Warning: Long post ahead.

For some reason, choosing a destination and then chugging up a steep trail just isn’t floating my boat this summer. We did a quick down-the-road-and-up-the-Nature-Trail. 

We took a meandering walk with some cabin friends. When Trail Guy asked where we wanted to go, the friends said anything at all was fine with them. I said, “The aspens are calling me”. 

First, we went up the canyon toward Crystal Creek. This year the wildflowers are doing very well where it crosses the trail. This might be normal, but maybe I never paid much attention before because I was always aiming toward other patches of flowers. This year I am thankful for any green and any flowers that I can find.

We meandered to Soda Springs, and along the way we saw my favorite flower: Explorer’s Gentian.

I would like to know why some of these places are called “Soda” and others are called “Iron”. They all look like bubbling water that turns the ground orange; they all have the same yucky taste. Onward to the aspens. . .

Then we meandered down the old route AKA “old Farewell Gap Trail”. Nope, not a trail – it is simply a route. It was GREEN!! As we meandered, we found some things that normally wouldn’t be seen if we were thundering along a trail. Bane Berry is new to me – learned from one of my books that it is poisonous. (Good thing our friend held back from tasting it in spite of being tempted.)

What’s this? More Iron Springs? Soda Springs? Rusty Water?

Back at the cabin, I admired the Corn Lilies in bloom. This is an unusually heavy year for flowers on these plants that are usually just green, looking like and getting called “Skunk Cabbage”.

And thus we conclude another Mineral King meander.