Matterhorn - Monte Cervino

Materhorn - Monte Cervino

Spectacular Switzerland! This alpine country in central Europe is stunningly beautiful. Sheer cliffs and deep gorges define the landscape while meticulous attention to detail define the character of its people and Swiss society. It's a clean and orderly place, a pleasure to enjoy.

Matterhorn

Among the many mountains that make up the Alps, majestic Matterhorn is a national landmark and an international icon. It is also known as Monte Cervino and Mont Cervin. Kudos to the Swiss for keeping it pristine while accessible. The secret to the area's unspoiled appearance is that cars are off limit for miles around. The best way to experience the peak's stark glory is to drive to Taesch from which only rail is available to the next town. The train from Taesch to Zermatt is modern but from Zermatt to the last stop in Gornergrat the train is vintage open air cogwheel rail.  All trains are electric, clean, and quiet.

Breakfast At Gornergrat

Once in Gornergrat the view, if not clouded over, is spellbinding. This is the final destination for most everyone. The vast majority board the train back to Zermat after enjoying the restaurant at the top of the world, or simply taking in the fantastic view.

Matterhorn Zen Duckies

At this elevation glaciers flow at their geological speed undisturbed by rumors of global warming while man-made duckies are erected and torn down at the relative speed of lightning. Like in a giant Japanese garden with sculptures witnessing the passage of time these zen duckies partake in the ebb and flow of the ages.

Alpine Cross

Wandering further afield away from this small outpost of civilization reveals a rugged, untamed terrain. The occasional sign of man seems like a futile imposition on a cold, foreign world. A lonely alpine cross, for example, looks more like a forlorn attempt than a symbol of redemption, its incongruous setting a surreal expression of humanity.

It's not an entirely hostile environment and in spite of the thin air and cold rock life has a foothold here, however precarious.

Alpine Flower

Yellow alpine flowers bloom impossibly out of the crushed granite.

Blue Flowers of Matterhorn

Blue flower accents punctuate the alpine landscape against exhilarating backdrops while snow blankets distant mountains with pure white clouds floating around in a piercing blue sky.

Matterhorn Ruin

Traces of failed attempts at domesticating this otherwise pristine environment crop up along the trail down to the next train station. On a fine day some may meander station to station ever mindful that the weather may change in an instant. Hiking is moderately hard and an abandoned stone structure, now partially standing in ruins, attests to a difficult land with one rock wall still holding a window into the alps.

Window Into the Alps

Those brave and optimistic souls who know the area venture to fish the few glacial lakes that pool along the way, if not for catching fish, then for experiencing a quiet, peaceful afternoon.

Fishing Lake Matterhorn

It is these lakes gracing monumental mountains with their soft reflection and reassurance of life that make hiking the Alps an inclusive, hospitable experience. The next train stop, though far, is a welcome bittersweet gateway from wilderness back to civilization.

Lakeside Matterhorn

Muir Woods National Monument

Reaching Skyward

Clustered in a small canyon at the base of Mount Tamalpais, North of San Francisco is a group of old-growth Coastal Redwoods known as Muir Woods; officially in Mill Valley, California; it is a world apart. This small forest makes up for its limited area by reaching skyward to unbelievable heights.  Some resident trees boast incredible altitudes, the tallest of which is 280 feet and though most are 500 to 800 years old, the oldest is 1,200 years old.

Getting to Muir Woods is as easy as crossing the Golden Gate from the South, or travelling down Highway 101 through Marin County from the North.  Once there, however, it can be difficult parking since spaces are limited and it may be a hike to the entrance. Admission costs $7.00 and once in, the first portion is wheelchair accessible.  Boardwalks, and paved paths encourage a pleasant stroll.

Knobby Wood

The trees are magnificent with awe inspiring canopies the same way a cathedral vault is grandiose, allowing ephemeral glimpses of half-perceived secrets.

Burly Growth Face

Each tree is in itself a monument if for no other reason than sheer size.  Some trees have massive knobby wood growths near the top, while other feature face-like burls on their trunks as if forced to put on a face for the curious onlookers.

Redwood Grove

Some of the most splendid trees are found here imperceptibly sipping from Redwood Creek, which winds down the slope collecting into small pools and spreading out into tiny arteries. A palpable life force extends from the stream to the trees, out their needles, and into the air; unmistakably flowing even on dryer days.

Hollowed Redwoods

Redwoods group into natural groves, sometimes bunching together invisibly bolstering each other on the long climb up to the sun.  Their bases form porous walls making temporary shelters and wild fires have hollowed redwood trunks for fauna seeking more substantial protection.

50 Shades of Green

Dappled sunlight filters it's way from above, highlighting over fifty shades of green: from verdant mosses to reddish olive to leafy emeralds.

Mystic Log

Dead stumps give new life to symbiotic growths taking on a mystic, furry quality in the shimmering light.

Fairy Forest

Dancing sun rays transform trees and ferns a fairy forest.

