Hamilton Creek

While in Vancouver my brother Joe and High School friend Steve Johnson took a little hike up to one of my favorite places in the area I grew up - Hamilton Creek

The road was blocked to keep vehicles out.  We parked the car and headed into the woods

A couple of poses in the meadow.  You can't see it  behind us, but this is the first spot you see and get to Hamilton Creek.  Would be a lovely place to build a cabin.  It is forest service land so that will not happen.  But because it is public land, it has not been changed by man in all the years I have been going there.

This is as far as you can go without crossing the creek, which generally means getting your feet wet (at least)  As the air was pretty cold, we did not attempt to cross.  Or more accurately, when I did attempt to cross, the slippery rocks almost send me in for a swim.  It was a close call!   We resolved to just sit and contemplate the beauties of nature in this wilderness area. 

It was very cathartic to visit Hamilton Creek again. It is truly the only place from my youth that has not changed from the days in my teens we use to go hiking, camping and fishing up the creek and valley.  In many ways I changed from boy to man facing the challenges of hiking and camping on this creek.  It was the last place I went before I headed into the wide world.

 The only changes is what nature has done to it;  eroding the steep banks in areas, pushing big boulders down stream, and  occasionally toppling a tree along the bank. 

This is the place I always thought I would go when it was my time to die.  Like the Native Americans of old, hike into the mountains never to be seen again.  I suspect I would get cold the first night and hike back to home.  But it is good for man to have a plan.  A final exit strategy.  Maybe I will settle for having my ashes scattered along the shores....