 |
Temple Wild - Stairway To Heaven
~ Of
Mother Earth & Father Sky ~
|
Temple Wild - Stairway To Heaven - from Three Fingers Mtn. (Queest Alb) Big Baer Mtn. & Liberty Mtn. Peak © Ken James McLeod July 1981
-- In Memory of my good friend Martin Jensen Sept. 18, 1952 - Jan. 26, 2013 --
From Tin Can Gap there was no further trail found as it had abruptly ended and we (Martin Jensen and I) were snow bound, no man tracks either. From here, we traversed across the upper glacier unroped on a wing and a prayer, for any slip would certainly come a great injury, perhaps even death for the glacier abyss sped away a 1,000 feet or so. In my mind the 1971 hit song "Stairway To Heaven" by Led Zeppelin rang over and over again. At the Col, we breathed a sigh of relief, and stepped upon the final snowfield that led up to the rocky pitch and of 3 old ladders and a rope just below the Lookout Cabin. Atop the airy perch I steadied the old German Rolleiflex camera I had always packed on my back, and took this photo above the clouds. Before dusk, haggard & spent, we climbed back down the mountain, hit the trail and returned back to Martin's Datson truck (est. 16 miles round trip) but fulfilled with the days alpine hike & climb; me still with the song in my head... additionally: Martin was a good friend, we shared many great adventures together. He was a person of value, one who told you what he thought, even if it was hard said putting things into perspective. He would however argue his point about anything sometimes way too much, always wanting to be right even if he knew he wasn't, he often questioned things no matter what. He was also very possessive about his friendships and sometimes was over baring with them, but he realized we humans all have faults and are not so mighty. In the mountains he was a no nonsense guy like I, perhaps as to why we had traveled together, mostly off-trail. At times though, he could just spit on the world and go about his own business with little regard as to what others thought, which I admired. Lastly, Martin never had a jealous bone in his body that I ever saw, a trait I think he and I shared. RIP my good old friend...My church is within the oldest temple of the world; has no stained-glass windows and no doors, is open to all worshipers. Its sermon is not preached for monetary gain, but is given freely in solace to those souls who feel power in prayer no matter your chosen God. There is no church doctrine. So it is that I seek Temple Wild: where forests, mountains, rivers and sky talk to my soul, where I am one with the universe and my God...
KJM
all rights reserved