High Blue Deep Snow

I had been wanting to snowshoe to the High Blue vista, which is northeast and up, up, up from my dooryard.  I brought Evvy despite the fact that I knew I'd probably be breaking a trail nearly the entire way.  The walk would be difficult for both of us.  I wasn't into the hike for ten minutes before I was shedding my gloves, and hat. I unzipped my jacket, marched slowly upward.  We walked up through Paul Galloway's pasture, through the woods, another pasture, and back into the woods.  When I got to Cochran Rd., the deer traffic was very evident.  Very well worn deer paths everywhere.  I know that in the past, Galloway has fed the deer, with a fabulous buffet of deer favorites.  I didn't bother to look for the buffet, I was on a mission. Breaking a virgin trail uphill for the better part of an hour, was difficult for me.  But I loved that I was getting a good workout.  Evvy wasn't content to go as slowly as I was.  She bounded and walked gingerly on the crust beneath the fluffy snow.   She was eating things, I did not always see.  At one point, I though she had an animal part in her mouth.  We had gone about three quarters of the way, when thankfully we came across x-c ski tracks. The tracks provided just enough bouyancy that breaking the snowshoe trail was nearly effortless.   The trail to High Blue leaves the logging road at a ninety degree angle through lovely woods.  The tall hemlocks created some neat places suitable for shelter.  They really looked quite inviting.  My plan was to stop somewhere along the way, make a small fire, brew some tea and eat a sandwich.   I continued a short distance on this trail, when I found this privvy.  I decided to make use of the facilities, which were nicely equipped with toilet seat(which I did not sit on), and toilet paper stowed inside a coffee can.   I set to work on creating a teepee of tinder, when Evvy bounded into it thinking this was a good opportunity to play.  I was not impressed.   She went off on a game trail, and I started making the tinder pile again.   Satisfied I had enough, I took out my "light anywhere" matches.  I struck the match on my pack zipper, nothing.  After several disappointing tries, I gave it up and decided to add a butane lighter to my pack when I got home.  I was sweaty and quickly chilling down.  So off we went to the High Blue.  

The wind was blowing steady, and whistled through the trees.   I looked out toward Galloway's fields below, and further off to Vermont.   Eerie solitude reminded me of the book I'm reading, "Not Without Peril".  This book contains stories of hikers who have trekked to Mt. Washington, and area over the last 150 years.  Anyway, my imagination ran off with me, as I tried to think of how I would deal with the challenges of Mt. Washington in winter.  

I decided I wanted to eat something, but I wasn't going to sit in the wind for obvious reasons. We walked to the small pond a few steps away.  Evvy got a break from the deep snow but she continued rooting around rather than resting.  I hung my pack on some standing dead wood, and ate my pb & j sandwich.  I brought some treats for Evvy, though she had eaten plenty already.  I tried to give her some water, but she barely took a few sips.  I would pay for this later.  

After a change of gloves, and zipping up all that had been unzipped, we headed back down.  So much quicker!  When we got to Cochran Rd., I decided to take the trail which leaves off Cochran Rd. at Galloway's house.  Behind his house, the trail leads toward a beautiful ravine.  A foot-bridge crosses the deep ravine and continues up hill briefly.  The trail works it's way toward my freshly broken path at the beginning of the walk.  From there, a leisurely walk all the way down through woods, and pasture, across County Rd. to home.  

When I let Evvy in, she promptly went in and gulped her water.  I wasn't paying attention, and shouldn't have let her do that.  She went into the livingroom, and everything she had consumed was piled up on my recently shampooed rug!  Evvy headed back to her water bowl, which I took up, letting her drink alittle at a time.   The cleanup was just torture for me, nearly to the point of wretching.  I must invest in a "Spotbot". Not withstanding the nasty ending to the day, the hike was well worth the workout.  Now the deer and other folks will have an easier go on the trail from County Rd. up to the High Blue.

