Mount Baldy – Oneness with All

We started hiking to Ontario Peak in Mount Baldy Cucamonga Wilderness around 7 am. The starting elevation was about 5000 feet. The air was clean and crisp. The mountains in all directions, trees, a blue sky with scattered clouds, stunning landscapes with valleys and hills, and the fragrance of trees took us right to the heart of nature.

The surprise for me was the sound of water with its thunderous and yet healing music. It is San Antonio Creek streaming water down the mountain and splashing and swirling around the rocks. There is still snow at higher elevations. With temperatures in the sixties or seventies during the day, it’s melting and feeding the streams. For the first mile while hiking up a steady incline, we had plenty of opportunities to capture water flowing, falling, rocking, and in some places playing around our feet. We stopped at every curve, edge, and angle to soak it all in. As always, I enjoy capturing water’s thunder, music, and resonant sounds in videos. Can’t have enough of it. 🙂

Spontaneity has its splash. 🙂

The trail curled to the left and up at one point, taking us slightly away and above the flowing water.

The water from the heights finds its way from every possible angle. Small streams come down and merge. There are spots where water crossed our path. I was totally in my element.

I hiked probably for a few hundred feet, and the trail took me right next to the thunder of a strong gush.

It’s a continuous incline, and as we gained elevation, it was quite a treat to see the evolving landscape and expanding views.

Certainly a different experience from trails closer to home. Then again, Mount Baldy is only 50 miles away – maybe we do it more and more often. The day helped us dissolve the stress, heal & energize, and be one with Mother Nature.