The Nor’easter left its impression…  SNOW…  lots and lots of SNOW – so sweet.  David B., David J. and I met up at the trail head for Mt. Garfield on Saturday – despite the gray forecast – we were not to be deterred.

I am a BIG fan of winter hiking, it’s so pure.  I can only describe it like this…. when the boots and snow shoes are fastened and I take to the trail… it’s like those who enjoy walking barefoot in the sand on the beach.  It’s warmth, soothing sounds and that awesome feeling you get just waiting between seasons to experience the first moment…  you get goose bumps like it’s the first time ever…  yum-my.

I was a little late to the trail head…. but not a big deal… it gave Dave and Dave time to help two ladies, whose car slid in the ditch adjacent to the parking lot, to get out.  We ended leaving the lot sometime around 9am, maybe a few minutes before.  I can’t be certain of the time – my watch battery died – uggg – another little “chore” to get the battery replaced.

At the start we immediately sported our snow shoes.  There was plenty of snow at ground level… I fully expected greater depths as we gained elevation.  We walked the short mile to the trail head and after a photo, headed up.  This lower section of trail is underneath a dense stretch of pines so the snow cover was lighter.  We could have bare booted the stretch but I also knew the snow depths would soon return so we kept the snow shoes on.

We meandered our way up passing the hikers that headed up before us.  We soon found ourselves walking in the sole footprint of a hiker and his dog.  He was the first person on the trail this day and we would run into him just beneath the summit of Garfield.  He sported snow shoes as well so there was a clear path.  In a few spots the water was still running and there was a little bare earth but those were really around the small streams and a few water bars.  The small ice bridges could not be trusted.  A little after the noon hour we reached the summit where, once truly above tree line, the winds whipped at you.  There were no views – just the magnificent rush of fast, cold and furious air – what a rush – the season’s first!

We made our way off the summit and had lunch before beginning the journey back the way we came.  The alternative loop I had so wanted to do was not to be.  The Garfield Ridge Trail off the summit was not broken and I expected the Gale River Trail to be just the same.  They are well blazed trails – we just didn’t want to work that hard, lol.  We felt the work of our first snow shoe hike on the way and wanted to enjoy the ease of descending on a broken and well compacted trail.

We were the last ones up the trail this day – not too many hikers – but also the first one’s out.  On our descent we did cross paths with two hikers who were planning on skiing down the trail – so technically – we weren’t the last ones but they were heading up late afternoon.  We even got back to the parking before the solo hiker and his dog – hmmmmmm – still have to work on a “meandering” pace, lol.  The dogs name was Sally – I always remember the dogs – and I didn’t get bit this time either, lol.

Thank you David and David for an amazing first pre-winter “winter” outing.  We were a well matched trio and I’m certain we’ll soon tackle another 12 mile day before long.  Have a great Thanksgiving gents and see you on the trails!  Cheers!!

  There are 9 photos in Album (Note: Move mouse pointer over larger pic and click on NEXT for better viewing)