Snow
Wow the first big snow dump of the season and it is only early December. What will winter bring? The forecast is saying 50 degrees and rain in the next few days so time to get out there now kids!
Back to the old stomping grounds to find a "cave". This one is similar to Indian Kitchen in the Quabbin. Both are big slabs that have fractured off of larger sections to form large rooms. We have been there before and wanted to take our friend Karl along to show him the cave and the area.
We headed off into the snow the temp was 6 degrees Fahrenheit.
This area is home to lots of critters. Deer tracks are everywhere and we came across bear tracks crisscrossing various areas. They have a distinctive lumbering gait signature. Claws were visible in some tracks. The bear tracks were a day or so old. They are still roaming around and looking to that last bit of nourishment prior to deep winter.
Of course winter hikers burn through lots of calories and one of the joys of snowshoeing is that you get to eat a lot of good food.
"According to an independent study conducted by the University of Vermont, snowshoers can burn 420-1000 calories per hour. “Snowshoeing is an effective, low impact, and safe form of exercise to change body composition"
Karl was trying out his new stove. We both rock MSR stoves. They are like jet engines and really throw lots of heat. No simmer possible just hardcore BTUs. That is what you need when it is below 20F out.
Tasty treats abound!
Almost to the top we intersected the road. Once on the road we met a lone skier heading downhill. He was perhaps in his late 70's and accompanied by his dog Thelma. We chatted for a while and he had a keen interest in where we had been, being curious and wanting to explore new areas. We drew him a snow map which Thelma proceeded to run through. We told him to follow our tracks once he was in the upper field and not to follow our uphill slog to the road. It was really steep in some places.
He commented that he felt the need to get out and experience the snow cover as global warming was certainly affecting the amount and quality of snowfall. He said who knows it could be the last time he sees this quality of skiing snow. Sobering but true.
As I bushwhacked off the road once again I couldn't help but feel sad for future generations and sad for the current human population. The old man said they have the most wonderful experience in the world fed to them through their cell phones. Why go outside?
We pondered that and relished the fact that we had actually seem another human being outside- in the woods- in the winter- enjoying themselves. Crazy right.
Who in their right mind goes outside when you could sit on the couch and watch the world go by via your digital crack pipe?
On the way home Karl commented that those Direct TV satellite dishes look like hungry birds waiting for Momma bird to shovel some more crap down their digital throats.
Yum Yum Kids Enjoy!
Get outside!
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