Motivation
Sleeping in, staying home, and being warm is currently rather appealing. Between COVID travel worries and the frigid Midwest weather, it takes a lot of effort to get out and photograph. Having a few crazy friends is one of those motivators.
Fellow (crazy) photographers Scott Fuller and Jon Christofersen decided that despite the polar vortex, we were going out. We met last Sunday at Matthiessen State Park. Ninety minutes from home, the park is near Oglesby, Illinois. It was one below zero at 9 am when we arrived.
Geology
The park is centered on a mile-long stream that flows from Matthiessen Lake to the Vermilion River. Flowing water partially eroded the layers of sandstone creating a long narrow canyon with beautiful sandstone features. At the end of the 19th Century, these formations were called “dells,” a name that remains to this day.
The Upper Dells begin at Matthiessen Lake with Lake Falls, dropping into the canyon below. It continues downstream to the 45-foot Cascade Falls where the Lower Dells begin.
The canyon’s interesting coloration is the result of groundwater minerals. As the water seeps out along the sandstone canyon walls, it evaporates leaving behind beautiful colors on the rocks.
The Shot
We all donned our microspikes over our boots. These slip-on miniature spikes provide much needed grip and traction on snowy and icy hiking trails. They came in handy on the stairs (22 flights total) in and out of the canyon. Several flights were 45-degree sheets of ice with no discernable treads.
Multiple layers of clothes and handwarmers kept us warm for the next four-and-a-half hours. It also helped that it warmed up to a balmy two degrees above zero.
Chuck Derus, Scott Fuller, and Jon Christofersen
One of our first stops was Cascade Falls. There was just a touch of light breaking through the overcast into the Dell. We could hear water flowing through the core of the frozen waterfall. And the colors were amazing.
Unlike most waterfalls, the choice of shutter speed didn’t matter this time! There was no choosing between silky smooth or razor-sharp water. After spending about an hour here, we moved on to the Upper Dells.
After several more hours, we decided it was time to get warm. Packing up our gear, we trudged up what seemed to be endless flights of stairs. Finally arriving at the parking lot, we headed for our vehicles and a nice warm trip home.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck