1/1/00 Aspen and I met the first rays of the new year out in the woods, on a short hike around Cloudland. Then we drove into town to spend the day with my mom and her caregivers Bill and Jean, and to eat some of Bill's famous cabbage rolls and black-eyes peas. We watched our home football team embarrass the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl - it's about time.

But we made it back out to Cloudland in time for another hike before dark. It was warm - up in the low 70's - and the wind was howling. There were lots of folks out hiking today - I counted nearly twenty vehicles at the Crag parking lot when we drove in. There has been a steady stream of hikers there these past few days. It is great to see so many getting out and enjoying the terrific winter weather!

It was a pretty nice sunset, with lots of clouds hugging the horizon. And the wind continued to thrash trees around. Mother Nature wants us all to know that she is still in charge. Good thing, because she usually puts on a great show.

1/2/00 The wind howled all night, and it was 68 degrees at dawn. That is very warm for a January day in the Ozarks! There was a lot of moisture in the air, although the sky was clear. As we hiked around in the wind, we found all of the rocks to be wet and sweating. Sure could use some rain Momma Nature.

Well, the young lady must have been listening, because soon after noon it got real cloudy and began to rain. Boy, that sure looked, sounded and felt great! Not a hard rain, but one of those long, soaking ones that is good for the land and puts you to sleep. While the light rain continued all afternoon, there was only a total of about a quarter of an inch, but it was enough to give the dry and dusty forest a bit of relief.

There was no sunset because of all the clouds, but there was one brilliant burst of burnt orange light that struck some of the clouds directly overhead. And then it got dark and the wind picked up.

Just about the time we went to bed, the sky began to light up, and the cabin rumbled and shook - A TON of lightening and thunder! And then rain, lots and lots of rain. This time, the real thing.

1/3/00 The wind howled, the sky cracked, and it rained most of the night. Over an inch total. Boy, we really needed that! The cabin was engulfed in a thick fog bank at first light, and the wind had ceased. I wanted to sleep in, but Aspen had other ideas, so we got up early and headed out through the forest and up to the office. The temp was still pretty warm - about 50, but they are calling for some snow tonight and perhaps tomorrow, with a low down near 20. My x-country skis are all waxed up and ready! They just really can't predict the weather worth a hoot - no call for rain yesterday, and only a 20 percent chance last night. I can't predict the weather either, but it sure did feel like rain yesterday morning, even though the skies were clear (remember the sweating rocks?).

The air must have been electricity charged from all the lightening, 'cause Aspen took off through the woods just jumping all over the place. Come to think of it, he does that every time he gets out in the open woods. No living thing enjoys the wilderness more than this dog! Well, I come in a close second.

The temp was dropping quickly as we got back from town near dark. It was beginning to feel a bit like snow now. I spent the evening re-wiring the clothes dryer down in the basement. I had done a load of clothes last weekend, but it took six hours to dry them - the dryer would not heat. I figured out what the problem was, and got it fixed just fine. In the meantime, Aspen decided to shred everything that he could find in the utility room.

1/4/00 A bit nippy out this morning! Temp around 28 with a wind chill hovering at or below zero. A thick layer of dark clouds, and a thin dusting of snow all around. I tried to stay in bed a while, but Aspen got up and ran outside to play in the white stuff, and I soon followed. It seemed a little odd sitting in that hot water sipping a cold Starbucks Mocha with snow all around. But it felt right.

We hiked around a little this morning on the way to the office - a brisk wind made it bitter cold (plus, I forgot to wear a jacket). The office seems to be staying pretty warm. All that I have is one little oil-filled radiator in each room. But I do have to put on down booties to keep my feet from freezing off - always had poor circulation in my feet and hands.

A friend from Little Rock showed up for a visit - Karen Vondonge - who is a photographer for the big newspaper in Arkansas. After Aspen nearly chewed her to death, and she showed me a new digital camera, we headed out into the cold for a little hike. The temp had actually fallen a couple of degrees. It took me a while to get warmed up.

We drifted on over towards Dug Hollow, slipping and sliding down the steep slope. Not hardly any snow on the ground at all, but the leaves were slick. We wandered through Magnolia Canyon, past Robert's Falls, and then on into the main waterfall area. Still not normal winter water levels, but the falls looked OK. I could tell that Aspen liked the waterfalls too, but he still would not jump in and go swimming. I did get him to go in a little ways after a stick though.

Then we made our way around the base of the bluffline towards another large waterfall. Just as we were coming around the corner of the bluff towards the falls, Aspen stopped in his tracks and began to bark. I thought for sure there was someone over there, but no. We did spot a pile, or stack, of rocks that really looked out of place. And then another. There were several of them, each four or five feet tall, containing odd-shaped rocks, each balanced on top of one another. It all looked very strange.

Two photographers standing in front something most unusual - must be time for a few pictures! But it was quite difficult to photograph them, since the rocks blended in so well with the background, which was also rocks. I concentrated on the tallest of the formations, which is shown below. I vowed to return one of these days with a real camera and take some better pictures, perhaps at night, when I could control the lighting.

After visiting a few more waterfalls, which Aspen enjoyed playing next to (he fell in once), we made the steep climb up and out of Dug Hollow. Always a treat to hike down in there! There was smoke coming out of Bob's cabin, so we stopped by for a visit with him and Benny, and left with a handful of chocolate-covered raisins. I hadn't had anything to eat all day, and they sure did taste great. The sun had come out during our hike, and it turned into a nice warm day, although the temp barely got above freezing. Somehow the sight of sunshine on a cold winter day will always warm the heart.

When we got back to the cabin we had a mini feast of Karen's homemade soup and special bread - I can never get enough of great bread. Aspen tried to pull the table cloth off again, but was foiled.

It was clear at sunset, which means it is going to be a really cold night. No moon, so a very dark too. Which reminds me, I am up here at the office right now typing this, and I have no flashlight! It is VERY dark outside. I may have to keep Aspen close in front so that I can follow his white rump down the hill through the woods back to the cabin.

1/5/00 My hair froze solid before I got out of the tub. The temp was down in the upper teens, but the wind was howling. And clear - no clouds or color at sunrise.

We wandered on up into the forest towards the office, and over to where the frost flowers were the other day (the ones in the freezer had all but evaporated). And there they were again - about twenty of the delicate sculptures. Everything that I have read says that they only happen on the night of the first freeze of the year. But what I am noticing is that they happen with the temp gets down well below freezing, like below 20 degrees, and with a stiff wind blowing. I know of no particular purpose in life for them except to add a bit of beauty to the landscape. It was good to see them again.

The ground was frozen solid. Not just the leaves or twigs, but the ground itself was hard as a rock.

