Forty-seven Starved Rock Walkers (1 dog) met at the Lodge today for our annual Christmas lunch. Whodda thought we would have to take a ninety minute walk before the dining room opened! Fortunately most of us were prepared for that!

 Leaving the Lodge to build some appetite

French Creek did not look this cold last week!

I wore my ice microspike traction. Didn't need them. All we encountered was an inch of loose snow. 

Down the stairs to the Wildcat Canyon rim boardwalk.

 Ice climbers have to wait until the hanging icicles meet the growing ice mound to form a complete column.

That will not happen for a while yet. 

 An east rim view down to Wildcat Creek shows how the October deluge dammed the left side of the creek and pushed the flow to the right underneath the canyon floor access stairs. 

 Former Park naturalist Tobias Miller would tell young hikers a story about how huge mericats would break the trees during thunderstorms. Maybe!

 Browsing deer love young white pines so not many can be found in the Park. This nice collection of saplings is on a steep slope behind Sandstone Point where even deer can't get good footing.

 Some helpful Walkers explained that this could be the Park's attempt to attract picnicking kayakers!

 By the time we descend the bluff onto the River Trail the freezing temp is not that noticeable.

 I always ask "Is the sandstone block holding up the tree or is the tree holding up the sandstone?" Geologists know!

 Busy beavers left these morning branch drag marks next to the River Trail leading to the water. We still haven't found where this wood is ending up.

 Less than a dozen Walkers braved the thin ice on Wildcat Creek to get closer to the headwall.

 We surprised this "snow eagle" that was perched on

a bench atop Eagle Cliff!

 Might that be a "shelf elf" texting Santa about the

behavior of some Walkers?

 The cookie exchange! Bring two dozen cookies, take home two dozen assorted cookies!

 Most of us exchange that green 12-punched club card sitting on the table for a free lunch! The SR Walkers also passed a basket and donated $324.00 to IV PADS. Happy Holidays!

This shopping season recalls a quote

from Anatole France,

"It is good to collect things; it is better to take walks."