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| Best Photo of the hike |
I was one of the leaders for the Annual Spring Mega Hike. My fellow guide was my friend and walker's club member Ron Bengston. We were the 3rd group to leave on Saturday. We had 14 people in our group.
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| We met at the Lodge and boarded a trolley. The trolley dropped us at the Illinois Canyon parking lot and we walked back from there, going into every accessible canyon and overlook. Enjoy the photos! |
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| And we're off.... Illinois Canyon #1 |
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| Bluebells are spectacular!! |
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| Bonus waterfall on the East wall in Illinois Canyon |
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| Illinois Canyon Waterfall |
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| 1 family of 6, friends of 4, 2 couples= 14 hikers |
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| Lots of Prairie Trillium |
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| Prairie Trillium - I love this flower!! |
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| From Illinois we took the "Swamp Trail" to the next canyon |
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| The "Boot" |
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| Everyone in Council Overhang |
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| Inside Council Overhang - Ron is telling part of his history narration about Henri de Tonti |
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| Little white bird's egg in Council Overhang |
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| Nodding Trillium are really putting on a show |
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| Squirrel Corn |
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| Kaskaskia Canyon |
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| Ottawa Canyon |
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| Shelf fungus as we were coming out of Ottawa |
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| Violets sprinkled in the horse tails |
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| Many of the Trout Lillies were already bloomed. I found this 1 blooming coming out of Ottawa |
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| Heading up and over Rt. 71 |
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| Spring Beauties were plentiful, at times it looked like snow. |
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| Hidden Canyon |
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| Cool looking tree formation |
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| Blue Phlox- These actually smell like lilacs, If you can bend over far enough to smell them. Very refreshing. |
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| Blue Phlox |
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| Another field of Bluebells |
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| Going down to Owl Canyon |
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| Taking a break, waiting for couple that went to the porta potty by the nearby parking lot. Closed Owl Canyon Overlook in the background. |
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| One of my couples by the LaSalle Canyon bridge |
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| Yellow bell flower |
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| Wild ginger |
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| Going into LaSalle Canyon |
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| LaSalle Canyon |
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| Looking back at LaSalle waterfall from the West trail out of LaSalle Canyon |
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| Jack in the Pulpit |
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| My family from Michigan in front of Tonti Canyon |
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| 2nd Tonti Waterfall on the East Wall |
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| Tonti Canyon Waterfall with Tonti's hook (Ron) |
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| First bloom for Wild Geranium |
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| Along the river trail |
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| Along the river trail |
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| Before we arrive at Wildcat Canyon there was a 19 year old girl that went off the trail and fell 25 feet. She got carried out on a backboard. She left on a rescue boat across the river and then helicopter to Rockford. My group arrived to see the rescue boat pick up the remaining rescuers. |
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| Wildcat Canyon. For once it is a pleasure being in Wildcat Canyon without anyone climbing all over the place. |
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| This was an interesting plant, don't know the name |
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| May Apple, just about to bloom. |
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| Best view in the park. From Eagles Cliff. Love those clouds!! |
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| View of the Lock and Dam from Eagles Cliff |
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| Too many people to go down to Lover's Leap. We decided to do the Lover's Leap Legend at the top of Starved Rock looking at Lover's Leap |
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| Break time / Lunch time at the Lodge. About 9 miles hike about 4 1/2 miles left after lunch. |
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| Eagles on the bridge over Fox Canyon |
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| Cascading French Canyon |
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| Coming out of French Canyon |
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| Top of Starved Rock |
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| Bishop's Cap / Miterwort line the path into Aurora Canyon |
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| Top of Aurora |
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| Top of Sac Canyon |
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| Taking a break before we get to St. Louis Canyon |
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| St Louis Canyon |
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| St. Louis Canyon from the East side |
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| Waterfall Splash St. Louis Canyon |
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| Sand pile in St. Louis Canyon |
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| This guy carried his walking stick the whole way, I couldn't believe it. Check out the tip, it is a beer tapper. |
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| I try to get everyone to give it one last push to run across the bridge at the end. |
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| Every year we have a different shirt designed. At the finish we give out "YOU ROCK" Certificates and a Snickers Bar (Snickers didn't last long for me) |
I will leave you with this: Each life becomes a part of the landscape. It becomes someone's landmark!