The wind continued to blow all day - up to 44mph - with the wind chill below zero much of the time. The afternoon hike was a brisk one. We stayed out for a couple of hours, just wandering around the mountain, going from meadow to forest and wherever our paws happen to take us.

The main thing is frigid weather like this is to wear something to stop the wind. You don't really have to be all bundled up to keep warm. All I had on was a poly-pro shirt and a fleece-lined gore-tex jacket. And the wind chill was below zero.

I seldom ever wear gloves, but do keep my hands inside a pocket or two. And a hat is usually enough to complete the outfit. But today, with the wind blowing so hard, I could have used something over my face. My cheeks, chin, lips and forehead were basically numb for most of the hike. I had hoped that no one would call, because I probably would have sounded like a drunk with my slurred speech.

Aspen has this certain tree that gets his attention every time that he passes it. Must be a chipmunk den or something, because he stops and gives it a few digs to enlarge the hole. He has done this ever since he was a little puppy. He never really gets into it big time, but the den is getting gradually larger.

The wind roared on. I stopped and heard many sounds in the trees. I realized that when it is so cold, and your face is frozen, you tend to think a little more. The wind kind of makes you look straight ahead where you are walking. It forces you to turn inward and take a look around. Hum.

We wandered on until it got too dark to see, then traded the frigid night air for a warm couch in front of the TV. WHITE FANG was on! I have seen this movie a number of times, but it was Aspen's first. I swear this dog sat up on the edge of the couch and watched the entire thing, with his head up, following the action, and even growling at the bad guys once. I guess he wants to grow up to be a wolf. And he will come pretty close - 31 pounds this week, with another 25 or so to go. And he already seems full-grown to me, at least length wise.

1/6/00 Still. Dead still at first light. And not a sound anywhere, except for the roar of the river below. There weren't even any birds out for Aspen to chase around. The sun popped up over the ridge just as we were leaving the cabin. It lit up the forest with a yellow glow that grew more intense with each step that we took. The long shadows cast by the trees on the forest floor were very nice.

The morning was filled with office work - lots of e-mails and phone calls. But after lunch it was time for some outdoor play. Or work. Whichever - they are pretty much the same to me. My goal for the afternoon was to move all of the cut up wood from the various spots around the office down to the cabin. I filled up the trailer a couple of times. The trailer, piled high with oak, hickory and maple logs looked a bit funny being pulled by the Mercedes.

And then I spent an hour moving a large flat rock from a spot near the road to the front porch of the office. I had been eying this rock for several weeks, trying to figure out if A: it would work as the front step, and B: if I could move the darn thing. I used my pry bar to work the rock out of its bed and up onto a hand truck, and then rolled the rock onto the end of the tip trailer. After jumping up and down on the opposite end of the trailer trying to get the trailer level again, I realized that I was no match for a 600 pound rock. Another ten minutes of moves with the pry bar put the stone in the middle of the trailer, and I was able to get everything leveled off for the trip over to the office.

Getting the rock off the trailer was very easy, and soon I had a spanking new rock step, and it actually worked!

OK, chores for the day done. Time for a hike! The afternoon sun was low and turning gold. And still not a hint of wind. The temp was around 50. Man, you just can't beat this winter weather in the Ozarks! Oh yea, my face was frozen just yesterday wasn't it?

As I walked through the forest towards the east meadow, I looked over through the trees to find an incredible view. Over on the opposite hillside, across the river, the sun was lighting up those huge cabin-sized boulders that lie (lay, whatever) at the bottom of the bluff there. The low light created a shadow behind the boulders in the Little Pine Hollow valley, and the entire scene was just stunning. I'll bet the winter sunset is very nice from on top of one of those giant blocks - I must go see one day, and spend the night and look over at the cabin. I wonder if Aspen would keep the fireplace going?

After a couple hours of laundry and cabin chores, we headed into the night up to the office for a few hours of writing. Man, the sky was COAL BLACK, and the stars were just incredible! I stopped, sat down next to a tree, and just stared up. The only sound was that of Aspen's feet swishing through the leaves. There is just something magical about sitting out there in the dark soaking up starlight. It is good for the soul.

1/8/00 Cloudland really lived up to its name this morning - a thick fog engulfed the cabin and surrounding forest. I just love these days, but I had a ton of indoor work to do, so I spent the entire morning inside, getting the cabin ready for company.

But when the clock stuck noon, all chores were done, and it was time to hike! We drifted out into the fog, which was still thick and lovely. The air was very damp, kind of misting, and it was cool, around 40. No real destination today, we just sort of wandered around the top of the mountain. I love to take the thick air deep into my lungs. You can really feel, taste and smell it. And, or course, Aspen had a blast, but I'm not sure if he noticed the fog at all. He did get out of sight a number of times.

By 4pm we were back at the cabin in front of a roaring fire, as the guests for the very first ever WINTER BUSHWHACKER party began to arrive. Before long the usual suspects had gathered and were sipping (uh, in some cases gulping) cups of the frozen chocolate mixture. The guest list included the Wildman, Mary C., Dean, Bonnie, Scott, Carolyn, Roy, Norma, Ken, Terry, Jessie, Mary M., Melba, Lisa, Janet, Hete, and Patsy. It was quite a crew.

The evening feast included lots of appetizers, grilled black Angus and tuna filets, grilled veggies, fried apples, veggie salad, fresh baked bread, plus a whole host of terrific desserts, and I am ashamed to say that we didn't even get to sample all of them (A wonderful homemade blueberry cobbler didn't even get touched - there was just too much food!).

And then the stereo got turned up and many bodies were seen flying about the dance floor. It still does my heart good to see a group that included a thirteen year old cheerleader, a 78 year old grizzled woodsman, plus everyone in between, all up there dancing and singing and having a terrific time to the music of the BEATLES! The old man of the cabin was also seen out on the dance floor joining in.

I'm not sure if the fire was putting out too much heat, or the energy of the guests was heating the place up, but we had to keep doors and windows open most of the night because it was too hot inside.

1/9/00 Still foggy and damp outside at first light, but the clouds began to break up quickly and blue sky appeared in a spot or two. We had an early breakfast and many of us headed out for a hike into Hemmed-In Hollow. Since we had run out of water at the cabin the night before, the kitchen was piled high with dirty dishes - I hated to leave them behind, but I had no choice.

We had a good group for the hike down into the Ponca Wilderness. And while it was still chilly, the sun came out for good and chased away all of the fog, so it was plenty warm for the steep stroll down the hill.

The great waterfall was nothing but a trickle this day - the lowest that I had ever seen it. We still need a great deal of rainfall to get things back to normal - about a foot or two would do.

