This last week I went a very different hike from the ones I have been taking with my usual hiking partner.

The last one I took with her was very leisurely and easy filled with birds. That was a fun hike done just in time, as the next day it snowed about 4 inches and then was cold for a few more days.

Last Thursday I went with someone I had never hiked with before, but was very comfortable with taking a very challenging hike. She had actually gone partially up this trail recently and really wanted to go further, but wanted to be with someone, as it was a bit more difficult than she enjoyed hiking alone.

We went up the Williams Canyon trail and this and brought to my full attention what is lurking above Manitou Springs just awaiting the next rain storm to come tumbling down.

The beginning part of this hike used to be the road that came down from the Cave of the Winds. That road hadn’t been used in years as a road, but was the way to get to the Williams Canyon hiking trail. There was no road any more. The whole area was covered in rocks with a bit of a trail carved by hikers that have gone before us. The fact that there was an obvious trail in many places reassured us that many people have been hiking up here recently.

The creek was in a new location than we were used to seeing it. And the drainage pipes were all torn up. The power of the water that came down this area on August 8, 2014 was unimaginable to both of us until we actually saw the destruction with our own eyes.

We just kept saying “Wow!” as we hiked up and back down. At one point I said “I know I have a larger vocabulary, but this just invokes ‘Wow!’ from me when I see the changes and the new beauty of this area. And moments later, I heard my hiking partner say “Wow!” exhale as she looked at a huge piece of rock wall that was now in the middle of the old road about 8′ from where it had been for many a year past.

There was only one place that we really felt was dangerous, but we climbed up and over it, and did get back down it on the return without any harm to ourselves. But I have to admit, that was not the safest thing to do. We moved slowly and carefully, planting our feet solidly in many of the rockier and narrower areas on the trail. And a couple of times we sat down and used our butts to anchor ourselves to get down a few slippery or high places. We both kept wishing for legs just a few inches longer in few places.

The colors in the water and the rocks were more brilliant than I had ever seen them before. And our reward was reaching the bottom of the waterfall where if felt like being in Paradise.

It was just so peaceful and awesomely beautiful, I had a hard time leaving. Especially knowing I might not get back here again for a very long time. The construction of the walls to keep rocks and other debris from coming into Manitou Springs is scheduled to begin soon. I am sure they will not allow hikers on the trail when this is being done as a safety issue for the workers and hikers. And they plan on working 7 days a week for long hours each day to get these walls built before the Spring rains begin.

Plus I have no desire to hike this area when there is any chance of rain! As you can see this was a very sunny day and we had both checked the weather to be sure there was no rain or snow predicted to the West or North of the canyon area.

I have been dealing with a health challenge that is very annoying and makes hiking a bit painful if I pay attention to it. I have had some deep holes in my skin that fill with clear liquid. There are about 6 in different spots on my body that are just a bit annoying and I have gotten a couple to totally heal, but others are being very stubborn and ugly. The worse ones are in a cluster on my left ankle of my leg that has a circulation problem. A rash actually developed there. It starts to heal, then gets ugly again. I keep trying different essential oils, as that is what healed the other sores, but it is a slow process. But the essential oils that worked on the first sores, only kept these from getting worse, but didn’t get them to totally heal. Frustrating!

The rash and sores on my ankle are placed in a way that my hiking boot top just rubs on it a bit. So far I haven’t had to give up hiking because of this annoyance, but I am really glad to get my boots off at the end of the hike. And  very grateful when I am able to hike in just my walking shoes on some of the trails.

I recently again switched the essential oils that I was using and I was happy to see this morning that they did look much better. Still pretty angry and red, but not as swollen. So I am hoping I am on the right track to getting them totally healed before I go on my trips. I really want to be able to swim in the pool one evening at least in Salt Lake City.

And continue to hike in beautiful and challenging areas wearing my hiking boots in comfort again.

I need to catch up with my Spirit Renewing Hikes blog and will later this week. When I do, there will be many more pictures of this hike up Williams Canyon on April 10, 2014 and what we saw there.