Two feet of snow on the ground here,and hiking seems so far off. Daydreaming about taking off to Lehigh Gap,going to the summit and setting up my tarp,and brewing a cup of coffee there.Its very relaxing.
Two feet of snow on the ground here,and hiking seems so far off. Daydreaming about taking off to Lehigh Gap,going to the summit and setting up my tarp,and brewing a cup of coffee there.Its very relaxing.
Yes, sounds good. Cool thread!
I'm looking forward to carrying everything on my back knowing that I can survive in the woods for an extended period of time. :0) I love that feeling. I also like to hike a brand new section of the trail not knowing what is around the corner.:0)
I'm looking forward to getting out for a nice winter overnight in the Whites with some buddies a few days hence.
You need to get yourself a pair of snowshoes! You may only use them a few times a season, and then they'll sit gathering dust for 10 years (waiting for the next big snow), but they are really fun to use. I was out for a bit on Sunday afternoon up near Rt. 501. They can be quite the aerobic workout, but they open up the wintertime outdoors in a way that's completely different from skis.
Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass - it's about learning how to dance in the rain!
I've been waiting 30+ years and I'm on fire to tackle the AT. My time is soon. I will do it my way. I've posted some stuff and my feed back from the experts whom I have GREAT respect because they hiked the trail mostly say I'm set to fail. we shall see! I originate from the state of PA, so I wish you the best Terry. Ever heard of a place called Philadelphia? lol.
I just went snowshoeing this evening just north of Duncannon. I only wish the snow there was only two feet. Even with snowshoes I sunk crotch deep in the drifts which just happened to be for extended periods of trail. But.... It was incredibly cool to hike through the snow in the dark watching the twinkle of little lights far down in the valley.
i also snowshoed Saturday and was surprised that the snow really hasn't hardened up a bit. More snow tonight then some warmer temperatures. Maybe that will do the trick.
Looking forward to spending Mom's 84th birthday with her tomorrow. My love of the outdoors and enjoyment of all seasons goes straight back to her. Sitting on top of Little House Mountain with a panorama of snowy peaks before me, and tired legs beneath me, my exultation, and gratitude for this wondrous life, knows no bounds.
10th Mtn hut trip this weekend
Rocky Mtn NP winter backpacking trip next weekend
Five days in Canyon of the Ancients National Monument in ~three weeks with Mrs Mags
...and Mrs Mags is finishing up her LAST class in her masters program this month. Which I am REALLY looking forward to. Has been a tough four years for both of us. She has a paper to write starting in May and should be done in July. Woo hoo!
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
Twitter: @pmagsco
Facebook: pmagsblog
The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
Rented Doublehead Cabin Thursday night and snow shoed up with another buddy on shoes, and two on BK skis. Great time, not too cold relative to recent temps, and about 2" of snow overnight that the skiers said skied like "silk."
This is only 1.8 mi each way with a pack, and I was carrying heavy, including a bundle of wood that was less than well-seasoned, lol. Made for a fun night in the log cabin.
We had some great views of Washington and Gulf of Slides on the way up, but then we were socked in thereafter. As a bonus, we got down and into the car just before the rain started Friday.
We even ran into Leanne Smith skiing down, just back from Sochi, on our way up.
Two nights in the Catskills in 3 weeks time. Really getting that cooped up feeling with all the snow lately! So bad that I camped in my backyard with me son this past week and we totally enjoyed making fires and sleeping in around 2 feet of snow.
I'm looking forward to sharing yet another adventure with Snacktime: of seeing old friends and making new ones, of exploring in person places we've read about or seen on films, of relying on each other to get through all we need to so there's time to enjoy all we want to. I look forward to seeing the excitement and joy in his eyes and knowing I had a part to play in his happiness. I look forward to feeling that childlike delight myself. I am so looking forward to our Spring Trip to the AT!
"Maybe life isn't about avoiding the bruises. Maybe it's about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it."
Last weekend my wife and I did the snowshoe thing, and an overnighter, in NY's Harriman State Park.
I'm not waiting for bear ground to hike!
Heck two feet or more is prime hiking in the Whites. Most of the trail are broken out into the equivalent of sidewalks, with far fewer rocks. If the conditions are right I frequently make far better time than in the non snow season. The views are generally much better on clear days in the winter. I was out on Saturday and could see half way into Maine (Abraham and Sugarloaf) from the whites. Rarely do you have such long views in the summer and fall due to haze and humidity.
If the weather is nice, the next three weekends will be downright crowded in the whites due to folks trying to fill in their winter 400o footer list.