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.

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