Tag Archives: trail

Finding some snow for the holiday season

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We have gotten some snow down in the valley, but it certainly has not stuck around. One day last week, the world had a thin layer of white and the road right here was slick. Just walking early was a treacherous journey. But it had mostly melted by sunset. Later in the week, the snow all but gone, I drove north to Enosburg for the day. As I drove the temperature dropped, and the snow piled up. I don’t mean it literally piled up as I drove, I just noticed it was deeper the farther I went. It was 14 degrees by the time I got where I was going, but it was beautiful.

We have no snow now. The ground is wet, not even frozen. This morning the wind picked up and the temperature was close to 50 degrees. My spouse and I went for an early run and when we got back she said “Well that was a lovely September jog.” This is Vermont in mid-December, but the weather isn’t exactly festive to match the time of year. As Andy Williams sang, “It’s the holiday season.” So come on.

Yesterday, rather than wait for snow to come to us, we decided to go find it. We drove to Huntington, up the long twisty road to the Burrows Trail, and hiked up Camel’s Hump. Even in winter the trail is popular. My guess is that it is the most popular hiking trail in the state, so it gets use even with snow and ice. We found both snow and ice right at the start of the trail. The trail was packed down from previous hikers, and we wore micro-spikes, so it was easy going. Just like in warmer days we were hopping over water running down and crossing the trail, but mostly we walked on snow.

As we climbed we found more and more snow. The trunks of trees were covered, plastered along their lengths by what must have been a stiff wind, then branches. Eventually we got high enough that the spruce and fir were coated in heavy snow. Success. It definitely made the season feel more festive. We did not head all the way to the summit. We had found our snow. We relished it for a bit before hiking back down. It was a jolt of true winter to boost the drear of our valley home.

This afternoon we will get rain, but then overnight, oh happy night, it will turn to snow. It will be wet snow, heavy, and will make things a bit of a mess in the morning, but we will wake to a snowy day. That’s more like it. We may lose power, which is a hassle for sure, but I am pretty sure it will be worth it. If it is going to be winter, then we may as well have lots of snow. Bring it. It’s the holiday season.

Wet wetland

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I have been busy enough with work lately that I have not wanted to go birding early during the week, even though it is the season for it. So on Saturday I don’t want to give up the chance. Friday night the weather looked good for some morning exploring, so I planned to go. Saturday morning, however, brought light rain. Rain? Seriously? But I went anyway. It was bound to stop soon.

It kept raining. I turned on the windshield wipers. I went to a local nature reserve–it is fairly new and I had not seen much of it. I parked along the road where I thought a trail started. It sort of did start, in the woods, then fizzled when it opened onto a field. I went the way I thought seemed most likely, but it wasn’t much of a trail. I got to the wetland but then was stymied.

By then it was hardly raining, but it had been raining. That meant the tall grass though which I meandered was a bit wet. Dripping, really. Soggy. Soaked. In my haste to leave the house I had put on pants, to avoid ticks, but they were cotton pants. That was dumb. By the time I walked back the way I had come and got to my car, those pants were most definitely not dry.

But there had to be a better access point to this wetland. I drove up the road and found it, hidden in the trees, no parking except along the road. Yes I was soaked but it was Saturday and I did not want to give up and what’s a little cold and wet? So up the hill into the woods I headed, then down the hill in the woods I went, until it opened again in tall grass. There was a clear path but it went both left and right. I went left.

And that way was just as wet as my first attempt. I got even more wet, even though the rain had passed by now. That grass can hold some water. I had a better view of the wetland, saw some ducks, heard a gallinule calling, listened to an Alder Flycatcher and a couple of Veeries singing. I turned around again and thought I would try going right. This was was less wet but the rain started to fall again.

I did find some birds, although not as many as I might have on a clearer day. Back in the car I polished off my warm coffee, waiting for me in the cup holder. I drove home with the wipers on, those cotton pants wicking all that grass water the whole time. I arrived home wet and chilled, satisfied that I had tried and at least had a good walk in a beautiful place. After a hot shower I got some sourdough bread started. I had a day ahead of me yet.