Wednesday, December 26, 2012

December 26, 2012 Winter Wandering

It's a fine time of year for wandering about.  Toby and I did just that, yesterday.  Some years I am skiing regularly by now.  The recent rain finished that for a while.  About half my trails are in ski-able order.  But you know.....wandering is fine.  Especially, it is fun, when you have side trips along the trails like big beaver ponds to wander about on.  You can check on how many otters or mink have checked it out.  Usually, a coyote or wolf has checked it out too.  I did take a couple of shots of some of the series of mink tracks meandering aimlessly, I think, through the cat tails.  I don't believe they would translate well to this small format though.  Then again, some years we have so much snow by now I need snowshoes to keep the ski trails in operating order.  So, you never know.  You take what you get and make the best of it.  Yesterday, with the nice sunshine.....that wasn't too hard. 
From the beaver ponds, we got back on the trail again.  You can see it meandering through a clear cut.  Some day, it will block the views of the big hills again.  But, for now, I have quite a view as I travel through the young popples toward the big hill.  That big ridge in the background has the Superior Hiking Trail going across the top of it.  I go up on that fairly often too.  However, on snowy years that is definitely a snow shoe option.  And, the getting up some places on snow shoes can be pretty steep!  It is actually one of those places you could use those poles you see people carrying when they are walking out on snowshoes.
I actually took quite a few photos yesterday.  Some, like the hoar-frost in a couple of places, could've been much better with a macro lens along.  However, I tend to travel light when I am out in the winter.  And, you just never know when you might find.  I have had some thoughts about hiking in to the canyon on Kugler's creek, over east of us.  But, I am unsure what a mess I might find after the rain we had.  That place is a pickle any time of the year to actually get where you want to go, get some kind of decent light, and actually take a photo.  My husband keeps telling me to bring a long rope and hoist myself in and out of the part near the big falls.  Well, I am not 18 any more.  Climbing ropes never was a strong point of mine.  Add to that.....very unstable rock while packing camera equipment......I don't think so.  It is one predicament I really don't need at my age.  I also really doubt that Toby would think too much of the idea of hanging out way up there, on top, while I went down there.
Anyway, Toby and I had a wonderful afternoon, out in the sunshine, leaving the world problems behind someplace.

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