The LaSalle Canyon Icefalls

One of the most popular places to visit in Illinois is Starved Rock State Park. While most people visit in the warmer weather, or make a quick visit in February to view the large number of eagles on the Illinois River, I enjoy the cold winter months. Most of the canyons of Starved Rock have waterfalls at some point in the year, and most create stunning icefalls in the cold months.

The waterfalls range from ten feet tall to well over 70 feet tall, and some can even be climbed with the proper gear and permission. A small number of these frozen waterfalls allow for viewing on all sides, and the waterfall in LaSalle Canyon is one of the easiest to access.



While not the closest canyon to a parking area - it's a mile hike or more to the waterfall, the trail leads behind the waterfall, giving you a unique perspective of the frozen falls in relation to the canyon. The sun shines through the large towers of ice, illuminating the backside with beautifully eerie light.

The size of the rock overhang also makes it very easy to walk behind. Some other waterfalls are so close to the canyon wall you must crawl behind. The only tricky part can be the ice on the canyon floor. In some places the slanted rock is glazed with thick ice from the waterfall, so ice cleats are a necessity. Last year as I hiked behind a couple of people, one slipped and fell down the side of the path. She held onto a small tree trunk, which prevented her from falling down the 30 foot drop to the canyon floor. Her hiking partner and I quickly pulled her back to safety. I won't hike this area without ice cleats - not the little yak tracks with the springs or studs on the bottom, only chain and spike ice cleats that dig into the ice.



This canyon has two waterfalls, the main waterfall seen here, and a much smaller one draining into the creek which drains into the Illinois River a few thousand feet away. LaSalle Canyon is a must see in the winter. It also serves as the path the Tonti Canyon, which often has two tall waterfalls in the cold winter months.

Frosty Lake Falls

Recent temperatures below zero have begun to freeze the waterfalls in northern Illinois. Lake Falls, the tallest waterfall in Matthiessen State Park was impressive this afternoon. The mist created by the falling water froze to almost every surface nearby, including the bare tree branches which became flocked with ice.

Any of the mist that landed on the camera lens froze almost immediately, making photographing the falls any closer next to impossible.



A bit of knowledge of the canyon floor comes in handy in winter. Knowing where the deeper places are in the creek helps keep your feet dry. Stepping on thin ice could result in falling through, but if you know where the shallow areas are, breaking through will only get your feet wet. Good to know when you have quite a long walk back in zero degree weather.

The 45 foot tall Lake Falls is at the head of the upper dell area of Matthiessen State Park, draining from above, and created by the man-made dam built to create the lake.

The Open Dunes

Rounding the turn from the last trail, we came upon the ridge of a tall dune. The view at this point is wide and deep, the dunes roll out in front of you to the horizon. It's this place we first spotted a tree we call the lonely tree; this tree is virtually in the middle of nowhere, and many years ago, we were determined to find a way to this tree. This is how we found this series of trails to explore.

From wooded dune to grassy, open fields, the trails here wind in and out of numerous features, each with their own beauty. From these vantage points, we can see multiple features at once.



Again the trail turns from open to wooded. These trees seem to mark the entrance to the next part of the environment.



We always need to remember to turn around and look at what we passed, and in this case we glanced back toward Lake Michigan, where the snow blanketed the dunes and provided a strong contrast to the dormant vegetation.

The Little Dune and Beyond

On our frequent hikes through the Indiana Dunes, we encounter landmarks along the way, and it's interesting to see these landmarks change with the seasons and over the years. One of the landmarks is located at the bend of the trail, close to Lake Michigan. It's a small living dune, only about 25 feet tall, but it stands out against all the other larger, grassy dunes around it.

As tempting as it has been to climb, a living dune that small would most certainly be ruined by people walking on it, so we keep off of it. Here, the bare sand is covered with fresh snow, hiding the fact that it's a living dune. A living dune is one that is still being moved by the winds. The sand is pushed from one side to the other, so in effect it moves slowly inland.



