Flowers – Richard Rathe's Reflections

BWCA Canoe Trip 2024

This year we decided to base our trip out of Ely. We spent the night in the bunkhouse on Snowbank Lake. The next day we took the short drive to the official entry point #27 to head out into the wilderness. Complete Photo Gallery

Route Map 2024, Click to Enlarge — *Route Map 2024 (Click to Enlarge*)

The weather forecast was windy with a dash of rain in the middle. This mostly came to pass with temps dropping near freezing on the final night.

Long First Day

The first portage was the longest at 140 rods (2310 ft, 0.44 mile). There were seven portages in all on the way to Ima Lake. Several of these are very short between small connector lakes.

The smaller lakes where part of extensive wetlands with lots of fall flowers, sphagnum moss, tamarack just starting to turn yellow, and even a few spent pitcher plants.

We got to Ima in the late afternoon and proceeded to the large campsite on the north end of the major island. This is fronted by an impressive dome of rock more than 100 yards wide.

I pitched my tent on the windward side and it was (no surprise) very windy. So much so I decided to move before the predicted rain storm rolled in. It was warm enough to sleep with the sleeping bag loosely draped around me. That would change also.

Settling In

The next day we started out with a hot breakfast of bagels an eggs. Most of our cooking took place behind a large rock to keep the stoves out of the wind.

In the afternoon we had nine Spruce Grouse wander through our camp. We think it was a hen with her nearly-grown brood.

The second hammock site was a bit of a challenge, but a real confirmation of how flexible hammock camping can be. I was pitched over a fallen log and a large rock! It turned out to be a perfect place to weather the storm that blew in overnight! (The rain fly is folded back in this photo. The brown fabric is an inexpensive underquilt I brought to help keep out the cold.)

The rain ended and the temperature started to drop as the wind shifted to the northeast. It was not a good day to go out in the canoes so we mostly hung out, read our books, and napped. In the evening we hunkered down in a sheltered spot and had an excellent taco dinner.

Side Trip

On the fourth day the wind dropped off and we went on a day trip south to Alworth Lake. There is a nice campsite just off the portage in a grove of large white pines. It faces south and has a nice view through the trees.

There is also a nice, but rarely used campsite on a small island. We stopped there for a snack and took this group photo.

*Group Photo on Alworth Island Campsite*

Starting Back

We decided to move camp for the last night to get some of the portaging out of the way. We retraced our path through this narrows (part of Lake Jordan) with several interesting cliffs.

Our initial goal was a campsite with a beach on Jordan, but it was occupied so we kept going. We ended up at a high, “compact” site on Lake Ahsub. It’s on the side of a rock outcrop with several unusual tree species, including this maple, cherry, and mountain ash.

For the first time on this trip the wind died down so we could have a fire. It was also clear and cold! We think it touched freezing by morning.

Complete Photo Gallery

Total Eclipse & Snake Road 2024

The Eclipse

Last week I traveled with my Sister Diana to Southern Illinois hoping to experience the Total Solar Eclipse. We were not disappointed! We had mostly blue skies that day with some high stratus clouds. Nothing can really prepare you for the moment of totality. We could suddenly see “stars” (actually the planets Venus and Jupiter) in the odd twilight. It got perceptively cooler and the wind changed direction.

Two things stand out in the photo above. The first is the Sun’s Corona, which is only visible to the naked eye during an eclipse. The second is the little bright spot near the bottom. This was a constant feature throughout and on higher resolution photos appears to be a Solar Prominence (a plume of hot gas streaming from the surface).

The Snake Road

I read about the “Snake Road” a year ago and intended to got there at some point. The Eclipse was over by 2:15pm so we had the time and decided to find it. The area is called the LaRue Pine Hills Natural Area and consists of a crumbling limestone cliff above a flat river valley. The cliffs face the afternoon sun and offer many nooks and crannies for snakes to hole-up for the winter. Hundreds of Snakes cross the road below the cliffs in the Spring and Fall, which is closed to traffic at those times. [Photo Gallery]

We were there at the right time of year, but the wrong time of day to see snakes. Luckily we did see a Green Tree Snake before we started to climb the cliff.

