Upper Tohickon rocks...

Met three new paddling partners for a swift ride down the upper Toh on a chilly but sunny Sunday. Roy, Looie and Vin all paddled whitewater canoes, rare to not have any 'yakkers on board. Creek was running around 3.25' at the Pipersville gage.

Vin leads trips for the Mohawk Canoe Club, Roy and Looie are members of the Philly Canoe Club, which is almost as old as Mohawk (1903 vs. 1905).

We observed plenty of wildlife (birds) including mergansers, wood duck, black duck, golden eye (?), phoebes (welcome back!). A flock of bluebirds followed me down the last stretch of the creek, brilliant blue against the white landscape. The Tohickon is noted for its shale bluffs (High Rocks) and the upper creek has smaller but very pretty bluffs with ferns, lichen, and on this trip, many crystal clear ice formations.

Getting in and out of the creek was mightly tricky thanks to the ice encrusted snow, made for slippery exits. We were the only souls out on this stretch of the creek, and I like that.

Thanks to Vin I enjoyed my first taste of moose meat, in the form of "beef sticks." I didn't really feel like opening the can of sardines anyway - thanks Vin.