This was a very special hike for me. My father died on July 14th and his funeral/memorial service was on July 20th. One of the things he loved to do was to live vicariously through me in looking at pictures of my hikes. When he was a little younger and more able, I took him and my mom on some short hikes. In memory of him, I asked my mom if it was OK if I took a few of his ashes and scattered them in the woods. I chose this trail because the viewpoint trail is one of the most dramatic and beautiful places I’ve seen in this area. The actual task of spreading his ashes only took a few moments, but it is a memory I will treasure and one that helped bring closure for me.

When I got to the viewpoint, there was a hawk circling overhead, but I didn’t get a chance to get a photo or video of it since I was so enthralled with watching it, I forgot to get my camera out until it was too late. Later on, I saw 3 or 4 hawks that were riding the thermals in the canyon below. It was mesmerizing to watch them. It was a beautiful day with wonderful views of all the mountains and the surrounding valleys.



And finally, the video of me spreading dad’s ashes: