Goldensides

Today dawned cold and clear, with a frost laying many of the plants in the yard low. As the sun crept higher and higher over the horizon, the air warmed and it was a perfect fall day for a hike, so Justine, Aedan, the dogs and I piled into my car and headed out to Tombstone Territorial Park.

As the mountain ranges came into view, we were shocked to see snow on the peaks! It seems so early! But I suppose if it was cold enough for a frost here, it's cold enough for snow on the mountains.

We were also really surprised to learn that we'd just missed the peak of the autumn colours. The changes along the Dempster highway and in the park happen so fast. The tundra changes seemingly overnight, and within a few days the reds, deep purples, golden yellows and oranges are just not quite as intense. It was still a stunning day, though.

We decided to hike the Goldensides Trail, about 2 km past the Interpretive Center. It was a busy day, with a group of four and another of two on the trail ahead of us, and a single lady with her (gorgeous, huge) dog behind us. We let her pass.

The views along this entire hike are spectacular: there are no trees to get in the way! We stopped often just to take it all in, and to snack on the juicy, sweet moss berries, too!

It always feels so energizing to get out and hike in the mountains. They have such a serene power. I can't help but reflect on the thousands of years that they have stood, largely unchanged, while the much smaller, shorter lives of animals, plants and people have ebbed and flowed around them. Mountains seem so changeless, so immortal to me. It is hard to imagine the landscape without them.