Hidden Oasis
After climbing through the jungle-gym of willows, Emily and I walked toward a cavity in the mountain. We found a small waterfall trickling down a rock wall. Purple flowers and green moss brightened the gray and orange rocks in this hidden oasis. We dipped our feet in the cold water and it felt very refreshing.
Completely distracted by the waterfall, we were taken off guard when suddenly the bushes began to shake behind us. As I instinctively reached for my bear spray, a large creature burst from the willows!
Emily thought it was a moose, I thought it was a caribou. Either way, our singing must have frightened it because neither of us got a good look at it before it raced away.
(Copter Peak - Waypoint 5)
NPS Photo\Emily Mesner. Original public domain image from Flickr