Almost There: The Jug End Ridge Hike

We were nearing the high point of Jug End Ridge. I could tell by the blue sky showing through the trees, the increasing rocky ledges and the aroma of pine needles baking in the sun. Clover and Daphne led the way:

I passed yet another of the many red mushrooms which adorned the trail:

We were, in fact, already walking the ridge although the views had not yet opened up. The "Silly Sisters" were still full of energy, racing and wrestling:

More red mushrooms growing out of the mossy ground, these two with nicely upturned edges. I couldn't tell if these differently shaped red mushrooms were different species or the same species at different stages of growth. But I sure appreciated their beauty:

Small, elegantly formed brown mushrooms:

And tiny beige toadstools shaped like bar stools:

And then I began to see the eastern valley off through the trees. I knew from a previous hike many years ago that even better views were just ahead:

We were very close to the edge and could glimpse the landscape below whenever we crossed a high rocky ridge:

Daphne ran on ahead, crossing the rocky ledges like a tiny mountain goat. She looked back as if she wondered what was taking me so long:

But I had paused at a whole colony of fawn colored mushrooms under the fern fronds. Well, we were almost there. I'll post more tomorrow: