A Wednesday Walk at Rib Mountain

My #wednesdaywalk share, as inspired by @tattoodjay.

This walk happened to occur in Wausau, Wisconsin, on what is known as Rib Mountain. Rib Mountain is one of the oldest geological formations on Earth, its origins tracing back to nearly 1.9 billion years ago. When the glaciers came through this part of the state during the Ice Ages, the glaciers gouged the surrounding area, leaving most of the area flat. That left this area of the state towering over the surrounding areas. Not surprisingly, the area became an important landmark for Native American tribes and subsequent European exploration and trade. The whole area lies at the heart of the lumber trade that dominated Central Wisconsin.

History aside, we enjoyed climbing the many boulders in the area. Plus the fog at first was a bit of a disappointment, as we could not see the views from the observation deck…but over time, we grew to love the fog as it lingered over the top of this mighty Wisconsin mountain.

The area was turned into a state park in 1937, and from the sign on a nearby rock, it is stated that it was the highest point in Wisconsin. Well, as fate would have it, Timms Hill is actually the highest point in the state at 1951.5 feet above sea level. Rib Mountain just misses the record by sitting at 1924 feet above sea level. Hey, it still felt like we were on top of the world!

When all was said and done, we returned from our walk feeling elated. Fog, rocks, wind, mist…a spot of snow here and there? My wife even commented it felt like we were back in the Pacific Northwest. What a place to visit…and highly recommended if you ever get to this part of the world. With many more trails to explore, we plan to return this summer for more adventures.

Thanks for reading my #wednesdaywalk share!