snow trekking
I reiterate my long-standing contention that snow is ok and brings a meaning and a reason to it being cold. Without snow, the cold is just dark, dreary, bleak, and dismal. Recently, it's been pretty cold and quite windy around here, and it was certainly feeling a lot like those four words. But today I had the opportunity to visit some real snow up close and personal, which made most of it all better.
With our fearless and indefatigable leader, Joe, we went to Tokushima (徳島県) to climb Marusasa-yama (丸笹山). Now, normally it's a very easy mountain to climb. I mean, it's not that tall, it's not that steep, and it's not that long of a trail.
But that quickly changes when you're trying to climb in the snow. We're talking real snow trekking here - four people using two pairs of snowshoes and two pairs of crampons. The bottom had ankle-deep snow and wasn't too difficult to make headway in. But when we were getting near the top, it was waist-deep or deeper. We were frequently sinking in up to our butts, and mind you that means there's stuff packed down under your foot. We actually ran out of time this go and couldn't make it all the way up. And we were the only ones there, so we had to find and make our own trail in all of it.
I honestly had forgotten all about what being in snow was like. I forgot how peaceful it looked and felt. I forgot how it glistened on the ground and in the trees. And I forgot how it swallows up sound like a giant maw, as if it actively refuses to be disturbed by harsh noises. Of course I'll probably remember all too well what it's like to drive and live in it when I visit home next week, but it was great to remember.
Needless to say, it was exhausting. But it was truly fun, exciting, good exercise, great to get out and do something, and with good company, so I don't mind fighting to stay awake as I write this.
I'm too lazy to attach a picture at this point (and most of the good pictures are on Cassie's camera anyway since mine didn't really like being out in the cold), but I might post one in a few days or you'll just have to ask nicely.
And on a side note, I decided I really need to train more. My stamina (as far as trekking or running goes at least) has never been anything to rave about, but I really was feeling it today. Bloody just couldn't keep up a decent pace on the way up for very long. I'm great at going for short stretches really hard, but I just don't do the long haul. I don't really like running long distances, so I've yet to figure out what to do to train, but I have to do something. Obviously taking any suggestions.
With our fearless and indefatigable leader, Joe, we went to Tokushima (徳島県) to climb Marusasa-yama (丸笹山). Now, normally it's a very easy mountain to climb. I mean, it's not that tall, it's not that steep, and it's not that long of a trail.
But that quickly changes when you're trying to climb in the snow. We're talking real snow trekking here - four people using two pairs of snowshoes and two pairs of crampons. The bottom had ankle-deep snow and wasn't too difficult to make headway in. But when we were getting near the top, it was waist-deep or deeper. We were frequently sinking in up to our butts, and mind you that means there's stuff packed down under your foot. We actually ran out of time this go and couldn't make it all the way up. And we were the only ones there, so we had to find and make our own trail in all of it.
I honestly had forgotten all about what being in snow was like. I forgot how peaceful it looked and felt. I forgot how it glistened on the ground and in the trees. And I forgot how it swallows up sound like a giant maw, as if it actively refuses to be disturbed by harsh noises. Of course I'll probably remember all too well what it's like to drive and live in it when I visit home next week, but it was great to remember.
Needless to say, it was exhausting. But it was truly fun, exciting, good exercise, great to get out and do something, and with good company, so I don't mind fighting to stay awake as I write this.
I'm too lazy to attach a picture at this point (and most of the good pictures are on Cassie's camera anyway since mine didn't really like being out in the cold), but I might post one in a few days or you'll just have to ask nicely.
And on a side note, I decided I really need to train more. My stamina (as far as trekking or running goes at least) has never been anything to rave about, but I really was feeling it today. Bloody just couldn't keep up a decent pace on the way up for very long. I'm great at going for short stretches really hard, but I just don't do the long haul. I don't really like running long distances, so I've yet to figure out what to do to train, but I have to do something. Obviously taking any suggestions.