It remained sunny and cool all day. Oh yea, because of the insane rules of the National Park Service, my best trail buddy Aspen could not go on the hike. They allow hunting dogs on the trails at Buffalo National River - dogs specially trained to chase wildlife - but pet dogs are not allowed on the trails - because they just might chase a squirrel up a tree. Go figure that one out. Just another example of the stupidity of the park service. Pets are allowed on forest service trails, but not on national park service trails.

After the hike, we had to drive into Fayetteville for our hiking club meeting. It was late when we returned to the cabin. I had no steam left to tackle the mountain of dirty dishes still lurking in the kitchen, so I left them for another day.

1/12/00 It was still quite dark out when I slipped into the hot water. Above me were a million sparkling diamonds, and something quite unexpected - shooting stars! I must have seen six or eight of them, including one giant one that streaked across the sky and left a glowing star dust trail that remained for several seconds. Seeing shooting stars is good luck you know.

It was a great day to hike, and after a few cabin and office chores were completed, Aspen and I headed out for a little stroll. We ended up at the mailbox, deposited the outgoing mail, then wandered around for nearly an hour until the mailman showed up. In the meantime we discovered yet another pond - it wasn't too deep, but Aspen got to do a little wading and was a happy camper. And I got in a long nap out in the middle of the sunny meadow.

While we were hiking through the woods on the way back, Aspen came running up to me with a mouth full of feathers. Uh oh. He is a bird dog, but surely he didn't actually catch a bird. He led be over to a spot where someone had a nice dinner last night - perhaps an owl or bobcat. There was a pile of feathers on the ground, and not a single other thing left. I'm not sure if the feathers were that of a hawk or what, but Aspen did enjoy them.

After the sun went down it was time for another hike. For some reason, the evening light lingered on for quite a while. As I walked through the tall trees, I was struck by how weird the billowing clouds high above were - they were all blue, dark blue, and moving quite fast. And then just when everything was about to go black, a hole in the clouds opened up and there was a burst of brilliant orange light. Light loves to play here at Cloudland, just like me.

1/14/00 Clear and nippy at first light - temp of 28 degrees. Today would be the first day of the Cloudland Pony Express. At mid-morning I saddled up my shiny new mountain bike horse, and happily peddled off up the hill towards the mailbox with the outgoing mail. I quickly realized a couple of things. First, the speed of the bike created a noticeable wind chill - my hands were soon numb from the cold. And secondly, while it was no problem remembering how to ride a bike, the muscles used are quite different from hiking, and I could feel that tightness creeping in.

And the third thing was that Aspen just LOVED to run through the woods alongside! Finally, I was going at a speed that he could appreciate. It was a quick trip to the mailbox, but an even faster one back to the office. Aspen stayed right in front of the bike all the way back, running at top speed. We did make a slight detour down to see Bob and Benny who were burning more stumps. Both the bike and Aspen got stuck in a mud hole along the way.

Wow, the Pony Express thing is going to work out great! I can get out to the mailbox and back in no time, which means that I can make the trip twice a day (eight miles total), giving both me and Aspen some good exercise. And I won't have to lay around in the sunny field waiting for the postman to come by. Of course, I suspect I will still do that once in a while, especially on those sunny winter days when there are hawks circling overhead and daydreams to explore.

Right after my lunchtime nap, there was a knock on the front door. That doesn't happen out here much. I found two hikers there. "We have a lost hiker, with a medical condition. He hiked out yesterday and never came back."

It turns out that these three men from Texas had hiked down into the Buffalo Valley the day before (actually the night before that - in the dark). When one of them became ill, he decided to hike back out to the trailhead and get some medication. The other two set up camp and waited. He never returned. Today they hiked up the ladder trail and out to Cloudland and knocked on my door.

The first thing that we did was drive on out to the trailhead and see if he had ever reached the truck. We found no truck, but did see some other hikers who said they had seen the truck earlier in the day down at the Boxley Trailhead. OK, so we drove on down there and did indeed find the truck - he had indeed hiked out OK, but now was nowhere in sight. We left him a note, then drove back to my cabin. We figured that the man was trying to re-connect with his buddies, and was hiking back upstream to rejoin them. The man's son took off back down the ladder trail to the river, hoping to find his dad down there sitting next to his pack.

An hour or so later there was another knock on the front door. It was the lost hiker, and he looked to be in pretty bad shape. Not only very sick, but a bit "wilderness-beaten" from having just spent most of the day bushwhacking up the river and back again. He never made it back to his pack, but did have a very long day in the woods, wading the river, and crashing through the thick brush. Oh yea, I forgot to tell ya, it had gotten down to 15 degrees the night before, and while the two hikers were a bit chilled in their sleeping bags alongside the river (their water bottles froze solid), the sick hiker spent the night in the back of his truck, with NO sleeping bag! I got the feeling that he wished he was back down in warm Texas!

I hoofed it on down to the river and found the man's son, who was sitting next to the full backpack. The son was hungry, and was eating his dad's lunch - guess he didn't have much confidence that his dad would return! This guy had already made the trip up the steep trail with his own full pack once this day, so I volunteered to carry his dad's pack up. By the time I reached the ladder, his son was no where in sight. That's OK, these Ozark hills are a bit steeper than Texas hills. I was actually a bit surprised that I hadn't killed over half way up myself, since I hadn't carried a heavy pack up this hill in a very long time. I took my time, and made it out without stopping. Aspen was a little smug about the entire thing, since he would jog up the steep bench above, then turn around and look down at me, with a smirk on his face.

1/15/00 Another terrific winter day in the Ozarks, although not quite as cold as the day before. But the wind was howling, up into the 40mph range. Roy and Norma came out for a hike, and to do some rapelling, but decided not to do the rope work because of the high winds.

We headed off towards Dug Hollow. Within a few minutes we were strolling along the big flat above Magnolia Canyon, home to the giant leaning tree.

Then we dropped on down through the bluffline and into Magnolia Canyon. This is not a large place, but yet one that strikes awe and smiles in everyone who passes through. While Roy and Norma have explored a great deal of this wilderness, including Dug Hollow, they had never been through this part before. I do enjoy showing folks something new and impressive.

I always enjoy finding the leaves of Adam and Eve Orchids in the winter landscape. These are very odd fellows, as the leaves are out in the winter - growing low to the ground - but the flower doesn't appear until the summertime, long after the leaves have died away. We came across a pair of orchids, which are easy to spot since their green stripes stand out agains the brown leaves of the forest floor.

We passed by a couple of newly fallen beech trees - they had fallen since I was here with Karen just last week. Those heavy winds often take a toll on the big old beeches. This particular bench that we were making our way along is always littered with big tree bodies, perhaps more than any other area I've seen.

