Gutierrez Canyon, changed and unchanging

6-17-20

Green tangles green.

Oak leaves pulse chlorophyll. Juniper twists. Ponderosa towers.

The Sandias roll emerald behind the trees.

I feel safe here.

Meditating at home this morning, knowing I would hike alone today at Gutierrez Canyon Open Space in the East Mountains, all I could think about was rattlesnakes.

But nothing rattles. Spotted lizards’ long tails slide through leaves.

I seek the fantastic overlook I’ve enjoyed here before. But new “private property – stay on trail” signs dot the upper path. Nearby, a dog barks so loud and long I fear he might faint.

The overlook eludes me. The valley a glimpse, instead of everything.

I see only five people. I stop mistaking bees and flies for human voices.

Heat builds. So does a breeze that remembers cool.

Cooper’s hawk, phoebe, butterfly.

I find no harm here.

Hike length: 5.5+ miles

Difficulty: moderate

Trail traffic: low

Wildlife seen/heard: phoebe, spotted towhee, Cooper’s hawk, butterflies, beetles, grasshoppers, doves, lizards