"The Last Time......."

"Be present at this moment in time, as it may be you last time..." Grandfather Mountain Elder

There is a very interesting, simple, and yet extremely powerful metaphorical exercise that I and many fellow adventurers I know have applied in our outdoor experiences...

It is all about being more aware... and then musing a bit deeper... into the smallest moments within a specific adventure...

Over the last thirty years I have had many wild lands experiences where I didn't recognize nor realize the significance of it being the 'last time' I would participate in that activity or enjoy a certain special place...

There is indeed a 'last time' for everything we do in our lives.......

We may be faintly aware of this; yet it is also natural for us to live our lives of adventure as if this wasn't so. But even so, during your next adventure day, allow your self to experience it as 'your last' climb, hike, canoe, kayak, or other cherished adventure activity...

Make a conscious decision to appreciate the whole of the experience as if you would not return...

Be decidedly mindful of the nature of being there, however your plans turn out, whatever the weather and circumstances might be...

Focus closely upon the sights, sounds, sensations, the feelings, the movement...

When I muse back over these memories and years out in our wild places, I can now more clearly see those days and experiences that turned out to be the last of their kind...

Part of me likely didn't want to see this, but another part of me would like to have recognized this to then make those moments even more memorable...

This might just be a perspective of age I guess, or maybe just a very valuable perception gained from certain lessons. Having tried this exercise as an adventure in itself with intensely satisfying results, believe me, your time will and efforts will be well worth it...

Time as a construct will fall away, you will know a whole new kind of exhilaration, become an integral part of the whole adventure experience, and ultimately value it in an unforgettable way...

When I've chosen to enhance an adventure by perceiving it as what might be a 'last time', there is an intensity of emotion that develops, a truer sense of what is taking place, more meaningful musings about what has been done in the past, and upon what we then may hope to do in the future...

There have been such beautiful moments where I then 'know' we are a part of those who have gone before out there and now share in their strength... and a real desire then to become a part of those who pass forward these same opportunities so others can enjoy their 'first time' out...

DSD

"Solo In The Broken Group Islands..."

I am just musing here at this moment, and gazing up, at the Broken Group chart mounted with another map up on my wall... and daydreaming about past times and future plans to again sea kayak solo out in the BGI...

This is another of those precious wild places I am grateful to have often visited and also thankful for those persons gone before us who made the time and spent the energy to advocate for and protect such vistas for future generations...

After many trips out in groups, and with my partner, over the last dozen years, I also wanted to experience another dimension of this cherished grid upon the map... but to journey on one's own is a very different way to experience a place... As Colin Fletcher wrote: "By wandering out alone into the wilderness... I can after a while begin to see and to hear and to think and in the end to feel with a new and exciting accuracy...".

Going solo meant more detailed planning & preparation, and carrying all that extra gear one needs when out alone. It meant too thorough rehearsal and practice of self rescue; of navigation skills also as the potential fog can be a fun yet exhilarating challenge...

I am especially cautious of the the fetch of wind and waves, and tend to stay closer to these small islands for solo safety as well as for their meandering aesthetic shorelines...

It is indeed a different kind of mindset to be out with only your Self as company; one I've enjoyed yet also found to be somewhat overwhelming at times...

It is the beaches and wild marine life within these island gems that seem to attract me most...

I remember... the Tiny Group; Dempster beaches; hidden beaches around Nettle & Clarke with their mix of sand and crushed shells...

I remember... the carved face on the old cedar jutting out from Island 21 just south of Willis; the old Totem at the Dodd campsite which holds special memory too...

I think I have placed Summit Stones on most every island, time and again, within the BGI... and when I return... days, weeks, or even months later... none of these remain. I am glad of this as that is my intent that they are 'found', then carried away... so that only the sand, rock, and driftwood remain...

There are certain islands... I am sure they are not visited very often at all... they have only the smallest point to step out upon; a very tiny sand or rocky area; where the timing for landing is only possible at the lowest spring tides... I remember these too... And have been tempted to spend days, rather than hours at these rather than the busier locations... The nature of seeking out solitude within solo experiences I sense...