And there are always lots of interesting things to see along the way, including several waterfalls (very low right now), carpets of reindeer lichen and thick mosses, and a surprise now and then, like this giant grape vine - one of the largest that I have ever seen.

We also found a boulder that was covered with "walking" ferns. These guys are interesting because a new plant will often grow when the tip of a fern touches dirt, thus the plant grows by "walking" along the rock.

We worked our way up into the main waterfall area, tore apart a fire ring that was built and left by some stupid hiker, then continued on around to the weird balancing rocks. They were still there, with no new ones added. We sat down and ate a bit of lunch, while Aspen posed for pictures.

On our way out we passed by Bob's cabin and found a couple of teenagers there smoking and shooting rifles at beer cans (A number of beer cans on the porch too. Hum.).They seemed to be waiting for a friend of Bob's, and so it wasn't my place to interfere. I don't like to be around people who are drinking and shooting guns, so we didn't stick around long.

Roy and Norma continued on down to the Crag, while I headed back to the cabin. Roy brought out a new pair of two-way radios and wanted to test their range. He has a set of the really nice commercial ones, which we have found to go farther than the five-mile posted distance. But these were the cheapo FRS band radios that he got at Wal Mart. Much to our surprise, the darn things actually worked! Of course, we were only 1/2 mile apart, and mostly line of sight. Since so many outdoor recreationalists are now carrying these little radios, I will probably get a set for the cabin, and even a base station, if I can find one. But I will probably also get the better commercial radios as well, and maybe even a CB (which is what the locals use). We could have used a set of radios with the lost hiker.

While Roy and Norma hadn't planned to eat dinner out here, I radioed to them that I had discovered enough black Angus filets for us all, so he gave me a big 10-4! and they headed back to the cabin. I'm not very good at throwing together a meal for guests at the last minute, but we ended up with these three-inch thick grilled filets, Caesar salad, fried taters, and bread sticks. Everyone's plate was scraped clean.

It was a terrific day of hiking, good food and company, all topped off by a visit from a mature bald eagle. This guy soared by close and got us all up and outside on the back deck in a hurry. We watched through the binocs as he rode the heavy wind currents up high over the cabin. He just circled directly overhead. I think he really wanted a cut of our steak.

1/16/00 It was a calm and quiet morning - the wind had blown itself out. It was very warm though - 54 degrees at first light - and there was a heavy cloud cover. It felt like rain - boy, we sure do need some! The silence was broken by the scream of a barred owl, which set Aspen off - he barked and howled for five minutes.

There were a number of visitors to Cloudland today, which is common for a Sunday, all of them on foot. And for the very first time that I can recall, Aspen got worn out. I rode the bike out to get yesterday's mail, and Aspen sped along full speed for four miles. When we returned to the cabin, he gulped some water, then plopped down on the wood floor, and didn't move again for two hours. I think the heat got to him.

Lots of hikers out on the Crag today, and in the woods too. It is great to see that so many people are realizing that hiking in the Ozarks in January is terrific! Of course, it could also be terrible, with below zero temps and ice everywhere. But it remained warm all day - in the low 60's - and kind of dark and dreary. No rain.

1/17/00 Daylight was late today due to a thick, heavy fog cover. Temp 55. We struck out on a short hike in the wonderful morning air, which was alive with the sound of dozens of birds singing.

And then we heard "cluck, cluck" off in the distance - turkeys! It didn't take us long to find them, their ghostly images moving slowly up the hillside. Because the air was so damp, our footsteps made no sound in the leaves to alarm the big birds. But Aspen saw to it that our presence was known, and soon he had them flying off in all directions.

The dense fog hung around all morning and into the afternoon. Our second hike was much like the first, a wonderful stroll through dreamland. We must have disturbed a hawk having lunch, because Aspen found the remains of a freshly killed and mostly eaten squirrel. He was very proud of his find - the foot and attached leg bone of the poor critter - and carried it around in his mouth for thirty minutes. Roy stopped by for a few minutes, and as he always does, called out to Aspen for a big kiss. I just stood there and said nothing. Hey, it was fresh meat. Probably a good thing to keep in mind whenever you invite a dog to lick you though.

1/18/00 Another morning of dense fog at Cloudland. And absolutely quiet - not a sound anywhere. Until I tuned in to the music of the river - it was singing at the top of it lungs! It sounded like we had a downpour overnight, but there was none - the cloud cover or something just made air conditions right to send the music on up to my ears without any loss of volume. We did get about two tenths of an inch of rain yesterday, but that certainly was not enough to bring the river up any.

And then another noise rang out and echoed across the wilderness - turkeys! There was a flock of them down there somewhere, talking back and forth as they scraped back the leaves in search of grubs and other morsels living in the top of the soil. These guys (actually gals probably) were so loud that Aspen sat down on the deck and listened to them for five minutes.

Got two bits of info for you this morning. First, this from a photo friend down in Russellville:

"There is going to be a red moon Thursday night (a total lunar eclipse). It starts at 8:01pm central time and will be total starting at 9:05pm (listed at 10:05pm in the almanac)."

The Farmer's Almanac calls this full moon a "wolf" moon. Hum, a RED WOLF MOON - I wonder how many times that has happened? Sounds to me like a typical Cloudland event. I suspect that Aspen and I will be out on the Crag when it happens.

Speaking of Aspen, we started an eight-week obedience class last night. The first assignment was to teach him his name. I must be doing something right, because he passed with flying colors. I learned that a dog's name should mean "stop, look at me, and listen for a command." Bits of microwaves hot dogs will help with the training. Those are for me, the dogs get bones. Aspen is one adorable little pup, but he is kind of wild, especially around new people. This class will teach both of us how to behave.

And the second bit of info comes from a good friend who sends along this word for the day:

INSELBERG

Got any idea what it means? My friend says that it could be used to describe me - "an isolated mountain." Hum. I consider myself more of a rolling hill (striving to become a mountain), but will take it as a compliment!

The fog finally lifted just before noon. It feels TERRIFIC outside, with the air still damp and warm (in the high 40's).

1/20/00 Very cold at daylight, about twenty degrees with a stiff breeze - the wind chill was below zero. After I combed the ice out of my hair, and spent about ten minutes chopping wood, we headed up the hill to the office, with a slight detour. I wanted to see if we had any frost flowers this morning. And sure enough, there they were, growing in the same location as I had seen them several other times this winter. So much for them only appearing once with the first cold snap. They seem to show up every time the temp gets down near twenty. I must say that the flowers themselves were smaller today than they have been - perhaps there isn't much water left in the soil to freeze!

