There are so many places like this in the national forests out West. But you can't see them because they are covered with the Stygian gloom of an overgrown silviculture. Why is this hillside free of the usual clutter--did it burn some years ago? I had to walk up it that first morning.
The grassy hillside stared at the upper Rio Grande, leading into the center of Colorado's San Juan Mountains, near Lake City. The hillside was so steep that, when I paused and looked around, I felt suspended in space.
The dogs enjoyed the romp over the grass.
But after a thousand feet of climbing, we were at the top of the grass, and hit the impenetrable wall of bark and branches. There was a couple miles of this crap separating us from the rocky ridge of the peak. We were forced to retreat, but not before encountering a pleasant surprise. That will have to wait until next episode.
