs and lungs, it made my heart so, so happy.

Living Room_Wasatch Front

The mountains are so close to the Salt Lake valley, truly you can be immersed in Nature in under 20 minutes. Watching the sun set over the Great Salt Lake, painting the sky in coral and orange and purple, and feeling the chill of the mountains, talking with friends about things important and trivial…all of this soothed my ragged soul and was a balm to my anxious heart.

Harriet sig

12 thoughts on “When mountains beckon

    1. Feisty Harriet Post author

      RIGHT?!?! I mean, most of the year these mountains are brown and dry and one spark away from hundreds of miles of raging wildfire. But for a few weeks in the spring they make you suck your breath in and hold it, willing the gorgeous mirage to stay for just a little while longer.

      Swooooon!

      xox

      On Fri, May 20, 2016 at 10:51 AM, Feisty Harriet wrote:

      >

      Reply
  1. nonsequiturchica

    I grew up in Chicago, but my three years in Denver sold me on the fact that I should have grown up out west. The mountains man, they are breathtaking.

    Reply
    1. Feisty Harriet Post author

      I think I will forever consider mountains as “home.” I love a big city, of course, but something about those snow-covered peaks just speaks to my soul.

      xox

      On Fri, May 20, 2016 at 1:22 PM, Feisty Harriet wrote:

      >

      Reply
  2. sovknight

    I clearly need to up my photography game. Your pictures are amazing.

    And Bells Canyon! One of my favorites! I miss it.

    Reply
    1. Feisty Harriet Post author

      I honestly kept saying “This looks like another country, not the Intermountain/Desert West. Like, Scotland. Or New Zealand, maybe!” It was SO gorgeous-green!

      xox

      On Wed, May 25, 2016 at 12:30 AM, Feisty Harriet wrote:

      >

      Reply
  3. Pingback: If we went to lunch… – Feisty Harriet

  4. Pingback: Harriet: Age 35 – Feisty Harriet

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *