Gave up on today's hike

Started out not too badly.   There was snow on the ground - several inches but the lower layer had been pretty well packed down - only a few inches to plow though on the top.  But as we went on our feet started hitting spots where we sank up to 15 inches.  After hiking an hour and only going 1.8 miles we turned around and went back to the car.  Tomorrow looks like a wash also.  But perhaps Monday we will take our snowshoes and try a hike.

This weather has got to stop

Saturday - another snowy, bitterly cold, windy day.  Snow and sleet and freezing rain.  I know I didn't eat enough but it was too cold to think about taking off my mittens and waterproof shells to get any snacks out.  We stopped for lunch beside a boulder that shielded us from the wind but not the precipitation which was snow when we sat down but changed to freezing rain about five minutes into

our break.  Not wanting our mittens and other stuff to get too wet, we packed up quickly and took off again.  Funny thing is, although we didn't think anyone else would be out there, we passed a large group of people hiking together.  Some of them looked like they would have liked to have been anyplace but there.

Sunday - big change in the weather.  Beautiful day.  Sunny and up close to 40.  Only problem was there was about eight inches of snow on the ground.  While it is nice being the first ones to make tracks, it is extremely tiring.   Neat though, to see the tracks of animals.  We saw squirrel, racoon, and coyote tracks and were very surprised to see bear tracks.  Hiked for nine very slow miles before we came upon tracks made by other hikers.  That packed down snow made all the difference in the world.  The last three miles were wonderful in comparison to the first nine.

We made it all the way to the northern end of the Shenandoah National Park.  But it was not possible to hike today because we needed to park one of the cars in the park along the Skyline Drive but it was closed due to ice and snow.  

Cold,cold,cold

Mike said to look cold.  Didn't have to pretend.

Hiked from Keys Gap, WV to Ashby Gap, VA.  All three days were up and down - called the Roller Coaster.   Bitter cold temps Saturday and Sunday.  High winds and very low wind chills on Sunday.  Waited until noon to start out but it was still bitterly cold.  Didn't even take a picture of the one great view because the wind was too cold to take off my mittens and I wouldn't have been able to stand still long enough to take it due to the wind.  All we wanted to do was to get back into the shelter of the trees.  Yet we still saw other hikers.  Needed Yak-Traks to get down the mountain going toward the car.  Saturday -  still just as cold but not as windy.   Saw no other hikers.

Great four day weekend hike

Mason Dixon Line

Had four days to hike.  Started eight miles north of the MD state line and made it all the way to Keys Gap, six miles south of Harpers Ferry, WV.  Interesting four days with varied terrain, trail conditions and weather.

Tumbling Run Shelter

Friday - hiked almost 15 miles into Maryland.  Very cold.  Most of the trail was snow covered with lots of hills.  Pretty hard hiking.  Because we had two cars, parking one at each end of the section we were hiking, we really didn't need backpacks, etc, but carried them anyway and camped at the Tumbling Run Shelter because we wanted to try out the new equipment at a time and place where we were close to the cars.
Saturday - after carrying Yak-Traks for several days without using them, decided not to take them.  Bad idea.  Overall the hike was easier,  spent many miles up on a ridge.  However, coming down toward the bridge over Route 40, we hit a very well traveled section of trail that was a sheet of ice.  Not good.  Will not neglect the Yak-Traks again.  Passed though Washington Monument State Park.
Sunday - beautiful warm day.  But almost the whole trail was icy.  Yak-Traks are wonderful.   Went through some open fields and past the site of the Civil War Battle of the South Mountain and Gathland State Park.

Coming into Harpers Ferry

Monday - Shorter, much easier hike.   Mostly snow and ice free.  Started out on the ridge that forms the boundary between WV and VA.  Then the trail went downhill to Harpers Ferry and followed the C&O canal tow path for the remaining three miles.  Not too cold but started raining one hour into the hike.  Still not a bad morning.  Rain stopped by the end of our hike.

Hiking in the snow. Made for a pretty hard weekend.

Started out on Saturday at Caledonia SP and headed north to Pine Grove Furnace.  Very hard going in several inches of snow.  There were a few bright spots where other hikers and skiers had packed down the snow but breaking a trail in several inches of snow other places was tiring.  Cold too.  At one point the wind was hitting us right in the face.  Fortunately the trail took us to the other side of the mountain and out of the direct wind.   All in all a very hard, long 16.5 miles

Today was better.  Still walking on snow but it was packed down in more places.  Only did 10.7 miles because of being so tired yesterday.  Passed the neatest shelter I've ever seen, Quarry Gap shelter south of Caledonia.  The Potomac Hiking club that maintains this section of the trail really does a nice job

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