There was a flock of bluebirds disturbing my work this morning. They were up in the tall black gum tree next to the office. They had come back to get the remaining blue berries out of the tree that they had left the last time they were here. Their leftovers came crashing down on my tin roof, making a very loud racket. I guess there are worse things in the world to complain about than bluebirds making noise.

After a day in town, I returned to the cabin with a large headache. Hum. Must be a connection there. I tried to take a long nap up in the loft, but Aspen was making a pest of himself, bouncing off the walls and the furniture and me, and biting everything within reach. I did manage to get him to slow down enough to post for a couple of pictures. Looks like a little angel in these pics, but he was really being a DEVIL!

OK Aspen, you win. He forced me to head outside, where he could run and jump and chase birds to his hearts content. My head was splitting wide open, so I decided I might as well go ahead and add to it and split a few more logs - it was a might nippy out, and was supposed to dip down in to the teens later tonight, so I wanted a full supply of wood.

The sunset was quite spectacular, as the western horizon was cloaked with low hanging clouds, all lit up bright red and orange.

Aspen continued to go nuts, although was taking his aggressions out on a dried up mole that he found somewhere. I thought he was supposed to be a champion bird dog, but he is really good and finding dried up moles and toads.

And the a very strange thing happened. The sun had just set off to my left, and the huge full moon was rising through the trees to my right. Now I know that the full moon is supposed to rise right at sunset, but out here in the mountains it usually takes it 30-45 minutes to climb up over the hill yonder and become visible. But today it did indeed rise right at sunset, which means it actually came up a bit early. Hum, I guess it just wanted to get a head start on the night's activities, since it would be doing its eclipse thing later on. It was a spectacular sight to behold, on time or not.

After the split wood was carried in and stacked neatly next to the fireplace (actually I just piled it up anyway that I could), I retired up to the loft to make another go at a nap - my head was still pounding, although the manual labor did take the edge off somewhat.

About fifteen minutes into my nap, I opened my eyes to a glorious sight - the moon was shining in on me, lighting up the entire loft with an eerie red glow. I got up and went out onto the balcony, and found a red halo around the moon. My little digital camera really can't do justice to the moon, but I took a snapshot anyway.

Once my bowl of dinner chili had disappeared, I wandered on out into the night and back up to the office for a couple hours of work. It was one of the brightest moonlit nights I had ever seen - the halo was gone, and nothing but pure moonlight. It was getting bitter cold though, and the uphill hike produced some welcome internal heat.

I am sitting here in the office at the computer right now, and the full moon is keeping a careful watch over me through the window. Aspen is asleep at my feet. Down the hillside a bit there is firelight bouncing off of my cabin walls, a cherry glow awaiting my return. All is well at Cloudland.

Since I have a very early day tomorrow, and I can see the moon just fine from the cabin, I think that I will shut down the office and head back to the cabin and observe the eclipse from the warmth of the living room. I had wanted to hike down to the Crag and view it there, but the pull of the roaring fireplace is just too much!

It was a delightful hike down to the cabin in the moonlight. So nice in fact that we veered off of the direct route and took the long way home, through the east meadow. The eclipse had begun, but still plenty of illumination to light the way.

When we arrived back at the cabin, Aspen refused to come inside. The moon grew darker. Actually, the moon really did begin to turn a bit red, sort of a dingy red, but red just the same. It turned into one of the strangest lunar eclipses that I had ever seen. The shadow line was not sharp, nor completely dark. The features of the lunar surface remained visible during the entire eclipse. It was a most interesting sight.

And one really amazing thing happened - a shooting star begun just below the moon, and blazed its way straight down, disappearing into the eastern horizon. Quite spectacular!

I hung around the cabin while all of this was going on, stepping outside to gaze at the spectacle through the tele every now and then. Aspen was going nuts out in the woods somewhere. I eventually spent some time outside myself chopping wood. I must say that it was simply a weird experience out there in the dim moonlight, chopping wood while my dog was out in the woods trying to dig up a mole. It was pretty cold, but the work kept the blood warm.

It wasn't until after the moon was completely covered by the earth's shadow and on the way back to brightness again that Aspen finally decided to give up his search for moles and came inside. The fire was roaring, the cabin was clean, and the moonlight was returning.

1/21/00 The full moon was up in the western sky when I slipped into the hot water. Still moonlight as I spent ten minutes chopping wood - a little weird to be chopping wood in the pre-dawn light with the moon shining. This had to be the LONGEST full moon in history! It came up very early last night, and was still around to illuminate my hike up to the office this morning. Lots of full moonlight, the red eclipse, a shooting star - boy, I must be in for some very lucky days ahead.

1/24/00 It was nearly 2am when we returned from a weekend road trip. The ground was covered with a light dusting of snow, and it was a wee bit chilly. Since the moon was up and still very bright, we decided to take a stroll through the twilight before retiring for the night.

We were the only creatures stirring, and with good reason, since it was bitter cold. But the moonlight seemed to warm things up a bit, and it was a delightful walk, although we didn't stay out too long.

Sunrise found me in the hot tub, and Aspen out in the woods chasing birds. It was a crisp, bright blue day out, in the upper teens with a breeze. The deck was covered with snow, which seemed to begin to melt as the first rays of sunshine hit it. Yikes, the wind picked up a bit when I stepped out of the tub and instantly froze my hair! I couldn't help but notice the wind chill on the weather station as I passed - EIGHT DEGREES BELOW ZERO. Hum, I wonder how many folks were out running around naked and dripping wet in this kind of weather?

A quick check of the "frost flower garden" reveled yet another crop of the delicate works of art, although they continue to shrink in size. Lots of tiny birds flittering about this morning, which made Aspen happy.

1/25/99 "Don't cook dinner, we are bringing it." was the message on my machine when I returned to the cabin around 6pm after a couple of days in town. It was Terry Eastin, and she was driving up from down near Little Rock with Ken and a friend to get a trail-building tool that I had. They are working on a new "watchable wildlife" trail for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Ken has been using a five-foot wide Bobcat blade to do most of the construction, but they needed some hand work done too. So with dinner on the way, Aspen and I took off on a short hike around the property, and finally ended up at the office for an hour or two of paperwork.

Dinner didn't arrive until after 9pm. Then the cooking started. Terry and David Renko (he is a talented musican that plays with the Cate Brothers band) slaved away in the kitchen while Ken and I hiked up to the office in the dark. Ken hadn't seen the office before, so I gave him the grand tour, which only takes about sixty seconds.

There were a zillion stars out, and it was a bit chilly.

When dinner finally arrived, we had a great feast. It was after 11pm when they all loaded back up again, with two of my McLoed trail tools in hand, for the trip back down to central Arkansas. Long trip just to pick up a couple of tools, but the food was terrific.

