4th Annual Ice Hike~ Parfrey's Glen

Well, it was that time of year again. The Annual Ice Hike.

It started a few years ago when my friends took me to Parfrey's Glen just outside of Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo.

Last year I drove in a rain/snow/sleet event to get to our annual "Ice Hike". This year? Well, I followed the events of a snow event that dropped about 4 or 5 inches of snow on my travel route. It made the drive a bit more interesting, but it wasn't too bad.

We went to Parfrey's Glen as our first stop in hopes of seeing Skillet Creek running over the rocks or some magnificent ice formations.

Well that wasn't to exactly 'be'.

As I slugged through the roughened snow trail, I thought how nice it would have been to have my snow shoes on.

This area never really is disappointing and it is always in a state of change with the weather. In places the creek was solid with snow covering the ice. I could hear the water running underneath us.

We probably shouldn't have come to the Glen so late in the day. But there we were, making our way upstream to the water falls.

However I thought it would be a good idea...

well, that didn't really pan out. 

I should have known how quickly it gets dark in these areas. After all, when I am at home I know it gets dark quickly in the deep valleys.

Things get quite tricky after you leave the "maintained" trail. 

It became obvious to me that my snow shoes although very handy for part of the trail would have been a real pain in the rocky boulders.

We reached the water falls at the end of the trail and did some exploring. It was obvious that the day light was fading fast.

The light in the gorge was fading but above us it was still sunny and bright.

We didn't want to have to scramble over the icy and snowy boulders in the dark so we headed back.

But not until we had some fun of course...

The danger of having another photographer around is that they will 

get that shot of you...that you don't want shown to the world.

Aren't those gloves just precious? 

And then, with the light fading, we headed back to the Subaru.

Oh yes. Waterproof boots are a great idea on this hike.

Saturday was going to be a busy day. We were going to see how many of the State Natural Areas we could explore.
We had one place in particular that we wanted to check out.

Duward's Glen and Natural Bridge

This is the second year that I've gotten together with some 'younger' good friends of mine that I've known ... well for a long time.

Last year we explored the Devil's Lake area and they introduced me to Parfrey's Glen.  We explored Pewitt's Nest.  I only live an hour and a half from these places but it seems even with best intentions, I don't get back during the summer.

Saturday we started our hiking tour out with Duward's Glen. The Glen is retreat and conference center. If you are looking for a spiritual getaway, this would be the place.

This is a 3 exposure shot of the gorge rock wall.

We followed the creek that runs through it and explored.  It was very peaceful and the sound of running water was beautiful.
In spots winter was still trying to hang on despite the warm temperatures.

We even found a frog.  I don't ever recall finding or seeing one in February.  But there he was.

I don't know why but I found one of the moss covered walls simply interesting.  I tried a long exposure with it to see if I could get 'streaks' of water.  Water was coming down the rock and dripping off the moss.
It just looked like the moss was leaking water.

Maybe I just loved all of that green!

This area of Wisconsin is very unique.  Here is a child in the photo with the 'canyon' wall behind her.

We piled in the vehicles and headed over to the Natural Bridge State Park.  
I live in the driftless area of Wisconsin and enjoy some very wonderful rock formations in our area.  I had yet to see this rock bridge that was formed by Mother Nature.

The hike to the bridge was not very far, but I can see that the forest and the surrounding rock formations will be more interesting to me in the early spring when the hepatica, blood root, and spring beauties will blossom.

I found it disturbing that despite the sign that explicitly asks people NOT to climb on this rock formation, kids and young adults were doing just that.
Or my other pet peeve.  Letting your pet run loose when you are supposed to keep it on a leash.

We spent time looking at the lichen on the rocks ...I was trying to see if I could do a decent macro shot with my 40-150mm lens for the Oly camera.

A tripod would have helped and I carry one, but tend to skip it unless I am shooting a longer exposure of water.  

Moss sending up new shoots into the sunlight.

And the cedar trees that grew in these rock formations just fascinated me with their shapes.

I did a hand held exposure bracketing with the Oly.  I really like this tree.  I think I took several shots of it.

The two girls helped me set up Doe, Bo, Wild Troll, Stinky, and Dino for some photos before we left the Natural Bridge State Park.

Bo and Stinky try to have an important conversation with Doe and Dino.  Dino insists that he is a nice guy and only wants to date Doe.  "See," he says, "I can be a veggan!"

Wild Troll looks on and thinks about weeds. He is a happy Troll.

The family I went with consist of the mom who was one of my Horseless Horse students in 4H many years ago.  She and her husband and I have been friends ever since.
Now I get to enjoy hiking with them and their children.

More on our last stop for the day in another blog.  I'm not giving this place's location away.  The hike in and out is challenging to say the least.  But as we found out, it was extremely worth it.