Friday, June 27, 2014

June 26, 2014 St. Louis, Aurora, Sac and Kickapoo Canyons

The Walker's Club hike today was suppose to hike from the Lodge to LaSalle Canyon. I haven't been there in awhile and was really looking forward to it.  However, the State of Illinois was going to spray for the invasive Emerald Ash Borer in the morning and closed the East end of the park.  So we changed our hike.  It was a great cool day for a hike.  Enjoy the hike!


25 hikers plus 2 dogs
We first came to the top of Aurora Canyon.  It was dry.  On the way back we will stop in Aurora Canyon (It is my favorite canyon).
Top of Aurora
There is a little water flowing in Sac Canyon.  Not a good place to get a photo.
Top of Sac

Top of Sac Canyon
There are Hydrangea bushes everywhere.  I even took a close up photo.
Hydrangea Bushes

Close up Hydrangea

Spiderwort

Mushroom along the way
There are many unique sandstone formations on the way to St.Louis Canyon.  This one is the most colorful with the added iron that is present. 
Jack Gene and Don



Campanula - (Harebell)
I don't know much about this vine, but it makes for a neat photo.  It is on the way to St. Louis Canyon.


Small pink flowers -???
We arrived at St. Louis Canyon to a magnificent waterfall.  Better than I anticipated.  I even took a video.
St. Louis Canyon

All enjoying St. Louis Canyon
St Louis Canyon
We finally had to leave St. Louis canyon and head back.  After the first stairway back, some of us took a little break at the bench. 
Break time
On the way back there is this large rock (taller than me) that has this hole in the bottom that goes all the way through.  I always wanted to take a photo of it.  Enjoy!
Cool formation
A lot of this section of the trail has a boardwalk.  Nice to walk on when its dry.  When it is wet or icy, be careful they can be slick.
 
Mayapple - The ripened fruit is edible in little amounts, though when consumed in large amounts the fruit is poisonous.  The rhizome, foliage and roots are also poisonous.
Mayapple (not edible)
Jack in the Pulpit fruit - Consumption of the raw plant material results in a powerful burning sensation. It can cause irritation of the mouth and digestive system, and on rare occasions the swelling of the mouth and throat may be severe enough to affect breathing.
Jack in the Pulpit fruit.  Tiny green berries in the center.
 Onto my favorite Canyon..... Aurora.  How can one not love this Canyon..... Just look at the entrance.....Bishop's Cap and Hydrangeas line the picturesque walkway going in.
Going in Aurora

Aurora Canyon
  We barely all fit in the Canyon.  But I think they secretly like this canyon as much as I do, they just don't want to admit it.  It has great character and personality!

 There is plenty of poison ivy everywhere in the park.  Be especially careful when by the stairs.  They creep out.  Leaves of 3 leave them be.
Poison Ivy
 This pelican carving marks the entrance and exit to the trails to the west of the Lodge.  There is a walking tour brochure at the Lodge called Art in the Park.  It contains all of the Woodcarving artwork that we have and also the other art pieces around the Lodge grounds.  If you are not up for a hike this is perfect for you.  We have about 35 pieces from bronze statues to Chainsaw woodart.  Enjoy!
Pelican carving
 Sadly enough, people that come to relax and enjoy the park are the ones that make it a mess.  Most of the time when I go hiking I bring along a plastic grocery sack and pick up trash.  Today there were 3 people with bags picking up trash.  All 3 of us had our bags full.  I picked up water bottles, straws, candy wrapper, a pair of gloves and even a pool towel from the Lodge.  I challenge and urge you all to bring a bag when hiking. 
Garbage
 Today upon our return to the Lodge, we all enjoy some homemade ice cream in the Cafe.  Today's flavors were: Banana Split, Vanilla, Strawberry, Praline Pecan, Chipolte Chocolate, Mocha Coffee Bean (that was my choice), Smores and Chocolate.
Today's ice cream choices
All enjoying ice cream
What a great way to end a great hike with ice cream.  The Lodge makes the ice cream daily as needed in the kitchen and distributes it to the various locations: The Cafe (by the front desk).  Elements (the main dining room). Trailheads (Visitor Center concessions). Cattails (Gift shop and wine tasting room on Rt. 178 & Rt. 6).  Enjoy!


I will leave you with this:  Wherever you may hike or walk, just put one foot in front of the other.  It's all about the experience not the destination.








Sunday, June 15, 2014

June 8th-13th Porcupine Mountains

It seems like it has been a while since I posted a hike.  Well this post should make up for the lack of one.  I have been on a hiking vacation to the Porcupine Mountains (The Porkies) in Upper Michigan.  Ron, Tom and Gary left early on Sunday morning, whereas my brother Jimmy, Joe and I left at 3:00p.m.  Joe was scheduled to do a hike at Starved Rock and I had to work also.  It was a 7-8 hour drive.  We stopped in Coloma Wisconsin for dinner around 6:00p.m  We arrived at the AmericInn in Silver Springs and spent the night.  We had the free breakfast in the morning and then we were off.