1/26/00 GOOD GRIEF! The entire eastern sky was blaze orange before sunrise. It was one stunning sight for sure. And a great start to an exciting day. Not only was the weather forecast calling for up to a foot of snow today, but Aspen was going to get his own meadow created as well.

There is this special little place on my property that is actually the top of the hill right behind the office. It used to be a field, but has grown up with thick brush. Aspen and I have gone there many times lately to just hang out and survey the countryside. Or at least we have imagined what the countryside would look like without all of the brush in the way. Well, today my bulldozer man Charles came by and began the task of scraping off all that brush and re-claiming the field. Since I was with Aspen when I first found it, it will be named "Aspen's Meadow" (kind of like John Boy's Meadow on the Waltons TV show).

As luck would have it, no snow all day. But Charles did get a good start on the meadow, and it looked like the view was going to be really nice. This hillside faces to the north and west, and not only will we have a great view of all the surrounding countryside, but also of the summertime sunsets. And it will be the PERFECT star gazing spot. With the exception of the small meadow down below the cabin here, there isn't a single foot of open space at Cloudland.

I plan to keep the meadow in one sort of wildlife food or another, plus wildflowers. A teepee might even be erected there one day (a real one, from Colorado), and no telling what else. I love the woods, but I also enjoy meadows as well, and look forward to caring for this one. And, of course, Aspen just LOVES to RUN through meadows!

While typing away at the computer in the office at midday, I turned around and saw black smoke pouring out of the oil-filled radiator heater next to me (this is the only heat for the office - one unit in each room). I guess after fifteen years the old heater finally gave up. Good thing I was here to unplug it. I moved the other one in from the warehouse and kept on typing.

Bob and Kenny dropped by for a few minutes. This is the very first time that Bob has seen the office. I call the interior walls "Faddis Cabin Walls" since Bob used the same panels when he redid that cabin. Very functional.

It remained very cold all day, with a stiff breeze blowing. The wind chill was down about zero. In advance of the approaching blizzard, I spent about an hour splitting wood. I could easily get stuck here for a week or two without worry. The only real problem is that I have RUN OUT OF CHOCOLATE! Oops, that was a major oversight on my part.

After dinner Hete dropped by for a visit and to show me some plans that he has for a house that he wants to build. He also let me sample some chocolate liquor, which was splendid.

I stayed up long after Hete left, stoking the fire and looking for snow. Not a flake. They were first calling for a 90% chance of snow tonight, then dropped that to 60%, and finally only a 30% chance. Hum, they must be using the same super weather computer that they used to predict the blizzard on the east coast a couple of days ago (that computer predicted less than once inch of snow, and nearly two feet actually hit the ground).

1/27/00 I expected to wake up and run out into deep snow this morning. Well, it was cold, FRIGID (wind chill well below zero), but still no snow at all. That was actually good, because I needed for UPS to come out today and pick up a batch of packages of books, and I had hoped that Charles could finish up the meadow. So it was OK for now that the snow was holding off.

FINALLY, at about noon, the snow began. It was very fine snow, blowing in from the east, and it was quite dry. This snow was not sticking to the sides of trees like blowing snow will often do, but it was piling up on the ground in a hurry - since the ground was already frozen, none melted when it hit the ground like it usually does here in Arkansas.

The UPS guy showed up and left just as the snow was beginning. And Charles had been working away since just after first light, so the meadow was looking fine. In fact, I was just up to the meadow to check on things, and WOW, it looks terrific! I've said this before, but Charles is one heck of an artist with that huge dozer (the blade is more than twelve feet wide, and weights 26 tons). I flagged five trees to be saved, and son of a gun, he was able to get every last twig cleared out right up next to them without getting a scratch on them.

Left in the meadow are two giant cedars, a large and interesting dogwood, plus two beech trees, including one that is about eight inches in diameter. I don't have any beeches on my property, so when I found these two guys, I knew I had to keep them. The largest one is right on top of the hill - you never see beeches on the TOP of a hill.

Charles just finished up and stopped by the office on his way out. His feet were so cold that he stuck them in between the heating elements of the heater and never felt a thing.

The snow is coming down pretty heavy now, with larger flakes. The two inches on the ground are very fine powder. Sometime after dark tonight, once the snow piles up a couple more inches, I will get down my x-country skis and we will head out into the winter wonderland. The temp has remained in the low 20's all day.

The snow continued into the night, getting heavier at times. The lure of the roaring fireplace, and the darkness outside, kept me from skiing tonight. Besides, the snow wasn't deep enough anyway.

1/28/00 It did snow throughout the night - still lots of fine powder - and the morning found about five or six inches of snow at Cloudland. I had to go out and brush off the hot tub before I could lift the lid. Aspen simply loved it, and quickly disappeared into the woods. It was eighteen degrees, some light blowing snow, with a wind chill of 13 below zero.

OK, the scene was all set up - the snow-covered mountains, the incredible view, the log cabin, the blazing fire in the fireplace, the faithful dog bounding through the forest, and me, sitting in the steaming hot tub sipping my Starbucks Mocha. All that was missing was the snow bunny!

The coldest that I ever sat out in a hot tub (or in this case a hot spring) was in Colorado, at Princeton Hot Springs, and it was twenty-two below zero ACTUAL temperature! We waded into the river, and there was thick steam coming from the 104 degree water. It was very strange indeed, but delightful.

Not quite that cold this morning, thank goodness. But it was a wee bit chilly when I stepped out and put my bare wet feet into the foot deep snow drift beside the hot tub. Nothing but a steaming naked blur heading to the fireplace after that. I could tell that Aspen was amused.

AT LAST, the x-country skis came down off of the cabin wall and went onto my feet. The snow was just barely deep enough, but it was plenty, and I strode off up towards the hill. I quickly discovered that x-country skiing is a lot like sex in that you really don't forget how - and it has been quite a while since I did either!

Few things in life are as nice as making your way effortlessly through a snow covered-forest on skis, especially when you are breaking new trail. The world is silent and still after a big snow, and the motion of skiing is just beautiful to watch, and to do.

Many people think that x-country skiing is difficult, but those people have never done it before. I find that it is often easier than walking, especially when going up a gentle slope. And on the level, why you get going forward, lean into the skis, and you just slide your way right on along. Oh sure, you can make a terrific workout out of it, which is what I enjoy doing, but you certainly don't have to.

And the Ozarks are the PERFECT place to x-country ski. You see, the majority of the great ski trails in the west are log roads, and we have hundreds of miles of them right here. If we just got lots of snow each year, folks would flock to the Ozarks to ski. Nothing like skiing right out of the front door!