Hiking further afield; taking the Ben Johnson trail up from the visitor center, leads to the Pantol ranger station and campsite, which can also be reached by car.  With the forest below and the rest of Mount Tam above, comes the realization that parking at the station and hiking down an excellent option.  Up, or down, the trail is not easy but it is manageable and the exertion is full of nature's rewards.

Taking the Redwood Creek trail in the opposite direction away from the visitor center leads out of the forest, through meadows and gentle foothills down to Muir Beach where the creek empties itself in the sand and joins the Pacific Ocean.

Muir Beach

Mount Tamalpais' Steep Ravine

Foggy San Francisco viewed from Mount Tamalpais

Hiking the trails of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, California is a rewarding exploration. The slopes are mostly steep and challenging, the views often vast and revealing; at times paths may be gentle and relaxing, yielding intimate sights. The experience hints of living a primordial existence, resetting the self in relation to nature: mind and body synchronizing with flora and fauna in awe.

Of the many trails, Steep Ravine is one of the most sheltered.  It may be approached from near the beach or close to the mountain top. Driving up to the trail head at the Rangers Station parking lot above the redwoods opens up vistas to the Pacific Ocean on the West and San Francisco on the South.  

San Francisco and Bay Bridge emerge from the fog

From these heights the City often looks like a ghostly apparition emerging from a foggy bed. As low clouds dissipate with the morning sun, the city wakes from white-lace dreams questioning permanence and reality and "all that is solid, melts into air". To the East, Mount Diablo looms like a long lost brother waving proudly from afar.

Mount Diablo viewed from Mt. Tam

Spiritually inspired, hiking down the mountain into Steep Ravine becomes a journey of discovery. Leafy canopies and tall redwoods envelop the descent in a green and red cocoon. 

Redwood tree overhead

A small creek makes its way down alongside the trail splashing and tumbling on its trip to the Pacific not far from Stinson Beach; cascading into sheltered waterfalls.  Trail and creek crisscross dancing to the tune of rustling leaves, tinkling water, and rhythmic strides.  

Sheltered Waterfall

Small wooden bridges span shaded banks while thundering footsteps pound the beat on ancient boards suddenly thudding, muffled on loose dirt; birds chirping highlight the score.

Redwood Forest Bridge

Of the many vignettes coming to life on this nature walk, the most pleasing are probably the cool mossy green waterfalls.  While not spectacular in a roaring way their charm lies in their non-threatening poise; some carving channels out of solid rock, while others, cascading over a multitude of boulders and hydrating the vegetation into fertile growth.

Mossy Rock Watefall

Redwoods variously arranged, standing, or fallen together with rich foliage create a cozy homelike feeling.Throughout, there's a sense of balance, of harmony barely disturbed by man and wildflowers rejoice in verdant freedom.

Petroglyphs - A Photographic Essay

Warriors

On the outskirts of Vernal, Utah enormous cliffs jut out of the valley. A pleasant, moderate hike on a well groomed trail winds along giant red boulders for about one mile.  Exposed bedrock bearing the largest, best preserved collection of petroglyphs in the world line the cliff walls on this trek. This prehistoric Art gallery is embedded in rock with delicate and precise etching.  Keeping line weights consistently wide and deep the Artists - or possibly one of the earliest artist's collective - Native Americans memorialized their creations for eternity.  A first glance may falsely register simplistic drawings, but careful observation reveals sophisticated abstraction akin to modernist composition.

Petroglyphs

Although the art collection is of necessity on a linear progression along a path at the bottom of a cliff with rock face sheer and shooting straight out of the ground, no linear story telling is taking place.  Rather, a series of vignettes illustrate discreet themes like paintings at the museum.

Hoop Man Carving

Glyph themes typically depict iconic symbolism, or more frequently people.  Figurative scenes show various stages of human development; children, adolescent love.....

Young ones

adulthood; family or clan groupings, Paleolithic families (stone age man and wife with welcoming gestures),

Paleolithic Nuclear Family

 chiefs and warriors.  But strangely absent is death: all figures are vertical, none horizontal.

Family Clan

At times, a powerful chieftain figure stands alone, headdress prominent.  Other times a group of impressive figures with variously complex head pieces gather looking outward.

Chieftain

Whatever their purpose, head ornaments are intricate and wonderful.   Each hat is strangely alien; some evoking electric equipment or images of electronic receivers like headphones or giant ears; possibly signifying a connection with the other world; intricate headdress, more likely accouterments of rank.

Tribal Headdress Clan

Occasionally there are images of hunting, like a man fighting a fierce bear... presumably victorious.

Bear Hunt

Some petroglyphs are reminiscent of stone age crop circles leading to the inevitable conjecture that perhaps crop and geological manifestations have been occurring for quite some time.

Stone Age Crop Circle

One glyph is remarkably like the solar system, suggesting a connection to the cosmos.  None appear to be hieroglyphs: absent pattern repetition.

Solar System

In any case, who were these people? And, what inspired them?

The natural landscape is reason enough to prompt reverie.  With massive cliffs and giant rock formations sticking out of the ground, it is easy to see the magic of this place.  When monolithic stones start looking like giant heads, deities come to mind and similarities to the great Moai statues of Easter Island emerge.

American Moai