adventures in irresponsible hiking
Are you crazy? Don't hike like this.
december 20: solo hike with dog
- Temp: 30F (-1C).
- Snow Depth: 2-3".
- Weather: Dim light (impossible to determine direction of sun), snowing.
- Time: Unknown. Some hours after noon.
- Equipment: Sneakers, socks, jeans, shirt, leather jacket, walking stick,
nothing else.
- Safety equipment: Newfoundland dog without leash, nothing else.
- Length: Between 1 and 2 miles.
- Terrain: Deep, untrailed, unmanaged forest.
Difficult walking due to many downed trees.
Some terrain steep enough to require walking switchback-style
to prevent needing hands (I had no gloves).
- Number of people who knew I had gone hiking: 0.
- Number of times I'd hiked that route: 0.
Took a different route back so I could not track our prints in the snow.
Notes:
Harley, a large newfie over 10 years old was
deft even through dense balsam stands or over massive downed maples--the
forest is his everyday domain. His pace is plodding, but he never barks
or gets distracted by wildlife.
I feel he is strong enough to help me
crawl back (or at least show me which way to crawl) should something go wrong.
december 25: solo night hike without shoes or light
- Temp: 7F (-14C).
- Snow Depth: 2-4".
- Weather: Chilly (see labels). Clear.
Waxing gibbous moon, quite bright on the new snow.
- Time: Approx. 10pm.
- Equipment: sweatpants, sweatshirt, socks, nothing else.
- Safety equipment: None.
- Length: Approximately 1 mile.
- Terrain: Deep, untrailed, unmanaged forest.
Difficult walking due to many downed trees.
- Number of people who knew I had gone hiking: 0.
- Number of times I'd hiked that route: 0.
Took a different route back so I could not track my prints in the snow,
even though this meant I had to double-back twice.
Notes:
Snowstorm earlier in the day left every fir tree loaded with
new snow. Without a hat or coat, I tried to be careful not
to let snow get down my shirt.
One sock had a hole in the sole, so one foot got quite cold very quickly.
Harley, my large newfie refused to go with me
even though I took him with me to the forest edge. Too cold. He was on
the porch when I got home and glad to come inside with me.