Wandering in the Wichita Mountains

     I started Thanksgiving Break by camping in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma, a vast stretch of land that is only a 3.5 hour drive from Fort Worth. I went into the weekend still recovering from a pretty terrible cold, so I honestly expected to be miserable for most of the weekend. Although the temperatures did in fact reach a low of 23 degrees at night, I honestly found the cold to be fairly manageable. With a roaring fire and large blanket, I didn't even notice the cold. Once we finally arrived at our campsite, it was already dark. That night we had a full three-course meal, including four steaks, roasted corn on the cob, and roasted potatoes. It was, by far, the best dinner I've ever had camping.

Looking out at the river running through the rocks

 The next morning, we went out to an area with a large amount of boulders suitable for rock climbing. The boulders were larger than I expected, their natural features distinct and covered in chalk. I climbed a few easy boulders and then explored the surrounding area, before finally sitting down to read my book in the shade of a large boulder. Down below the below the boulders, there was a small river running through the red rocks. From where I was, I could hear the sounds of the river, a soft babbling murmur that was barely distinguishable from the breeze. 

    I love how these pictures convey the sense of fall through the colors of clothes, leaves, and crash pad (the padded objects sitting underneath the climbers). I also love how they convey a sense of movement, in reaching for the final grab or looking for the perfect spot to put your feet. One thing I do not think I captured in these photos is how difficult it was to hold on to the rocks. The handholds were essentially just sloped rock, while the footholds were just tiny little dips in the rock.

Climbing "Huggy Bear," a V5 boulder in the "Bear's Den"

    One really distinct memory that I have from the trip was that of a family, with a small child, knocking over sizeable boulders in the distance. From where I was standing, I could see the family pushing at the rocks and then a loud boom as the boulder hit other rocks. They did this with several rocks. I do not pretend to be a great naturalist, like Thoreau or Abbey, but even I know that you should not disturb the environment. It feel as if this interaction was a perfect example of how most people treat the environment. Even when we are in the natural environment, hiking in a Wildlife Refuge, we do not have any regard for the land itself.