Nearly thirty Starved Rock Walkers trekked through the fresh and falling snow to see Council Overhang, and Ottawa, Kaskaskia, and Illinois Canyons. A nice winter walk in the Park.

 All of this can be seen in a less than two mile walk at the east side of the Park.

 25F and snowing as we gathered in the Council Overhang parking lot.

 "The boot" on the wall near the overhang is a snow boot today!

 Walkers heading up into the overhang.

 Stand against the back wall and Council Overhang will frame your picture for you.

 This was always a bad place to tell students that the St. Peter Sandstone is 98.5% WHITE silica sand. Organic derived iron stains the surface of the rock everywhere in the Park.

 A view from the overhang down to the confluence of Ottawa and Kaskaskia Creeks.

 You have to cross Ottawa Creek four times to get into the back of the canyon.

 Ice climbers will not like this view of the headwall of Ottawa Canyon. No ice column here!

 This new rockfall from the headwall shows that the sandstones is indeed white!

 The fresh rockfall scar on the Ottawa Canyon headwall.

 A behind the waterfall view of the Walkers Club giving size scale to the west wall of Ottawa Canyon.

 Leaving Ottawa Canyon and headed towards Kaskaskia Canyon.

 Back across Ottawa Creek.

 Icicles on the west wall of Kaskaskia Canyon.

 The Kaskaskia Canyon waterfall.

 Yes, I attached my traction spikes to my swamp walker boots. The perfect combination for today's walk!

 A view down Kaskaskia Creek through the mouth of the canyon.

 Ice on the east wall of Kaskaskia Canyon.

 A trail view up Kaskaskia Creek.

 Walkers on their way to Illinois Canyon.

Kaskaskia Creek is one of the few canyon creeks you can walk next to instead of along its bottom.

Still snowing as we approach the parking lot.

Let's end this winter walk with a quote from Takayuki Ikkaku;

"When there is snow on the ground, I like to pretend I am walking on clouds."