Down in the Gila

Alex Kinney

Gila Wilderness, NM

Ocotber 24, 2017

The Gila was one of my favorite sites of the LAAW field work places. This place resonated with me because of the noises, colors, water and trees. On the last full day here, I sat in a hot spring and could see the cold water of the Gila pouring into the bottom of the spring. The evening sunlight streamed over the edge of the canyon and illuminated pebbles on the spring’s bank. The colors of the pebbles were heighted and felt like they were being bathed in pure crystal light. I felt so happy watching these pebbles talk to me while I lay in the warmth of the spring.

In the mornings, I would head out after breakfast around 8:30 or 9:00 toward Turkey Creek. I enjoyed watching the rising sunlight stream through the trees and these moments felt especially quiet. Something about the Gila made me feel enclosed in a special place of origin and death and visually reminded me of visions I had at Wild Rivers, NM while sitting by a river on hot boulders.