OK, back to reality. While I plan to spend much of this day out skiing, there is one major problem that I have to deal with first this morning. And I know that some of you may snicker, but that is fine with me. My Mercedes is dead. Stuck in park. It won't go anywhere. I am waiting for instructions from Mercedes (they have one of those roadside assistance programs - in fact, every Mercedes ever made is covered for life by the program). They are trying to figure out the problem and get it fixed without having to tow it in, which would not only be a major deal, but they would also have to provide me with another one to keep while it is being fixed. But no matter, it is cold enough outside that the snow won't go away anytime soon, so I will get lots of skiing in.

Today was the first real ski ever at Cloudland, and man was it great! I followed the road out to the mailbox, and this path was just perfect. A total of four miles, and not a single face plant. While I wasn't really wearing much - only a thin capeline top and pile-lined gore-tex jacket - I stayed plenty warm in the 20 degree temp. My hands did get numb once, so I stuck the ski poles under my armpits and skied without poles while my hands were warming in my pockets.

Kick, glide. Kick, glide. It was easy, satisfying, and a terrific aerobic workout, if only for an hour. And you should have seen my dog! He is more like a snowshoe hare than a springer spaniel, although there was a great deal of springing going on, and running at top speed, and jumping and bounding all over the place. There were lots of little birds on the ground looking for seeds, and Aspen paid a visit to all that he could find.

After I deposited my pack full of mail in the box, I wandered on over to the trailhead and found one vehicle already there. Probably some folks hiking down to the Crag to take pictures. I suspected there would be many more there later in the day, and probably a ton of folks out this weekend.

The trip back was even faster, since I was skiing in the same tracks and not breaking new trail. X-country skiing is such a beautiful sport, as smooth and fluid as flyfishing is. The motion is just wonderful. And the best part is that I burned off enough calories that I could eat all of the chocolate chip cookies that I want to without feeling guilty!

Part of the lure of x-country skiing is being able to return to a log cabin or lodge with a big fire going, sip hot chocolate (laced with Bailey's Irish Cream on this day), and then take a nap. I was obligated to comply.

Then it was back outside to ski up to the office to get some real work done today. Oh yea, we discovered that a cable under the Mercedes got broken somehow, and the car will have to be towed back into town. With all of the bad weather all over the region, they won't be able to get out to me until NEXT WEEK! So it looks like I am STRANDED AT CLOUDLAND. Oh darn. I wasn't going anywhere anyway. As long as the phone lines stay up and the cookies don't run out, I will be OK.

As luck would have it, a couple of friends came by later in the day, and with a little messing around, I was able to get the gear unstuck (one person had to be in the vehicle working the gear shifter, while I was under the car). Yea! That little feat saved me about $300 in towing charges. Of course, now I have no excuse to stay out here and play in the snow. But come to think of it, I LIVE HERE NOW, so I am staying!

Aspen and I skied up to his meadow. This was the very first time that I got to see it in its entirety. Aspen absolutely LOVED it, and kept flying back and forth from one side to the other. Somehow he knew that this was his special place. And I discovered something quite remarkable and unexpected - there was a view opened up that stretched all the way down the Buffalo River valley to BOXLEY VALLEY, and even to the far end of it! It is a very high and long view, but an open view just the same. I hadn't planned on any view in that direction at all. It's going to be one really nice meadow.

The trip down the hill and back to the cabin was a quick one, and I sailed right on along on my skis. I spent about thirty minutes chopping wood - filled up the big wood box with enough to last for a couple of days. After a big batch of black beans and rice with little smokies, we settled in for the night, basking in the warm glow of the crackling fire.

1/29/00 It was still cloudy at first light, and the temp was 20 degrees. But much to my surprise it had snowed another three inches over night! The last flakes were just hitting the ground as I slipped into the steaming water. These were much larger flakes than the day before. My dog immediately disappeared down the hillside to chase one little critter or another.

The first order of the day was, well what else - TO SKI! So we headed back out to the mailbox. This was the best ski route anyway, and I hadn't gotten the mail from the day before. It was a wonderful ski, and I was able to really stretch it out and get some speed up. I hardly ever saw Aspen - he was always off in the woods romping in the new powder.

When I reached the mailbox I was stunned - NO MAIL! Hey, while the post office may lose a letter now and then, they ALWAYS get through! Isn't that in the U.S. constitution or something? Well, our guy never made it out on Friday. I was really disappointed, and had a lot of mail that really needed to get out. I could hardly believe that this little snowfall that we have gotten actually prevented the mail from being delivered. Good grief, it was only five or six inches of snow!

The trip back was also a great ski, and we took a detour every now and then to see the sights and play in some new snow. I always love to wander around in the forest and look for signs of life. Especially when you find a little hole in the snow, an entrance for someone, and see tracks coming out of the hole, and then returning again. Aspen seems to like these too, but he usually sticks his nose down into the hole to see who is home.

Back at the cabin the fire was roaring, and the air was filled with the aroma of fresh baking cookies. I finally PERFECTED the chocolate chip cookie. Oatmeal, brown sugar, white sugar, whole wheat flour, salt, vanilla, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and oh yea, CHOCOLATE CHIPS! The only problem with baking them just after a big ski, and on an empty stomach, is that the cookies disappear about as fast as they come out of the oven. Actually I limited myself to eight or nine of them.

One of the really great things about snow on the ground is that I am able to look out and see so much more of the detail of the wilderness, since the snow defines and outlines everything. I can trace the big bluffline all the way up the river valley, and see each giant block of rock that has slipped off from it. And even individual trees, outlined in snow, are visible far away. The river below is filled with snow-covered boulders, and is singing a lively tune, with the anticipation of much water that will come with the melting snow. I can stand at the window for hours and gaze into this winter wilderness wonderland.

Then it was time to hit the slopes again, and we geared up and took off. This time we headed out down the slope and through the open woods, out towards the Crag. Eight inches of snow is fine for skiing across an open field or along a road, but it is just barely enough for the open woods. You always have rocks and limbs and stuff sticking up, and it really is better with a foot or more. So I spent a lot of time running to rocks and limbs, which is why I was using my "rock hopper" skis. These skis have been around a long time, and have many scratches and gouges in the base, so a few more won't hurt. I also have a nicer pair downstairs for when we get a really deep snow.

There was no one at the Crag. And with the exception of a couple groups that I know were there yesterday, and a neighbor that was there early this morning, no one else had been there since the snow. I thought that there would have been lots of folks out today. Must all be stuck at home.

On the way out I ran into Danny and Brenda Hale and Becky Hern. They had driven up from Russellville, and were headed down to the Crag. Danny is the one who took the picture of Aspen and I that appears in the November journal. They started a hiking club called TAKAHIK, which is a very active bunch.

