Icicle Creek Autumn

 

 

 

 

Two weeks too late I decided to go up to Icicle Creek out of Leavenworth to explore and look for some fall color. There was definitely an abundance of yellow left however most of the trees had lost their leaves and the larch were past their prime. A few were still a lovely bright yellow.

 

Wandering along the Icicle Gorge trail I was stopped by the silence of falling larch needles. They fell so silently I was reminded of snow falling softly on a winter day.

Fallen larch needles on the trail

Fruiting mushrooms were everywhere. There were far too many to photograph and I couldn't identify most of them. Unfortunately, my field guides are somewhere in my storage unit. The most impressive one is about the size of two dinner plates! I have seen dinner plate sized mushrooms but this one was enormous! There were several others closer to the size of a typical dinner plate in the same area.

 

 

 

The streams were also picturesque. Clear and clean like the air surrounding them.

Roadside stream

Icicle Creek
 

I pulled over in a dispersed camping area to do some writing and wandering and found what appears to be a bear track. Funny how finding one makes you look over your shoulder even though it was a bit old.

Bear track

I'm enjoying my weekend mountain wanderings inhaling the fresh crisp air, walking around streams and through the forest, listening to the rush of waters, and hoping for a sign of wildlife. Refreshed I return home.