Cooler weather

Monday looked like a perfect day to go hiking. Our roads were somewhat plowed and still quite icy under patches of snow. Going down this hill can always be fun in the winter.

The skies were gun metal grey and the forecast was little or no wind but expected flurries. The temperatures were in the low 20's. Awful you'd say for an adventure, but I've been dubbed as the 'Mad Hiker' so Charlie and I went.

We had been cooped up on the farm for 3 days and had to get out. I figured to do an easy trail. It is called the Wintergreen Trail and is one of my favorites for views of the river and for the Hemlocks and pines that grow there.

Our big surprise is that we were the first ones to break trail in the snow. 

Ok.
Charlie broke trail. The snow wasn't quite as deep here as it was at home. Plus, Charlie has been down this trail so many times, he knows it by heart. What a good leader he is!

We took in the bluff view, but not very close as the snow covered up ice on the rocks. Charlie stayed up and away from the edges.

I did too, but grabbed a shot through the snow of ice formations and chunks floating downstream.

We walked among the Hemlock trees and I marveled at the scent and the snowy silence.

Truthfully, it wasn't much of a photographic adventure. We stayed warm and we enjoyed the snowy views along the river.  The shot below shows all the colors that we saw. Brown foliage and grasses, green Hemlock needles, dark tree trunks, along with a green tint in the river, and of course white snow.

We got back to the parking lot and continued past the Visitor's Center where someone had walked on the upper loop. I wanted to get down to the river and look at it. I check this spot in each season. Here is where I generally find the first flowers of Spring to appear.

We hiked back to the parking area and had snacks before we left. The roads were getting much worse and I was glad I decided to take a short hike.

I think by the end of the week, I may just go check out the ice caves and see if this frigid weather has effected them.

I usually try to see the caves in the first week of December and then again at the end of the month and continue through the melt.

They can be a disappointment, or they can be incredible!

Two years ago in January:

With winter this 'cool' how can you not get excited??

I'm still catching up with my week. Hmmm. It has been different.

I did start this project though:

Rough Going Part 2

The place I went to is messy and not super photogenic in some terms. I know some folks might pass up taking shots of places like this, but...

this is nature. 

Trees fall, branches come down and life goes on.

This is on the east end of the narrow valley. Charlie and I admired the ice and then crossed the little stream and headed up over the top of the ice.

We followed what used to be an old riding trail and that is a well worn game trail now.

16 seconds of  a cell phone pano of this spot...with Charlie whining

for us to 'get moving'!!!
This could give you an idea what it was

like down in this narrow valley.

I was getting tired by the time we hit this 'Ice Cave'. I'd climbed into it two years ago and decided to follow Charlie as he was able to find the easiest way in and out.

The ice curtain wasn't huge, but the 'cave' was pretty large. 

Here I am looking down on the valley I just walked through.

We kept going over the dry runs and making detours to get around fallen trees and ravines that were too steep to climb through.

We eventually made it back to the bluffs above the river.

Charlie and I headed out towards the area where you can follow part of an old logging road... this photo you have seen before...

I don't normally follow this path but since it was an easier trail, we went with it. I had been gone almost too long from home.

However when we reached this valley I turned my head and saw some ice forming on the south facing hillside rocks. We had to check it out.

I realized that ice was forming all along in this valley too. Different from the other valley, but intriguing and exciting anyway!

This is a very narrow valley also with a stream that runs through it. The valley is so narrow that it rarely gets much sun except in the height of summer. 

Like I said before. If I'd had an entire day, I could have visited at least two more large 'Ice Caves' and another valley. Sigh. 

Afternoon Out!

After bribing Charlie and dressing him up in a sweater and ribbons, I promised to take him for a nice long hike at Kickapoo Valley Reserve.

It only took about 2 dozen shots to get one that worked. 

Charlie was a good sport and is swiftly learning that I always have treats when we do this.