As R. Schultheis wrote: "There is a potency in solitude that surpasseth understanding...".

There may only be a hundred tiny islands out in the Broken Group... but there are hundreds more hidden, secret places, and a thousand vivid adventure memories to be found out there...

DSD

"A One Year Waypoint......."

"The sun and moon... the animals, the waters and the wind... all help you mark your steps on the path". Grandfather, Mountain Elder

Twelve months... four seasons... three versions of this blog... have come and gone...

Blogging has become another adventure, a further journey of its own, in navigating new lands both real and digital... And as with anything else; this journal is an adventure because we make it so...

As Grandfather said, it is important to acknowledge where we are on our path; the distance travelled; the navigation of its unique terrain and challenges; and where we wish to go from this waypoint...

Some themes that have become more clear and even more important to me through this last year of placings and musings include:

.....That even after 30 years out there, I can still be a beginner and try new adventures; and that if I can, anyone can...

.....The real experience of knowing gratitude for these adventure opportunities...

.....That any efforts in giving back and the resulting impacts is never lost time nor energy...

.....What we care about in our wild places, we need to preserve and pass forward for others to enjoy... The power of these perspectives can be immense... (As when I think back upon the linked post and comments here of "Just One Thing")

When gazing upon this last years path, I am amazed as always, like when attaining an elusive summit and then looking back... to see how far we have come; and in realizing what ground has been covered in what seems so short a time...

In the midst today in a summer of climbing, hiking, canoeing, canyoneering, kayaking, mountain biking, and the passing of the seasons... I am enjoying simply finding my ordinary way on this journey of adventure, while continuously re-creating my own adventure motivation time and again...

A significant highpoint, both exhilarating and humbling, is the involvement of 'Finders' and their shared stories which they have chosen to post here... Their comments and smiles will out last any of my simple words...

Where are you today on your own path.......

DSD

"The MountainWorld....."

I am always seeking adventurous things inspirational and motivational and recently I've found "The MountainWorld Blog"...

Presented here are, "Words About Mount Everest, Mountains, And Motivation from Professional Speaker, Climber, and Photographer Jake Norton"...

His enthusiasms as an adventurer are boundless... I have so enjoyed his posts of insights and quotes. Jake collects quotes from the adventure & wisdom literature as I have, cherishing their relevance and significance, while pondering over their hidden gems of meaning...

This so reminds me of my own journey in discovering and choosing all the quotes within the 'Adventure Muse' which I place with each Summit Stone...

A key theme within Jake's blog and within the essence of his presentations would seem to be creating motivation in one's life... something we could all muse more closely over...

Jake also has spectacular images of vivid photography on his site of Everest, adventure sports, landscapes, and nature. These have been featured in publications such as "Outside Magazine", "National Geographic Adventure", and books including "Ghosts Of Everest", and his own book entitled "What Is Your Everest"...

I greatly admire his accomplishments like studying Buddhism, being a Mountain Guide, the photographic achievements, the many expeditions to the Himalayas, Peru, Africa, the Alps, and on the Mallory & Irvine quest...

Jake believes in giving back & passing forward through his blog, with the peoples of Nepal & Tibet and 'Porters Progress', in his musings about 'Why We Climb' and Teamwork, as a motivational speaker, especially in encouraging us all to keep our dreams alive, and in his insightful summit perspectives...

Jake is an amazing fellow adventurer... I will often visit and enjoy 'The MountainWorld', as the ordinary wanderer that I am, for real inspiration...

DSD

"Guides....."

I find myself reflecting today upon adventure experiences with 'Guides...'

I have had such good mentors, who shared their hard won wisdom and so freely passed on their experience... Guides have often been described as the 'Older Brother or Sister' of our wild lands...

In the midst of this summer of mountaineering, I respect that there have been many high places, among other wildernesses, that we would not have enjoyed if not for time with seasoned guides... Those who slowly mentor us through gaining the necessary skills, the grooming of confidences, and the development of our essential motivations out there...

