Searching for Hot Springs

Hot springs are hard to find when the map consists of nothing but Keith's 8-year old memories! Let me explain...I have never been to a hot spring, and Keith remembers some around here being really, really sweet. So off we set on my day off, to find these hot springs, dog tagging along. The drive up the mountain and onto the Caldera is beautiful, the aspen, red and gold from the cold of early frost, vivid. As we search this road and that, all clearly un-marked and not on the map, Kona catches a glimpse of her first snowflakes! Brrrr! She loves it and wants to keep the windows down, again, brrrr! Hours pass and many drives down roads less-traveled and/or walks through the woods ensue, and still no warm water. Finally, after lunch next to a place called "Amanda's" and a few more dead-end roads with signs saying things like "trespassers will be shot at!" the place, thought to be a long-lost memory was found! At last! With sore feet and tired puppy hopping along, we began up the path toward the hot springs. Upon arrival, 2 ladies fill us in about the in's-and-out's of the pools, and then move on, back toward their awaiting cars. After tying the puppy up in numerous places to reduce whining and avoid puppy giardia, we step in to the warmth of the water.

Not minutes later, an older man with gray hair shows up. Thank goodness we decided against skinny dipping! At any rate, he had a car full of people waiting for him, and we can only assume that he was checking things out before the rest of the car committed to the hike up. He feels the water and begins climbing back up toward the trail. Keith warns him to be careful because the rocks are slick, and let's face it, he's probably not what he used to be. Seconds later, his foot slips and he falls backwards, onto rocks, not dirt, not sand, not water, rocks! All I think is, "please don't hit your head!" He doesn't listen to my thoughts. After falling 6 feet, crack goes his head on a rock, blood dripping everywhere! $hit! We help him up and assess his obvious injury, his head! He lucks out, only a small gash, he hits his head after first hitting his back, butt, and shoulders. I'm sure he's really hurting! It pains me to think about it! After offering to walk him back to his car and then deciding we'll wait a minute then follow, he takes off down the trail. Hot springs session=cut short. Lame! We expect to find him face-down on the trail, but luckily don't. By the time we get back to the parking lot, the man's car is nowhere to be found. Hopefully they didn't let him drive! Probably took him to the hospital, not a bad idea. Crazyness!

Come to find out, years ago, Keith's friend happened to witness a man take the same plunge, off of the same rock. He broke his back though and had to be carried out. We lucked out there. That would have been a tough hike for Keith, with an old guy on his shoulders! Or for both of us with the guy on some sort of a make-shift stretcher. Zoiks!

Perhaps, next time, we'll find the hot spring that we were looking for and nobody will bleed all over us while we're hanging out. Yep, that would be nice!