Rather than give you repeated pictures of snow out our back window, I think I'll fill in some posts on hikes from past Decembers, starting with a hike around the Loree Forest on Dec. 16, 2015, so 10 years ago today. Note that there's no white stuff on the ground at all! In contrast, it continues to snow here, putting us in a winter wonderland. They've been cancelling the little transit bus I use to get around too! Spring can't come soon enough!
The Loree Forest is a tract of public land that sits up on an outcrop of Manitoulin Dolostone, just above the Peaks Ski Club. The Bruce Trail goes right around the edge of the plateau. From this lookout you can see over the bay, thanks to a valley carved through the soft Queenston Shale by a little creek we crossed.
A portion of the property was donated by the Shiffs, commemorated by a mounted plaque.
A zoomed in view shows the blue water of Georgian Bay.
And this is the little creek we crossed.
Going up the other side you can see the thin bedrock layers of the Manitoulin Formation.
A large chunk of flat rock has slipped over the edge and now lies on a sharp angle as we approach the top of the valley.
And there sits a flat chunk of rock that looks like an incipient flowerpot! Look at those thin layers!
That last picture is really neat. It's so cool to see all these places to visit.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been a great place to hike!! Good memories.
ReplyDeleteA nice look-back to 2015.
ReplyDeleteTake care in the snow you are presently experiencing!
All the best Jan
The soft stone shown in your last photo reminds me of the soft siltstone bedrock in some of our valleys. It's usually overtopped by a much harder conglomerate or sandstone.
ReplyDeleteI know you loved your hikes. How nice that you have memories with pictures to show and tell!
ReplyDeleteI am also visiting some of my old hikes now that I can't do them any more. It's so nice to remember those happy times. Love your pictures, too.
ReplyDeleteHaving photos from your hikes and travels is terrific. Thanks for sharing - I love the path of bedrock.
ReplyDeleteWe have had green Decembers. This is not one of those.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned shale. Am I having a memory that Lockport Dolomite is th cap rock on the escarpment? I know that you will know one way or the other.
Yes, Lockport Dolomite is the caprock; Queenston Shale is a much softer rock below it, a very thick layer.that erodes into those long ski slopes.
DeleteThe rock is fascinating!
ReplyDeleteWinter has been quick to settle in here this year too. However, now we have days of rain ahead. Yuck!
Nice photos of the forest in winter. I love the bare trees. Keep warm and have a good week.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous. Sometimes a bit of rock/shale like you show is discovered here in northwest Washington when dirt/mud is worn away by rain, but yours is so pronounced. Fascinating.
ReplyDeletethe lakes we visit are surrounded by flat land, walking paths and bicycle paths. i often do not even have to get out of the car to get some really good pictures!!
ReplyDeleteThose small and flat pieces of shale rock would be great for skimming across the water. I think we all did that as kids. Snow on Christmas day is okay. Snow at at any other time is not!!
ReplyDeleteRock formations are the stuff of wonder to ne. How did they happen? How do they manage to stay in often precarious positions? What did early people think of them? We're they sacred places? And on and on, just wondering.
ReplyDeleteThis is rather what it'll look like later today! We're in a big melt, and rain situation!
ReplyDelete