In ancient Greek mythology, 'Mentor' was a guide & teacher, whose key function was supporting and fostering relationships. What is often not also known from the Greeks, is that 'Mentor' was actually 'Athena', the Goddess of Wisdom... and imparting adventure wisdom is what wilderness guides are all about...

I remember... climbing Mt. Louis, peaks of the Columbia Icefields, and a very challenging summit of the Colorado... with seasoned souls...

I also remember... dog sledding, river rafting, and canyoneering first experiences with guides...

I love to recall guides' words that resonate with me like, "Hello altitude, my old friend; back to temper me, yet again", and "When it seems too hard, ask yourself, 'compared to what'...".

Time with these special kind of Stewards is never lost... Until as Grey Wolf says, "Let the mountains and the waters themselves be your guide"... and we become 'guided' by the elements...

DSD

"So...How Many Is That......."

Recently... just after summiting a double peak mountain, here near Banff, and after focusing on the basics - safety in position; warm fleece; a bit of food and hydration... a close friend and I were sitting back to back, listening to the wind and some nearby rockfall...

"So... how many is that?", he asked quietly... For a brief moment, I thought he meant how many Summit Stones have I placed as I had just secreted two into the summit cairn there... Then it dawned upon me... he was asking how many mountain summits have been climbed and counted now...

After a moment, I just as quietly replied... "I honestly don't know....."

And then I found myself in the midst of that rush of intense emotion; often with a tear in my eye; that comes upon me as I realise just where I am... yet again... what it takes to get here; and the long journey that has gone on for years now leading to these special moments...

The emotions and tears this time also reflected a growing awareness that I've had these last years that... I am just so grateful to be there... at that wild place... in that moment...

I truly have no idea how many mountain summits I have climbed now... I counted every single one past 100 and continued to record them after 150... Now I tally such adventure summit experiences in a much different way...

It is not in their number that they have meaning anymore... It is simply that they are... an adventure gift to be experienced... a gift of memories created and cherished... a gift of intense moments lived and shared... and an unopened present full of envisioning what other adventures wait patiently out there for us...

After over thirty years of such wandering our wild lands... across lakes, down rivers, among islands, over mountains, through canyons... I feel more of these emotions... that gratitude... and allow it to wash over me and through me so that while I may not 'count' certain things anymore... I will never forget the experiences that created them...

I really don't know either how many Summit Stones I have placed now; but they are out there as a simple reflection of such emotions that we all have... that sense of gratitude... and in the belief of the importance of raising awareness about giving back to these wild places... and the real need to pass forward these opportunities for adventure to the generations that follow us.....

DSD

"J. Alan Hendricks...The Adventurist"

When I first saw the Title: "The Adventurist", I immediately had to visit that site... I loved the concept of an 'Adventurist'...

J. Alan Hendricks promotes real enthusiasm and has a distinct objective of "Promoting exploration, education, and personal challenge through adventure" within his blog writings. The Adventurist started out in 2006, with an intention to advocate that, as Alan says, "Life is an adventure. Live it"...

He also highlights that his blog has , "Shown me that people care about a lot of the same things I do. The environment, nature, and adventure". Themes I certainly relate to myself...

When embarking upon this creative journey, Alan wrote back in November 2006, "The term 'Adventure' means many things to many different people. It could be a quest, a life statement, a great undertaking of sorts or it could just mean something new"..."An Adventurist to me encompasses someone who is strong willed, determined, and won't let anything stand in their way of achieving what they have set out to do. They look for the excitement, the thrill, the ADVENTURE of doing something that most people would never do"..."This blog is about History, Science, Ecology, Nature, and of course... Man's quest to delight in it all. So grab your pickax, throw on those snowshoes.. or grab a kayak and let this adventure begin".

Now there is a great deal of energy and enthusiasm in these words... Meanings to create motivation by as well...

And with all of this "The Adventurist" has become, for many of us, a part of our days journeys.

J. Alan Hendricks efforts are ones of giving back, and passing forward, to the Adventure Community, by keeping us current out there. Hike on over and enjoy some time with him...

DSD

(Above Images By 'AdventureArt')

A Google and Blogger Thanks...

