Eagle Watching along the Great River Road (Madison County, Illinois)

Stop number two while at home was more of a search than a stop. As my hometown, Alton, IL, sits alongside the Mississippi River, it is known as a wintering spot for the majestic bald eagle. Though, the appear in great numbers from December to March, I thought I would take my luck and try to find some in late November, while we were in the area. It wasn't difficult.

Heading north up the Great River Road, I spotted a couple of specimens in a tree at the foot of Clifton Terrace. They are such large birds. I have seen them up close at some preserves and in an upright perch much like that seen in the photo, they are often over two feet tall. 

They gaze out over the river looking for any sign of a fish leaping from the water, which when exposed and snatched from the flowing river will make a fine meal for the great raptor.

All in all, I spotted five birds today in only about 30 minutes, including one fighting against the howling winds in Grafton. Such magnificent animals, it's not wonder they have been adopted as a symbol of our great nation.

Piasa Bird (Madison County, Illinois)

For Thanksgiving this year, my wife and I drove from Reno, NV to Alton, IL (my hometown) to visit my mother and grandfather for the holiday. While we had a terrific visit with my family, I decided to go on a couple of quick outings to visit some of my hometown's heritage. 

The first stop was to see the legendary Piasa Bird, which is currently painted on the limestone bluffs along the Mississippi River, just north of Alton. As history tells it, the explorers Marquette and Joliet traveled through this area in 1673. As they floated down the mighty river, they were taken aback by a large image drawn on the high bluffs. They asked the local Native Americans about it, and the tale below (as written on a stone plaque at the current site reads).

Since then, the legendary creature has had several incarnations along the bluffs above Alton. As a young child, I remember it painted a bit further north than it's current location at a place called Norman's Landing, and later a steel plaque cut and painted into the bird's shape mounted on top of that earlier painting. Currently, the bird sits above some quarried caves in a small city park dedicated to the terror. Fact or fiction, it's part of Alton's rich heritage and worthy of a mention on my blog.

The Legend of the Piasa

MANY THOUSAND MOONS before the arrival of the palefaces, when the great magolonyx and mastodon, whose bones are now dug up, were still living in this land of green prairies, there existed a bird of such dimensions that he could easily carry off in his talons a full grown deer. Having obtained a taste for human flesh, from that time, he would prey upon nothing else.

He was as artful as he was powerful, would dart suddenly and unexpectedly upon an Indian, bear him off into one of the caves of the bluffs, and devour him.

Hundreds of warriors attempted for years to destroy him, but without success.

Whole villages were nearly depopulated, and consternation spread throughout all the tribes of the Illini.

At length, Ouatoga, a chief whose fame as a warrior extended even beyond the great lakes, separated himself from the rest of his tribe, fasted in solitude for the space of a while moon, and prayed to the great spirit, the master of life, that he would protect his children from the Piasa.

On the last night of the fast the great spirit appeared to Ouatoga in a dream, and directed him to select 20 of his warriors, each armed with a bow and a poisoned arrow, and conceal themselves in a designated spot.

Near the place of their concealment, another warrior was to stand in open view as a victim for the Piasa, which they must shoot the instant that it pounced upon his prey.

When the chief awoke in the morning, he thanked the great spirit and returning to his tribe, told them of his dream.

The warriors were quickly selected and placed in ambush, as directed. Ouatoga offered himself as the vicitm. He was willing to die for his tribe.

Placing himself in open view of the bluff, he soon saw the Piasa perched on the bluff eyeing his prey. Ouatoga drew up his manly form to its utmost height and planing his feet firmly upon the earh began to chant the death song of a warrior.

A moment after the Piasa rose into the air and swift as a thunderbolt darted down upon the chief. Scarcely had he reached his victim, when every bow was sprung and every arrow sent to the feather into his body.

The Piasa uttered a wild, fearful scream that resounded far over the opposite of the river and expired.

Ouatoga was safe. Not an arrow, not even the talons of the bird had touched him. The master of life, in admiration of the generous deed of Ouatoga had held an invisible shield over him.

In memory of this event, the image of the Piasa was engraved on the bluff. Such is the Indian tradition.

Skunk Harbor (Carson City, Nevada)

 

About 6 miles south of Sand Harbor and about 2.5 miles north of the junction of NV 28 and US 50, there is an locked iron gate with a small pull-off overlooking Lake Tahoe. The gate functions as the trail head for a short little hike down to Skunk Harbor. My friend Nate had discovered this gem and I decided to check it out for myself on this glorious blue-skied day.

The pull-off isn't marked, but can accommodate about 5 cars. Luckily, I got here early enough for that not to be a problem. The trail follows an old dirt road down the mountainside and parallel to the lake. After a short distance, it makes a near ninety degree turn and then heads straight for the blue waters below. The trail itself is easy enough with the standard Lake Tahoe combination of greenery and granite. 

