Friday, April 30, 2021

2021-04-25 Smokies Fork Ridge/Deep Creek Wildflower Hike

Fork Ridge / Deep Creek Wildflower Hike
with Andy and the Professor
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Swain County, NC
Sunday, April 25th, 2021
 
I joined Andy and Scott (aka The Professor) on a hike into the Smokies.  Andy suggested the Fork Ridge / Deep Creek area as a prime spot for wildflowers this time of year.  He was right on as this was one of the most impressive wildflower hikes that I have ever been on.
 
Here are a few photos from our adventure:
 
Smokies View

Three went in

Cool Tree

Trout Lilly

The Professor Crossing Deep Creek

Andy crossing Deep Creek

Group Selfie

Fiddleheads and Trillium

Trillium in a forest of Phacelia

The Professor hiking through a forest of Phacelia

Trout Lillies

Three came out and enjoyed some post hike beverages
 
 
 
My complete set of photos is posted here:
 
 
 
 

Thursday, April 29, 2021

2021-04-18 Tumblin' Fun and High Falls

Tumblin' Fun Falls on Mill Creek
and High Falls on the Thompson River
with Brenda Wiley
Transylvania County, NC
Sunday, April 18th, 2021
 
Scott, Dillon, Blizzy, and I made a return visit to Tumbin' Fun Falls!   Here are some of the photos from our adventure.
 
Group Selfie
L to R:  Me, Blizzy, Dillon, Scott (aka The Professor)

The Professor felling up the Amazing Green Wall

Dillon and Blizzy hiking along the Amazing Green Wall

Trillium Bloomin' at the Amazing Green Wall

Selfie with Blizzy

Dillon at Tumblin' Fun Falls

The Professor at Tumblin' Fun Falls

The Professor at the top of High Falls

The Professor at the top of High Falls

Blizzy and the Professor at High Falls

Bluets bloomin' at High Falls

Bluets at High Falls

Blizzy fetchin' sticks at High Falls

Group Selfie at High Falls
 
 
My complete set of photos is posted here:

Monday, April 26, 2021

2021-04-13 Headwaters State Forest Birthday Hike with Brenda

Headwaters State Forest Birthday Hike
with Brenda Wiley
Transylvania County, NC
Tuesday April 13th, 2021

A few photos from my Birthday hike with Brenda Wiley into Headwaters State Forest, NC.

Birthday Hike with Brenda


Buttermilk Falls
 
 
 Buttermilk Falls

 Trail Turtle
 
 
Brenda

Brenda

East Fork Falls

East Fork Falls


My complete set of photos is posted here:

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

2021-03-19 Cane Creek Tributary with Jen

Cane Creek Tributary Waterfall Discovery Adventure
with Jen Loow
Jocassee Gorges Wildlife Management Area
Pickens County, SC
Friday, March 19th, 2021
 
Jen and Me at my favorite waterfall discovery of the day
 
Andy suggested we explore the Cane Creek area of South Carolina in hopes of finding some Oconee Bells.  I never fully understood Andy's plan, so when he had to bail on us, Jen and I came up with our own plan to explore a tributary of Cane Creek to the west of Cane Creek Falls.
 
I think we ended up on the wrong side of the creek early in the hike which led to us stumbling upon the most impressive cluster of Oconee Bells that I have ever seen.  The Oconee Bell is a relatively rare wildflower that only blooms around a small area around Oconee County, SC.   These managed to find a suitable habitat in neighboring Pickens County.
 
 Jen loving the Oconee Bells
Oconee Bell Blooms

 
We continued our hike/bushwhack/creekwalk up Cane Creek stopping many times to check out various cascades, rocks, caves, trees, flowers, etc.   It was an absolute forest paradise with perfect temperatures, cloud cover, and water flow!
 
 Tree Hugger Jen
 
Bloodroot Blooms
 
Waterfall on a blueless Tributary of Cane Creek
 

Gnarly Tree

Small waterfall on Cane Creek


Rue Anemone

 
Rather than continuing on to the very impressive Cane Creek Falls, we decided to explore up a major tributary to the west.  Here is some of what we found!
 
This was my favorite waterfall discovery of the day
 
Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Jen and me by a waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

Waterfall on Tributary of Cane Creek
 
Selfie with Jen by the tallest waterfall discovery of the day
 
Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek
 
Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek
 
Waterfall on tributary of Cane Creek

 
We also found some cool caves, some more twisted trees, and a few fellow waterfall enthusiasts on the hike out!
 Jen finds a cave along a blueless tributary

Jen peering through a hollow tree
 
Tree fairy playground


Jen at a cool cave along a blueless tributary

 
Jen cops a feel while sharing a rock bench with a tree

Four Came Out?
We ran into fellow waterfall enthusiasts Everette Robinson and Ken Smith on the hike out

My complete set of photos is posted here:

Meet Zoey

 Meet Zoey! Amy and I just adopted this beautiful girl!