2017-18 Snow Shoe Season

[stilluf]

Great start to season with some Shoe at Windham Ski Mtn. Went up and down Mtb trails. Very fun, plenty of snow.

 

[stilluf]

Day 2 at Windham Ski Mtn was as good, and perhaps better, than day 1. Definitely colder, (especially at the top of the Mtn!!) but got to Shoe more of the Mtb trails.
Here’s an obligatory selfie. Phone then shut down from the cold.

 

[rottin']

Couple hours at Tatum with my brother...he's on the right...

 

[stilluf]

Enjoyed some fun and frosty Shoe Sat & Sun and Watchung. Plenty of snow on trail, a little skimpy off trail.

 

[stilluf]

Was lucky enough to get up to the Catskills yesterday for some Shoe. We parked at the end of Big Hollow Rd (near Windham Ski Mtn) and went up to Black Dome and Black Head mountains. Fortunately, folks had already broken out some of the trails, but snow was still really deep: 2+ feet in the valleys, 3-4 feet on the mountains! Going up to Black Dome, some spots required crawling on hands and knees due to snow depth + steepness. Coming down from Black Head, the trail lead through some really tight chutes, requiring quite a bit of butt sliding. Not dignified, but pretty fun! Also, when coming down, my shoes were big enough (and the snow was deep enough) to let me practically float over the unpacked part of the trails. Overall, some of the best conditions I've experienced. Also, some sick mofo had hiked to the top, and skied down the trails!

Looks like they may get more snow this week, so if you can, get up there...you won't be disappointed.

Had to chuckle at the young couple who started up the fire road from the parking lot wearing only boots and microspikes. They were post holing almost immediately, and returned to the lot before we even got our shoes on. Ah, the ignorance of youth......

I'll upload some pics in a bit.

 

[stilluf]

Back at Watchung for what may be final Shoe of season Sunday am. Conditions were pretty good, enough snow coverage for off-trail travel. Didn't see anyone else out there, and only other 2 snow shoe tracks on the Skytop fire road. I had fresh powder on connector trail to lower Skytop lot. Ridiculous how over-used this park is!

 

[stilluf]

Squeezed in one final shoe. Went back up to Catskills, Spruceton Valley For a trek up West Kill Mtn, and then a beer at West Kill Brewery. Both were a success.
Mtn still has 1-2 feet of snow above 2000 feet. More above 3000. Going up, trail was a decent hard park. Coming down, the warming temps and barefoot hikers combined to create a Post hole nightmare.
Fortunately, the pale ale at West Kill was delish, drive home uneventful.

 

[thegock]

Back at Watchung for what may be final Shoe of season Sunday am. Didn't see anyone else out there, and only other 2 snow shoe tracks on the Skytop fire road. I had fresh powder on connector trail to lower Skytop lot. Ridiculous how over-used this park is!

I had seen what I thought were ur trax on HELLO KITTY a day or less later. Glad you got out. Next time haul @Shorepoints and @pooriggy with you for the JORBA chapter triple play.