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Hiking adventure five years ago today.

Karen and I hiked steeply to Lake Clara and Marion. Both lakes were frozen and covered with snow. Sticky snow built up on the bottom of our micro-spikes. We frequently stopped to scrape it off on rocks. Felt like a bear scratching its back against a tree.

Karen likes eating snow she pulls off evergreen branches. "The snow tastes of evergreen," she said. "Try it." I passed.

The trail was packed into ice by people. Descending, I veered into the woods to avoid a dangerously steep, icy corner.

Felt delighted to see bunny tracks. Carefully stepped downhill through fallen branches and downed trees to join the trail below the icy corner. The rabbit took the same path.

"I followed bunny tracks in the snow!" I called to Karen. It was enchanting.

At Lake Clara, the gray trees are Northern Larch. It is one of only two conifers in North America that drop their drop their needles in the fall. Each October for one week, their needles turn bright gold before falling. Called "Golden Week."

In Spring, the needles grow back in bright, almost iridescent green.

The colorful photo shows Lake Clara during Golden Week in October.

LiterateHiker 9 Mar 24
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6 comments

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1

Thank you for the beautiful pictures.

@xenoview

You are welcome, dear.

We all need to be cheered up during the pandemic.

11

@phoenixone1, @tinkercreek, @CuddyCruiser, @WayneDalton, @dalefvictor, @HippieChick58, @gsiamne, @Reignmond, @PaddyPereria, @Paracosm, @bobwjr, @Jolanta, @GrooshStar, @RichCC, @Freedom41, @OldMetalHead

Here's a small Northern Larch turning from bright green to gold.

Windy Pass, aptly named. Fog drifted about. We were up in the clouds.

It was so windy, the branches were waving. Impossible to get a sharp picture.

Nice!! Kinda looks like a baby Xmas tree.

I once came upon a grove of mature ones where all the needles were gold and the trunks were nlack due to the dampness....really stunning.

That sounds like a name someone would give to a bird..."The Northern Larch" 😁

@phoenixone1

Here's a rare Mountain Bluebird.

@LiterateHiker ... wow...I have only seen ONE Bluebird in my entire life ... that I can remember. Plenty of Bald Eagles though. Saw 2 on my birthday, perched on a boulder in SD, back in 2012.

1

Verrrry Nice!! Great pics!!

2

Beautiful shots lovely

bobwjr Level 10 Mar 24, 2022
3

A snow-covered landscape can be exhilarating!
Especially when following in the tracks of the elusive cottontailed Hassenfeffer!

2

Off the top of your head, do you know any good places to hike in Illinois.

@freedom41

Nope.

@LiterateHiker Thanks any way. I will look it up on google.

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