off the mountain and onto the roads--atop the trusty nishiki.
at least for this past week. last monday i did run up cardigan for april's moonrise-sunrise extraveganza. as is usual in the winter, i was the only one hiking. the amazing thing, given our warmer and rainy weather lately, there was snow or ice right down to the gate across from the winter parking lot. i put on the micro-spikes under the shelter at the summer lot and headed up the west ridge trail.
there was plenty of snow the rest of the way--complete with ski tracks weaving on and off the path. it was probably 60°F out so the snow was pretty slushy. in places it was even darn wet, like mini-skim pools at the bottoms of spring ski runs. i picked lines through those spots to avoid sinking a foot or more as soon as one stepped off the packed trail.
at one point, i noticed that somebody had skied my micro-shute--the one on the right of the trail in the picture--that skip kids me for always taking. i took a picture of that to send off to him. you can see there was still plenty of snow in the woods. when he got this picture, skip even made noises about going up and skiing. that would have been a site to see.
i took off the micro-spikes at turn around rock, and picked my way up on the bare granite. as usual it got windier the higher i got. at the top i skirted around the leeward side of the tower, dropped my pack, and fished out my jacket. i noticed my head was getting dripped on and when i looked up, water was leaking directly out of the tower cabin floor. that was weird.
i got the camera out with my jacket and went to another side where i wouldn't get wet. the moon was due up already, but a huge cloud bank was going to hide that for longer than i would be up on top. the sun however, was giving a good show going down behind a low cloud and the horizon. i snapped a picture looking west. the light was perfect for a shot of the tower looking east where the moon was hiding, so i turned and snapped a picture that way too. when i lowered the camera i discovered why the tower cabin floor was dripping. one of the windows was broken almost completely out. it must have been that way for the recent, heavy wet, foot of snow.
as i took off downward, i made a note to call craig, our cardigan trail crew chief, who i guessed would get in touch with his state contact. i put the micro-spikes back on at turn around rock and picked up the sled i had left there too. while my first little run shot me off into the trees, i made it back onto the trail and got set for a second. this would be a fast descent--i would have a wet butt, but i would be down well before it got too dark, and i would be smiling.
as expected, as i slid down to the gate, my backside was soaked, and i was happy. as i drove home, i noted the roads were dry and mostly free of sand--i planned on getting the bike out.
turned out, that was a pretty good plan. i was able to ride 5 of the next 7 days. while i never went more than 20 miles, each day i felt a bit stronger--and my butt was dry! what could be better than that?! (well, ok, the picture si sent of his buddy toby on a ski they took that week in the colorado rockies...)
since i can't get pam to move out west, i will have to enjoy that kind of powder vicariously. maybe i will get a great picture of one of the MOC students when we go up to tuckermans on wednesday--that might even make him jealous...
at least for this past week. last monday i did run up cardigan for april's moonrise-sunrise extraveganza. as is usual in the winter, i was the only one hiking. the amazing thing, given our warmer and rainy weather lately, there was snow or ice right down to the gate across from the winter parking lot. i put on the micro-spikes under the shelter at the summer lot and headed up the west ridge trail.
there was plenty of snow the rest of the way--complete with ski tracks weaving on and off the path. it was probably 60°F out so the snow was pretty slushy. in places it was even darn wet, like mini-skim pools at the bottoms of spring ski runs. i picked lines through those spots to avoid sinking a foot or more as soon as one stepped off the packed trail.
at one point, i noticed that somebody had skied my micro-shute--the one on the right of the trail in the picture--that skip kids me for always taking. i took a picture of that to send off to him. you can see there was still plenty of snow in the woods. when he got this picture, skip even made noises about going up and skiing. that would have been a site to see.
i took off the micro-spikes at turn around rock, and picked my way up on the bare granite. as usual it got windier the higher i got. at the top i skirted around the leeward side of the tower, dropped my pack, and fished out my jacket. i noticed my head was getting dripped on and when i looked up, water was leaking directly out of the tower cabin floor. that was weird.
i got the camera out with my jacket and went to another side where i wouldn't get wet. the moon was due up already, but a huge cloud bank was going to hide that for longer than i would be up on top. the sun however, was giving a good show going down behind a low cloud and the horizon. i snapped a picture looking west. the light was perfect for a shot of the tower looking east where the moon was hiding, so i turned and snapped a picture that way too. when i lowered the camera i discovered why the tower cabin floor was dripping. one of the windows was broken almost completely out. it must have been that way for the recent, heavy wet, foot of snow.
as i took off downward, i made a note to call craig, our cardigan trail crew chief, who i guessed would get in touch with his state contact. i put the micro-spikes back on at turn around rock and picked up the sled i had left there too. while my first little run shot me off into the trees, i made it back onto the trail and got set for a second. this would be a fast descent--i would have a wet butt, but i would be down well before it got too dark, and i would be smiling.
as expected, as i slid down to the gate, my backside was soaked, and i was happy. as i drove home, i noted the roads were dry and mostly free of sand--i planned on getting the bike out.
turned out, that was a pretty good plan. i was able to ride 5 of the next 7 days. while i never went more than 20 miles, each day i felt a bit stronger--and my butt was dry! what could be better than that?! (well, ok, the picture si sent of his buddy toby on a ski they took that week in the colorado rockies...)
since i can't get pam to move out west, i will have to enjoy that kind of powder vicariously. maybe i will get a great picture of one of the MOC students when we go up to tuckermans on wednesday--that might even make him jealous...
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