An adventure filled Sunday!

This Sunday of Memorial Weekend the pack met up with Mark's group for another adventurous outing. Of the whole crew, only Mark showed up! The rest of the gang really missed a good one today...

First we stopped off to check out the Phoenix mine ruins...

...and the tower at the top of the Cliff.  Mark says at one time this nice chalet with a view was open to all but in recent years closed. At least hikers are welcome to explore!

On the way down.   It was an adventure!

It was steep but no problem for anyone with all paw drive!

Next we hiked the trail built by the monks,
up the hill from their monastery.

I led the way, as usual. That's what trail mutts do ya know.

Mark suggested we see the creek gorge first.

The monks' fishing pond was on the way to the creek.
I smelled a scary water beast here...

It's Nellie! The loch-ness monster. She was friendly today. Whew!

I was so glad the artsy foot bridge held us all up.

C'mon Mark! Some ear scratching already, please.

Algae overflow from the pond....ooozy.

There were benches of all different construction along the trail.

Finally! Jacob's creek.

I got lots of practice jumping up today.
 This nice camp area was overlooking the creek.

The monks also built many foot bridges.

A bench? Or nisu?

We had to be cautious near the roaring falls.

I think some Monks painted these
found along the trail....

Quite the trail they built!
This tailings pile was from the Arnold Mine.

At the trail head.  I love Mark! He hugs me.

The pack completed the adventure by having an excellent
meal at Fitzgerald's.   While I had lame kibble in the car. No fair!

NCT clearing adventures!

On Saturday of the Memorial holiday weekend, my pack and Mark R. ventured to the North Country trail at the O-Kun-De-Kun falls off of highway 45 to clear that section of it.

These guys look sooooooo serious.  Come on let's go!

It started out wet but hey, I'm a water dog.  But they didn't appreciate it like I do and turned around.  Then we came in from the other side.

This pole saw came out many times today.

And all these shoots and bad ol hawthorn
bushes came down, chop, chop, chop.

Some most friendly hikers from MN came
by just to scratch me. I love that!

We stopped at the falls for lunch

Could it get any better than this??!!

I smelled the salami.  THAT would be better...

We couldn't have gotten this done without Mark's help.
I love him!

Trail work isn't all about work, we stopped to
smell the flowers...

...and see the birds too.

I say Arly is pudgy but don't tell him I said that.

These guys are gawking at the high flowing
Baltimore river.

What a grand day to be out on the trail and  making them nicer for the hikers. And we did see many friendly ones here today.

Spottin' the Spartan!

We went down to see some friendly fellows on the Spartan who had tied up here to wait out some wind.  They and their barge were on the way to Superior and were very, very friendly.

Here we saw them coming through last fall.  See the colors!

She was tied up tonight in the canal at Lilly Pond.

 

She's BIG!  There's a bow thruster in here somewhere. We couldn't see it.

They had a crew of  7.

Arly, can't we board? I think the crew wants to scratch my ears.
Maybe they'll be back to see me...

Swedetown Creek bridge and trails-a-washing

The pack met up with fellow trail lover John today to do some spring bridge inspection. Evidence of very high, fast moving water was everywhere. I was so glad the torrent has slowed back down!

Still some snow standing on this now crooked dam
meadow bridge.  See how the right side was lifted up?
 Seems the 6x6 post was lifted about 4".

Tons of rock got washed in here.
I guess we'll just ski over them!

The water had been knee deep here!

This is the bridge at the dam. Arly filled this
bank in with rocks this fall and they all washed away along
with the bank.  This will need support posts added.
I can't be falling into any torrents!

I nervously posed by this raging waterfall...

The Rail Road Ravine pedestrian bridge got nudged
down stream along with it's supporting bank.
It will need some loving care as well..

The middle bridge was in sore-en-sorry shape.
The whole supporting bank had gone south.

See....Better not have any autos crossing it!

Again, many stones got washed in here.

The Sisu bridge supports had stones pushed against them.
Overall this bridge looked to be in fine shape, for the shape it's in.

More snow! Not a bad end to the day for a winter dog.