As I approach one year of blogging, and am thinking of an anniversary post of sorts, I am also musing about how Blogging is such a unique medium... The digital world seems 'elemental' to me at times... It seems important to me to acknowledge that Google & Blogger have committed to and provided for such 'giving back' to the Internet community; while providing access, means, and opportunity for those of us adventurers to connect with each other...

Read their history on their site: Three friends, starting with a unique idea, facing adversity, and then turning an interesting project into an amazing adventure journey of their own...

The Blogger Team at Google have a vision of: "Helping people have their own voice on the web and organizing the worlds information from the personal perspective."

This certainly allows for another whole level of fellowship...

A simple example is this journal of mine, with its potential links, comments, and formats, that Blogger provides. I never would have become part of the connectedness and experiences of the Summit Stone 'finders' who choose to share their stories here, nor the many other adventurers who visit and comment, or even link back to their own sites...

The Blogger Team is on a climb, a journey, an adventure, of their very own making...

As in the Scottish mountain route image of 'Rest and Be Thankful' above, they deserve a moment of pause to appreciate their efforts...

My thanks to the Bloggers at Google...

DSD

"The Man By The Lake....."

I remember... a few years ago... one of my most profound experiences of being aware of a 'finder' of a Summit Stone & Adventure Muse... This was a moment of 'passing forward' I will be forever grateful for... One of those fleeting opportunities that almost never occur when I see and share in what a 'finder' experiences upon discovering a placed gift...

This happened upon descending from mountain climbing, where the trail out passed very near an alpine lake, embraced by a very rocky shoreline...

I had placed a few painted stones and Muse that day both upon the summit and earlier at the trail head itself... What was most profound though was not the climb itself, a solo endeavor, to a peak visited before for musing and reflection... What provided a lasting memory of that day was what I saw just before reaching the trail head, about an hour before last light...

I saw... just off the trail, a young man, sitting quietly, and reading the Adventure Muse. He was stopped by some large rocks beside the glacier fed lake, and was also holding and turning a Summit Stone over and over in his other hand as if polishing it or making sure it was real...

I passed by... slowly and quietly... just above him along the trail. He had his boots and pack off. There was a breeze gently moving the trees; the water was a bit choppy too... and I am sure he didn't see nor hear me...

Only the side of his face could be seen... Then I was so very touched by what I noticed next...

This young adventurous soul, was not only reading the Muse, but also quietly crying.....

Not wanting to disturb his very private, very special moment, I simply kept moving on down that mountain trail...

I don't know exactly what he was experiencing, but would truly like to believe, the finding of some words, some quotes, within the Muse, and his deep contemplation, may have somehow touched his spirit that day and that maybe the Summit Stone was reminding him of something...

I know it did me...

As I found I too had a few tears welling up in my eyes as I carried quietly on.......

DSD

"Mt Temple..... Mt Temple....."

I have had the privilege of being upon this mountain, very near Lake Louise, Banff, five times now... Four of these five adventure experiences, I made it to the summit; the one exception was retreating from a stormy day of sleet and snow; although it too had very special moments... Mt Temple was also my first solo; it allowed us to summit a group too on the 100th anniversary of its being first climbed; and I later returned to this temple of mountains for two more solo climbs of musing and contemplation...

Mt Temple was my first opportunity to enjoy the experience of 'flow' while climbing... After not summiting the first day, due to that terrific storm, I returned the very next day when the rock was now sure, the gravity much less, and the passing of time slowed greatly... It wasn't so much climbing as it was a 'flowing' up the route...

I am re-minded of J. Waterman's quote which says:

"No climber, active or inactive, young or old, can help but look back to one of their earlier climbs with a sense that they had touched something beautiful and elusive, and found movement upon rock and ice as creation... In these remembrances most climbers find necessary definition for the rest of their lives."

We have returned to Sentinel Pass, by Mt Temple, many times more over the years... One time I recall a special musical experience, when some wandering soul was playing the flute in Larch Valley below us... the crispness of each note and the echo at the end was captivating...

I remember... Mt Temple as a place of meditation, for contemplating the themes that this blog reflects...

