Even though I love hot weather, and don't really like winter, I actually look forward to the frozen waterfalls of Northern Illinois, specifically the many frozen falls found in Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks. All I do is complain about the cold weather, but somehow, I have absolutely no problem being out in the freezing cold and wind when I am exploring these canyons and the Lake Michigan shore. It's as if the thought of what I may find overrides the physical extremes I endure. I honestly do not wear gloves when I'm out photographing (unless I'm carrying a tripod), and have no problem handling a camera in 15° Fahrenheit, or even in -5° Fahrenheit. I find it much more comfortable and efficient to place my hands in my coat pocket as I hike around, then handle the camera with my bare hands. So far, so good, no frostbite!
With the temperatures in Illinois dropping below 0° over the past few days, I figured the waterfalls of Starved Rock would be frozen and impressive. After heading out today, I found the falls to be moderately frozen. I suspect the dry Fall, and Winter so far starved the falls of runoff and snowmelt, preventing the falls from building up. Even though they were relatively small, they're always a thrill to explore and photograph.
The first canyon we visited was LaSalle - one of my favorites due to the fact that the ice usually forms a curtain across most of the rock overhang, and one can walk behind the frozen falls. This time, there was only a single column of ice to view. I imagine with the warming temperatures of the next week, the snow in the high ground of the park will begin to melt, and then freeze at night, adding to the size of the icefalls. I'll head back in a week or two!
As we arrived at the park, the clouds parted and the sun washed the canyon walls with warm light, providing a strong contrast to the frigid subjects of our exploration. It's amazing how warm the canyons can appear on such cold days; the rock walls are often covered in deep green mosses and bathed in yellow light. It's interesting how this sight can actually keep you from thinking about the cold.
We left LaSalle Canyon feeling a bit underwhelmed, but encouraged by the thoughts of what the other canyons may hold for us.
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