Shoreline Islands

Shoreline Islands, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

A dynamic sky looms above a shoreline island of Lake Superior.

The North Woods

Bass Lake - Cable, WI, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

Superior Shore Grass

Shore Grass, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

A lone boulder sits on the edge of this billion year-old basalt cliff - deposited here by glaciers during the last ice-age. Robust grasses grow alone so close to the waters edge, as this particular area lacks soil and nutrients to support larger plants. Any soil which does accumulate is lost to the effects of water and ice during harsh periods of storm and wave action along the shore.

Superior Shoreline

Purple Skies, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

One-billion year old lava flows from the expansion of the Superior basin still reside in their basaltic form along the northern shore of Lake Superior.

Taken at Gooseberry Fall's State Park in Minnesota over Labor Day 2008.

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

"Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is a Minnesota state park on the north shore of Lake Superior. It is best known for the picturesque Split Rock Lighthouse, which was built by the United States Lighthouse Service in 1910. The lighthouse and some adjacent buildings have been restored and the Minnesota Historical Society operates them as a museum. The park also offers scenic hiking, cross-country skiing, and bike trails. There is also a small campground with 22 cart-in tent sites (no vehicle access)." - Wikipedia

Golden Pines

Golden Pines, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

The August sun breaks through a thick stand of pine tree's along the shoreline of this dried up post-glacial lake - Steinke Basin.

Devils Tower National Monument

Devils Tower National Monument, originally uploaded by jw_creations.

"Geologists agree that the igneous material intruded and then cooled as phonolite porphyry, a light to dark-gray or greenish-gray igneous trachyte rock with conspicuous crystals of white feldspar. As the lava cooled, hexagonal (and sometimes 4-, 5-, and 7-sided) columns formed. As the rock continued to cool, the vertical columns shrank horizontally in volume and cracks began to occur at 120 degree angles, generally forming compact 6-sided columns. Superficially similar, but with typically 2 feet (0.61 m) diameter columns, Devils Postpile National Monument and Giant's Causeway are columnar basalt." -Wikipedia