...I found myself wandering through a snow storm along an old trail, following recent, yet fading, footsteps. They led into a dark, dense forest, concealed by the veil of low, dark clouds.
Eventually I emerged from the forest and I could see an unfamiliar rocky valley below snow-capped ridges. The snow was now a light rain.
There were no more footprints, but I was drawn further down damp, smooth granite slabs.
I was home, away, and rested well.
The next morning the sun warmed both me and this enchanted land I found myself in.
From far away a creek--almost a river--flowed towards me, and I--we?--were drawn towards its source.
Cascades flowed from deep, calm pools...
..which filled from even higher cascades.
In one pool a sandy beach invited us to stop for a rest, but we continued upstream.
Farther up the waters squeezed their way through narrow cracks and clefts....
...while behind dark storm clouds threatened a return of the rains and snow.
We approached what appeared to be a headwall, but it was not the end of our journey.
We continued up another series of cascades and waterfalls.
As noon approached, we stopped for lunch under a somewhat familiar landmark.
At one final grand cascade we parted ways with the creek; it continued on, but we had to return.
We climbed up steep slabs to the top of a dome.
Below us was a lake, a paradox of smooth, inviting shores and steep, rugged cliffs.
We followed a high ridge that separated two different, yet similar worlds.
Eventually we had to return to the one we'd started from and headed down towards dark clouds.
In the distance behind us were the peaks and domes we'd walked over and around.
Our final steps of the day were in the rain, the threat now real.
As the sun set the clouds gently shrouded the high ridges above us, caressing the trees and rocks upon them.
The day ended with a final splash of golden light.
As it became brighter the dream started to fade, and this new but familiar place grew more distant.
I wanted to stay, but I had to retrace the steps that I had followed in.
I woke up well-rested and energized. Despite cancelled plans, I had been somewhere wonderful... somewhere.
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