Golden Tamaracks in the Valley of the Elk

Saturday morning started out quite chilly. The temperature just before sunrise was a few degrees below freezing. As soon as I saw the sun starting to arrive (and it arrives LATE these days), I got out of my tent and walked over to our rock overlooking the Valley of the Elk.

It was a fine place to watch the world awaken. From the vantage point of my rock, I saw three white-tailed buck cross in the break in front of me. I wished for elk, but on this trip, we neither heard nor saw any. I guess the days of bugling are behind us for the season.

This was the third of our camping trips to Quehanna this fall. On the first one - a backpack - I was treated to an astounding frost mist show. On the second one - a car camp - I saw a golden morning mist show that was also extraordinary. It would be difficult to compete with mornings like those!

The day warmed up quickly, and when we got ready to hike out of the woods in the early afternoon, the temperature was in the high 60s F. What a change from my chilly morning on the rock!

As I mentioned in yesterday's posting, the tamarack show in the Valley of the Elk was absolutely extraordinary. They look like evergreens but they act like deciduous trees in that they change color and drop their needles. So they are considered deciduous conifers.

As we were hiking out, I took one last, long look back. And there below me was our little stream, and the valley, and the golden tamaracks shining in the sun. Farewell to the tamaracks; farewell to the Valley of the Elk!

The soundtrack: Cosby, Stills, and Nash, Just a Song Before I Go.