Gitchie Manitou State Preserve located on the east bank of
the Big Sioux River just into Iowa and south of the Mary Jo Wegner Arboretum is
really a wonderful all-season hiking area. My wife (Marsha) and I joined one of our sons (Derek) and
his dog (Cooper) this morning for a hike through the snow-covered trails and
woods of Gitchie Manitou.
We entered today from the main entrance (see an earlier
narrative at http://hikingsiouxfalls.blogspot.com/2012/08/gitchie-manitou-state-preserve-iowa.html)
and found the parking area deserted and a snow covered trail leading into the
preserve. The temperature was about 20 degrees, but there was a north wind that
seemed to suck out any warmth from the body.
Rather that continue along the main trail over an open and
windswept landscape, we headed down toward the Big Sioux River through a
thickly wooded lowland. That route took us out of the wind but also required us
to move over very uneven terrain along a deer trail that wound through thickets
of trees, some still in rough shape from the ice storm of last spring.
Taking photos along the walk required me to take off my
gloves, fiddle with the camera and case, and then fall behind the others. My hands became so chilled that it
seemed to radiate through my body, and I found myself struggling to keep
up.
The snow was not deep enough
to make snowshoes worthwhile, so we just moved on with regular shoes through a
few inches of fresh snow laid over what remained from the recent past.
The frozen Big Sioux River was on our left as we moved
through the trees. I thought about
the likelihood of the river running free in just a few more weeks. Toward the end of next month, I would
expect to see the river flowing with large chunks of ice along the shoreline.
After a mile or so, we emerged from the woods near the old
quartzite building that occupies a central feature of the preserve and
continued north to a trail entrance leading the quarry ponds. These ponds are also one of the unique
aspects of the area, much like a smaller scale of the quarry ponds at Arrowhead
Park
To escape a piercing headwind as we began the return trip,
we headed east to the fence line that forms the border of the preserve and
followed that south to a junction with the main hiking trail.
We followed the trail back to the parking area with the wind
at our back and finished the walk at the spot from which we departed about an
hour and a half earlier.
My son and wife reminded me that this type of hike along a
broken surface and uneven terrain in cold, icy, and windy conditions is best
for building fitness. We did not
see any wildlife on the hike this morning, but there were plenty of tracks from
deer, rabbits, and other unknown creatures. I do feel more righteous after such a walk, a much better
feeling that I experience after a treadmill stroll in our basement. But, I am
still chilled!
For a look at all the photos taken on this hike, please check out my Flickr page at the following URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayheath/sets/72157640934754395/