Off we headed! Charlie even trotted to the Subaru and attempted to jump in when I opened the door. That was a big first. He wanted to go for a ride which is unusual for him. Perhaps he felt he'd been cooped up at home for too long?

By the time we parked at the Star Valley access area, Charlie was beside himself. As soon as I unhooked him from his 'carseat' harness, he jumped over me and was ready to rumble.

I was pretty surprised to run into one of the KVR workers who took time to visit for a bit with us. He was removing Honeysuckle bushes from the edge of a cornfield on the KVR property. I said I was fighting Buckthorn on my own place. 

I whistled to Charlie and we were on our way again. We turned down Old 131 trail and headed towards the ponds and the river. The last time I'd hike here with Charlie, it was in the high 80's and hot. Charlie was in his element. The cooler weather agrees with him. 

We came across two muzzleloader deer hunters. Charlie greeted them and I asked how their hunt was going. Not so great. However they commented that even though their hunt was a bust, the day was beautiful. 

By now Charlie was beside himself. Tail up! He trotted along with a purpose. The smells on the sides of the trails needed his attention. He had to mark the area as we walked. That alone keeps a little dog very busy.

There was a couple sitting on the bench out on the floating deck of the east facing pond. Charlie was a-quiver! I asked if I could let Charlie come out to say hello. They were delighted. As was Charlie who immediately sat at their feet and looked back at me as if to say. "Stay there. I'm fine getting petted. Go away."

I whistled and Charlie came back. I swear he was smiling. 

My goal was to check out the closed trail and the old horse crossing that had been closed after the 2018 floods. Campsite G had been a pretty neat place to camp out with river access and I thought it would be a good time to explore it. Soon enough the cliffs above the river would be sporting ice formations.

Below is the view of where I was going taken in December of 2017.

December 4th, 2020

Interesting to see that I'd picked nearly the same exact spot 3 years later. The pile of wood and debris in the first shot is no longer anywhere around. That debris was part of a bridge from further upstream from the flash flood of 2016.
The bank has changed with soil and grasses washed away and the rock remains steadfast and strong.

We found the campsite and poked around. I found some campfire wood up on the bank but it wasn't used and it was quite aged. The Reserve has taken this site off their map, however I think canoers still stop there. 

We moved on and turned back. I'd seen what I wanted to. The ice was forming on the backwater ponds.

The only real spot of bright color was the Highbush Cranberries. Not many were left on the bush.

The couple had left the bench on the floating dock. Charlie and I stopped there for a treat for him, an apple for me.

I didn't want to get caught out too late, so we turned back towards Star Valley and hustled.

The gent that was clearing Honeysuckle was still there. He apologized for asking, but inquired if I was a local. So we struck up a conversation. Of course it was about his passion and mine. Battling invasive species of plants. We talked about cutting and bagging and cutting or cutting and using on a dab of herbicide. He wanted to know how I kept track of which stumps had which methods. I explained my crazy method of marking with spray paint.

Two large brown hounds came trotting up to Charlie and I who were sitting in the middle of the trail. Charlie was ecstatic. Big Friends!

The owner came around with his shotgun. He had been hunting pheasants.

The hunter apologized for his hounds and I waved him off telling him I'd raised plenty of hounds over the years and thought his were beautiful.

Off they went while I finished talking with the invasive species guy. His specialty is going after those nasty plants. I commented on seeing his truck this past summer and he said to stop by for a chat if I saw him next time out.

We headed back to the parking area but gave the hunter plenty of room so if his dogs did flush a pheasant, he'd be able to get one.

Charlie had other ideas. He wanted to catch up to them and play.

I reached the parking area and the hunter was just loading up. He said he didn't get a decent shot all afternoon, but it still was a good day. I agreed. 

The young hound trotted over and had to nose Charlie up and down.

The hunter called his dog.

We all loaded up and headed out.

What a great afternoon! Charlie and I got our hiking fix and got to visit safely with other humans and dogs!

It was a win-win for us.