Hell's Hole - A Cold and Forbidding Place

Light is the symbol of truth

"To love beauty is to see light." ~ Victor Hugo

We ascended straight to hell and back. Hell's Hole that is. If our destination truly was the Devil's Den, then Hell has frozen over. There was still an enormous amount of deep snow obstructing the rugged trail to Lucifer's Lair.

Our journey began well enough. Warm sunshine filtered through a tunnel of arched aspen. Chirping birds and the rumble of West Chicago Creek provided comforting background noise. The majestic pathway of soft dirt beckoned the unwary traveler.

The lovely entry into the wilderness concealed the truth about the difficulties that would lie ahead. Precarious bridges lured the curious seeker deeper into the abyss. Inexplicably, the sky turned gray and it began to rain. How would it end?

Swallowed by the eternal shadow of Gray Wolf Mountain, the underworld was a cold and forbidding place. Stamped into the earth, the depression was enclosed by a dark forest of gnarled pine. At its terminus, the treacherous route became confused by snowdrifts, sharp branches and tangled roots.

Tired, chilled and hungry, the hasty retreat was all downhill. Our speedy descent kept pace with the relentless rush of whitewater runoff. Safely back at camp, the answer was clear. Don't be fooled, resist the temptations of darkness. Light is the symbol of truth.

Our journey began well enough

Warm sunshine filtered through the aspen

West Chicago Creek

Majestic pathway of soft dirt

Lovely entry into the wilderness

A precarious bridge

Gray Wolf Mountain

The route becomes confused

Deep snowdrifts

Hell's Hole was cold and forbidding

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