We left the road on a side trail where we saw several different types of wildflowers in bloom as we ascended to the ridge line.

Somewhere near the “top” we paused to take in this spectacular view! The blue flowers in the foreground are Cleft Phlox.

A small bird in the dense undergrowth caught my eye. This turned out to be a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet which allowed me several minutes to take pictures. First time I’ve seen its “crown” in the wild!

We then descended into a long ravine behind the cliffs bedecked with wildflowers and ferns.

While not yet in bloom, the distinctive leaves of Bloodroot were everywhere, including this hollow log.

These emerging Jack-in-the-Pulpit reminded us of tube worms on a coral reef.

Finally we came down to the frontage road and had a pleasant walk back to the car.

Chaco Canyon 2023

After braving the nearly washed out road from the north I arrived around 9am. I had to “walk” my Prius diagonally over piles of gravel and exposed rock faces. This was my third attempt over twenty years to visit this important site. (The first two failed because the roads were completely washed out!) [Full Gallery]

The map below shows the basic layout of the park (click to enlarge). Most of the sites are easy walking distance from the main loop drive.

Chaco Canyon Map source:nps.gov — *Chaco Canyon Map (source:nps.gov*)

A short walk from the Vistors Center is the small un-excavated ruins of Una Vida. The prominent Fajada Butte is seen in the distance. This is the location of the famous “Sun Dagger” astronomical feature presumed to mark the summer solstice.

A short scramble above that are impressive Petroglyphs inscribed into the cliff face.

The focal point of the entire park is Pueblo Bonito, a huge stone edifice that contained over six hundred rooms and dozens of circular ceremonial structures called “Kivas”. (source:nps sign)

The walls nearest the cliff were crushed by a rock slide after the structure was abandoned. The rounded walls are the remains of various kivas.

One quadrant has been restored so visitors may explore a warren of small rooms. Notice the very low doors and what remains of wooden timbers holding up the floors above. The stone in the foreground was used to grind corn. The consensus is these rooms were not residential but related to the ritual use of the site.

The nearby ruins of Chetro Ketl features a Great Kiva 62 feet in diameter. Notice the two seated visitors for scale!

The remains of Chacoan Stairways can be seen in several places behind the ruins. These are no mere “Moki Steps” but wide grand staircases leading to cerimonial roads throughout the area.

Several flowering plants were abundant due to recent rainfall. This particularly showy example is Emory’s Globemallow.

The Pueblo Alto Trail starts above the Kin Kletso ruins. I attempted this late in the day after finding out there were no more campsites available that night. The trail went straight up into a huge crack in the rock!

*Cliff Rim Trail Above Kin Kletso Ruins*

As I was ascending I noticed one boulder that was different then all the others. It had Fossils! Mostly cross-sections I thought. Here is what some online geologist friends speculated…

“Mostly cross-sections of fossil shells, mostly bivalves & I think a gastropod.”

“…the large white mass consists of opaque secondary calcite that precipitated in an empty shell post-deposition, in contrast to the others that filled with silt or lime mud shortly after death.”

I climbed about two hundred feet to the stone rim.

There were helpful signs along the way, including this one calling attention to several man-made basins pecked out of the rock where water would sometimes flow.

I finally got to the overlook where you could survey Pueblo Bonito in all its glory!

At that point I had to turn back and start my downward climb… (Alternate Video)

Note: The trail went through a huge crack in the rock face. I used a Theta S 360 Camera to capture my descent. At one point I was also fighting a 20+ mph headwind! It looks very steep at the end… IT WAS!

I ate dinner as the setting sun lit the virga falling from late afternoon clouds.

What I missed…

I did not have time for the seven mile hike to see the Supernova & Comet Pictographs near the Penasco Blanco ruins (picture shown here from Wiki Commons). The “starburst” figure may document the 1054 CE Crab Nebula Supernova.

Supernova & Comet Pictographs source:wikicommons — *Supernova Pictograph (source:wiki_commons*)

I left the park at dusk via the south entrance road. Fortunately this route was in better shape and the main hazards were multiple tall cattle grates that threatened to high center my car.

More Photos…