March 19-2015, St. Louis, Aurora, Sac and Kickapoo Canyons

Today's Walker's Club Hike had 33 walkers and 3 dogs.  Not much ice on the trails.  Yak-trax can be packed away for another year.  I traded my yak-trax for my rubber boots today.  Today is officially the last day of Winter.  Trails are in good shape, not to much mud or ice to walk on, even in the canyons.

Notice the turkey vultures in the trees looking north over the walk bridge from the Lodge?

Heading out for the hike

Top of Aurora Canyon from the bridge, looking south

Sac Canyon

Almost there

Entrance into St. Louis Canyon

St. Louis Canyon

St. Louis Canyon

March 14th marked the 55th anniversary of the Starved Rock Murders.  Joe is telling the group the condensed version.

Looking up at the west rim of St. Louis Canyon

The bottom of the ice fall still has some very thick ice

The stream flowing out of the canyon has thawed, with a carved out ice channel

Hepatica will be one of the first spring wildflowers.  These leaves are from last year.  Flowers first then green leaves all summer.

Heading back to the Lodge.  This trail has some real neat sandstone formations.  Many of them are used for resting spots.

Kevin and Glen

View from the trail looking North

Of course we had to go into Aurora Canyon.  Some opted to head straight back to the Lodge.

Some of the sketchy stairs into Aurora Canyon.  These are the ones I fell off of right after a heavy snow.

Aurora Canyon

We almost all fit in the canyon

Looking up out of Aurora Canyon

Number one canyon from my eyes !!!!

Bridge still not fixed.  Still safe.

My daughter says that my sign off signature needs to change, so I bought a few books and will be changing the sign off with each post.  I hope you enjoy! 

 I will leave you with this: Know that the brightest blossoms are not always on the tallest trees.