Mushrooms along the Ice Age Trail in Southern Kettle Moraine Forest

Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

What a perfect way to enjoy a fall weather like day but to head out for a hike on the Ice Age Trial in Southern Kettle Moraine.  Heading out from the Forest Headquarters, I hiked to the Horse Riders campground.  

Heading out from the Forest Headquarters I took the Ice Age Trail west to the meadow hoping to find some fall wildflowers in bloom.  And that I did.  Goldenrod was still in bloom.  I watched it dance in the breeze as it called to the monarchs that were flying around in the meadow.  

Monarchs on Goldenrod on the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

As I hiked on I watched the native grasses of the meadow flow in sync to the breeze and watched the big billowy clouds float in the sky.  After 1 1/2 miles I hit the Blue Springs Lake Segment and felt myself looking forward to the rest of my journey today.

Prairie Grasses on the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

Blue Spring Lake Segment - Ice Age Trail

Heading into the Blue Spring Lake Segment via the Emma Carlin side, I walked through the forest looking for signs of fall.  I didn't find any fall colors coming out yet in the forest, but what I did find was mushrooms.  Now I admit I don't know anything about mushrooms, but today I was intrigued with all the different types and colors of mushrooms growing along the trail.  So today's hike ended up becoming more about what would I find next and taking pictures of them.  Once I arrived home I did a little research to find out what I saw during my hike.

Giant Puffball Mushrooms

The first mushroom that caught my eye on the trail looked like a brain, and was about the size of what I assume a brain would be (or maybe bigger).  These were huge mushrooms.

Giant Puffball Mushrooms along the Ice Age Trail

Giant Puffball Mushrooms along the Ice Age Trail

Giant Puffball Mushrooms.

False Chantrelle

Many of these along the trail.  They are yellowish orange in color and were still holding water from the rain we had on Friday.  Very pretty.  But not edible.

False Chantrelle Mushrooms growing along the Ice Age Trail

More Wisconsin Wild Mushrooms

Here's a few more that I found along the trail today.  I'm not sure what these are, so if anyone knows please leave a comment at the end of this blog.  I would love to know what I found.  

Mushroom growing alongside the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

Mushroom growing alongside the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

I also found these flowers(?) growing along the trail.  The only other place I've ever seen them before was when I was hiking up to St Paul Lake in the Cabinet Mountains of Montana.  I've heard them called "Corpse Flowers" but am not sure if that is the official name.  Again if anyone knows please leave a comment at the end of this blog.

Flowers on the Ice Age Trail (corpse flowers?)

Another beautiful day hiking.  Another beautiful day in the forest.  Feeling rejuvenated.  

 “In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.”   John Muir

Today this was true, I went for a walk in nature looking for wildflowers and found something else of interest - mushrooms.  Unexpected and a learning experience.  I now feel a little smarter.

Searching for Fall Colors - Shawnee National Forest

Fall is in the air and so is the search for fall colors.  In Wisconsin for Fall 2013 - colors have been hard to find.  Multiple trips to Kettle Moraine State Forest have left me high and dry.  Lots of yellows, browns and greens.  No eye or breath catching oranges and reds or any of the other colors that make Fall feel like Autumn.

Finally, after weeks of searching and researching online, a perfect opportunity presented itself for me to find fall color.

Shawnee National Forest, Garden of the Gods Wilderness and the River to River Trail

Southern Illinois.  Shawnee National Forest, Garden of the Gods Wilderness and the River to River Trail.  I heard the colors were peaking and the weather was going to be warm after a couple of days of rain.  So on November 1st with a day of vacation, 7 hours of driving, the dogs and I were heading down to the southern tip of Illinois to do a backpack trip on the River to River Trail out of Garden of the Gods Wilderness area.

I visited this area once before in October 2011 and was completely amazed by the landscape.  The Shawnee National Forest is in the Ozark and Shawnee Forest area of southern Illinois and was the southern end of a glacier.  Because of this, there are many hills, valleys and some amazing rock formations in the area. It also lies between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers - thus leading to the River to River Trail.

Garden of the Gods - Shawnee National Forest, IL

Arriving at the backpacker's parking lot, I was one of two cars in the lot - and the other car was camping just inside the wilderness area.  To me, that meant, once I was away from the parking lot - I probably had the forest all to myself (well me and my two dogs of course).  And I was right.  The tranquility of the trail, the beauty of the fall colors and the swampiness conditions of the muddy trail made for a perfect way to welcome in November.  

Fall colors from a side hike into Garden of the Gods Wilderness

After a day of hiking and taking in the beauty around me, I found the perfect camp area on the edge of a bluff overlooking a valley.  And with day light dwindling early, I made dinner and settled in to watch the sun set over the hills of the Shawnee National Forest.

