At almost 9,000 feet, mornings are chilly on Badger Mountain.
The mountain blocks the morning sunshine from our campsite for an hour after I’m done with coffee and checking this blog. That’s when Spike, Bridget and I go to Dandelion Hill above our campsite. The crew happily follows me up the hill to a profusion of dandelions.
The slope faces east so it’s the first place to receive the warmth of the morning sun. I position my camp chair just right to catch the rays. Ooh, that feels good. Soon we’re warmed up!
From this vantage point I see a cluster of aspens across the meadow to my right.
Directly across our campsite is the mountain, painted green with the contrasting hues of aspens and firs.
Below us is the turn-out that leads to our campsite. A pump house perches next to a bridge that goes over Cottonwood Creek.
This area is called Bluebell. Why does it have a name? The pump house tells me this is a place where fire trucks take on water. They can pull off Ephraim Canyon Road, fill up and move on, making room for the next truck.
The crew and I mosey around the meadow.
We come across a few blue wildflowers.
These don’t look like the bluebell photos I found online. Maybe there are different varieties of bluebells. I don’t know.
I love how nature is constantly changing. Perhaps at another time of year Dandelion Hill becomes Bluebell Hill.
A little stream hurries past.
It’s on its way to join up with Cottonwood Creek at the bottom of the hill. Spike, never one to pass up an opportunity to get into water, walks in the stream. I know what that boy is thinking . . .
Let’s see . . .There’s gotta’ be some mud along here somewhere . . .
Bridget and I wait. There are things in this world that should not be hurried. Spike believes resting in mud is one of them.
“C’mon, Spikey. Let’s go back to Dandelion Hill so you can sit in the sun and dry off.”
The meadow and Dandelion Hill are free of litter!
I think this is the first time the crew and I have walked near a camp without finding drink cans, beer bottles, big, red, disposable party cups, and such. I’m in the habit of taking a grocery bag when we set out to walk. Sometimes the bag is full by the time we get back to camp!
It’s nice to return with an empty bag today.
I don’t mind picking up litter, raking up cigarette butts, removing cans and chicken or beef bones from fire rings (before Spike gets them), and generally cleaning up a site. It makes me feel like I’m giving back. However, it does cause a problem for me.
Too much trash in the PTV!
On the occasions that the crew and I camp in campgrounds, often they’re “pack it in, pack it out” campgrounds. In other words, there’s no trash removal. Other times we’re boondocking.
It’s fairly easy to find dump stations, fresh water, and places to buy propane. Finding where to legally dump trash in an unfamiliar town is not so easy.
There’s a bunch of litter at our campsite.
It’s not camper litter. It looks like stuff left behind by a work crew.
An industrial-size bucket, smashed. Large pieces of cloth such as feedbags are made of. Stuff like that, enough to fill a large garbage bag.
I’ve already got a lot of our own trash.
Which brings to mind another subject.
While driving up this mountain, I figured this camp would be a “stepping stone” camp. In other words, the crew and I would stay a few days and move on to another area.
Now that we’ve been here a couple of days, I don’t want to leave! It’s beautiful here, the weather is cool and refreshing, nobody is around, only the sound of the rushing creek…
Gee, why go?
I’ve decided we will stay at Badger Mountain Camp through the weekend at least.
Sometime in the next few days the crew and I will travel down the mountain and go to Wal-Mart on the north end of Ephraim. At that time I’ll haul all this trash I’ve accumulated down to Ephraim in hopes of finding a place to dump it.
After a dose of civilization I’ll be happy to return to our sunny sanctuary on the mountain.
rvsue
A big THANK YOU for every purchase, large or small, made through my blog! Here are examples of recent purchases:
Double Hammock with Space Saving Steel Stand
10,000lb Tow Bar
Leisure Massage Reclining Chair with Heat
2013 Good Sam RV Travel Guide & Campground Directory
New Balance Women’s Trail Running Shoe
A Small Furry Prayer (Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life)
