Second Annual Picnic Hike to Indian Rocks

I took a group of 14 intrepid people to visit Indian Rocks in what I hope will become an annual trek to this site.  We managed to beat the rain by about 45 minutes.  Last year's hike, held on April 16, also saw a rain threat that came just as we finished, but it was chillier and a lot less vegetation was out.  Below are some pictures from the hike to enjoy.  Hiking this year:  Amy Burns, Jillienne Craver, Colleen Heavey and her daughters Ally and Karlye, Helena Hilson, Peter and Jay Pockriss and their kids Cole and Robin (our youngest participant this year), Bonnie McIntosh Rockefeller and her kids Chase and Alexis, Rev. Garrett Schindler, and yours truly (our oldest participant on his 57th birthday).

Helen, Karlye and Ally breaking away from the group to return the back way.

The Pockriss family, Ray, Amy, Jill, Bonnie with Chase, Garrett, Alexis, Colleen

Another Visit to Indian Rocks

I managed a quick hike up to Indian Rocks this afternoon (April 6, 2012) and managed to match-up an old picture with what things look like today.  The old picture dates from probably the late 1920s and was provided by John and Margaret Hilson.  We think it shows Louise Hilson (1917-1986) and her little sister Jane (1923-2008) and the photographer likely was their aunt Jane Hilson (1891-1967).  [Correction:  Christine Batey, Louise's niece, says that the little girl with Louise is her niece Marg Hilson Olsner and not her sister Jane.] I think these pictures are worth a thousand words, so enough said.

Indian Rocks - a Blast from the Past

Last Sunday (May 22) five intrepid hikers joined me on a May trek to Indian Rocks.  Left to right:  your's truly, Bonnie Denison, Bill DeSilva, Clare Ferguson Lang, Adele Ferguson, Janet DeSilva.  Bill remembered going to Indian Rocks as a kid and had hoped to find where he carved his initials, but we were not successful.  But overall, a very nice hike.

And just this evening, Chuck McIntosh brought me a postcard to scan of what might be the earliest photograph of Indian Rocks.  The postcard dates from 1906, so the photograph is at least that old if not a bit older.  Here it is (click on the image to get the full view):

This picture shows what the right side of the 1906 image looks like today (click on the image to get the full view).  I need to get back up there to try and recreate the full image, but it'll probably have to be in the fall when the leaves are off the trees (this shot was in the spring).  And it may be impossible to recreate the shot because of all the trees. 

Enjoy this blast from the past.  And I'm always looking for other pictures of Indian Rocks. 

Historian's Picnic at Indian Rocks

We've had some lovely days in April for a hike to Indian Rocks (such as when I took the picture to the left - April 9 to be exact).  Unfortunately, today wasn't one of those nice April days, BUT the rain and worst of the wind held off long enough for 22 hearty souls to make the trek.  Here's who joined the hike:

Lisa and Jason Stanton with Jack and Alex (aka Daniel Boone)
Amy Burns and Libby Lamport
Colleen Heavey with Allison and Carley
Monica Liddle with Sylvia and Andrew
Julie Hilson and Mark Schneider with Hans and Gretel
Peter and Rebecca Manning with Finnegan
Jillienne Craver
Heleena Hilson
and yours truly

Jason was noting that I appeared to be related to most of the hikers, including Lisa, Colleen and Amy, who are third cousins, and my first cousin once removed, Jillienne.  Through the Coulters, I'm related to Julie Hilson.  It's possible I'm related to Monica, though I need to sort that one out.  The Mannings appear, however, to be not related to me at all.

It was a cloudy and breezy day, but off we set and in about 40 minutes were were there.  There were a few people who had never been there.  Our youngest participant, was Finnegan Manning, while our oldest was yours truly.  We all clambered to the top to eat and enjoy the views.  On our trip back, we took a slight detour to see the other impressive rock formation that is to the left and above Indian Rocks.  We all got back before 1 and just as the first drops of rain began.

Yes, we will do this again when there is better weather.  But I was impressed with the number who did come.  Thanks all!  And thanks to Chuck McIntosh and Hope Schumejda for allowing us to hike on their land. 

Here's the intrepid group of hikers meeting at Russells' Store to head out to Indian Rocks.  The next shot is of the whole group (minus Allison and Heleena) at Indian Rocks and is courtesy of Lisa Stanton and a conveniently positioned tree stump.  And below are other pictures from today's hike.

Indian Rocks Redux

While on my snowshoes again today, I took an unplanned wander up to see if I could find Indian Rocks again and I did - and I saw it for the first time. Confused?

Matt Pelletier, when he saw my pictures from my hike on Wednesday (see my January 26 blog posting), wondered if I had seen the whole complex of rocks. He noted that there is a segment that faces Bramley Mountain and one that faces the hamlet. Well today, I finally saw the segment that faces the hamlet - and it's also what shows up in the 1888 painting of Bovina. Here's a panoramic picture I pieced together from three photographs (click on the image to see a larger version). The Bramley Mountain piece isn't as tall (though it sits a bit higher) and has some overhangs. This section facing the hamlet is a tall wall of rocks. Very impressive.










And on April 16, I'm planning a 'Historian's Picnic at Indian Rocks.' We'll meet at Russell's Store at 11 am and hike up to Indian Rocks. Bring along any food or drink that suits you and be prepared for brambles and brush. And let me know if you're thinking of coming.

Indian Rocks (Finally)

I feel like I'm about the only Bovina kid never to visit Indian Rocks. Well today, this has been rectified - somewhat unexpectedly, but rectified nonetheless.

In October, fresh from moving to Bovina full time, I decided I needed to track down this locally famous rock outcropping that overlooks the Bovina Center hamlet. I made an attempt then and again in early January and failed both times. Then I checked one of those websites with aerial views of places and viola! I saw exactly where it was located. The snow and cold discouraged me from any further attempts until spring. I didn't want to be lost deep in a snowy wood on a frigid day. Safer to keep my hikes closer to home (and within sight of civilization).

Today I decided to go out on my snowshoes in the fields that overlooked the hamlet. I trekked up and over some fields I had never hiked in before, getting some great views of Bovina Center, including my house. Then, just to make the exercise worthwhile, I started following a snow mobile trail up over the hill and into the woods. At this point, I wondered to myself "Could this be the way to Indian Rocks?" Just a hunch really. I didn't want to get too tangled in blackberry bushes and tree limbs while wearing snowshoes trying to find it. But as long as the trail was there, reducing the risk of an altercation with the vegetation, I decided to plunge ahead.

As I continued trudging along, I began to notice something through the trees. Could it be? Was it? Yes, I had stumbled upon Indian Rocks. Hooray! Here are three of the many pictures I took today, the first being just after I realized that I may have found the rocks. It's rather hard to photograph Indian Rocks in its entirety because of the trees (and the fact that it's quite a long geological feature).
















































Here's probably the earliest image of Indian Rocks. This is a segment from an 1888 painting now in the Bovina Historical Society's museum of the Bovina Center hamlet. You can plainly see toward the top of the image Indian Rocks. And without the trees, you can get a better idea of its size.



Well, all I can say is that it's about time I got my butt up there! Better late than never...