Ballweg Road Ice Age Trail

    The second trip to Morton Forest Park hasn't happen yet but there are plans for this coming Tuesday. I thought I'd share this hike from a couple weeks ago.

   Not all these pictures were taken on the same hike but are from Ballweg Road..

    A few weeks ago I invited my hiking companion from Baxters Hollow to join me for another outing. Sure! was the quick answer. I reminded him that I tend to stop and look at all the small details, slowing down the hike; now when we do go I can point out all the gems (no problem). Ballweg Road, off Highway 12 at Springfield Hill, was our destination. I'm no stranger to Ballweg Road; I attended St. Norbert's Catholic grade school for all eight grades and the bus had traveled this road daily. Once you’re off Highway 12 on Ballweg road, the trail parking lot is easily seen on the right. We slipped on our blaze orange vests and started an amazing journey through time.

     I appreciated the fact that this 1.5 mile part of the Ice Age Trail had been planned with a loop back to the parking lot. I would recommend taking the path to the left when facing into the valley. This soon will bring together a history of long ago, mingled with the not so long ago. It would seem this valley (Roxbury) played an important role in the early days of Wisconsin as a gateway to the Wisconsin River valley. The first thing we stopped to explore was the trickle of a spring-fed creek, perhaps it finds its way to the fresh-water pond that borders an old family homestead. I was pleased to find the path taking a less challenging route midway up the side of the hills. The logs and rocks that had been moved were incorporated naturally to stabilize the trail from washouts.

  There were a few prairie plants in an area that most likely was once a goat prairie. Also in this area the tree line opened enough to give a good view of the wetlands and farm fields that dotted the landscape. A great place to come to during spring and fall bird migration. Here and there hikers had paused to stack and balance some small rocks to create totems. There also were the remains of some woodland plants that I didn't recognize so there will be trips back to satisfy my curiosity.

 

A couple other things we found fascinating: there was a rotting birch tree that had gray turkey-tail type bracket fungi growing on it. Just below a couple of them a woodland creature had drilled a hole creating an overhang above the entrance. Then there was the bittersweet vine that stood a good eight feet from the tree trunk that now supported its journey skyward. My thought on this was they must have grown up together; years ago the vine grabbed the very young tree's top and has been taken along for a free ride ever since.

 

Nearing what would be the highest part of the trail, several aspen trees had been girdled; this seemed odd to us but our attention was soon drawn to an awesome white oak grove. It was clear that these majestic sentinels have spent well over a hundred years bearing witness to the changing seasons. The underbrush had been cleared below the massive crowns. How miniscule our time is in nature’s plan compared to theirs. From here we was drawn down toward a bog-like opening. A few steps later a sign cleared up the question about the girdled aspens.

 When the oak grove was cleared it was feared that the aggressive new growth of the aspens would move in that direction. When we reached the opening to the bog area we were stunned by the number of apple trees that had long ago reached their best years. This part of the path was a bit damp but presented no problem. This must be a lush garden of “Eden” in spring. Far too many apple trees to count. 

The high-bush cranberries were laden with more bright red fruit than I've ever seen on one plant. I have high-bush cranberry in my yard but this is the first one I've seen in the wild. 

  Beyond this was a hedge of shrub roses bejeweled with red rubies. This all seemed too planned to have been done solely by nature. Soon a footbridge appeared; it crossed the flow of water that was leaving that golden nugget that once delighted early settlers. Once on the footbridge the small log structure that had caught our eyes many years ago from the old Highway 12 came into view. Out of respect for the last of its kind in this landscape we didn't venture near.

     No longer needed but it played a large role in the history of this valley. There, fully intact, was the cattle tunnel that ran under old Highway 12. My young companion would have ventured into it, it was open on both ends. I didn't have the nerve to enter it who knows what might hangout in there, so we moved on.

 

    The parking lot was a short distance from here. That was one of the best nature hike I've been on, was his response. I need to get him out more.

