Two Sacred Mountains

Let me start here by saying that I find most mountains incredibly spiritual places to be for a variety of reasons, especially if there are wilderness areas nearby with a lot of wild animals and nature. However, the two mountains that seem to get universal acclaim as being amazing mountains and being sacred mountains by millions and even billions of people worldwide are Mt. Kailash in Tibet and Mt. Shasta in Northern California in the U.S. near the Oregon Border. So, if you drive up Interstate 5 northward either from Sacramento or out 80 to 505 to 5 from the SF Bay area within abou 5 to 7 hours (depending upon how fast you drive) you will be there. I once stayed in the Mt. Kailash Hotel in Dharmshala, India which was then (if it is still there) at around 6000 feet up into the Himalayan Foothills. (You sort of have to say foothills because most big peaks 25 to 100 or more are all over 20,000 feet high). I think there is one 14,000 foot to 20,000 foot peak you look up at from Dharamshala, India where the Dalai Lama lives. I was there in January and part of February 1986.

Today, I went to where my most recent spiritual rebirth happened. I had flown my daughter down from Portland, Oregon to be together and to share the driving with me back as she had time to take a trip with me. So, one our way north from the SF Greater BAY area we stopped then and drove up Everitt Memorial Hiway then in I believe it was late March or Early April around then. The snow was still drifted in spots this year because the snow came early so it sort of melted out most places a little early too. So, I realized I had forgotten to bring my hiking shoes and only had dress shoes and Crocs which are waterproof rubber sandals that you can walk through mud or over rocks (but they slip on mud if the soles of the shoes are worn down so watch out for mud or snow a little. So, I braved it with crocks over sometimes 25 foot stretches of snow up to Sand Flats with a good view of the mountain. I experienced a spiritual rebirth there. As I returned to Mt. Shasta I got it strong to drive up to Sand Flats again so I did. I took a few pictures of the mountain there at sand Flats. It's good to be back on my home spiritual mountain. I've lived here before but now sometimes if I stay too long I feel like an overcharged battery. But it does my soul good to physically return to a truly Sacred Mountain.