Here's an excerpt from my journal on August 8, 2009:
I started to wander around camp this afternoon. I came upon a lush meadow with a majestic view of the next few days mountains. The meadow seemed to beckon, "Come farther, let me show you more!" Gladly I obliged. Over the next hill of rocks I came to a small aqua green pond. Walking along its banks, tadpoles swam for cover. Upon entering another miniature meadow, foot high ground squirrels whistled upon my arrival. Little furry alpine chipmunks chirped as well and darted amongst the rocks. 
They are not like Yosemite Valley chipmunks. These are robust, wild, and healthy looking creatures, still cautious of man and seem totally independent. True beings of the wilderness. Next a curious marmot lumbered amongst the rocks to see what I, the intruder, had in mind. I quickly left these inquisitive onlookers and their neighborhood behind and whistled a goodbye. As the meadow continued to beckon, I heard the distant sound of water. Once again, I hopped over the next layer of rocks and discovered a small canyon about 30 ft. deep, lined with wildflowers and lush plants and grasses. All of a sudden, water seemed to be everywhere, cascading, falling, trickling down the canyon walls and flowing through the meadows. It seemed like the garden of Eden. Everything seemed to be alive, moving, growing, working, fulfilling a purpose. Large quantities of water carving the mountainside. Smaller streams just beginning to cut away at rock and create their own wonderlands. Observing it all, I felt truly blessed. While walking back to camp, my mystical experience quickly came to a halt as I stumbled upon another hiker preparing to disrobe and wash himself in the lake. I quickly re-directed myself to avoid an embarrassing situation. Closer to camp now, I see others have arrived and along with it, our human social rules and obligations.
They are not like Yosemite Valley chipmunks. These are robust, wild, and healthy looking creatures, still cautious of man and seem totally independent. True beings of the wilderness. Next a curious marmot lumbered amongst the rocks to see what I, the intruder, had in mind. I quickly left these inquisitive onlookers and their neighborhood behind and whistled a goodbye. As the meadow continued to beckon, I heard the distant sound of water. Once again, I hopped over the next layer of rocks and discovered a small canyon about 30 ft. deep, lined with wildflowers and lush plants and grasses. All of a sudden, water seemed to be everywhere, cascading, falling, trickling down the canyon walls and flowing through the meadows. It seemed like the garden of Eden. Everything seemed to be alive, moving, growing, working, fulfilling a purpose. Large quantities of water carving the mountainside. Smaller streams just beginning to cut away at rock and create their own wonderlands. Observing it all, I felt truly blessed. While walking back to camp, my mystical experience quickly came to a halt as I stumbled upon another hiker preparing to disrobe and wash himself in the lake. I quickly re-directed myself to avoid an embarrassing situation. Closer to camp now, I see others have arrived and along with it, our human social rules and obligations.
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