From the left: Joe- Starved Rock Hiking Guide. Tom from Kansas City. Gary Starved Rock Walker's Club. Jimmy my brother.  Ron - Starved Rock Walker's Club.  I am proud to call them all my friends.

Entrance to the Interpretive trail
Day 1 The first thing we did was to hike along the Interpretive trail.  Here we learned about the copper mining that took place here and a bit of Geology.  The trail was about a mile long with information plaques along the way.  Very interesting.  We also found out early on that we all needed our mosquito nets.  We had all packed them for years and never used them.  We all were soooooo glad we had them.  We put them on first thing and didn't take them off until the last day.





Blue Beaded Lily
We have seen this plant for years on Isle Royale but always in late August.  There was a few stems coming out of the center with blue beads on them.  Very poisonous.  Now it all makes sense.

They also have many wildflowers that we have and some that are similar.  When I got to the Visitor's Center I looked a few up.

False Lily of the Valley (we have a patch of this near Lover's Leap)

Jack in the Pulpit

Nodding Trillium (the ones we have at the park, the flower droops on the top of the leaves)  interesting!
Very small light blue/purple flowers - Forget me nots



Swamp Buttercup (I think)
We also went to the Presque Isle Scenic Area.  Here we saw some of the most impressive waterfalls they have in the park.  I love waterfalls and wildflowers.  Enjoy!
Very powerful waterfall.  Warning Sign



Suspension Bridge to the Presque Isle area
Gary pointing to something on Lake Superior

Rock formation on the beach



Wild Lupine
Starflower

There were 3 main waterfalls in this area.  Manabezho Falls, Nawadaha Falls, Manido Falls





Pink Lady's Slipper

Our Cabin
The Porcupine Mountains have cabins for 2 people that come with 1 canoe. The 4 people cabins come with 1 row boat.  We had an 8 person cabin, we had 2 row boats.  Tom loves to canoe, so he was the one who flipped over our row boat and took us for a ride.  He was also the one that went to the cabin down the path and borrowed their canoe for a ride with Gary.  Thank you Tom!!
Tom taking the Canoe out.  Great view from our cabin
Gary and Tom canoeing
Twilight cabin view - Full Moon (or close to it)
Day 2 we hiked out from our cabin on the way to the Big Carp River Trail.  This was one of my favorite hikes.  We hiked along the Escarpment (a backbone ridge).  Very scenic. As usual I loved the views.
Uphill trail
looking back at the waterfall from the trail
View of the Escarpment from afar
Tom enjoying the view
View of Lake of the Clouds from the Viewing area

Gary, Edna, Jimmy, Joe and Tom (Ron was taking the photo)
Wild Columbine
Multi flora rose
My favorite trail lunch. Bagel with peanut butter and jelly
Day 3 We hiked back out this day and did the other half of the escarpment and also went to the Summit Peak Scenic area.  There was a tower here that we climbed up (63steps). 
View from the Summit Peak Lookout tower




Gary and Jim
Ox Eyed Daisy
View of Lake of the Clouds- from the Escarpment
Copper mine opening- one of many
Nodding pink trillium
This is a pink trillium, but it is a double!
View from behind a mosquito net.
Day 4  We could hike or not.  Go as far as we wanted and turn around. It was hiker's choice.  I chose to go to Lily Pond and see how I felt at that time and also judge the weather.  If it was raining, I was going back.  It turned out to be fine so I hiked all the way to the Overlooked Falls and back.
trail with lots of rocks
Patch of pink lady slippers
Gary at Lily Pond pointing at a turtle
Snake grass (I think) and lily pads
Huge tree that had fallen.  I just thought it looked neat.
Lily Pond Cabin
Someone, before us had some free time.  They carved this bear out of a stump nearby.

Jim crossing a stream.  We were rock balancing











When we arrived at the Overlooked Falls, there were sooooooo many mosquitoes we couldn't stay very long, even with the nets it was crazy.  We took some photos and we were gone.
Sign marker
1st half of falls
2nd 1/2 of the falls
We saw LOTS of ferns

Tom and Jimmy strategizing

Mancala Game board

My bunk is on the top
Small counter for the 6 of us
Gary starting the fire in the stove to warm us up
Our last day once we returned back to the cabin, the wind and rain blew in and the temperature dropped.  All the guys pitched got together and lit the stove.  Thanks for a toasty night!
Map
I color coded the map so I could do my best to put the photos in the right order.  I think I have most of them in the correct day.  Hope you enjoyed the photo trip.  It was a muddy, mosquito trip. I got to know my brother a little bit better (I now know he's left handed and is a great hiker).  I am really looking forward to hiking with him again.  We all had a great time with more than a few laughs.  When I go hiking I feel so in tune with the outdoors.  It is hard to explain but I feel it is the place I need to be (at least twice a year).  It is very relaxing for me.

I will leave you with this: Wherever you may hike or walk, just put one foot in front of the other.  It's all about the experience not the destination.