So, before the prespring thaw I thought I would see Brandywine Falls from the bottom of the gorge. She never disappoints. The hike was extremely icy, but it could have been worse. The flow was a little higher than I would have anticipated, but again it has been over 33 degrees for two days.
This hike raised my blood pressure more than yesterday!
Unknown variables can get a person hurt and possibly worse depending on the situation. I have been creek crawling in the winter time because I love the solitude.
I know there
are a belligerent of variables that can go wrong in a heartbeat.
I have spent
my entire life in the woods, on a body of water, or somewhere in between.
It’s up to
you to stay safe and constantly remember every time you venture outside you run
the risk of getting hurt.
I have
chosen Paine Creek here in Leroy Township, Ohio for several reason. When its at
normal flow her deepest hole is 5 feet deep, but those are at the shale waterfalls.
Every where else its 2 to 3 feet max depth.
This is not
to say you can’t get hurt, but it is to say you would have to be doing
something really stupid to do so.
I used my hiking
sticks as probes looking for hollow ice and of thin ice. I looked for pockets of
air in the ice as I hiked. I found most of them, but as you can see in one video
my foot went down 24” through the first layer of ice. Then as it traveled
through the 24” deep air pocket my foot then landed on the other layer of ice.
I could hear
the water running under my foot and I did not know how deep the water was. I
saw this as a major issue. I did not go much farther because until this moment
I had not had this problem.
I gathered my
composure looked at the ice falls then turned around and retraced my steps to
call it a day! It was an arduous 2.4 miles in the deep snow and the ice was
well ice lol.
I was hoping the center channel was open in the creek then I ws going to hike 6 miles. I get-er done another time.
This weekend and if it works out I will be going Saturday and Sunday! Stand by folks
Sonder
..then we have mud, mud, and flooding. Its a delicate dance during the end of winter. We are going to be starting the transistion from winter to spring soon but not soon enough. I wanted to get out today but I dont want to be cold and wet. I dont mind either one but not both at the same time.
Sonder
Don’t worry,
after today’s ice capades I will be purchasing micro spikes for hiking
ice. I had to hug the shoulder of the
trail most of the day today. The short climb out of the valley was less than
optimal. Lol
You will
hear in one of the videos me rethinking aloud my choices today!
I had
planned a nine-mile hike today, but mother nature reminded me how I was not
prepared for the treacherous footing today. I did three miles and had to really
work for every step.
I hope you
enjoy the artwork.
Sonder
The plan is to complete a 9 miler tommorow. We will see how this goes. The freezing rain has plagued most of the northeast part of the state.
So, stay tuned folks
Sonder
I am going to head out today to see if I can catch some
water falls at peak flow. Now they are most likely muddy, but I hope the creek
is wadable. Well, we will see. I am back packing my waders in and changing out
in the field. The footing is going to be a mess because of all the snow melting
and rain.
I was out here about a month ago and I could hear the water
fall or falls. We will see how this works out.
The Grand River right now is approximately up two feet from where she
was last night.
Her tertiary streams are running hard, but they should be
wadable. The snow melt will still be fully affected. The rain has stopped and
that will help.
These waterfalls I am looking for are always there, but you
need a runoff event to show them in full glory.
I am going to make breakfast here shortly and head out.
I just popped my head out of the house, and everything was
frozen. Now I will need to delay my departure from the house.
My footing while traversing the slopes will be tougher than
I would have anticipated with this overnight freeze fest.
Stay tuned folks,
Sonder
I have returned from the hike. My goal was to find the creek
that is in the park. With all the rain we had received over the past few days I
was hopeful it would allow for the ice to push downstream.
I hiked into the park with my 120-liter Sealine backpack
loaded. I had my waders, boots, wading belt, and camera equipment.
I also needed to worry about safety. Being down in a small
ravine there would have been no escape if the water began to rise and all the
debris came with it. I would be caught
in a littoral human washing machine.
The more I thought about it the worse my thoughts became lol
so needless to say I chose to hump my pack and me along the shoreline of the
Grand River.
As I ventured into the swampy abyss of the lowlands, I realized
the beavers had been very busy. They had created huge beaver ponds.
Some of the depths I measure with my walking sticks being
over 3 feet deep. Beavers always surprise
me with their engineering feats.
On a side note, I don’t know what the name of the thorn
ridden plants I always see in these types of areas, but they were so thick you
needed a flame thrower. Side note I will not be here in the summer because the
thorns would be so bad so bad!
It was a short hike and making it through the field snow with a heavy pack it was time it call it a day.
I hope you enjoy the art work!
Sonder
Stay tuned folks as I make breakfast and then I will head out.
Be well,
Sonder