Turning away from the little dune, we headed on the next part of our hike, the adjacent trail leading to another of our landmarks, the lonely tree.

Once again, the trail headed up the rolling dunes through some woods where the trees provide a shady resting place for hikers.  In fact, these trees are low enough to sit in and enjoy the view of the dune valley.

Lunar Eclipse of 2019

The full moon of January 2019 came along with several names:  Super Moon, Wolf Moon, Snow Moon, Blood Moon, Super Wolf Blood Moon.  Super Moon because the moon was a bit closer to earth than usual, making the moon appear a little larger and brighter than usual. Wolf Moon because of the packs of wolves that once howled near Native American villages in midwinter (or Snow Moon). Blood Moon because of the red color the eclipsed moon takes on.

Of course the weather rarely cooperates with photographers, and this night was no exception. Clouds moved in and out of the area, and the temperatures was 6 degrees F. The cold weather usually helps with sky photography because there is little haze in cold weather, but this time it only served to make detailed work painful.



The eclipse began just after 8:30pm, but it was not really visible until 9:40.  The moon gradually disappeared by 11:20 where it then became fully eclipsed and took on the famous red color of the Blood Moon. 

Photographing the moon is usually very easy - it's very bright actually. The eclipsed moon is dim, and with such a long lens arrangement, my aperture would only go to F13 - very small, and will not let a lot of light into the camera. So, challenges had to be overcome.

The best part of the dimly lit moon is the fact that you can actually capture the stars in the sky along with the moon.

 

A View of the Dune Valley

One generally doesn't associate the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore with wide open spaces, but that's just what you'll find when you hike a bit off the popular and well traveled trails. Beginning from the beach, we hiked up through some wooded dunes, along the ridges to an area filled with Marram grass. A quick run up the grassy dune and we encountered the vast valley behind the fore dunes hidden from the beaches. This is where you begin to get an idea of the size of this natural area along the shore of Lake Michigan. From the trail head to this point in our hike, we walked a bit over a mile and spent around 40 minutes of time exploring the area. Shorter hikes are possible on these winding trails, but we were up for a much longer one on this sunny winter day. We've hiked these dunes in all seasons and in all weather, and there's always something new to experience each time we visit. Remembering to stop for a bit to take in the surroundings is an important part of these hikes. It's easy to get caught up in photography, or the need to get to a particular place in the park, but you need to stop at multiple places along the trail and just look, listen, and smell - take it all in. It's surprising what you'll experience.

Blue Shadows

Once off the beach, we enter the wooded portion of the dunes, where the back-lit trees cast blue shadows in the fresh snow. In winter, we can see Lake Michigan on the majority of the wooded portion of the trail, a few hundred meters to our right, but in the summer, it's mostly hidden by the dense woods.

Portions of the trail are rugged, and a bit strenuous if you're not used to hiking on soft, steep terrain, but it's not a straight climb up, it's rolling up and down throughout the entire trail. That's one of the great things about hiking through most of the dunes along Lake Michigan, you get a break on your way down each time you traverse a dune.



A great view appears at almost every turn on these trails, and you have to remember to look back every so often, because you don't want to miss the view from that angle. Almost to the first dune ridge, the woods begin to thin, and the grassy, open dunes appear in the background.

At this point, the sound of the waves begin to disappear, and the winds are blocked by the fore dunes, giving us a bit of warmth compared to the open beach below.

Fresh Snow at the Dunes

Following a busy day, we headed out for a late afternoon hike at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Yesterday's snowfall made it all the more fun - especially with the bright sunshine. We haven't been here since the holidays began, so it was great to be back.

We decided to hike two trails that connect, our standard dune ridge trail, then what we call the lonely tree trail. These trails are pretty strenuous at times, but like most trails through sand dunes, it's up and down, up and down, not a severe climb up most of the way.



As usual, our hike began on the beach. For mid January, it was unusual not to see any ice on or near Lake Michigan, but it's been rather warm lately. the only ice we found was stuck to driftwood washed ashore by recent waves.



