Anyone who has traveled westward across the Great Plains of North American likely remembers their first glimpse of the snow-covered Front Range. Though I have experienced that scenery dozens, if not hundreds, of times, it still produces an emotional response, offering reassurance that I am nearing the landscape of my soul.
Native Americans likely had a similar response as they gazed upon a source of abundant game and clear water beyond the dry ecosystem of the Plains. No doubt, the wagon train pioneers regained a sense of hope from the scene, having endured a long, perilous journey across exposed terrain.
Even today, modern travelers take in the view from the comfort of their speeding vehicle, focused primarily on getting to the mountain resorts and campgrounds. Those of us enamored with geology and ecology know that the fabulous vista is far more significant.