Sun setting on the trees at camp on the River to River Trail

View out over the Hills of Shawnee National Forest from the River to River Trail

After a restful night and watching an incredible sunrise - I packed up camp just as the next round of rain hit.  A quick hike back to the car and we were off to do a little more exploring of the eastern side of the Shawnee National Forest for another day before heading back to Wisconsin.

Finding fall colors, spending a night in the wilderness was just what my soul needed.  

"Going to the woods is going home." John Muir

 

Lapham Peak - Fall Colors and a Great Hike

Time to get ready for the big climb.  Though still 6 months off - it's never too early to start training.  And what better time to start training than in the fall.

Day 1 of training was an unexpected hike with the dogs at Lapham Peak in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest.  Saturday turned out to be a beautiful fall day and after taking Jasmine to the vet in the morning and getting some housework done, I couldn't take it any longer.  I needed to get out.  I decided to take the dogs out and do the 7 mile advanced black loop at Lapham Peak.  I'm not quite sure why it's "advanced", but maybe it's just me and my non-stop hiking and visits to as many mountains as possible that makes the hills on this trail seem fairly easy.

What started off as being a typical walk with the dogs in the woods and their normal 20 minute or so miles (they always seem to need to pee, poop or sniff something) turned out to be a brisk walk through the woods.  With the cooler temps, the dogs decided to move quick - even Wailea with her hip dysplasia and repaired knee.  What typically would have taken us about 2 1/2 hours or so ended up taking us just 2 hours.  Wow - those girls moved.

With that there only a few occasional breaks to enjoy some of the fall colors that were left.  What a perfect day, the remainder of the colors were bright and strikingly orange and red colors.  And what a perfect way to start training for the climb up Mt Whitney.  Based upon this, I'm hoping the rest of my training days go just as well.

Fall colors at Lapham Peak, Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest

Climbing the Tower

After finishing the 7 mile hike in 2 hours, I let the dogs take a break while I took a quick run up the tower at the park to get an overhead view of the fall colors in the Delafield area.  Wow - it always amazes me, no matter what time of the year at how this area looks from above.

Fall colors from the tower at Lapham Peak, Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest

Fall colors from the tower at Lapham Peak, Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest

I think the best part of running to the top of the tower was the trip down.  As I was walking down the stairs of the tower I saw a group of kids running to get to the stairs to climb up.  And one of the kids exclaimed - "this is a high tower, but this isn't no Eiffel Tower".  No kid, you're right, it's not the Eiffel Tower, but it is a view into the heartland of Wisconsin in fall.  

Here's to hoping fall, winter and spring bring just as many beautiful days for training.  Because if so, training is going to be a blast.

To find out more about my bid to climb Mt Whitney with Summit for Someone and Backpacker Magazine - read some of the following:

• Climber Story
• Backpacker Magazine Makes Its Selections
• I Want to Climb Mt Whitney

Mother Nature's Paintbrush

Changing of the seasons

I think my favorite time for each season is when it changes into that season.  It seems like that's when you get the most vibrant and vivid colors.  Spring brings on the newness of green, summer the vibrant colors of the flowers, winter brings on the beauty of white and fall brings colors of all.

Fall in Wisconsin

This year I've been chasing the "mountains" of Wisconsin and the Driftless area of Wisconsin.  This fall I'm "Chasing the Rainbow" as Skittles would say and viewing Mother Nature's Paintbrush at work.   The colors of fall - the reds, yellows, oranges and even the browns - make you amazed at what nature can do.  It makes you take a step back and just pause to take it all in.

Fall Colors @ Peninsula State Park in Door County, WI

For me it just reminds me of being young, raking leaves and then running and jumping in the piles.  Makes you wonder what happened to those days.  Today I visited a store in Door County, WI on my way home and saw a sign that really made me think.  I can't remember exactly what it said, but I'll paraphrase.

As a child we learn to play and have fun.  Playing and fun do not go away when we get older, but live on inside of us.

Or something like that.  So if nature can change - I think we should too.  Take time to view those colors, build a pile of leaves and bring that child that is inside of you out.  Go jump in a pile of leaves!

Fall Colors at Peninsula State Park in Door County, WI

And if you need to know where in WI to find the color - here's my little secret (probably not so secret).
Fall Color Report (Travel Wisconsin).

I plan to take my own advice and go out and search for more of Mother Nature's Paintbrush and the fall colors next weekend.  This time, I'll combine my search for "mountains" in Wisconsin and the colors.  Because what better place to see fall colors than from atop a "mountain?"