6.5 Mi Breaking Trail in 4ft deep snow!

[blacklab2020]

So after about 5 days of cabin fever I had to get out.

I put on my winter boots, bibs, shell jacket. I grabbed my face mask, ski goggles and good winter gloves. Snowshoes with the tails for all the powder and my poles, of course. A couple of snickers and a water bottle and a parka and I was good to go. I also made sure I had my gps for this one.

I walked out the driveway and took a right and trudged up to the end of my street in 2 foot deep powder for half a mile. Then it was cross country in 30-40 mph winds for a few miles before turning back at the local meat market.

On the journey I had to manage layers, I had to switch to warmer gloves and full on windproof balaclava and ski goggles for the journey back.

Never would have expected ground conditions in lowland Maryland to come anywhere close to the whites on a mild winter day. Visibility at times was only 30 feet and most of the time felt like I could see about as far as necessary just to barely make out the side of a mountain profile like that on Adams or Marcy...Snow blowing sideways and all.

Its been one heck of a week down here, I was just glad to get out and get some high quality snowshoing in for a change.

Hopefully it wont take them 4 days to plow our road out again...I am itching to get up to the daks this weekend!

 

[The Unstrung Harp]

Glad you could enjoy some proper winter weather. Hope you guys get a break soon though!

 

[Jimmy Legs and Little D]

Justin,
A novel trip report. At first it didn't occur that you were talking about MD.
It has been an unbelievable 4 days here in Baltimore. The past few days, when I look outside it reminds me so much of New Hampshire. I ventured up the street around 4 pm and it's like a ghosttown. Can't wait to see what it looks like tomorrow morning.

The only snowshoeing was last Saturday around the neighborhood and in the backyard making paths for our beagles to maneuver.

Hope you can get to the ADK's this weekend. We scheduled to leave for NH on the 26th.

Donna

 

[cbcbd]

It is great when you can squeeze in some mountain solitude in-town after a big storm that scares everyone into their homes. Magical!

 

[blacklab2020]

It is great when you can squeeze in some mountain solitude in-town after a big storm that scares everyone into their homes. Magical!

Absolutely!

These two storms really made me think: is my wanting to be outside everytime it snows down here really that different ??? (Except the cross country skiers I saw on tv this morning on conneticut and wisconsin avenue in DC, and the extreme sledders I saw making luge runs on a nearby hill)

It was kind of eerie to get into town and it be completely shut down. To go anywhere and imagine that everyone is practically contained to their homes.

 

[blacklab2020]

Justin,
A novel trip report. At first it didn't occur that you were talking about MD.
It has been an unbelievable 4 days here in Baltimore. The past few days, when I look outside it reminds me so much of New Hampshire. I ventured up the street around 4 pm and it's like a ghosttown. Can't wait to see what it looks like tomorrow morning.

The only snowshoeing was last Saturday around the neighborhood and in the backyard making paths for our beagles to maneuver.

Hope you can get to the ADK's this weekend. We scheduled to leave for NH on the 26th.

Donna

Thanks! I am glad I share your excitment about heading back North. I live so far yet I follow the website as much as possible.

I must also share my superbowl party story. On Sunday there was no way our road was plowed and we had a fairly large family party to attend. Their house was not plowed out either and they live 15 miles away. However the main roads appeared to be clear.

Plan A was to wait for them to plow, Plan B was to take the snow blower up the street to where a private plow had come half way down our street and had to back out. Our Jeep would be good to handle the 8 inches of snow from there for the other 1/4 mile up to the main road.

Plan B was working until the snowblower's transmission died.

Plan C was to call up my parents have them drive to the main road at the top of our street and have them drive. So I loaded up my winter pack with all the soda and beer, baking pans, mixing bowls, basting brush, pots, chicken wings, and 2 versions of hot sauce. We carried the Crockpot of Chili in hand and my Wife and her parents got all their winter clothes on and we marched out to the main road where we were picked up by my parents. Since their were only five seats my wife sat across the three of our laps in the backseat. We got to the other house's main road and had to park the car in a cleared warehouse lot and march through snow to the party.

Then we had to reverse all that at the end of the night. I am sure I wont ever forget that party. Quite the epic family journey for some good football, wings, chili, and beer. With these storms and everything being closed, Its amazing how everything can be bussling just half a mile from your door and not even know it. Everytime I had to break that barrier (walking from what was plowed and active to down the long snow covered and drifted road) it felt like I was leaving one world and walking into another.

 

[Jimmy Legs and Little D]

Super Bowl Party

Justin,
You know how to deal with an adverse situation; unlike some Marylanders. Another great story that you all will remember for years to come.

Donna

 

[mtnpa]

How 'bout sharing some of that snow with us?
Or maybe grow some mountains

 

[blacklab2020]

Gladly! Please take the snow. We just came back from the dacks and there is soo much down here that remains unplowed. Its bad! They have even closed schools in our county AGAIN tomorrow!!! (None of the sidewalks are clear so the students that have to walk to school can't.)

It's becoming a nuisance simply because they can't deal with it.

Our mountains are only getting smaller Im afraid, but at one point they were pretty darn high.

It's good to be in the middle though, I leave mountains for vacation and routine living to a state with great diversity.