Three Hours in Mount Columbia

In early May I traveled to Buena Vista, Colorado staying in a cabin at the base of Mount Columbia. I was there with my wife and 5 children on vacation at about 9000 feet in elevation thanks to the generosity of Ken and Diane Davis. One Sunday that we were there we stayed in the cabin after a very dangerous day of hail and blizzard conditions near Colorado Springs. As terrifying that 4-hour ride home was last night (should have been 2), Sunday was as good. Days like that are what vacations are all about for me. A time to write, to pray and a time to reflect about the path we are on.

I spent about hours in the mountain, it felt like those 3 hours exploring and praying negated a year of life-stress for me. I hiked up 3 Elks Stream Trail up to the base of Mount Columbia, it was calling me. The temperature was 45 and sunny and the 6″ of snow from last night was quickly melting away in the sun. It was dropping from the trees, filling up the stream for me to drink. I walked about a mile up the trail.

Colorado Wildlife

I saw many signs of Rocky Mountain life including a large coyote print in the snow, the paw was shockingly large, larger than what we see in NY. I also saw a large dropping from an elk and his hoof prints. As I wrote this I heard maybe the same coyote calling near where I was sitting taking photos earlier.

As I walked back to the cabin I heard an Elk calling from about 200 yards down in another raveen so I decided to walk down in pursuit. This raveen then brought me to another part of the mountain where it is too steep to walk.  I walked up as far as I could then sat down and took pictures of the breath-taking view. In one photo I saw a hawk soaring …below me. I sitting on a very steep area from where the hawk was soaring with the mountains in the background on the other side.

above a soaring hawk

Book Ideas

I also started writing a book on this trip. Its a book about how creativity is the result of the communion and love between God and man. Some chapters of this book is already written. After seeing another corner of God’s creation (Rocky Mountains) and reading the creation story in Genesis and John, I realized that the entire creation. The universe itself, all of humanity is a result from the mutual love and communion between the Father and Son. The Greek word for this love and communion is koinonia.

The premise of the book explores the fact that all of creation is a result of their unmatched love and shared life.  This is the reason for life, this is the purpose of the creation. The mutual communion between people and God and then people with other people is the key driver of human creativity. I see many of examples of this.

Rocky Mountain Coyote Track

Thanks for reading.