As we approached the trail, we headed inland, and just before we entered the wooded dunes, we turned back to look at the snow covered Marram grass and Lake Michigan. The low sun washed over the snow, highlighting all the contours of the dune.

This was just the beginning of our quick, two and a half hour hike through the rolling dunes.

The High Point of Grand Mere

Following an afternoon of hiking the beach, dunes, and woods of Van Buren State Park, we took advantage of the daily pass and used it at a smaller, less visited state park a few miles south. Grand Mere is a bit out of the way, and much less traveled, but worth the stop.

The small parking area holds a few cars, and it's a good hike to the dunes and the shore of Lake Michigan. In addition to the rolling dunes, dense woods, and the beach, this park has two or three small lakes visible from the top of the taller dunes.


Of course we had to explore the tallest dune we could fine. Getting there required us to hike through the rolling dunes, then to the beach and finally over to a narrow trail through the wooded dunes. We followed the trail through the trees until we found the small trail up to the top. While it might not look like a tough hike, these last few meters were the most difficult, and really tested out our legs. Well, we did spend the day hiking hilly terrain, so that made this all the more challenging.

Once to the top, we were immediately greeted by the view -a sweeping vista of the countryside, wetlands, and lake below. With the day ending, we headed down another trail on the opposite side that brought us toward the lake, onto another trail that meandered to the parking area.



Looking back at the trail down the dune, we were certainly happy we didn't need to climb back up to get home.

Lost Horizon

While hiking the rugged dune ridges parallel to Lake Michigan, the horizon seemed to disappear, was lost in the overcast sky. At times, it completely disappeared, which make our hike a surreal experience - imagine hiking along a wooded ridge with a vast open area next to you with no bottom and no top - that's how it appeared at times.

The winter season makes it easier to see distant objects and formations while atop the dune ridge; the lack of leaves makes this possible. We looked back at the trail winding from dune to dune and the woods and blowouts in the distance, and noticed a pair of A10 Warthogs flying just above the beach. They flew north then about 30 minutes later, we saw them again. This time, we were at the top of a blowout, an open area on the dune. We waived and were surprised the pilot of the second craft tipped his wing toward us as an acknowledgment. Too bad I didn't have my telephoto lens on my camera body, I could have had a few photos of the crew.

Nachusa Buttes

Rounding the corner of the trail next to this sandstone butte, more of the bluff can be seen, and the ever eroding stone stands out prominently against the brown grass of the savanna. While hiking in the summer, we saw these rock formations through the trees, but they were often obstructed by the leaves. This seems to be one of the best times to view the rock formations, we saw some bluffs we never noticed in the summer.



Walking closer to the stone bluff, we took time to look over all the details of the rocks and what the weather created out of them as they eroded. Looking from underneath, what little snow that fell onto the stone over the past day or two began to melt, but froze again once it hit the cold air. Small icicles trimmed the edge of the bluffs, reminding us it was the winter season.



Once we found a safe way to the top of the bluff (walking up the grassy hill behind), we were able to look over the landscape and view the woods we walked through on our way through the Stone Barn Savanna.

Stone Barn Savanna Buttes

One of the most interesting features of the Stone Barn Savanna are the sandstone buttes and cliffs that seem to rise out of nowhere. These are a typical geologic feature of this region of Illinois, yet there are only a handful of nature parks where these can be seen.  Fewer still, are places you can get up close to them to inspect and study them. Nachusa Grassland allows visitors to explore off the trails providing they don't climb the rocks.

This formation is one of the few freestanding buttes in the area, and it's easy enough to investigate up close. The layers and colors in the rock are quite captivating, and change with every turn of the head. This butte is on the edge of a flat clearing, making it a dividing feature between the hilly and flat areas of the park.



Additional sandstone cliffs dot the Stone Barn Savanna, some tall, some relatively short and crumbling, but all interesting to explore. We were able to walk up the grassy hills on the backsides of some, following animal trails through the prickly prairie roses. Careful to stay off of the rock, we were able to view vast areas of the woods and nearby grasslands.

