Hills of Onalaska

GPS Track

     January 8th, a rare weekend off for Ruth.  We saddled up the boys and headed to Onalaska to find a couple of geocaches.  Well, we were 1 for 2 on the day.  Couldn't find a micro and we scoured the area.  Cleverlly hidden indeed.

     We've had an odd Winter.  Temperatures in the 50's and 60's.  No snow for Christmas this year, a real bummer.

     This day was in the low 40's and sunny.  Again, a day I'd expect in November, not early January.  Still, it did allow the whole family to get out and slink about a ridge that lies to the East of Onalaska.
     I had always wanted to get out and hike around these hills.  Between highway and commercial area and a residential subdivision lies a 1200ft high ridge that runs about 3/4 North to South and about a half mile West to East.

     The ridge is dotted with several trails and is heavily used by the hundreds of households in the subdivision in the valley.  Trail access is found at the end of Alpine Pl in an empty lot between two houses.  We didn't do so, but in the future I'll consider parking down by the park and walking the extra 1/4 mile.  I can imagine that having a whole pile of cars parking outside your house can be a little bothersome.

     The subdivision is quiet and while on the East side of the ridge the highway sounds are greatly muted.  This makes for a nice little urban escape.

     This ridge was not always so urban.  I came to the La Crosse area in mid 1990.  At that time what is now Apsen Valley was populated with a few houses.  At the end of the valley was a big red barn (which is still there).  Beyond the barn was corn, hills, and trees.
      Today, the view to the West of the ridge is a great view of Menards, subdivisions, and finally the Mississippi.   In 1990 Menards was not there and only half the houses between the ridge and river were there.

     A real history lesson comes from my wife Ruth.  She grew up a mile from these hills.  Many hours were spent in the hills and valleys that are now homes and businesses.  She hadn't been back in these hills since her childhood, decades ago.  There were few houses between the ridge downtown Onalaska.  There were only a handful of homes at the South end of the Valley.  That area was square miles of swamp, hills, and forest.  Ruth spent her free time hiding in the caves, making campfires, and just wandering the woods.