grandmoogus: Hike up Tobin Ridge

Brenda and I were intending on climbing to Chambers Creek to see it in full spate; an arduous climb after not doing steeps for a goodly time. But we were thwarted by the little creek at the beginning of our trek. It was deep and swift, and I'm a fraidy cat. Brenda was willing to take off her shoes and roll up her pants and risk it. Hmm.
So we went over to the Tobin Dump (rock piles, not garbage), and hiked up the Tobin Ridge Road into the sun and snow. Lots of frozen places this morning, even here in the banana belt, so we had to watch our steps in the slippery spots. Lots to see and shout about on the journey, as you'll see!

View of the sun touching the Ridge from my deck this morning

Ice on a puddle near the Chambers Creek trailhead

The mountain just north of Bald Eagle Peak (dratted power lines)

The Tobin Bridges

Uh oh! First blocked road event; this a rock slide.

This refers to the bridge over Jackass Creek

Would you want to drive over that? I wouldn't.

Jackass Creek, seen from the bridge.

This creek bars us from accessing the Old Storrie Road

Brenda hears and spots a flight of snow geese high above. I'm going to show you many shots of them now.

The only good zoom shot while they were still fairly close to us

can you see them grouped in their V-shape?

changing shape

last one

There's a fairly large bare-branch tree in that mostly-mud pile, but it doesn't really show. I should've put Brenda down there, next to it for perspective.

Me-thinks this is Burrito Creek, the only place we cross it, and it was still flowing through its culvert without damage to the road. This was what I wanted to know.

The snow helps show how in this shady curve the waterway is still flowing over the road

Here's one slip-out place that doesn't look like it's finished slumping.

The Tobin Ridge and other mountains, with Jackass Creek's long-falling cascade plainly visible

Don't you love this view? I certainly do.

This is where we decide to go no further. It is too packed-sand-slippery looking for me, and for Brenda, too.

A little closer view of it.

Driving down the Dump Road, I approach the infamous Blackberry Creek after it's been put back together

the little devil-creek that caused so much trouble

the approach to the creek and mess, seen from below

Remember this when the blackberries have covered over it thickly, and you think you want to penetrate into the bushery, but underneath is this deep place!