We continued on our little ski around the area, and eventually wound up back at the office. Aspen seems to collect a bunch of snow balls each time he goes out, which are packed snow about the size of racket balls, and cling to his fur. He is down on the office floor at my feet as I am writing this chewing up the snowballs.

This snow has stuck around longer than any I can recall since way back in 1994. All of our snows since then have melted away in a day or so. With the temps remaining in the 20's for another day or two, this snow will stick around, and I will get to ski again a few times. Hum, I guess I may have to make up another batch of cookies!

1/30/00 I slept in a bit late today - too many movies last night. The temp was 22 just after first light, with a bit of a breeze.

No hashbrowns in the freezer, but I felt like loading up on a bit of fat, so I shredded a hearty potato and had fried hashbrowns, onions, little smokies, eggs, and cheddar cheese, all mixed up for breakfast.

Then we struck off on a ski ramble. First we headed up the trail to the East meadow, and was hit by a frigid blast of north wind. I'm not that my dog knows what a frigid blast is, because he just ran harder and jumped higher. The woods and open fields are like catnip to him.

We spent the next couple of hours following many of the old roads and trails around the hilltop, visiting Bob's cabin, the Woods cabin, and the Faddis cabin.

During one ten minute stretch of trail, I counted twenty-seven sets of tracks in the snow. Most were squirrels probably, but there were many small tracks - like mice or moles or chipmunks or something - and a number of bird tracks, which often hardly even make a dent in the snow. Plus there were several sets of deer tracks, and we found where they had pawed through the snow looking for fresh grass beneath.

And there must have been one frozen armadillo dude out as well. This one set of tracks weaved back and forth, back and forth, and I could almost see the little devil wandering around aimlessly looking for grubs. These are warm weather fellows, who only recently have made their way up into the Ozarks (there were NONE here in my youth).

I followed a four-wheeler trail down to the Woods cabin, which is located below the North meadow, in a dense stand of timber. They have several dog houses out in front for their deer dogs. A couple of them are pretty nice.

Just beyond their cabin, I struck off into the open woods, and headed down a little bench. This little bench turned into a rather steep bench, and before long I was out of control, flying down the hillside with reckless abandon. I could see that I would soon level out, so I tried to stay with it and not fall over. Just then I saw something that horrified me - there was a TINY cedar tree sticking up out of the snow, and it was right in my way - I was going to run right over it!

While my ski probably would not have killed the little tree, the thought of plowing into it didn't sit well with me. So I reached deep down inside me and grabbed what little snowy athletic ability I had, and somehow managed to regain control and fly right on past the little tree, my skis passing on either side of it. Whew - that was a close one!

I'm not sure if it is a great thing or sad that such trite episodes become important to me out here, but I will relish each and every one that comes along.

We are back at the office now, and outside the clouds are breaking up and the sun is shining through for the first time in several days. Lots of blue sky! I have been looking down at the river for the past few days, wanting to stand on the shore and take a picture of the snow-covered boulders in the streambed. I think now is the time, so we are off to slip and slide down the steep hillside to the river. I'll let you know if we survive.

The trip down to the river was a great one, as they all are. When we got to the ladder we discovered that a number of other hikers were in front of us. The ladder and the old historical ladder trail help give access to folks into the wilderness. I know that a small group of elitists spend a lot of time whining about having a trail in a wilderness area, but I think they are babies, and hypocrites - all of them have used trails in wilderness areas themselves, and they are just trying to keep others from enjoying the backcountry.

I don't believe that we should have trails all over the place, but one trail that allows access to moderate hikers is certainly fine. This is where most people will travel, which concentrates the use onto this 18" ribbon. And if you don't want to see other people, then simply step off of the trail and bushwhack, which is what these elitists whine about wanting to do anyway. I just don't get what they are whining about.

Anyway, we followed the ladder trail on down the steep hillside, veering off of it from time to time because the rocks along the trail were slick. I say "we" but I really mean me - Aspen was flying up and down and all over the place, as always.

The river was terrific, with puff balls of snow-covered rocks scattered about all over. We never did see the other hikers, who must have gone upstream. We wandered on over to the swimming hole and found the water flowing into it pretty good. There was a layer of ice covering much of the main pool part - a bit nippy for lap swimming today!

Next we headed up Whitaker Creek, which was just barely flowing. Boy, the water level is really low for this time of year. I know the melting snow will help, but we could use a lot more.

Whitaker Creek was even nicer than the main river, more intimate I guess. I probably should have brought down my main camera gear, but I will wait for a deeper snow. And I would have to do something about my "assistant." You see, one of the things that I love about these winter landscapes is the snow that has settled on top of each rock in the stream. Since Aspen just loves to romp around everywhere, he has a tendency to knock off many of the snow castles. And he did ruin a couple of great scenes that I was getting ready to photograph with the digital camera. But it was great to have him along just the same. This spring, when I am shooting wildflower pictures, I will have to have a leash handy.

We made out way up Whitaker Creek for a ways, then branched off and headed up the hillside. The snow actually made it easier to climb - gave my boots a better grip. But it was STEEP!

Before long we were standing at the base of the big sandstone bluff. Aspen was sitting there with a grin on his face while I was huffing and puffing.

I wanted to make a big circle, so we hiked along the base of the bluff towards the Crag. The sun had begun to melt what few ice formations there were, and walking under a dripline was an exhilarating experience - that near-frozen water on my bare head kind of woke me up!

One thing about walking under blufflines in the winter - it is DANGEROUS! The sun loosens up those icy daggers, and when they fall, could easily drive a hole right on through a person. So when you hike a long a bluffline in winter, it is best to either make sure you are UNDER the bluff, or far enough out from it that no drops are falling on you - stay away from the drip line.

There were a couple of folks up on the Crag when we passed under it.

One of the most scenic parts of this bluffline is upstream from the Crag - the bluff is painted many brilliant colors, mostly because of iron in the sandstone I guess - and the bluff itself is quite tall. I must measure it one day.

I was a little worried about the climb up through the bluffline - whether Aspen could make it or not. Especially when I got there and found the route to be clogged with ice formations. I spent some time handing him up to the next level, which he was not in favor of. When I finally got near the top, I stopped to take a picture, and turned around and saw that Aspen had run right back down the bluff to the bottom. And then he ran right on back up to me, without any help! I will learn one of these days.

Looked like there had been lots of traffic to the Crag today, and it was one spectacular day to visit for sure. The sun had chased away most of the clouds, and it was reducing the snowy trail to mud. Walking on a level trail was like getting onto a freeway, and within minutes we were back at the cabin.

FEBRUARY 2000 Journal