1HappyHiker
Well-known member
It’s not for everyone, but for some folks (like my hiking partner Steve and I), there can be great joy derived from taking a few hours to go out into the great white yonder and doing a mildly challenging snowshoe trek through the winter forest on unbroken trails. What is there not to savor about an amble through the woods on pristine snow, coupled with crisp, clean air, with nothing but the sound of breathing and the crunch of snow?
Sure, conquering a 4K peak can also involve breaking trail through pristine snow, and certainly has its own rewards. But somehow, when you are out snowshoeing just for the pure enjoyment of the sport itself, it can take on an entirely different feel.
OK, enough praise and platitudes about snowshoeing for the sake of snowshoeing! Our trek involved a 4.5 mile loop hike via the Valley Way, Inlook, Kelton and Brookside trails (see map below).
Upon our arrival at the Appalachia trailhead, we could see immediately that we were in for a lot of snow. Take a look at the photo below. You can barely see the top of the trailhead kiosk!
Once we finally climbed up and over the huge snow bank at the Appalachia parking lot, it was apparent the Valley Way was well broken out, as one might expect! However, when we reached the junction of the Valley Way and the Inlook Trail, it was equally apparent that no one had been on this trail for a very long time. We got our wish for a pure snowshoe adventure!
Throughout the entire journey (except for the Valley Way segment), we broke trail the whole way. We guesstimated that in many spots along our route, there was about 2 feet of light fluffy powdery snow, and perhaps another foot or so of hard base beneath the powder. The photo below shows a small sample of the trail-breaking work in progress.
However, at one point along the route, the trail was partially broken out for us (well sort of!!) by what we think was a porcupine.
(Or could it have been by a person skiing on one ski?)
Besides an abundance of awesome up-close & personal views of the forest in the dead of winter, we encountered a number of other interesting sights along the way. One rather unusual view is shown in the photo below which was taken from one of the ledges on the Inlook Trail.
Shooting into the sun on this partially overcast day (with snow flurries constantly in the air) produced an image that made Mt. Madison & Adams appear to be showered with debris from an exploding sun.
And there were also less dramatic and calmer views such as ice cycles overhanging the trail.
BOTTOM LINE TO ALL THIS: This was a magnificent winter adventure in the Whites involving snowshoeing for the pure sport of it. And, in its own unique way, this trek produced as much satisfaction as a journey to a 4K peak.
1HappyHiker
Sure, conquering a 4K peak can also involve breaking trail through pristine snow, and certainly has its own rewards. But somehow, when you are out snowshoeing just for the pure enjoyment of the sport itself, it can take on an entirely different feel.
OK, enough praise and platitudes about snowshoeing for the sake of snowshoeing! Our trek involved a 4.5 mile loop hike via the Valley Way, Inlook, Kelton and Brookside trails (see map below).
Upon our arrival at the Appalachia trailhead, we could see immediately that we were in for a lot of snow. Take a look at the photo below. You can barely see the top of the trailhead kiosk!
Once we finally climbed up and over the huge snow bank at the Appalachia parking lot, it was apparent the Valley Way was well broken out, as one might expect! However, when we reached the junction of the Valley Way and the Inlook Trail, it was equally apparent that no one had been on this trail for a very long time. We got our wish for a pure snowshoe adventure!
Throughout the entire journey (except for the Valley Way segment), we broke trail the whole way. We guesstimated that in many spots along our route, there was about 2 feet of light fluffy powdery snow, and perhaps another foot or so of hard base beneath the powder. The photo below shows a small sample of the trail-breaking work in progress.
However, at one point along the route, the trail was partially broken out for us (well sort of!!) by what we think was a porcupine.
(Or could it have been by a person skiing on one ski?)
Besides an abundance of awesome up-close & personal views of the forest in the dead of winter, we encountered a number of other interesting sights along the way. One rather unusual view is shown in the photo below which was taken from one of the ledges on the Inlook Trail.
Shooting into the sun on this partially overcast day (with snow flurries constantly in the air) produced an image that made Mt. Madison & Adams appear to be showered with debris from an exploding sun.
And there were also less dramatic and calmer views such as ice cycles overhanging the trail.
BOTTOM LINE TO ALL THIS: This was a magnificent winter adventure in the Whites involving snowshoeing for the pure sport of it. And, in its own unique way, this trek produced as much satisfaction as a journey to a 4K peak.
1HappyHiker
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