Most of my climbing these days is hard to plan out in advance. Such is life with work and kids. So, when a day suddenly pops up where there is time to climb, it comes together pretty fast. I find out if any of my peeps are around, and I go. If friends are available,…
Tag: hiking
A Quick Trip to Middle-earth
Today I couldn’t get out for something big, so I had to settle for a quick snowshoe around Middle-earth. Right after elevensies, I headed out to Frodo’s Ring Trail, climbed to the top of Mount Erebor—that’s right, the Lonely Mountain—visited Gandalf, Strider, Legolas, and Gimli, and was back home in an hour. Not too bad…
Feeling Far Away Without Going Far: Wildcat Falls
I love winter hiking, but I get that it isn’t for most. It’s not the easiest recreational activity, both effort-wise and logistically. Especially this winter, when the snow keeps piling on. But, if you’re willing to give it a try, I’m willing to bet that you’ll find the experience very rewarding. My new rhythm for…
Peakfinding: Barrett and New Ipswich Mountain
I discovered new land this week! Okay, well, not new, but new to me. It felt like I was discovering new land, which I believe is the pinnacle of all mountain explorations, so that’s all that matters. Crunching my way up the Wapack Trail, this feeling was aided by the fact that I was all alone for six miles, with no other company than the chirping birds, no doubt confused by the sudden break in the cold weather.
Like many hikers in the region, with the frigid temperatures and snow forecasted for this weekend, I opted to get some climbing in on Thursday, where the sun was out and the temperature rose to the forties in the lowlands. Because of the cold weather these last two weeks, I anticipated being cold and ended up overdressed in long underwear. But I didn’t mind it. I was able to disregard the discomfort of my overheated nether regions because I was on a mission.