I remember... gazing across at the Ten Peaks and the pristine waters of Moraine Lake, and appreciating those who protected this area and passed it forward for us to now enjoy...

I remember... reading in Larch Valley, and finding and choosing the quotes that are now in the 'Adventure Muse'...

I remember... that wolf in this valley of larches, on one solo very early alpine start, just across an open area, where we approached each other and yet both kept our distance, as it should be, out of instinct, intrigue, and respect...

I recall the climbing upon Eiffel and Pinnacle mountains, as the second and third Larch Valley summits, all to gain further vistas and perspectives on Mt Temple...

We have enjoyed over twenty summers in this area... I am so grateful for this time and the adventure experiences gifted us out there...

And still find myself exclaiming quietly... even after all these years... as we drive or hike closer to this mountain... "Mt Temple... Mt Temple..."

DSD

"You Don't Know...If You Don't Go....."

It was a four in the morning solo alpine start... A day where I almost didn't go.......

You could hardly see a car length away, the valley was so socked in...

The elusive goal was Mt Edith; a three summit mountain close to Banff, Alberta...that invites a traverse across its rocky heights... Having looped around it in both directions before; this time my choice was to do Edith Pass first, then up to Cory Pass. This is a longer route, and has a sustained but moderate elevation gain on the way in, but is worth every vista...

The thick mist was so low, the trail itself had a great deal of dew and moisture along the way...

Everything was glistening green and so fresh... There was even enough moisture on the trail to see where animals had passed...

This approach affords the very best view of Mt Louis, and through the low drifting clouds it did indeed make its presence known... I have since climbed the classic technical route upon this amazing mountain and touched in person, the rock I had read so much about over the years...

I almost didn't go that day either, due to some lingering 'Fletcheritis' over the challenge...

The Valley of The Gargoyles is best approached this way too; with its terrific rock monoliths, which truly look to be stone carved monuments, wings and all...

As I gained altitude, the moving sea of clouds seemed to giving way to shades of color and muted sunlight... The north peak is first from Cory Pass. It is the smallest, but highest of Mt Ediths' three summits. I had summited there a number of times before, which was good preparation for this solo traverse of all of these rocky sisters...

The center peak is quite a blocky spot, and it was here that it became apparent that the clouds were actually lowering within the valley itself, as I was now able to see above them, and even to locate other mountain summits, looking like islands, as they stood just above the drifting waves of mist...

Mt Ediths' south peak is likely the more challenging scramble of the three. We completed a technical route there years before, but this was my first return since...

All three summits provided very special moments of quiet... No sound... complete stillness...

The descent was swift and direct back to the trail, while the trail then itself wanders to and fro, all the way down to an open grassy knoll... Here I have often stopped to muse and meditate upon the day just experienced...

I have placed many Summit Stones & Adventure Muses on these paths during these Mt Edith climbs, while later recalling what was offered to me those days... and re-mind myself just as often...

You don't know...

If you don't go.......

DSD

"Touching Rock.....Touches Us....."

"I am glad to touch the living rock again and dip my head into the high mountain sky." J. Muir

The experience of touching rock... touches us...

We develop a feel for the rough or polished granite... a sense of the loose or firm quartz... and can become a part of the desert rock or northern limestone that we embrace on any particular adventure day...

Think too... of how this simple example of Muir's musings have had such lasting effects, like the substance of stone itself... Countless adventurers have read Muir's writings and then have since experienced their own spirited relationship to rock and stone and mountains...

How I wish I could have shared a few seasons with him in the High Sierras...

Time to return to the mountains.....

DSD

Remembering Colin Fletcher.....

Colin Fletcher, the amazing, inspiring writer and adventure hiker recently passed at the age of 85... He was an immensely witty and truly talented Welshman... To quote from at least two of his works Colin would often: "Head outside and search for my wilderness muse..."

My first books of his were "The Complete Walker", and amazing adventure narratives of his trips such as, "The Thousand Mile Summer" and "The Man Who Walked Through Time"...

His rafting return to the Colorado river truly inspired me...

