Each year at Christmastime,
the beautiful Seven Falls Canyon becomes a winter wonderland with a Holiday
Lighting Charity event. The falls are open to community residents and donations
from the event go to Christmas Unlimited, a local charity that helps needy
families year round. In 1949, the Christmas tradition of opening the Seven
Falls canyon at night without charge to the residents of Colorado Springs was started. This year was the 63rd year that collections have been made for Christmas Unlimited.*
Driving in the canyon
toward the falls, Hubby and I enjoyed the beautiful Christmas displays and the thousands
of lights decorating the rock walls. Then, after parking the car, we walked to
the bridge at the base of the frozen falls to observe the constantly changing
lights on the massive crystalline formation.
The elevator to the viewing
area at the top of the mountain was out of order. For at least an instant, we
considered climbing the many steps leading to that area, but then settled for a
description of the view from the top given to us by a gracious young couple.
Our knees and hearts thanked us for resisting the foolish.
Before leaving the canyon,
we warmed up while enjoying hot chocolate in the snack bar.
I never cease to be in awe
of God’s handiwork.
Awesome Sight
Hillside Nativity
Menorah High on the Mountain
High Altitude Carolers
“Frosty” at Home in the Ice and Snow
Sign Over the Exit
•Some
facts from Philip Tapia in Fresh Ink.
Always loved the Christmas display at the Falls. I would not walk up the steps anymore, though. Could not.
ReplyDeleteVanilla, I would have liked to ride the elevator to the viewing area, but it was not working. There are now two stairways. One goes up the mountain to the top of the falls. It is closed during the winter because it is considered to be dangerous during bad weather. The other stairway goes up the south face of the canyon and leads to a viewing/hiking area where people can look down over the falls or hike to Helen Hunt's grave site. The gift shop/snack bar has expanded, so the fish ponds are gone. No more huge goldfish!
DeletePossibly a flaw in memory, but I recall the fish as rainbow trout.
ReplyDeleteThere are now rainbow trout now in a dammed-up area of the creek. At one time there was a pond by the little gift shop that contained several huge fish. I always stared into the water until I found the horsehair "fish." I guess it was a fish. Local lore was that a hair taken from the mane of a horse was thrown into the cold creek water and it turned into a fish.
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