I’ve
met several people who don’t share my love for the outdoors, hiking in
particular. Bugs, spiders, snakes, poisonous plants, physical exertion – I get
it. For me, though, all aspects of nature – what we consider the good and the
bad – combine to form an experience like no other. Your senses are awakened.
You’re both alert and at peace. It’s magical.
While
hiking within the most peaceful scenes is wonderful, there’s an added thrill to
hiking in inclement weather. Most people would disagree with that, I’m sure – and
under certain circumstances, I would too – but nothing can compare to the
excitement of hiking in the rain or snow.
Sure,
you’re cold and wet. It’s not comfortable by any means – but I’ll trade
creature comforts for spiritual uplifting any day. The sights, the sounds, the
smells you perceive are only perceptible when the wilderness is alive,
welcoming the precipitation. The deafening sound of rain pushing through the
forest canopy, pouring onto the wooded hummus and flooding small streams. The
soft background noise of snowflakes falling on snowflakes. Strong winds
whipping between trees, stripping open ridges of their covering. Dense fog obscuring
old landmarks, making distant noises much louder while softening your own
footsteps. It’s wonderful.
Our
region has had a harsh winter. Temperatures dipping below zero – something
that’s relatively uncommon for our area – and then rising into the 60’s and
70’s only days later. A few days before Valentine’s Day this year, our region
got another helping of fresh powder; my apartment saw 6 inches, whereas some
areas were met with over a foot of snow.
As I
packed my 4Runner with typical survival gear for my short, yet adventurous
journeys to the office, I realized that I’ve never made a blog-post about a
hike in the snow. I’ve hiked in the middle of winter before – with snow-drifts
above my knees and rivers of ice covering a well-maintained trail (I’m looking
at you, Roan Mountain) – but I’ve never had the chance to blog about it.
So on
the day after Valentine’s Day, with the recent snowfall beginning to fade, I
decided to make a short hike into Rocky Fork to see what beauty and challenge
Mother Nature had brought.
I’ve
posted about Rocky Fork before, so I’ll spare you faithful readers the details,
but it’s a beautiful, and an ever more accessible wilderness. Both main- and
side-roads in Unicoi County were clear on that Saturday – a welcome relief from
the week of slowed stops and careful acceleration. Once I turned onto Rocky
Fork road, it was a different world. It was clear that the road hadn’t been
touched, as was expected, and the snow covering the road was undisturbed by
tire-tracks until my 4Runner climbed into the valley. Despite the 6+ inches of
mostly-frozen snow as my tarmac, I had little trouble making it to the main
gate and trailhead at Rocky Fork. The less-than-accurate thermometer on my
dashboard told me it was 25 degrees outside, and so I scoffed at the
temperature as I stepped out into the snow.
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| My new watch! http://bertucciwatches.com/Bertucci/home.html |
The
wind took my breath away. The ambient temperature may have been 25, but the
wind-chill was surely below zero. The wind gusted at more than 30 mph, easy,
and my exposed face and hands were stinging within seconds. Prepared, I put on my gloves and better-covered my head,
neck, and face.
The
snow began to fall again as I walked past the blue gate at the parking area and
into the Rocky Fork wilderness. The deeper I walked up the water-shed, the
higher and steeper the gorge’s walls grew, the colder it became – what little
relief that was offered by the limited sunlight was diminished, and the narrow
valley focused the wind into a laser. In short, it was cold. And as I hiked
through ever-deeper snow, the snowfall became thicker and faster. It was
chilling, but absolutely beautiful.
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| An odd place for a heart, despite Valentine's Day |
I
took as many pictures as I could, before the snow became prohibitive to
photography. I trudged my way up the clear but covered trail, following the
tracks of a lone deer that were fading by the minute, making awkward tracks of
my own with hiking poles and clumsy boots kicking snow in front of me and
behind. In some places, there were still 8-10 inches covering the trail.
I
hiked up to Long Branch, a tributary of Rocky Fork about a mile from the main
gate, and decided to turn around. My legs had forgotten how much more difficult
hiking in the snow is than normal. Every step is met with resistance and it’s
like walking up a flight of stairs on level ground.
The
snow slowed as I made my way back to the 4Runner, but my previous tracks had
already been partially obscured – those of the deer had disappeared. As I
reached the main gate, the snow stopped; as if I had been treated to a winter
wonderland only for the duration of my hike.
After
the winter we’ve had, I’m thankful to see warmer temperatures. Normally, I love
the cold and snow, but this season has been a bit much, even for me, despite my
adequate preparation for cold-weather survival (read: overeating). Nonetheless,
my hike was beautiful and inspiring – and I look forward to the next chance I
have to experience the splendor.
Thanks
for reading!
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| Beautiful |
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