Exploring the Bluffs of the Stone Barn Savanna

Part of the 3,600 acre Nachusa Grasslands, a large, successful restored prairie project in north central Illinois, the Stone Barn Savanna offers a hike through wooded bluffs and rolling hills. Sandstone bluffs appear suddenly from the landscape, some free standing, others are one end of large, grass and wooded hills.

Visitors to Nachusa are encouraged to explore the land. Mowed grass trails can easily be followed, but hiking off trail is allowed as well, providing you don't climb the fragile sandstone, these can break easily causing damage to the formation as well as injury or death to the climber.

We followed the trails to places of interest, then carefully explored these areas off trail. This was not always easy as the landscape is rolling, and filled with prairie roses  and other barbed plants. Don't wear shorts here!



Sometimes these bluffs aren't easily noticeable because they are covered in soil, grass, and trees. This allowed us to safely explore the tops of some bluffs, and walk the ridges.

Some evidence of wildlife was found on the tops of the bluffs, including well worn animal trails, and animal scat near small crevasses in the rock. At one point we discovered a trail camera pointed at a particular opening in the rock; I'm curious as to what they find.

 

It's refreshing to find a nature preserve that allows visitors to explore everywhere on their own. The access areas and parking areas are small, so not too many visitors can hike at once, but this is probably a good thing - it keeps the area pristine, quiet, and free of crowds.

Horizon

The clouds never moved away during our hike through the trails of Van Buren State Park in southwest Michigan. The horizon was sometimes indistinguishable over Lake Michigan, creating an eerie view from the rolling dunes, and at times giving us no point of reference.

From the top of the dune, we could see the South Haven lighthouse on the distant horizon. The park is approximately five miles south of the lighthouse, and we were surprised we could see it on this type of day.



For just a few moments, a small hole in the clouds appeared, as we were walking south. The trees on top of the dune were silhouetted against the bright spot in the sky. The threat of rain subsided a bit, allowing us to plan for some additional miles of hiking at Van Buren State Park, and later at Grand Mere State Park, where we would see if we could spot the famous black bear seen near the park last year.

Crumbling Dunes

Warm for a late December morning -almost 46 degrees - and very calm along the beaches of southern Lake Michigan, make my annual first day of vacation hike to the lake very comfortable. Usually I photograph the ice build up on the lighthouses of the area, but this year it was too warm for such things.

Lake Michigan built the dunes along the shore over the past few thousand years, and now as part of the natural process, she is reclaiming part of them. Wave action hits the dunes and undercuts them, causing small sand slides. When these happen frequently enough, the side of the dune falls to the beach, bringing with it whatever is growing on top. Entire mature trees can be found uprooted laying on the beach. In this area, there were dozens of trees littering the beach.



In addition to trees and plants, I've seen parts of old buildings exposed and laying on the beach after this type of erosion, kind of an opening of a time capsule. Some of the logs exposed look almost petrified, taking on the minerals of the sand that surrounded them for hundreds or thousands of years.

This particular dune was hiding a 5 or 6 foot long boulder. While not up on the dune, this was most likely pushed to this spot by the glaciers that created the Great Lakes. It was then buried by the blowing sands under the dune. Recent erosion exposed it - just another glacial erratic in the midwest.



The beach has narrowed quite a bit, to the point where the waves constantly hit the dunes, and visitors will certainly get their feet wet when it's windy. There's not much if anything people can do to stop the erosion, we'll just have to realize that nature changes and we need to adapt to those changes.

Orland Wetland

Once farmland, probably destined to become housing subdivisions in the Cook County housing boom of the early 1990's, these 960 acres between Orland Park and Mokena, Illinois were saved by local nature lovers. Set aside to prevent development, this grassland is also one of Illinois' newest restored prairies.

The grassland has over six miles of paved and grass trails for visitors to enjoy. In the Spring and Summer, the grass trails are off limits in an attempt to save ground nesting birds, but in the colder months, these trails provide a great way to reach the inner portions of the grassland.

The grassland is in the path of numerous migrating birds, offering birdwatchers a chance at viewing plenty of species.



