Nature School :: The (No) Ice Rocks

No, really. NO ICE AT THE ICE ROCKS. In February!

What a strange thing it was!  I thought, surely, this Winter was colder than the last, though we have had less snow.  I guess that warm spell last week really was too warm.  We visited a whole three weeks later last year and saw ice.  Oh, well.

The children soon set to being amateur geologists, speculating about the stone walls that line the road.  There's lots of mica and quartz present, with some iron in both.  I'm no Roadside Geologist yet, but there's still time.

Now, it was still chilly at the Ice Rocks.  Coats and cold fingers were the norm for us.  As we walked from the sunny end to the shady one, there was frost still on the mountainside.  And we did see a little ice on a few rocks, but it was clear and very thin.  I guess we were just about two weeks too late.

We had planned to visit some time back, and I had made contact with an area ranger over the Winter, trying to find a time when the road was open.  Closures and construction put off our visit, along with the unexpected changes in our family.  The ranger told us this morning that he'd call me when the rocks were iced again next Winter.  He wants to make sure we have a special visit, even if the roads are closed!

Our visit this time was still full of wonder, of its own unexpected kind.  We enjoyed the rock walls, the intrepid plants growing on them, and the fun of speculating about secret passageways.  We found a couple locks on the rock, which I guess must be for ice climbing.  I don't know.  It made me think of the special entrance to the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit.  Willow said we had to return on Durin's Day.

There was plenty of water, which was nice to see, and the children enjoyed little showers.  All the rain has helped ease the warmth we've seen.  Roan is our rainbow finder, and he often runs outside to locate one when the conditions are right. 

And with that, life calls.  There's a chance of snow Friday and it sure would be nice!