April 26th Mega Hike

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.

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!

And we're off.... Illinois Canyon #1

Bluebells are spectacular!!

Bonus waterfall on the East wall in Illinois Canyon

Illinois Canyon Waterfall

1 family of 6, friends of 4, 2 couples= 14 hikers

Lots of Prairie Trillium

Prairie Trillium - I love this flower!!

From Illinois we took the "Swamp Trail" to the next canyon

The "Boot"

Everyone in Council Overhang

Inside Council Overhang - Ron is telling part of his history narration about Henri de Tonti

Little white bird's egg in Council Overhang

Nodding Trillium are really putting on a show

Squirrel Corn

Kaskaskia Canyon

Ottawa Canyon

Shelf fungus as we were coming out of Ottawa

Violets sprinkled in the horse tails

Many of the Trout Lillies were already bloomed.  I found this 1 blooming coming out of Ottawa

Heading up and over Rt. 71

Spring Beauties were plentiful, at times it looked like snow.

Hidden Canyon

Cool looking tree formation

Blue Phlox- These actually smell like lilacs, If you can bend over far enough to smell them.  Very refreshing.

Blue Phlox

Another field of Bluebells

Going down to Owl Canyon

Taking a break, waiting for couple that went to the porta potty by the nearby parking lot.  Closed Owl Canyon Overlook in the background.

One of my couples by the LaSalle Canyon bridge

Yellow bell flower

Wild ginger

Going into LaSalle Canyon

LaSalle Canyon

Looking back at LaSalle waterfall from the West trail out of LaSalle Canyon

Jack in the Pulpit

My family from Michigan in front of Tonti Canyon

2nd Tonti Waterfall on the East Wall

Tonti Canyon Waterfall with Tonti's hook (Ron)

First bloom for Wild Geranium

Along the river trail

Along the river trail

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.

Wildcat Canyon.  For once it is a pleasure being in Wildcat Canyon without anyone climbing all over the place.

This was an interesting plant, don't know the name

May Apple, just about to bloom.

Best view in the park.  From Eagles Cliff.  Love those clouds!!

View of the Lock and Dam from Eagles Cliff

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

Break time / Lunch time at the Lodge.  About 9 miles hike about 4 1/2 miles left after lunch.

Eagles on the bridge over Fox Canyon

Cascading French Canyon

Coming out of French Canyon

Top of Starved Rock

Bishop's Cap / Miterwort line the path into Aurora Canyon

Top of Aurora

Top of Sac Canyon

Taking a break before we get to St. Louis Canyon

St Louis Canyon

St. Louis Canyon from the East side

Waterfall Splash St. Louis Canyon

Sand pile in St. Louis Canyon

This guy carried his walking stick the whole way, I couldn't believe it.  Check out the tip, it is a beer tapper.

I try to get everyone to give it one last push to run across the bridge at the end.

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!