Winter Hike - Orchids and Frozen Waterfalls

I was able to get out for a couple hours today between church services. I went to the only Nature Conservancy property in my area; Brush Creek Preserve with two goals:
1. To see how much of Southern West Virginia largest waterfall was frozen after a week of bitter cold.
2. To locate the globally rare shrub Canby’s mountain-lover. It is evergreen and I am hoping to locate it   
     while it is winter so that I can find it easier when it blooms. 
     
           The waterfall was about 75% frozen, I have seen it almost totally froze a few years ago. 
There were several smaller falls along the trail that were interesting as well.

Brush Creek Falls

The rest of the hike was just enjoying the day and keeping my eyes open for the Canby's. I saw several evergreen plants including this one. With help by Jim from "Jims Blog"  it is identified as    Tsuga canadensis or Canada hemlock. Jim is a great photographer of wildflowers and you can find his blog here or linked in the 'My Blogs List' to the right. I never found the Canby's so it seems that this summer I will be trekking into the hills and hollers of the Brush Creek Preserve rather than just on the path.

 Canada hemlock

I also found a cluster of Putty-Root, an interesting orchid with a winter leaf. When I find these, I always look for the Crane-fly orchid, which also has a winter leaf. I have yet to find it in winter or to see one in bloom. This cluster of Putty-Root had at least five plants and two seed capsule bearing stems from this summer, amazing after two feet of snow in October and several other heavy snows. 

Putty-Root Orchid

It was a great day and I enjoyed the hike immensely  I am looking forward to March and April when this same snow and ice coated preserve will be covered with many of my favorite wild flowers; Spring Beauty, a beautiful blue Hepatica, the best stand of Large Flowering Trillium anywhere, Purple Trillium, Trillium sulcatum,or Furrowed Wakerobin and many others.