River bends and a teeter-totter

scole

After failing to reach the "horseshoe bend" of the Horseshoe Bend Trail alongside the North Fork Nooksack River due to darkness, I returned yesterday. I did some investigation in Google Earth and discovered that there was another horseshoe bend that appeared to be more condusive to photo taking. The problem was that it is hidden from view if you're on the trail side of the river.

0.6 miles of cross country travel alongside a river- how hard could it be? :scratch

*Ahem*...

I tried using snowshoes for most of the trip out but found them useless due to all the climbing up, down, and around all of the downed timber. Certainly A LOT more taxng than I had anticipated but I managed to arrive at my destination, postholing the rest of the way. Here are two views. I prefer the perspective of #1 but too many distractive components (couldn't do much about that).

Perspective #1:



Perspective #2:



Just a bit downstream of my destination, there was this interesting bit of natural art- a teeter-totter! Pretty neat..

Abiciriderback

Looks like the effort was worth it very nice. Were you trying to use the MSR's?. Think I'm going to give them a try along with the NEOS Navigator5 overboots.

Ray Still

zonasue

Looks like the trek was quite worth it. Good exercise too, I bet:) I'm partial to pic #1, looks like the water is slightly turbulent and refuses to freeze over. Also, I like in pic #3 that the snow covered log looks like it is balancing on the rock, a natural sculpture, so to speak.

Shootin1st

Great shots. Agree with #1 as the perspective that shows it as a bend in the river. #2 flows right on out the bottom.

Teetering log makes it all worthwhile.

Glad you made it with no broken pieces parts.

scole

Thanks, everyone. It didn't quite match what I had envisioned but I have no complaints. The decidious trees along the river make it look like it might be really neat during fall colors so I may think about heading back at that time...

Ray-

Yes- I was using my MSR snowshoes. The problematic conditions I had would have been the same no matter what brand of snowshoes. Since you're up here in the PNW, you can imagine what the understory of our forests are like with all the windfall & obstacles that hinder cross country travel!

I was one of the folks over on the NP website who advocated in favor of MSR snowshoes. From your post over there, I followed the link to your website. I have to say Ray that you have a great gift for capturing our PNW streams. You have a number of great photos! I've added Ruckel Creek to my list of places to visit!

Steve

coscorrosa

You are a crazy man!

I like the panoramic crop of the first the best. The snow really adds to these shots.

That's certainly a gorgeous part of the state, I was along the Skagit River yesterday for the eagles, and it was much the same.