The grass trails have begun to freeze, so we didn't sink into the soft mud as we meandered through the inner grassland. The shallow ponds in the lower areas of the prairie have also begun to freeze, a sure sign winter is on the way.

More Fall Color

The day started out sunny, perfect for enjoying the rich colors of autumn. As the morning progressed, clouds blocked the sun, making the fall colors a bit muted and muddy, but the extra vivid colors still came through. A small log cabin on the edge of the woods is a welcome site after a long hike. Lighting a fire in the fire pit in front of the cabin, or in a fireplace inside would make this the perfect retreat for a cool autumn day. Just a few yards away from the cabin is the Little Calumet River. This lazy river cuts through the old, wooded dunes of the area, and is a great place to watch for waterbirds and aquatic life. For years the kids have enjoyed walking out over the water on the downed trees fishing or just enjoying their surroundings. I'm sure by now the leaves are gone, and the area has been dusted by more than a couple of snowfalls. In another couple of weeks, the river itself will begin to freeze, creating an entirely new look to this area.

The Beginning of the Ice Season

A short side trip to the St. Joseph, Michigan lighthouse on a cold, windy morning revealed a tiny bit of ice beginning to form on the lighthouse and the catwalk. Not dramatic yet, if this weather continues for a few days, the entire lighthouse could be covered in ice. Generally the ice begins to form in mid to late December, right before Christmas, but this year it's starting early. The weather probably won't be cold or windy enough yet to produce anything nearly as dramatic as past winters, but one never knows- two years ago, the ice formed a week before Thanksgiving. Along with the cold and wind came the gloomy overcast sky, making the images rather blue and cold. As we headed over the dunes toward the lake, we encountered two men in a makeshift shelter. Probably birdwatchers or photographers, the shelter blocked much of the wind keeping them a bit warmer than us. In addition, the shelter could have acted as a blind, making them invisible to the migrating birds. Each year I've visited this lighthouse a week before Christmas to gauge the ice forming, and every year without fail, I've run into Tim, a birdwatcher set up on the pier. He keeps track of the species of birds migrating through the area, and we talk a bit about the lake, lighthouse, and natural parks in the area. I'm sure in a few weeks when I head back, I'll run into Tim once again, making this the 7th or 8th year in a row we've run into each other on the lighthouse pier on a brisk, winter morning.

Autumn in the Golden Woods of Indiana

Hiking through the woods during peak fall color is something one can only experience once a year. High winds or rain often strip the trees of their leaves before anyone can enjoy them. The winds and rain came the very next day, but even during our hike, clouds blocked the sun, eliminating many of the colors that pop when the sun is shining. This particular section of woods is filled with maple trees, once used by the Chellberg Farm as a source of sweet maple sugar. Each March, the National Lakeshore opens the area for tours and demonstrations of the process of making maple sugar. Seeing these woods in spring, summer, winter, and fall completes the tours and demonstrations for me; things change so much from month to month. The land here is mostly flat, until we reach the area known as the sugarbush - the woods with the trees used for maple sugar. As we enter these woods, the land turns hilly, with a few creeks running through. It's difficult to determine if the land is hilly due to the glaciers or sand dunes, or if the creek cut the gullies over time; it's probably a combination of the two. Either way, the rolling landscape makes for an interesting hike especially in the autumn during peak color.

HIke Through the Golden Sugarbush

We generally visit the sugarbush during Maple Sugar times in March, when sap is collected to produce maple sugar. At that time in the spring, the trees don't yet have leaves. Autumn is a great time to visit the woods of the Chellberg Farm, where the maple sugarbush is located. The leaves of the maple trees are a bright yellow color, turning the woods gold in the morning sunlight. In addition to the color in the trees, the leaves littering the ground turn the forest floor into a colorful carpet. While sometimes a bit slippery, the carpet of leaves blurs the line between the ground and the trees. This year's fall color seems to be a bit later than usual, but in places such as the Indiana Dunes National Park, the show was well worth the wait.