He was a very personal man who had such a passion for adventure, especially hiking, and also for sharing through the written word... Long distance solo treks were his main choice of activity, and Colin's skills in the art of telling stories about these were legendary... From his readings it is known that he also enjoyed collecting unique rocks; that contemplation and musing were very important to him, and that he quietly appreciated being quoted (as I have in the Adventure Muse and here on this Blog).

While he often described himself as 'crusty', he was a quiet and powerful advocate for giving back to and passing experience forward about our wild places, and the adventures they may hold for us... It seems so appropriate that his close friends are going to scatter his ashes among the coastal wild lands...

Colin did indeed 'walk through time', as his ponderings, his writings, are timeless and are a legacy that will certainly endure...

DSD

"A Special Kind Of Light....."

The very next time you are out kayaking, canoeing, rafting... whatever, on the element of water... Take a moment to gaze closely at the water itself and through the waves around you...

Take in the vibrant greens and blues...

Focus very closely upon the light as it passes through and is reflected from this element...

I remember... sparkles of sunbeams on the water while paddling a northern lake... losing myself in the shine from a mountain river... drifting aimlessly across a brightly lit coastal inlet...

I remember... shimmers of light on a talking stream during a Yosemite hike... climbing among high mountain lakes throughout the Rockies... Mt Temple's reflection in a lake with the same name...

I remember... similar brilliance reflected in the sunglasses of my partner and friends while out on the waters... also when we rafted up in the Broken Group Islands... and later again in the southern Gulf Islands...

This kind of special light; along with that from the beginning and end of each adventure day; and that found within endless alpenglows... has become another favorite adventure experience...

This special kind of light could make you believe that its... almost as if jewels are suspended in the water... and also that if you only try... you could just reach out and grasp a handful of them...

Actually you can... The jewel is the moment you have in that special wild place... and what you may grasp is a memory as valuable as any rare gem.....

DSD

(Images from: Top - Gipstein; Middle - Monkman; Bottom - Gold)

"THE Adventure Blog..."

The 'Adventure Blog' was created by The Adventure Junkie, who is now from Texas, while previously from the upper Mississippi River area I believe. He is an avid adventure blogger who is giving back to us all by keeping us up to speed on:

"News, Commentary, And Insights On Adventures & Adventurers".

It is my emphasis on the 'THE' above as this Blog is indeed one of a kind!

The Adventure Junkie is another Master Blogger, and there are not many out there, with over a thousand posts to his credit since January 2006. And very enjoyable posts at that as not many days go by where I am not visiting to read and muse over something adventuresome.

His own recent accomplishments include climbing upon Kilimanjaro and an African Safari Trek, and then posting enjoyable stories and pictures from there.

The Blog itself covers adventures of mountaineering, climbing, paddling, dog sledding, high altitude, outdoor news, and adventure racing, among others.

Here we have a fellow multi sport adventurer who also believes in making meaningful contributions to our outdoor community. The 'Adventure Blog' clearly embraces the spirit of our efforts out in the wild lands and the fun of musing & sharing about them...

The Adventure Junkie's writing reminds me of a favorite quote:

"People who seek adventure are true poets of living." Anon

It is really good to have another fellow adventurer journeying along these trails with us.

Definitely visit and enjoy his energetic Blog...

DSD

(See Link to right of this page)

"Musing On Lessons....."

Lessons in musing... Musing on lessons...

Just recently we booked ourselves to try out and learn a further adventure activity skill; one that is new, challenging, and also one that I am not that comfortable with... but I do need to study and practice...

Lessons are things that are about both something to be taught; more essentially 'learned'...

I believe it is essential for lessons to serve not as a rebuke, but always rather to encourage... Especially when it comes to safety and enjoyment of activities in our wild lands...

Grey Wolf said: "Elusive lessons hold the most to be learned...".

Grandfather, a Mountain Elder, also wrote about the nature of such elusiveness: "You call these elusive mountains; but I think you are the elusive one. There is more within you than you know".

From the depths of my memory; this last adventure learning experience connects to so many other times and places, initial anxieties, uncertain excitement, and the desire to ever push oneself ever just a little bit more - and also to the power of what we may learn out in those wild places; especially about ourselves. Grey Wolf said about such learning too: "That is the true gift".

