Opening morning was just like I wrote about in the previous blog. The sunrise was incredible over the Selkirks as I descended the steep slope . I went slowly looking for mule deer or elk and the smell of alpine fir filled my nostrils. I stopped just above a sea of tangled alder and cow called softly a few times. Shortly a weak bugle of a young bull answered back so I called again trying to pin point his location. No response was heard from him. As the morning sun heated up the slope I headed back to camp. The following days were hot and not much animal movement was seen.
On Friday afternoon the heat intensified and a black ominous cloud developed on the western horizon. I watched it in interest as it crept closer. Slowly the Selkirk range thirty miles to the west disappeared and the black monster descended to the valley floor. It looked like the whole area to the west had vanished . There was a lower ridge about a half mile away and it was approaching the ridge like an army on a mission. As it started to engulf the ridge , white wind clouds suddenly appeared . With long fingers they blasted over the top and down the side; the fingers looked like they were trying to tear apart everything in their path. The white fingers then dashed for our mountain top and came over us in creeping silence. Then the wind force hit us with a blast like I have never experienced , along with driving rain . I rushed for my truck and it was like riding through a car wash. The long spiny fingers plunged down the other side of the mountain and the whole world just disappeared. It became very dark even though the time was about four in the afternoon. I thought this must be some what like happened at the Crucifixion; it seemed very eerie. Ardella, Jolene, and the girls rode out the storm in the camper as the winds pounded away at them. My tent looked like it would go airborne and disappear off the ridge at any moment. Slowly things returned to normal.
As the storm was raging, I could only think of God's awesome power and how He has complete control over it. I thought of Psalm 77 where it says, "Your ways , O God , are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples." It also says " The clouds poured down water, the skies resounded with thunder,your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked. That pretty much sums up the feeling we had as we rode out the storm at 6,400 feet.
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