Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

FM Forum Rules
Landscape Posting Guidelines
  

FM Forums | Landscape Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2014 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)

  
 
BNJarrett
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


I usually post mostly over in nature and wildlife. But I thought this topic belonged over here in landscape also.

I had been seeing a few photos of the frozen waterfalls at Starved Rock State Park popping up on some groups and forums I follow. The forecast for Friday (3/7/14) was high of 40. I made a snap decision if I was going to capture them it had to be Friday before they started melting and the trails got so bad you could get there or they closed the trails altogether.

1) Front of St. Louis Canyon Falls


My good friend Jacki Pienta is the main photographer for Starved Rock Lodge gave me a few pointers and tips and I was off. She told me lots of stairs and lots of ice and that Yak Traxs were required. I was able to find a pair at Wild Country, I went with the Pro model. The pro model was $10 more but have a velcro strap to help hold them on. I can’t tell you how many times they saved me and my gear! Best $30 I have spent in a long time!

I decided that I was going to hike into St. Louis Canyon and Wlidcat Canyon. I wasn’t sure how much a overweight 53 year old could handle with a new 17 month old knee replacement. I had been to Starved Rock several times to watch and photograph eagles, but had never been on the trail system so was sure what I was in for. St. Louis was the closest and shortest hike. Jacki stated 40 minutes from the lodge parking lot since the parking lot was closed. I went against her directions and parked off of Route 178 at the entrance to the St. Louis Canyon exit. There was room for 6 or 8 cars to park there since the road to the parking lot was closed and had not been plowed all season. I headed down the gradual slope of the road, it was peaceful and reminded me of the bunny slope at Devil’s Head, with a long winding curve to the left. I lacked a little confidence to how to find the falls, no map, just followed the footsteps in the snow. I was pleasantly surprised once I hit the normal parking lot and found really nice signs and trail markers!

2) Right side of St. Louis Canyon Falls


3) Behind St. Louis Canyon Falls


4) St. Louis Canon


Hiked out back to the car and drove to the lodge for a bio break, map and reset for the longer hike to Wildcat Canyon. Heading out or the main parking lot you go down what hast to be 500 stairs. The stairs are steel with very aggressive industrial tread! My Yak Traxs kept getting snagged in the stairs. By the time I reached the bottom I knew I wasn’t going back out that way. Found out later you can park at the visitor center on the bottom and avoid these stairs. I was already pot committed since I left my car in the upper parking lot. Once again clear signage and several sets of up and down stairs as pictured earlier. 35 minutes to Wildcat Canyon. Once there I found 6 or 7 ice climbers there, and a Chicago TV station doing a story on them. Wildcat is the tallest standing in at 75 feet! Took a few photos, but wasn’t really interested in landscapes with the climbers in them.

5) Climber on Wildcat Falls


Like what you just read and the photos? Free feel to follow my adventures through my lens on my
Blog.

Thanks for stopping by, and as always C&C welcomed!
Kent


Edited by JimFox on Mar 09, 2014 at 12:26 PM · View previous versions



Mar 08, 2014 at 11:02 PM
bnoeggs
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Beautiful...Looks like it was well worth the drive and the hike!


Mar 08, 2014 at 11:35 PM
eawhitcomb
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


I was just at Starved Rock SP for this same reason. I also bought the pro YakTrax and was very glad I did. I only did St. Louis but now wish I had done Wildcat while I was there (but it's a 3 hour drive each way for me). The weather around here is now getting too nice to go back I think, especially after the upcoming week. I'd share my photos with you but I don't have 25 posts yet!

Elizabeth



Mar 09, 2014 at 01:47 PM
Sunny Sra
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Kent,
looks like a great adventure. Nicely captured photos. That looks cold..would be nice to see these falls in the spring.



Mar 09, 2014 at 02:18 PM
BNJarrett
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Thanks for the nice comments. I am sorry I had never posted in the Landscape forum before and didn't know of the 5 photo limit. They rest of the series that were removed by the moderators can be found on my blog at www.kentjarrett.com

Thanks!
Kent



Mar 09, 2014 at 03:30 PM
BNJarrett
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


eawhitcomb wrote:
I was just at Starved Rock SP for this same reason. I also bought the pro YakTrax and was very glad I did. I only did St. Louis but now wish I had done Wildcat while I was there (but it's a 3 hour drive each way for me). The weather around here is now getting too nice to go back I think, especially after the upcoming week. I'd share my photos with you but I don't have 25 posts yet!

Elizabeth


Only 3 more posts and you will be over the 25 needed. Keep on posting and look forward to your Starved Rock Photos.



Mar 09, 2014 at 03:32 PM
ryanrenken
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Those are amazing pics!


Mar 09, 2014 at 08:53 PM
ange
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Kent,

I really love the angle you shot St Louis from in the first one and 11 and 13 on your blog. Nice compositions! Also love the way you shot from behind at Tonti and LaSalle. Nicely done.

Wildcat was great for climbing this year. I don't climb, but I shoot at Starved Rock every year. This was the first time I was able to capture climbers. They were all at Wildcat.


Elizabeth,

Looking forward to seeing your shots. I enjoy seeing the shots of others from the places I shoot. It's fun to see how people look at things differently.

I enjoyed the cold outings, hiking, snowshoeing and of course, the ice waterfalls. I'll be sad to see them go.

Andy




Mar 10, 2014 at 01:01 AM
darr.moore
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Great set #2 stands out for me. Well done.


Mar 10, 2014 at 01:27 AM
jkochuni
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Nice shots! I will definitely need to visit Starved Rock this spring.


Mar 10, 2014 at 07:37 PM
kmunroe
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


great job on the waterfall Kent


Mar 11, 2014 at 05:05 AM
BNJarrett
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Thanks for all the nice comments!



Mar 11, 2014 at 07:45 PM
BNJarrett
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Thanks for all the nice comments!



Mar 11, 2014 at 07:45 PM
Scott Kroeker
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


#4 is my fav here. What an experience that much have been!


Mar 11, 2014 at 07:57 PM
Zorrophoto88
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


well done...such effort to take these...


Mar 12, 2014 at 12:03 AM
dealmtl
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Wow, so beautiful... thanks for posting this great shot!


Mar 12, 2014 at 08:22 AM
RRay
Offline

Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


now thats cold. great shots!


Mar 14, 2014 at 03:20 PM
CW100
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


this winter has been great for frozen freeze frames



Mar 16, 2014 at 04:38 PM
Leo Martinez
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Nice!!


Mar 16, 2014 at 07:44 PM
Brindlefg1
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Frozen Waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park (14)


Very cool shots of the falls.


Mar 23, 2014 at 11:01 PM





FM Forums | Landscape Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.