Thursday, July 17, 2008

"Mysterious Mountain Music..."







There exists a small valley quite a hike above Moraine Lake in Banff... Larch Valley is named because of the trees that change through the seasons, and the brilliant colors they share with us as if painted by a master... Just below Sentinel Pass; which is one of the very highest in our northern Rockies, there are a few very small mountain tarns called the Minnestimma lakes...
This tiny high alpine valley is embraced by three unique elusive mountains; the summits of Eiffel Peak, Mt. Pinnacle, and Mt. Temple, which all overlook this wanderers paradise...
We have shared climbs upon each of these high places and have returned again and again to Mt. Temple in particular. We have also journeyed to renew ourselves in Larch Valley too many times to tally...
On one challenging summit day, we encountered a mystery... one that I had never experienced before out there... We were on our own with no fellow adventurers about at that moment, and just resting at Sentinel Pass... Then it began...
It became very, very quiet... then we thought we heard some notes... of music...
They began so softly we questioned if we had actually heard anything, but these were no illusions at altitude... They continued to build until we could clearly hear the beautiful playing of a flute... While I am used to the natural elements combining out there to form symphonies of sound I love to hear so much, we were unexpectedly and beautifully serenaded in those moments with what was to follow... The music crafted by that Flutist was eerily haunting, yet so very captivating and inspiring... The crispness of the playing in the high mountain air was amazing and you could almost breath in each of the individual notes... At a high point of this magical experience, the waters of that small tarn shimmered as if the musical notes had been thrown like jewels across its surface, and a shiver of sorts went up my spine...
It was simply so very beautiful... there was nothing out of place in this alpine valley music, as if the sounds were at home there as any of the other elements about us; as much a part of everything as the rocks & lichen, the wolves & the waters, and the wispy clouds above our heads...
'Who does this?' I asked myself, maybe like another adventurer indirectly asks of my endeavors when surprised by discovering a Summit Stone in a cairn up there... The friend who was venturing with me that day often speaks of epiphanies and the enjoyment of the moment, and that was what was unfolding in sound and soul and vista before us... I can only imagine too, a climbing group higher up on the Mt. Temple scramble route or a pair of technical climbers on Mt. Pinnacle... and what their experience must have been like having these resonating sounds formed so beautifully in this natural amphitheatre... The sensations and feelings that mysterious music like this creates in us, maybe would bring them to pause for some very unique moments within their adventures...
There stands a huge boulder right by the largest tarn and the small stream where this gifted Flutist was playing. I had only just placed a Summit Stone there a very short time before... It wasn't busy then but would be as more hikers and scramblers ascended later in the day. We were early up and they were just after us, so I hoped it was that mountain musician who found my gift in that cairn. I like to muse that we passed forward to each other something created by each of us that day...
Like the flow in certain moments of climbing and the experience of those few special days of effortless paddling, I wished it wouldn't stop... The wanting echo of the last note off the cliff walls was riveting... That mysterious mountain music is still imprinted upon my memory; a beautiful branding, as artistic as any other... When I often return to this Valley of Larches surrounded by so familiar summits... I listen closely for, and most times still so clearly hear... That mysterious mountain music...
DSD



8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great story. The music of nature is amazing and it is no surprise you heard it in a place as beautiful as that.

Anonymous said...

Nice blog and photographs, DSD. I just want to thank you because I was one of the winners of the latest contest at Outdoorzy.com, and I received your Adventure Muse and one of your summit stones in the mail a few days ago. Very cool.

Anonymous said...

When did you hear the music? The reason I ask is that it might have been me.

-Neil

Unknown said...

Brandon,
You are most welcome, and thanks very much for being part of the karma...
DSD

Unknown said...

Hi Neil,
This was during a busy summer of climbing a few summers past...
We go up to Larch Valley so often, I am not clear as to which season it was though...
Please tell us about your mystery music experience up there...
DSD

Anonymous said...

The last time I played my flute near Sentinel Pass was in September 2001.

I worked and hiked throughpout the Lake Louise/Lake O'Hara region for 5 years in the late 70's early 80's and my flute went wherever I went.

Since then I have returned to the moutains (from Montreal) every few years, always with my flute.

Winter Warlock said...

Neil's quite the flute player, I can attest first hand. If you check out his climbing pics he always has it on the summit, and used to play out in that part of the world before he came east to play in the Adirondacks.

Unknown said...

That very well may have been you Neil... And if so, thank you so much for this very special experience and memory...
Your music has likely touched many of us out there.....
DSD