Still Hiking to Mystic Lake of the Vermilon River. A Post to Sky Watch Friday.

For any of you that are just joining the hike to Mystic Lake, this is by far and away my most rugged hike. We'll take a side trail into these hills along the rim of a cliff. The elevation is about 70 feet; the trail is narrow and the slope will vary from 45 to 60 degrees. SEE THE PREVIOUS POST TO CATCH UP.

Remember this is a wilderness. There are no people. Boom is not with me because it is hunting season, official or otherwise. The hike was made in late November over a two day period, and it is intensely cold, especially on the sunny day.

Hugin, our Raven trail guide will still watch over us.


Hugen, the Raven Guide




Mid point

We left off yesterday about this part of the trail. The climb to this outcropping has been made up a narrow 45-60 degree trail. To step off the trail would be foolish as the incline to my left is steep, and the small valley below may be dead fall. At the upper end of the outcrop of rock, the trail will dogleg at a 90 degree angle. The outcropping is about 12 feet high, so I have no idea what is on the other side, and again there is no place to step off the trail. If Boom were here, he would let me know what is around the trail. Once around the corner we'll cross a flat rock shelve with a few manageable uneven parts. Everyone OK?



Ice Cave

Now we're past the rock shelve which is a great spot for a rest, and we're on the down slope which is a lot more gentle. There is all sorts of water seepage,which has worn out little caves underneath the rock. With ice coverings they tend to look like ice caves.


Red Fox

 There are all sorts of red fox in the area and this guy has found his own hidey hole.


Black-capped Chickadee

Black-capped Chickadees are native to the area and it's common to pick up a couple that will follow along with us.Similarly, the sparrow population is well represented, and I've included two of my favourites, below.


White-throated Sparrow




Black-capped Sparrow




Fireweed



Pin Cherries



Ripening Blue berries

I included some examples of the fauna to give you some idea of the rich colours, and bounty of the forest in season. Fireweed gets its name from its quick growth after a forest fire to begin the re-generation process. Pin Cherries are edible as are most of the berries in the forest, and provide a staple for such diverse residents as Bears, and Cedar Waxwings. Me too, of course as pin cherry jelly on home made bread is delicious. And you have not lived until you have tasted N. Ontario wild blue berries which grow in abundance, and again provide a staple food for wild life, especially the black bear.


 A Colony of Cedar Waxwings




Black Bear




Garter Snake




Northern Flickers

Just to show that we do have snakes, but none of a poisonous kind, I included this garter snake. The Northern Flickers, opposite, are ant eating woodpeckers, and are therefore ground based. This pair are two males ,as they have moustaches beside their beaks.


Mystic Lake to the south




Mystic Lake almost across from me.

At last the lake!! The top photo looks south while the lower photo is almost directly across from me. Remember the lake is uninhabited. Attractive shoreline isn't it?


Leopard Frog


The leopard frog is apparently wearing his northern colours as is the garter snake shown earlier.

Mystic Lake




Canada Geese in Formation Migrating.




Mystic Lake



Ring Billed Gull

The Lake is home to Canada Geese, Mallards, Mergansers, and Ring-billed or Herring Gulls.



Hairy Woodpecker




Pine Squirrel




Blue Jay




American Goldfinch





Mystic Lake with Mist


These photos are from the second day,so it's sunny. If you look closely you'll see a clear ice skim on the lake, and a cairn on the outcropping to your left, so someone has canoed or used a kayak in the area. Notice anything else??


Mystic Lake with mist.

 That's right as the sun rises and hits the ice on the lake, a mist is forming. The mist is intensely cold, and enshrouded the whole lake while the sun stayed bright. It was so cold I moved inland to warm up. As I said before the lake is in a bowl and I think it was just some sort of inversion, but it sure surprised me.
There are about six lakes that connect to the north of this one, and another series to the east. We'll have to see how I do reaching those.





Ring Billed Gull

 





RedPoll

 So very cold, I began the journey back. I won't be able to snowshoe the area as it is too steep and too icy. Unfortunately I won't be able to return until probably mid-April, which is not far away now.

A post to Sky Watch Friday @http://skley.blogspot.com/

A Hike to Mystic Lake of the Vermilon River. A Post to WBW.



The Hills we'll be going into.

 I have been trying to get to this hike for a while, but have been held up by procrastination and trying decide what to include. For those who have followed the blog for a while you have seen other hikes and the wildlife that I encounter. I generally prefer to hike at least in the beginning on abandoned RR tracks because they take you through wetlands, and isolate you at least a bit from the wildlife. It's not fun to turn a corner and find yourself in the centre of a blueberry patch that a black bear and her cubs consider theirs. The RR roadbed gives her a retreat and me, a retreat, and everybody is easy. The RR roadbed also tend to avoid hills. This time we won't be doing that. We're going into the hills shown opposite, although we're going from the side rather than the front. The elevation is about 70 feet, and the trail at times will run up a narrow incline of 45 to 60 degrees. So my heart will be running on high. I did the trip in late November over two days, one dull and one bright. It was intensely cold. I did this for several reasons. I had never been on the trail before and I wanted the trail free of a heavy tree canopy to facilitate vision. I also wanted to see if I could snowshoe the area in snow and the answer was no. Boom did not accompany me as it was still hunting season, legal or otherwise, and the area is littered with wolf tracks. The wildlife shown is not necessarily active in November but was all taken in the area.

My usual disclaimer: Remember this is not a park. It is a wilderness, and I'm on my own. Mystic Lake is another uninhabited area.

No trip is complete without Hugin our guide.



Even in flight they watch over us.



The trail is not only high, but laden with traps.

These kind of rock traps are not common, but water seepage makes fissures in the rock, so you have to watch your footing. Going off trail is somewhat dangerous as we're on the rim of the cliff and the forest makes a good over winter spot for bears who are cranky when awakened.

Pine squirrels are abundant in the area.



Fungus growth on dead birch.

You not only have to watch out for the rock traps, but the area is filled with birch, aspen and black spruce which have short life spans. That means you watch the trees so one doesn't fall on you. Over turned trees also make great dens for bears.


Cedar Waxwing

Because the berry crop is so heavy, these guys are summer dwellers and fun to see.


This forest is a regenerating forest which was virtually destroyed by mining. It's also been burnt over.



Northern Flicker, a ground woodpecker that feeds on ants.



Red Fox




Sun's reflection but it's really cold.




The wetlands of Mystic Lake are home to Blue Heron.




Wild Mink




A Young Black Bear probably his first year away from Mom.



I'll continue the Hike on Sky Watch Friday. Hope you're enjoying it so far, and we haven't even reached the lake yet.

A Post to WBW @ http://pinereviewreview.blogspot.com/