01-10-2019 Wildcat Canyon

Today was remarkable.  Lots of people came out to hike today, between 50-60 people. With the drop in temperature the waterfalls are starting to freeze again.  Trails were in great shape, no ice or mud. 

Wildcat Canyon icefall

Everyone leaving the Lodge heading out to LaSalle Canyon

Frozen creek above French Canyon

I love this section above French Canyon

Boardwalk on the way to Wildcat Canyon.  Not slippery today!

Stairway leading down to the top of Wildcat Canyon

Top of Wildcat Canyon

The middle to the end of the group arriving at Wildcat Canyon

Wildcat ice fall in Wildcat Canyon, view from the East platform

Joe says the limit is 18 hikers.  Hope they are lightweight under all that winterwear. Kathy Casstevens took a photo from the West Overlook.  She is in the distance with the red coat.

These hikers decided they have seen Wildcat Canyon before, so they patiently waited for the rest of us.

View from Sandstone Point looking West

Some are still arriving for the great view

Great view of the Sandstone here

What a view today!

On our way down the bluff stairs by Lonetree Canyon

The group went on the LaSalle Canyon, while I headed back to the Lodge.  Here is a photo of Lonetree Canyon.  No trail into this canyon

Red trail markers still mean the same thing in the winter.  This sign signifies that this path is not a trail.

Along the river the ice makes the coolest formations

This bench has eroded away a few years ago.  Love the ice by the seat of the bench

Wildcat Canyon Creek

Just cleaning up some fallen trees near Beehive Overlook

Stairs leading up to a beautiful blue sky or the Eagle's Cliff / cutoff to the bluff trail

Deer on the bluff trail near Lover's Leap

 

Another deer

There are 3 deer in this photo, all laying down

My favorite deer photo

Owl woodcarving in front of the Lodge.  Owl Prowl Weekend March 1st, 2nd and 3rd.  Owl programs Saturday and Sunday at 10:00, 12;00 and 2:00p.m. Call the Activities for more information.

I will leave you with this: A person's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs.

January 3, 2019 Matthiesson State Park Dells Area

 I really wasn't expecting very many people with the coldness.  We had about 50 hikers and 2 dogs. We started in the Lodge's Lobby and departed from there.  We carpooled to the Dells area of Matthiessen State Park. There has been some flooding on the Vermillion and Illinois River, wasn't sure if that would effect the hiking in the dells.  

Matthiessen Park Bridge by the Lower Dells area

Lose a glove anyone?

Going down the stairs by the fort

I started out in the front of the group. Looking back at the group and hoping no one falls on the slightly slippery stairs.

Coming around the corner by Strawberry Rock

The famous "Strawberry Rock"

This is not a trail into Devil's Paintbox (notice the red trail marker)

Crossing this stream was difficult.  There was 2 places to cross, neither place was great.  Rocks were ok to step on, but wood pieces were extremely slippery. There was a thin coating of ice on the wood. I did not go in to the Dells area.  Myself and a few others waited on the concrete bridge for the group.

Bridge crossing over the Dells area.

View from the bridge looking down into the Dells area.  Second crossing. I saw 3 people fall here.

The rest of the group climbing the stairs out of the Dells area

Zoomed in photo of the group coming back

 

From the Bridge by Cascade Falls

We are on our way to Matthiessen Lake

Waterfall by Cedar Point area

Looking down to the Lake Falls at the Bridge.  I did not go down the stairs for a better view. Some walker's came up those stairs and said they were slippery.  I chose to forgo them.

I was very surprised to see a frozen Lake Matthiessen

On our way back to the starting area.  I turned back around to see if I could see Lake Falls.

 

 I will leave you with this: For every evil under the sun, There is a remedy, or there is none; If there be one, try and find it, If there be none, never mind it.

12-6-2018 Margery Carlson Nature Preserve

A couple of times a year the Walker's Club walks into an area Nature Preserve.  Today we chose to go to the Margery Carlson Nature Preserve.  This area is south on Rt. 178 about 6 miles.  Some people stayed in the park today and hiked with Joe Jakupcak to Wildcat, Lover's Leap and Eagles Cliff. We had 38 walkers go to the Nature Preserve.

About the Margery Carlson Nature Preserve

234.34 Acres, purchased in June 1976 with an addition in June 1978.

This nature preserve contains young forest, bluffs and streams typical of sites near the Vermilion River in the Grand Prairie Section. Some excellent examples of eroding bluff plant communities may be seen here. Over seventy-five species of flowering herbaceous plants have been identified in the preserve including forked aster and bottle gentian. Deer, beaver and red fox are also known to inhabit the area.

This preserve is named in memory of Margery Carlson, who was instrumental in protecting the area, formerly known as Big Bend Nature Preserve. Carlson was a founder of the Illinois chapter of The Nature Conservancy, serving the chapter as its first secretary and later as trustee.

Minimal parking at the Nature Preserve.  Only has room for about 8 cars.  Some had to park on the side of the rode.

Leaving the parking lot you follow a "trail" down a ravine.  There are no trails in the Nature Preserve, you are just picking your way through.  Once getting to the bottom we worked our way
Westward.  Should have gone a bit further, but it worked out ok.

Cool looking shelf fungi

The Nature Preserve is also used for hunting.  We were scheduled to come here last week but hunting was scheduled.  We swapped the hike for last week.  

Found a kind of fresh skull bone.  Think it was a deer. 

This was a metal walk way to an island in the middle of a lake.  I have never seen this before in all the times I have been here.

We all made it to the Vermillion River

This looked man made to me.

Walked a bit East and came upon this open to the Vermillion River again.

I'm glad today is Dec. 6th.

I will leave you with this: A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.