A few days of good snow conditions in the local backwoods:
Shared the trail for a distance with an earlier traveled coyote. Good image of signature 'X' pad print in lower photo
Enjoyed some bright sunny skies
Cold, -20ºF temperatures - great conditions
Muscle Girl Sarah rollin' uphill and break'n trail
Lots of hill climbing
Two miles of return gliding with some steeps
Back in the hollow
Wasn't too bad, when to be had. Probably six inch base with four inches of powder when good.
Get more accomplished in two hours with these two guys than in a full day with most folks. Definitely get worked out.
---------------------------------
Did a solo trip early one Sunday morning to check out a short trail located about three miles from the front door. Years back, used to be the standard "Friday night after work" late evening headlamp outing with the dogs, when in. About a mile loop with around 300ft elevation gain in first half mile. One steep out...
... and two steeps back. Damn, don't recall this stretch being that steep. None of the photos do the incline nor trail conditions justice at all. The area was recently timbered about a year or two ago. Can't tell by the images but this was pretty much a bushwhack this day - stretches of overgrown briars and lots of downed limbs crossing the trail. Couple logs here and there.
Being a bit cautious here - couple logs ahead, pole grabbin' briars, and the slopes a lot steeper than the image would depict. Not the greatest snow cover, either. No base to speak of so a bit difficult to edge the boards. Could use about another foot of snow.
Second of two return steeps. Haven't tried skiing this area for probably ten years. When did these hills get so steep? Don't remember that.
Trail can definitely use a lot work since being timbered. Regrowth will eventually take care of the briars. May do some maintenance of our own come summer (maybe not). The loggers had additionally cut a new spur with a decent view from a bit higher up. Hiked it last summer but didn't mess with it this day.
Checked out some nearby local ice conditions on the way out. Not bad.
