Transformation

Just a few weeks ago, A walk required the full complement of winter clothing.

Over the course of that time, the rains worked their magic, and temperatures rose.

I put on a pair of running shoes yesterday and took an evening walk along the same path. It was over 60°F, and the path was busy with many enjoying the unusually warm weather.

Next week on March 20, astronomical winter ends. Any peaks that are required to be hiked in winter will have to wait until next year. For the Catskills, that will include only Panther Mountain. Unfortunately I will not be able to secure this peak before time runs out.

That’s OK. I had a productive winter hike season this year, and knocked off several from my list.

Now begins the mud season. I usually refrain from hiking mountains in the shoulder seasons, especially spring. The mud and freeze/thaw conditions produce icy ledges and swollen streams that become difficult or impossible to cross.

Snow can linger in the northern New England states such as New Hampshire and Maine into July in the ravines of the high peaks.

I will certainly be back before then, perhaps only taking the rest of the this month.

Instead of chasing slippery, sloppy, snowy trails in the northern states, I will entertain myself here in southern New England. There are plenty of trails to explore now that spring’s arrival is imminent, and coast walking on the beaches before the summer crowds arrive is an excellent alternative.

I’m sure mother nature has not finished with us yet. A dusting of snow here or there and return of cooler temperatures will occur before the trees bloom, but the days grow longer and the light at the end of the tunnel is brighter than it was just a month ago.