Backpacking Into the Golden Woods

It rained overnight Thursday into Friday, and then it began to dry up. We saw peeks of sunshine before noon, and it was a good omen. My husband and I packed up our gear and headed off to what might have been my final backpack of the fall season, into the back-country in the Quehanna Wild Area's Valley of the Elk.

The weather was cool, and it was a pleasant hike in. Some puddles remained on the trail, and they made for fine reflections indeed. The foliage colors are gone now from along the Quehanna Highway, but as you head into the back-country, there are still some wonderful yellows to see.

Even better than that, the tamaracks are changing color along the hill across from our campsite. (See extra photo.) As the sun moved across the sky, it lit them up. In the late day light, they shone like torches against the wild landscape.

The soundtrack: David Bowie, with Golden Years. This clip is a favorite from the film A Knight's Tale.