 

   I hope you’ve caught the history line I’ve tried to convey in this column. I’ve intentionally left out a point of interest to finish out this theme. Where the stone totems had been built someone had laid out a cross in a circle symbol. This was a common form derived from the ancient Mississippi culture of Mound Builders. Sometimes known a Solar Cross the circle represents the sun, and the cross the four points (north, east, south and west). As with all of these symbols there are many other ideas about its meaning and use. Some modern adventurer had taken time to acknowledge those who had long ago traveled a similar path of exploration. It's not a good idea to get too creative, but this small feature will probably go unnoticed by most people just out for a hike. But it caught our eye before it disappeared into the fallen leaves.

Morton Forest Park

These photos are a sample of the views offered at the newest Dane County Park near Mazomanie.

I'm going to hike the second section of the park on Sunday then I'll follow-up with full blog.

Ferry Bluff in the fall

   I started the phone conversation with, “This may be one of the last days for this year!” I was trying to get someone to join me for a hike at Ferry Bluff and the hiking trails are closed from Nov. 15^th until April 1^st. The reason for this is to not disturb the bald eagles that use this valley for a winter roosting area. If the eagles make unnecessary flights during the harsh cold of Wisconsin's winter they may perish.

   It was a beautiful fall day, bright sunshine and a strong, but warm, southern wind. One phone call was all it took and I soon had my companions in the car seated next to me. When we reached the parking lot, there were two cars and another two pulling in behind me – other nature enthusiasts had the same idea. About halfway up the hill we took a break to let two young boys get by us. Following close behind was their father. He paused for a moment to say, “I already spent the morning hunting but this is how they wanted to spend their time today.” I applaud this dad and the boys for not spending the whole day with some form of electronics.

  When we reached Cactus Bluff, everyone was enjoying the view from there. It appeared that nobody knew about the trail that lead to Ferry Bluff or they weren't up to the challenge. We spent some time there but soon headed up the rocky trail to the top. While at Cactus Bluff we had noticed some bald eagle activity on the island. We weren't far up the path before an adult eagle flew overhead, checking out the intruders. Once the short, rocky part of the climb was over, walking the top ridge was easy except for the occasional fallen trees. The sun's low angle this time of year sent its rays simmering across the blue water of the river. Looking west during the now leaf-off conditions, the river glowed through the trees. Along the way there were a few blooms that had escaped the frost. Now and then the beauty of this day and nature invited us to sit and take it all in.Soon the view to the east opened up to the Sauk Prairie area, the Wisconsin River Valley and the Baraboo Bluffs. A bit farther and the island came back into view. Much to our surprise

and delight the pair of adult eagles were together on the island. One of them was busy in the nest, making last minute improvements in preparation for next spring, while the other sat high in the tree watching.

My companions were satisfied for the time being but I hastened out to the point to get an unobstructed view. By the time I reached the point both eagles were in the nest. It was on a fall day much like this back in 2003 that a friend, his young boys and I spotted a pair of bald eagles building a nest on this island.

 This was the first documented eagle nest along this stretch of the river in over fifty years. Since then the activity at this site has been of interest to us and groups who have invested great efforts in protecting the bald eagle population. We walked out to the point of Ferry Bluff and again spent a long time enjoying the breath-taking views which included St. Norbert's, the warmth of the sun and southern winds. During this time a hawk soared by at eye level, but in the brightness of the sun we were unable to identify it.

When we returned to Cactus Bluff there was a new group of people, but we had been the only ones to make the full trip to the upper point of Ferry Bluff. We had gotten so involved in our nature adventure that a little over four hours were gone, but by no means wasted.

   The last time I was up there (mid summer) a tree had fallen across the rocky part of the trail.

So with that and the mosquitoes I haven’t been back yet this fall. There’s a good chance that the tree has been removed. It’s but always a great hike maybe I’ll see you up there.

