Snowy hike

We have had a quite warm winter, until just recently when we got our first real snow cover. I took advantage of that to get out for a bit. I headed out to an area that is actually all within the city limits, but quite isolated, with a small stream running through it.

It was about 17 degrees when I started, with a morning frost covering most of the plants.

I walked along to the creek bottom and down to the creek. It is not very large, possiby about 30 feet across at the wider points.

I came across this beaver dam. I am not sure how long it has been there, but I waded this stream fishing last summer and it was not there then.

There was lots of obvious beaver sign along the stream.

Looking upstream from the dam.

An old abandoned railroad bridge.

I spotted this guy watching me as I walked through the woods. I got as close as I could and zoomed in for a tighter shot.

An interesting area along the stream. The water here, was flowing quite rapidly over rocks and ice has formed on the rocks, creating somewhat of a dam. The weather is supposed to be above freezing tomorrow, so this phenomenom will likely disappear.

As always..............thanks for stopping by!

Year End Hiking

Once again, I realize it has been a while since my last post.

A few weeks ago, I got out for a couple of nice outings. One on December 29, with my friend Rusty; and a follow-up hike to the same general area the next day. We had a beatiful day on the 29th; but it began to rain the next day, when I was about a mile or more from my vehicle and I was pretty well wet by the time I got back.

A couple of pics of Rusty and I along the river.
Rusty......

 Me............

Just after the above pictures, Rusty spotted an immature Bald Eagle that had been perched in a Sycamore tree along the river. As you probably know, the immature eagles do not have the white head. We believe that it may have been feeding on this doe that was laying close to the river. As you can see, it was pretty well picked over, but did not appear to have been there long.

We rested at a sandbar at a nice bend in the river that would probably produce some fish, when weather and conditions are right.

Just a short distance from this spot; is a site estimated to be at least 1,000 years old; consisting of a group of mounds. These were constructed by the early inhabitants of the river valley. I will follow with a few pictures of those from my outing on December 30.

As stated earlier, the weather turned quite damp on me the next day. I went the same direction, but continued further upstream, before retracing my steps and then detouring to the mound site. As always, there is some nice scenery along the way. I also came across several very old and twisted Red Cedars, clinging to the steep hillside.

By the time I got to the mound site, the rain was coming down quite steady. I took shelter under a very thick and plush red cedar, but eventually ventured out. I took a few pictures of the mounds, but without being there to seem them, the pictures do not do justice. There are a couple of central mounds about 100 yards long, surrounded by smaller mounds. Some of the mounds are in proper alignment for ceremonies to celebrate the changing seasons....quite amazing that these "primitive" people had that capability. I stood on the central mounds, looking out over the others, just trying to imagine what it may have looked like 1,000 years ago. Not far from here is a large shallow depression, that I am guessing was where the dirt was excavated to construct the mounds....quite a feat, when you consider the tools at hand....and probably baskets to carry the dirt. A few pictures.........but as I said....hard to show what is really there.