Nothing but Snow

This is my girl, Evvy. This is her favorite season. Most days she can be found rooting through the snow like a Skimmer. On snowmobile trails she is nothing but a black blur. We often go out snowshoeing, using the snowmobile trails only to pass from one area to another, or when I need a break. I've been breaking trails near my house. Now I'm re-breaking them. This morning, I re-broke a trail I call John Stevens loop. Mr. Stevens is gone now, but his adirondack style cabin still exists. We went up there, and made a nice track down to Steven's house, where his wife still lives. I knocked on her door, and her daughter(I think) answered. I let her know what I had done. As she was on the phone, she gave me a thumbs up. I know that Mrs. Stevens, who is in her nineties, attempted to find the cabin. I found her tracks, not quite making anywhere near the cabin. It appeared she walked into the woods, from her house, but made a circle. So I

made a very distinct and easy to pass, trail to the cabin. I made the trail loop back towards Steven's house, and also back to Derry Hill Rd. I didn't come across any recent deer tracks, but there are some along the snowmobile trail.

What I wouldn't give for a snowmobile right now! The club trails are well maintained around Walpole. The snow is perfect, fluffy with a packed base. This view is of the sunset, taken from Pinnacle Equipment. I went down there today, to pick up a donation they made to a fund raiser I'm doing. I looked over the new machines, and just could not believe you have to pay $10,000, for a snowmobile. Indeed a luxury or pure folly, nevertheless I ogled.

The Snow Keeps Coming

The calm winter sunset before today's storm. The photo doesn't really do the sunset justice. It was spectacular. Today on the other hand is a different story. The snow began falling around 6 a.m. and kept on until a bit after noon. I think I have an extra 8 inches, to add to the nearly 20 inches from the other day. I got out of work at noon, and came home to run my little snowblower. I do enjoy clearing the snow. I wish I had a big Kabota tractor with one of those huge blower attachments. Pretty cool. By the way, I'm not a redneck just because I like tractors.
I haven't had much work these days, so I've had ample time to snowshoe every day. I've been out the last four days in a row, and my knees remind me every morning. As long as they don't seize up, or give away, I'm all set. Not many other people have ventured out into the deep snow, so I have broken many trails myself. Miles worth. Occasionally I get a respite when I come across a snowmobile trail. At that point, I feel so unencumbered I could run....but I don't.

Evvy and I both struggled through the deep snow each day. I worked up a sweat shortly into each hike. Evvy got covered with ice balls that clung to her fur. She would stop suddenly to chew some of the icicles off the irratated spots. I looked and looked for sheds, but so far, none to be found. I was hoping Evvy might find one, because she is forever finding bones. I did see plenty of game trails despite the deep snow. The deer ARE moving. I have found where they bed down. Then I find they move together along the well worn paths. Occasionally, coyote tracks intermingle. Speaking of coyotes. My neighbor has a 13 yr. old Husky mix. He is all "off-white" and quite plush. Anyway, my neighbor keeps two of these dogs tied out, night

and day, which angers me. So I read an ad in the "lost" section of the local paper. This family lost one of those fluffy dogs. The 13 yr old went missing the evening of January 7th this year.

The poor dog couldn't hear, and I'm not even sure he could see all that well. I fear that a coyote(s) came into the yard and took the dog. This past Monday, I was coming home from a pizza run. A large canid ran out in front of me. Nope, not "little Bear", the husky, it was a coyote. That coyote was just leaving my neighbor's yard! My neighbors weren't home. I checked to see if the other fluffy dog was still there. It was, he was all curled up in the snow near the garage. Perhaps he went undetected by the coyote, but I doubt it. Hopefully I scared the coyote away.

It frustrates me how people can leave their animals out, tethered with no way to escape. How people can allow their cats out around here, is beyond me too. It kills me when I see printed posters with lost cats on them, stuck to telephone poles. I mean really? A cat doesn't stand a very good chance of survival in the woods of Walpole, or anywhere really. Fisher, Fox, and Coyotes will eat cats with ease. Do the owners who post really think they will see their cats again? Seems like they may be in denial. I'm sure there are those exceptions, but few.

I keep my girl, Evvy inside. If I lost her to a coyote or anything else, I'd be devestated. She has been the very best friend I have. Even when she is at her worst, her love is the unconditional kind. I wouldn't trade her for the world.