chapter 488

1/15/2018

Winter Hikes

it's amazing out there

From the top of Adirondack's Shelving Rock Mt. the view toward Lake George village looks inviting but it was a 7 degree day. A 15 mph would have made it unbearable and forced a cancellation.

It's a 3 mile round trip up a smooth relatively gentle trail. With just a few inches of snow over ice our so functional micro spikes were the choice footgear under hiking shoes. Layers of clothes for protection and a backpack to add or remove layers works. Colleen loving Adirondack nature is a real trooper.

On the way down before sunset it was glistening off the stream. Looking forward to reward ourselves at my favorite Adirondack Brewery & Pub with delicious food and tasty beers brewed in house.

I had tried out the inexpensive MSR Evo 22 inch lightweight snowshoes a few days earlier on this 6.5 mile round trip up Buck Mt in Lake George. The snow was several inches and loved the small light weight shoes designed for backcountry trails. Only 2 other solo hikers braved the single digits windchill conditions.

Lake Desolation 40 minutes north again was a near zero windchill day but the recent snow just beckoned. Didn't go very far at all but at least got out of the house.

Christmas Day was reasonable at 20 degrees but a burst of wind brought down the overnight 6 inches of snow from the Hemlocks. Even though Colleen's daughter and husband are mountain hikers supreme this was their first real snowshoe walk and behind my house in Clifton Park.

I've got say the extreme cold is not what I wish for but walking outdoors is a good thing and sometimes you just got to adapt. I want to keep moving while I still can. Many contemporaries are breaking down and my time will come. The hip has shown improvement with continued use.

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