Posts

Showing posts from January, 2014

Winter Night in the Mountains

    ~ Winter Night in the Mountains ~ The Confusion Range, an obscure mountain range in obscure west-central Utah, is so named for its rugged isolation and confusing topography.  It is surrounded by Snake Valley (to the west), Tule Valley (east), the Great Salt Desert (north) and the Ferguson Desert (south).  The nearest town is Petra, a near ghost town some twenty miles away. Christmas Eve and the wind blowing like pure hell, driving snow before it like pellets from a riot gun.  I light my lantern, exhale hugely for the small thrill of seeing the thick plume my breath makes.  I know that the lantern and my breathing will warm my small A-frame tent soon.  I’m not sure if I’m glad about this or not. I listen.  Is it only the wind that I hear moaning, or is it something else?  Christmas Eve, and I’m not sure of anything anymore, not sure if I hope it is only the wind…or the something else I came here either to flee, or to face head on. The sky has grown deep blue with tw