Weekend in the Mountains

This past weekend was the opening of the first Western Trail Art Association art show at the Museum of the Western Prairie in Altus, Oklahoma. Since we were going to be there on Friday and Saturday nights and since we hadn’t been anywhere in a while and since the Quartz Mountain Lodge was giving the artists a special break on the rates we decided we would take the weekend and get away for a bit. 

Saturday the weather was perfect for hiking so we got up and had a good hearty breakfast at the lodge and then went to find the trails. (In my opinion, they could stand to have better maps.) 

Our first “hike” was on the Twin Peaks Trail. It was not my idea of a trail (it was a very nice sidewalk) but at the end of that trail I did a little sketch of Lake Altus-Lugert.

Early morning sketch of Lake Altus-Lugert

I had always heard that if you were out on the lake and knew where to look, you could see the foundations of the town of Lugert that was flooded when they built the reservoir. Sadly, the lake is at 20% capacity and you don’t have to be in a boat to see the foundations.... they are close to the trail and high and dry after this past drought.

After the Twin Peaks Trail, we finally found a “real” trail with dirt, rocks and weeds. (My favorite kind of trail.)  We climbed rocks, watched deer and turkey vultures and just generally lounged about soaking up as much clean air and nature as we could before we had to go back to town. 

On the ridge above the Quartz Mountain Lodge

Thankfully, they have had a bit of rain up there so there were a few wildflowers on the trail. Lots of Texas Toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus and Spring Beauty Claytonia virginica (both of which are much more beautiful than my sketches!)

Spring Beauty Claytonia virginica

Texas Toadflax Nuttallanthus texanus

All sketches in ink & watercolor in the nature journal with hemp paper.