It's cooled off a bit the last few nights which means the trails are once again firm enough for good fat biking. Yesterday I got out for a nice 3 hour ride and along the way was treated to this incredible view of Lake Superior and Isle Royale National Park on the horizon.
Summit view from one of the toughest but most rewarding snowshoe hikes along the Minnesota shoreline of Lake Superior: Mt. Josephine in Grand Portage. Not an overly long distance to snowshoe, but lots of vertical elevation gain. 700 feet in less than a mile. Elevation at the trailhead is just over 600 feet above sea level, elevation at the summit is just over 1300 feet. The dramatic elevation makes for some jaw-dropping views from the summit! This view is looking east over the Susie Islands and Pigeon Point, the northeastern tip of Minnesota.
There are few things as inviting as a nice snowshoe trail through a forest with snow-covered trees!
The lake has been so calm lately. The other day when I was snowshoeing along one of the local ridge tops this view in the distance caught my eye. I really like the way the ice was flowing like a ribbon behind the island.
As the sun was getting low in the sky yesterday the moon was getting high in the sky. It just so happened that while I was snowshoeing I looked up at just the right time to see the moon near the top of this tree. I maneuvered into position to photograph the moon where it appeared to be balanced on the tip of the treetop.
While exploring the summit of Mt. Josephine yesterday I found a lot of really fascinating patterns in the snow that were caused by the wind. The lines here really draw your eye into the scene. I was mesmerized by it.
I made this photo last night just before heading back from the summit of Mt. Josephine on my snowshoe hike. The camera was mounted on a tripod, and this was a 1.6 second exposure of the moonlight reflecting on the surface of Lake Superior. The silhouette of Isle Royale National Park can be seen on the horizon in the background. I am so lucky to have such beauty so close to my home.