 

This great quote was at the end of an email I recently received,

                           “Time is like a river. You cannot touch the same water twice,

                               because the flow that has passed will never pass by again.

                                                  Enjoy every moment of life.”

Stumped

Pun intended. I'm stumped – are the mushrooms on the stump edible or are they the pretty ones?

My first thought would be let’s go for the ones that look like the button mushrooms in the store.

  

There must be something wrong with the bright colored ones; they seem to say pick me. The wet weather not only produced an abundance of mosquitoes this year but there must have been a dozen or more different kinds of mushrooms that popped up in my yard. I suppose some were fungi but I'll leave that up to the experts. Some wild mushrooms are deadly and some will make you wish 

you hadn't tried them (vomiting and

diarrhea). While others will take 

you to a land where unicorns and 

fairies live under  rainbow-filled skies.

If you get caught with these you’ll  

be spending time in a world of 

orange or black and white strips.

 

I know two kinds I trust to be edible; 

the springtime morel, which is toxic

 if eaten raw, and the other one is the round puffball in the fall. You also have to be very careful when picking this one.

These are a few that I spotted when 

the camera was close at hand. 

By no means am I saying that they're 

safe to eat, just amazing to look at.

Cactus Bluff in spring

      If you haven't been there this should give you some idea of the experiences you might have on Cactus/Ferry bluff  during different seasons. I'll feature Ferry Bluff in another blog. This appeared in the SP Star on 4-20-14.

     Ferry Bluff is a popular hiking spot overlooking the Lower Wisconsin River. Its trails open April 1^st. after being closed for the winter months. During the winter the bluff becomes a favorite roosting spot for bald eagles. Many late afternoons during the winter I can watch eagles heading west down river, most likely going to Ferry Bluff for protection from the bitter winter winds.

     During warm weather the trails can be accessed by boat from the river or a short drive from Sauk City, west on Highway 60 to Ferry Bluff Road. There are some informational boards at the beginning of the trail leading from the parking lot. On the left, Honey Creek empties into the river. Some of my childhood memories of this area are of fishing with my grandparents and parents on hot summer afternoons. Since then, spring flood waters have filled the slow-running creek with sediment. A short distance east, Otter Creek enters the river. Both creeks have their source high in the Baraboo bluffs. Then they gather more water while crossing the Sauk prairie. Some dry summer days canoes have a difficult time navigating out to the river. If there were trails leading to the bluff when I spent time there, they were never used by us; we were there to fish.

     The trails are now maintained with signage along the way. On the hillside the path is held in check by retaining walls; for hikers like me they make perfect benches to catch your breath. If you stop to check out all the wildflowers and other forms of native plant life you may not need to rest. This is what you might see on a spring time hike. You'll be greeted by the pale pink of the pasque flowers at the top of the bluff. During mid-May the forest paths leading up are adorned with Jack-in-the- pulpit, blood-root, Dutchman's breeches and many more. 

Once you reach the top of the trail, heading forward on the plank path leads you to Cactus Bluff (most people mistake this for Ferry Bluff). Before you reach the flat rock-landing of this part of the hike there are several more informational boards. They cover a wide variety of historic and natural topics. The beauty of this area will not disappoint if you decide not to complete the hike to Ferry Bluff. The southern views from here are of the river and points in the far distance. On a clear day and with a pair of binoculars, you can see the steeple of St. Norbert’s Church far in the east. If you’re lucky you'll be at eye level with turkey vultures soaring over the glistening blue waters of the river. There's been an active bald eagle nest in the area for the past ten years. In late summer the adult bald eagles will be teaching the juveniles the delights of being free spirits, one of which is rising high on air thermals and then swirling back to earth with one of its siblings in hot pursuit. For the more adventurous (with safety in mind) there are a couple of not well-traveled paths leading to more amazing sites, one of which will take you to a wide ledge created by erosion. The wall is also covered with messages left behind by generations of visitors.

