The Mountain Climb Starts Off Easy and Follows the Creek.
“Mountains like these and travelers in the mountains and events that happen to them here are found not only in Zen literature but in the tales of every major religion. The allegory of a physical mountain for the spiritual one that stands between each soul and its goal is an easy and natural one to make. Like those in the valley behind us, most people stand in sight of the spiritual mountains all their lives and never enter them, being content to listen to others who have been there and thus avoid the hardships. “
Upper Cottonwood Canyon, Gallatin National Forest, MT Take special note of the mountain metaphors here: In the Narrator's first foray into the high country after Red Lodge, he follows civilized prepared roads made by someone else and does so moved by machinery (ZMM Part II.) In this second high country venture he makes and follows his own routes, and is moved by his own muscle power (ZMM Part III.). He does this despite the fact that there were no doubt several well traveled trails that would have gained the snow much more easily. As always, all this metaphorically ties into the Narrator's Chautauquas. In this case, philosophies of the high country, especially his own. And as always, Phaedrus, the Narrator, and even Chris suffer for this independence!! New topic: The Narrator probably used topo maps to explore both of these high countries. This is because he tells us on his check-off list “ U. S. Geodetic Survey maps of an area where we hope to do some hiking “ (See his list of travel and camping gear p 036 ZMM.) I infer that these maps were used to plan the Part III hiking route and regularly check their course during that hike. These very maps, or similar, were likely on Pirsig’s desk during the 4 years he planned his writing re the high country and mountain hiking portions of ZMM. (Continued next)
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(Photo = Summer06 0131 ...... ZMM Page = 167 ...... Photo Simulate WayPt = N+C 03)