Ed'n Lauky
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It was supposed to be Duffy my Airedale. Back in the early 2000s my wife gave me snowshoes for Christmas with the message "I'm giving you these so you will have something to do in the winter like hike the back woods and you won't have to do any winter mountain hiking. That was the beginning of my winter hiking.
The first winter I just kind of dabbled in it then we got serious. The next two winters Duffy and I finished off 32 of the winter 48. Then in the summer of 2007 he died very suddenly of a malignant tumor of the spinal cord. The next winter my heart wasn't in it and I didn't do much but the following winter I took off with Lauky to finish my winter 48 which we did. The following winter we got going to finish up his winter 48. That brings us to this winter. I laid out the list of peaks he had left and with the first day of winter we got started.
There was no plan concerning the finish. The big obstacle was the Washington/Monroe hike. I wanted a day when I could safely get him up there when he wouldn't get cold. Everyday since the beginning of winter I have studied the the weather reports for Washington. Everyday it was either too cold or too windy. I wanted one of those days when the sky was clear and the wind was low. I had already told my colleagues that when that day came I was gone and they could cover for me.
All winter I waited and while waiting we ticked off the other peaks. Last week we finished off the last of the peaks except for those two. Then to my delight the day popped up on the screen. Thursday was the day. It turned out to be everything I had hoped for. It was foggy at the trailhead this morning but by the time we reached Lakes of the Clouds the sky was a pure blue. The temperature at the shelter was 32* but the sun was intense. On the way up the temperature rose to 35* and I could tell that Lauky was having a great time and was very comfortable. It was 30* on the summit with only a light wind. The views were gorgeous. We even chatted with a Forest Service worker for an extended period and he never got cold.
The trail above the treeline had drifted over but if you could stay on the trail it was solid underneath. The snowbank was not frozen so passage over it was very easy. When we got back to the hut after summiting the temps were in the upper 40s. It was an incredible day and an incredible way to finish off Lauky's winter 48. He was able to do what fate didn't allow his big brother to do. Duffy the Airedale never made it but Lauky the 22 lbs Welsh Terrier did. So we dedicate this accomplishment to Duffy.
The 4000 footer committee doesn't recognize winter hiking by dogs, but I now proudly 'wear' MY winter patch on a bandanna that hangs around Lauky's neck.
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