                          (This where we took Jesse Hieb, the paddleboarder)

I'll take you on the other half of the trail to Ferry Bluff in the near future.

Again while hiking in this area keep safety in mind ( if you fall it's a long way down).

"Gone Paddling" on the Wisconsin

     Note: clicking on a photo will enlarge each post grouping.
 
     On Sunday the 25^th an email was sent from chairman Timm Zumm out to members of FLOW (The Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway). It was a request for some people to greet and spend time showing a young man some of the highlights of the Sauk Prairie area. I can be somewhat of a stick in the mud when it comes to meeting new people, so no immediate response from me. Soon this was followed by several phone calls.

     This young man turned out to be Jesse Hieb, a 30ish-something adventurist. He would be passing through Sauk Prairie maybe today, maybe tomorrow. There were a couple of females involved. If you wonder why they would have some influence over his timing, they were Mother Nature with her choice of weather for the day and the mother river of our state, the Wisconsin River. Jesse is trying to set a new record; he is stand-up paddleboarding the entire length of the Wisconsin River, 430 miles. He had made it to the Merrimac area the afternoon before. Now he needed to portage around the last large obstacle – the Prairie Du Sac Dam (the last dam before the Mississippi River). This ambitious guy is not only paddleboarding but filming the river and its caretakers as he goes. This trip will become a documentary.

      A little background on Jesse:

     When I asked where he was from the response was,“I was born in the United States, then lived in Japan until I was fourteen. Now I live in Milwaukee.” His parents were Lutheran missionaries and

when their children reached the age of fourteen they were sent back to live with relatives to finish their education. So I'm guessing his early life stirred this love of adventure and sharing. 
When the tsunami hit Japan a few years ago, he returned to coordinate aid programs and help out where he could.

       This was condensed from his web page:

    “Jesse brings over 8 years of experience having worked on over 140 short films. He has assisted with the development of online communities and social media content. Jesse knows how to create content that captures attention and converts viewers into supporters. Working in tourism, film, and nonprofits, he has always had a passion for helping people tell their story through visual media.”

    This short afternoon it was our turn to give Jesse some idea of what the area had to offer. He had experienced the Prairie Du Sac dam, and Timm had taken him to “The Tripp Museum” to get a sense of the history of area and its ties to the Wisconsin River. Then Kay Roherty and I joined them at Ferry Bluff. Kay is a long time member and past president of The Ferry Bluff Eagle Council. I guess I was there to fill in the blanks. Because of timing we stopped at Cactus Bluff (rather than continuing on to Ferry Bluff), which gives one majestic view of the river valley. 

Timm, Bowie the river dog and I took Jesse down to a lower level that had been gouged out by the river at the end the Ice Age. 

     When we returned, a couple from the Milwaukee area and their niece had joined Kay. Their niece was visiting from the south and wanted to see something special that southern Wisconsin had to offer. The husband had paddled this area of the Lower Wisconsin River a few times, and they both had been here camping so they agreed that this was a great place to bring her. Their conversion was focused on the bald eagle that Kay had spotted when we first arrived. When asked if she had seen eagles where she lived the niece replied, “I don't think we have them in our area but the school mascot is an eagle.” Something we have in common. I have shared my adventures and the beauty of Cactus/Ferry Bluff many times before so I won't go into that now.

    Jesse plans to make a documentary of this experience on the river and the people he met along the way. His hopes are that this documentary can become a fund raiser for groups working to restore or preserve the beauty of the entire length of the Wisconsin River. 

    

       As we parted ways with Jesse, Mother Nature thanked him for stopping by with one of her wondrous rainbows. Jesse had never seen a full rainbow before.

     

       He completed the whole trip down the river on Saturday, September 30^th.

        If you have interest in helping Jesse to get this documentary completed check this link .

 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/post-production-of-gone-paddling-water-community#/