After about a mile and a half, a structure comes into view. It's a stone house with grates over the windows and the doors all boarded up. A plaque on the lake-side of the home explains that it was a retreat built by a wealthy family back in the 1920's, which was only accessible boat at that time. It was apparently the site of many picnics and exclusive parties. Since then, ownership has passed to the forest service, who intend to preserve it as an example of that roaring age. While we should all probably consider the welfare and preservation of this wondrous lake-side environment and leave it pristine, I can certainly understand the appeal of wanting to build here. Awaking every morning to this view would be like heaven on earth.

Exploring the small harbor by scrambling over and around some of the larger granite boulders rising from the clear blue water of the lake, yields some very nice pictures. A series of parallel wooden poles rise from the harbor in two rows. I suspect these were once a pier of some sort for the residence's visitors. Alas, time and the lake have reclaimed the surface, as it will one day reclaim the house itself. All things return to nature in time.

Until this day and after dozens, if not hundreds, of trips to the Lake Tahoe, I am still amazed at the clarity and blueness of it's cold waters. It is truly a site to behold. Snapping a few more pictures, I return uphill to the jeep. It's a little steep going back up, but nothing too terrible. This was a short little 3.2 mile out and back hike, but the scenery and history made it well worth the time.

Tahoe Meadows - First Snowstorm (Washoe County, Nevada)

 

Winter has come to the Sierra's. A decently strong storm is in the process of dropping a foot or so of snow in the Mountains above Reno. What should we do? Go hiking in it, of course. My friend Nate and I meet up at a Starbucks on the way up, and hop in the jeep to continue up to the sprawling Tahoe Meadows, which is just past the saddle between Slide Mountain and Mt. Rose. 

The roads are pretty slick, as the plows haven't had a chance to clear any of the newly fallen layer just yet. Making our way to the southern edge of the meadows, we pop a u-turn and park the jeep alongside the huge snowfield. It's cold up here with a strong, cutting wind delivering more snow by the minute. We pack on the layers and head out along what we believe to be the established trail. Both Nate and I have hiked this area quite a bit, but with a few inches of snow on the ground and more in our eyes, finding the trail requires a bit of path-finding.

We make for the treeline in order to get some cover from this wind. It's nice. We are the first ones here, as the lack of any footprints or other disturbance in the snow provides testament to. Some might think us a little crazy for wanting to be out here in this weather, but I can think of no better time. The smell of the forest, the cleanliness of newly fallen powder, the solitude - all these things make this the best place to be right now.

Skirting around the meadow, we hike out to an overlook above Washoe Valley. From there, we should have a great view of the valley below, but the storm clouds obscure it quite a bit. After taking a few pictures, we turn and head back to the jeep. Round trip, we only put in about 3.5 miles, but considering we were trudging through 6-10 inches of snow the whole way, it was a decent workout. Both of us being pretty hungry after our adventure, we stop by a local cafe for a quick breakfast before parting ways to get on with our days. Good times! 

Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias (Yosemite National Park)

The second hike for the day is another grove of mighty sequoias just a few miles away from the previous. The Merced Grove is said to be the smallest in terms of specimens, but it's still worth a visit. 

Find a parking spot here was no easier than at the last stop, but luckily having a jeep means I can make my own spot in some cases. I hit the trail and started down a long stretch of flat dirt road before finally reaching a fork, where a sign indicated the grove was to the left. This is where the downhill started. Nothing terrible, but enough to at least feel it a little bit in my knees. After another mile or so, I finally reach a cluster of giants - six in this case, all close together like a giant football huddle. It seems that sequoias often grow in clusters like this, or at least that has been my observation over the years.

Heading a little further into the woods, I encounter another cluster - fewer, but larger trees this time. There are only three of them here, but each appears to be about 15-18 feet in diameter and approaching 220 feet tall - massive!

Continuing on, I spot a small log cabin boarded up and surrounded by giants. Two of them are on the other side of the trail and approximately the same size as the previous three. In the surrounding woods, I spot 10 or 12 more, but must are considerably younger.

As I push even further on, I begin to notice a lack of specimens. Unfortunately, I'm paying too much attention to the woods and not enough to the trail. A large tree has fallen and it's root system has uplifted 80% the width of the trail, and in my search for more trees, I clumsily step on the edge of what remains only to slip and land on my arse. Thankfully, nothing serious - I only scratched myself up a bit and wounded my pride.

After about half a mile with no sing of a sequoia and with the trial in obvious disrepair (several fallen trees have not been cut away to clear the trail), I decide to turn back, assuming that I passed the end of the grove. They way back is a little steep, but nothing too serious.

As I near the trail head, a doe walks right out of the woods to cross the trail in front of me. She's nice enough to pose for a shot afterwards. All in all, this hike was a little longer than I had expected, about 4.4 miles round trip. It's getting late into the afternoon and I decide to skip my third hike and head back home.

Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias (Yosemite National Park, California)

My intention was to get on the road this morning shortly after 5 and knock out three small hikes in Yosemite that I have been wanting to do. However after turning my alarm off and rolling back over, I didn't wake up until nearly 6. I wasn't sure how the timing will play out, but I figured I would give it a go anyway. First on the list, the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias just off of highway 120.

The parking lot was packed, but luckily, the park service had opened a dirt area nearby to accommodate extra cars. I tossed my small day pack on and hit the trail. The first mile or so is just an old paved road that doesn't appear to have been in use for many years. As the road/trail zigs and zags downhill to the grove, I'm joined by quite a few other day-hikers, many of which are speaking French. They must be from one of the large tour buses in the parking lot. 

Finally, reaching the first of the giant trees, I find myself in awe all over again. Though I have visited more than a dozen sequoia groves all over California, the site of one of these massive trees never fails to take my breath away. A couple of years ago, my wife and I visited General Sherman in Sequoia National Park, which by some measures is the largest living thing on the planet. The tree before me is considerably smaller than the General, but still an impressive site.

The trail meanders through a couple of small loops passing a few sequoias along the way, including the trunk of a couple of fallen titans. In the picture, the trunk of the tree standing next to the fallen sequoia is over three feet in diameter . . . just to give you a little perspective.

Continuing on to the next loop, I'm greeted by a grizzly site. The husk of a long dead giant stands as a watch tower over the trail. Early enthusiasts in this area cut massive tunnels into some of the trees, one of which stands before me. Unfortunately though, cutting such a large chunk from the trunk was a death sentence for this guy. Such a shame . . .

The trail back up to the jeep is pretty steep, but I set a good pace and make it back pretty quickly. Total distance for this short trek was just short of 3 miles. On to the next grove.

Lassen Peak (Lassen Volcanic National Park, California)

Even with my disappointing attempt to reach the summit of Mt. Whitney last weekend, it's time to get back in the saddle and bag another peak. Lassen Peak is the tallest point in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Though it only rises to 10,457ft, it can be seen from very long distances due to it's prominence. Many pictures I have from the top of other nearby mountains have Lassen Peak in the background. The mountain is the southernmost active volcano in the Cascade range (which includes Mt. Shasta, Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens) and can clearly be seen from the top of Mt. Rose and from just about anywhere within it's namesake park.

For the last couple of years, I have been wanting to hike up to the summit, but the park service has been restoring and improving the trail. Going all the way to the summit has only been possible on a few pre-designated weekends each year, but luckily, this year's labor day weekend is one of those. 

Getting a mid-morning start, I made the two and a half hour drive from Reno to the park, confirming on my way in that the full trail was open. I always love driving through this national park, as there are wonders right alongside the road. The Sulfur Works is a favorite of first timers, as it may be their first exposure to the boiling sulfur-rich mud pools that fill this park. Beyond, the road passes right by Lake Helen, which has to be one of the most gorgeous alpine lakes anywhere in the world. 

Arriving at the trail head, I switch socks and shoes, toss on my small day-pack and begin making my way up the volcanic cone that is Lassen Peak. Surprisingly, there aren't as many people here as I had expected. With the limited windows of opportunity, I fully expected to be parked out on the side of the road and shoulder to shoulder with hikers going up the trail. This isn't to say that there isn't a good crowd, as there is, but just not as many as I thought there would be. 

The trail immediately starts gaining elevation from parking lot, which sits at about 8k, and doesn't stop until the top. There is very little vegetation on this slopes, as it is still comprised of the loose gravel that remained after the powerful eruptions of 1914-1917. I guess there aren't many plants that can take root in this loose landscape, not to mention the wind and cold. All of this makes for a pretty barren trail, but it still holds great beauty. 

Entirely comprised of a series of large switchbacks, the trail makes it's way up the mountain. The recent improvements are evident about half-way up, as newly carved steps and retaining walls finish out the path. I do wish though that they would go for less steps. My knees do much better without them.

All in all, it's a fairly easy 5+ mile hike. Once I reach the summit, I'm greeted by a number of fellow-hikers at an area that has been fashioned as the end point. However, to the northwest, across a small cooled lava field, there is a point that many other hikers are heading for, as it is obviously a bit higher than where we now stand. I can't come this far and not reach the very pinnacle, and so I make my way over there. It's fairly dangerous as the 'trail' climbs steeply up large and loose obsidian boulders. At this point, it really is more rock scrambling than hiking, but eventually, I reach the true summit and take a few pictures, including a shot of Brokeoff Mountain (the remains of the ancient Mt. Tehama), which I hiked up last year, as well as a shot of Prospect Peak and Cinder Cone off in the distance, also past destinations.

On my way down, I find that my footing is even less sure than it was on the way up. I'm lucky enough to have a large rock slide onto my foot as I navigate a path through the rubble. No damage, but ouch! Continuing down, I sort of jog, as the trail is fairly steep and my momentum just wants to carry me. Reaching the jeep, I get comfortable and head for home.