This is also a re-minding for us of the 'Beginners Mind', as in the Goya bottom image above which reflects an old wandering master, who himself says with his actions, "I am still learning"; and to try and see each adventure day, every adventure experience, with new eyes and an open mind...

Do we really continually learn throughout life..? Can you really teach an old dog anything..?

After thirty years of adventuring, it would seem so... And if I can, being an adventurer of middling skills, then anyone can...

Adventures are such a potent means for new levels of learning and lessons... This new skill will be quite useful; a confidence builder too... But maybe the very essential lesson here is that, yes, each of us can indeed try out something new and adventurous wherever we are at as for age, skills, or whatever.....

DSD

"Grand Canyon & Black Canyon Finders..."

Just recently, after my "Canyon Spirit" post, and our adventures out with those spirited Australians and the engaging young couple from Nevada... comments were made here from two amazing 'Canyon Finders' themselves... who discovered a few Summit Stones & Adventure Muses while out on their own journeys...

Our Anonymous Grand Canyon commenter wrote:

"I just completed my second kayak trip down the Grand Canyon and was fortunate to come upon a stone you had left at Spencer Canyon (Mile 246). I first looked through the bag, then told one of the rafters in my group, one that enjoyed geo-caching, there was a small geo-cache, located about 150 feet away. When I came back she was reading the Adventure Muse and told me it appeared it was meant to be kept. Not wanting to disturb someone's 'monument' it took some convincing to get me to keep it. The clincher was the kayak paddle on the back of the book. I knew then it was left by a fellow yaker and, if I didn't take it, it would likely wind up in the hands of commercial rafting customer that may not appreciate the significance of the gift.

Yes, I did take it, not knowing exactly what I would, or should, do with it, but it has become to be my most cherished momento of my trip... I was a solo kayaker supporting a group of 7 rafters. It was a bit lonely and stressful at times (2 raft flips/swims) not having a fellow boater around, but the stone indicated to me the river gods were watching over me.

Thank you DSD... if it is meant to be passed on to another in a land of adventure, I will respect that and ensure it gets placed somewhere appropriate. But if not, I will keep it as a memory stone, a reminder of the great adventure and fortune I had in the Grand Canyon."

Here we have a thoughtful person of significant confidence and experience out giving solo support to a rafting group in the Grandest of Canyons... A safety kayaker assumes a mantle of serious responsibility, where a flip & swim can involve real challenges in responding, and heightens the exhilaration of such adventure. I myself cherish these comments from 'Finders' who themselves have so enjoyed their experience... I also like to believe there are rivers gods and elemental Grandfathers who reflect the spirit of these adventurers and the wild places they are journeying through... I hope this 'Finder' enjoys their memories and that simple touch stone for many years to come...

Our Anonymous speaker from Black Canyon said:

"Our memories of kayaking Black Canyon are more meaningful to us because of your gift of these Summit Stones and Muse. We found one up Boy Scout Canyon below the rope section and then much later in the Emerald River Cave, put up on a small ledge, we were lucky enough to discover another. Each is unique and a beautiful stone, with '06 and '07 on the back with DSD. This must be when they were painted or put in these spots. They are our little treasures and we will value them always. The Muse is full of great quotes. We were excited to locate your blog from details on the inside cover. We love these stories of other finders and are happy to be finders ourselves."

I believe 'treasure' is found to in the spirit and attitudes of adventure that such "Finders" have... The Summit Stone is simply a reflection of this... The wisdom in the Adventure Muse, while not my literary achievement, seems to mirror a person like you, and their musings over their experiences... This blog is written with all of you in mind...

What serendipity in having two kayakers, finding two Summit Stones, in two beautiful canyons...My enthusiasm in placing these, and your excitement in finding them, only adds to our shared gratefulness for such wild places and the special opportunities they provide us...

Now you are indeed both part of a "Finders" story here as well...

I am so glad all have kept a Summit Stone; some may even pass forward a quote from the Adventure Muse; all will give something back of their experience, in their own way, I am sure...

I am so very grateful for their comments here.....

DSD