The Been Briefing

The Annual Been Backpacking Adventure

It has become a bit of a tradition that Jody and I get away at least once in the summertime. As seminary has totally drained excess cash, an elaborate vacation would be ludicrous. But we also recognize the need to retreat from the world to recharge and gain strength for the season ahead. We need the break. We need to get away. Or maybe I should just speak for myself. I need it. I need to not hear cars, sirens, and the trash truck collecting trash at 6am, as I get ready for work in the morning. As we looked to the rest of the summer the last week of June, though, we didn't see much of a break would be possible. Until we looked at the upcoming weekend. Since Southeast was closed for July 4th, we had a 3 day weekend. So we decided to take it!

However, we were faced with a dilemma. Our favorite places to camp/backpack are 11,000+ high, but with the snowfall from this past winter there was no way we were going to be able to find a place that isn't  currently buried under several feet of snow. So we had to look for a new trail that would be safe and open to the public. We did some research and came upon the Goose Creek Trail in the Pike National Forest. Part of it was destroyed in the 2002 Hayman Fire, but  except for the first 1/2 mile of the trail much of the forest along Lost Creek was untouched. We decided to take a chance and go for it. I'm so glad we did. While the trail and views lacked the majesty of the higher elevations, it was nonetheless beautiful and worth seeing.

Two hours later, we came upon a parking lot that was full of cars, and we thought we'd made a mistake. How could people trek this far into the middle of a charred wasteland to go for a hike?! Nonetheless, we'd planned too much to turn around and go home. We got our packs and started. Thankfully, we found that many people were day-hikers, and those who were camping were spread out along the trail. In the end, we were able to find our own little spot, and we had privacy and solitude - just what we desperately needed. The Lord is good!

Our camping site was actually located next to the trail, but above it a bit. Along the trail, if you climb up some sloping rock (that is quite slippery when it's wet... we know from experience!), the ground flattens out to a beautiful little spot - perfect for a campsite and unbeknownst to the people walking along the trail below. It was PERFECT and a total answer to my prayer for privacy.

I must say that one of the biggest surprises was the amazing boulders we found at the end of the trail. Just unbelievable. It brings a whole new meaning to this well-known Scripture:

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
  “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
   “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

  “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

 -Luke 19:37-40

For a bit of history, these cabins were constructed in the early 1900s to facilitate the construction of an underground dam. The experiment was not successful, but these cabins and the remnants of the shafthouse remain.

Overall, we had a wonderful time, and I'm so thankful we were able to get away - even if it was just for a short period of time.