Frosted flakes on the Laurel Highlands Trail (PA, 2/14/06)
Feb 15, 2016 11:33:08 GMT -5
Post by GaliWalker on Feb 15, 2016 11:33:08 GMT -5
Frosted flakes on the Laurel Highlands Trail
During the winter months, when I have no motivation to drive far to access snowy trailheads, I prefer to stick close to home. The Laurel Highlands Trail is a relatively close 1.5hr drive away from Pittsburgh. Furthermore, it provides me with elevation gain, distance, and a plowed trailhead. In short, my favorite conditioning hike. I've already hiked over 60mi on it this year (four trips). Unfortunately, I no longer carry my camera with me on these conditioners, a fact I rued on yesterday's hike.
Due to a late night, I only got to the Ohiopyle end of the Laurel Highlands Trail by 8:30am. The temperature was a bracing 0°F, so I geared up in full winter attire. Other than the cold, it was a beautifully sunny day. I could feel the vitamin-D fizzing, as I took off down the trail. There were around 3in of snow coating the trail, but the ultra cold conditions meant that it was powdery and almost no inconvenience.
I covered the first up and down 6mi in reasonably good shape. At this point, a longish 1.5mi climb of about 1200ft elevation gain provides the biggest challenge over the first dozen miles. Since the snow was still only 3in or so deep, I continued to make good time. After the seven mile mark the snow depth increased to 7in, so it became a bit more difficult, but not too bad.
Frosted Flakes
By now I was making my way through a hardwood forest that was rimed with a light layer of frost. It was brilliantly sunny and the snowy ground glittered in the light. I tried to make out the source of this glitter, and realized that it was being caused by tiny 3-4mm wide wafer thin chips. I also realized that these were floating down from the sky, to settle on the snow. The temperature was too cold for the flakes to melt, so they just sat wherever they fell. Where did they come from? On a blue sky day, it couldn't be snowing... It had to be the frosted trees, which were releasing the flakes in the sunshine and slight breeze. Even I was rapidly becoming bejeweled. Hoping to record the moment I took out my iPhone and snapped off a photo.
I continued up to the 7.5mi mark and then turned around, well satisfied with my day. On the way back I decided to swing by the trail shelters at the 6mi mark, since I had never seen these ones up close before, despite all my years of hiking the trail.
Stats: 15.25mi, 4100ft gain, 6.5hrs
During the winter months, when I have no motivation to drive far to access snowy trailheads, I prefer to stick close to home. The Laurel Highlands Trail is a relatively close 1.5hr drive away from Pittsburgh. Furthermore, it provides me with elevation gain, distance, and a plowed trailhead. In short, my favorite conditioning hike. I've already hiked over 60mi on it this year (four trips). Unfortunately, I no longer carry my camera with me on these conditioners, a fact I rued on yesterday's hike.
Due to a late night, I only got to the Ohiopyle end of the Laurel Highlands Trail by 8:30am. The temperature was a bracing 0°F, so I geared up in full winter attire. Other than the cold, it was a beautifully sunny day. I could feel the vitamin-D fizzing, as I took off down the trail. There were around 3in of snow coating the trail, but the ultra cold conditions meant that it was powdery and almost no inconvenience.
I covered the first up and down 6mi in reasonably good shape. At this point, a longish 1.5mi climb of about 1200ft elevation gain provides the biggest challenge over the first dozen miles. Since the snow was still only 3in or so deep, I continued to make good time. After the seven mile mark the snow depth increased to 7in, so it became a bit more difficult, but not too bad.
Frosted Flakes
By now I was making my way through a hardwood forest that was rimed with a light layer of frost. It was brilliantly sunny and the snowy ground glittered in the light. I tried to make out the source of this glitter, and realized that it was being caused by tiny 3-4mm wide wafer thin chips. I also realized that these were floating down from the sky, to settle on the snow. The temperature was too cold for the flakes to melt, so they just sat wherever they fell. Where did they come from? On a blue sky day, it couldn't be snowing... It had to be the frosted trees, which were releasing the flakes in the sunshine and slight breeze. Even I was rapidly becoming bejeweled. Hoping to record the moment I took out my iPhone and snapped off a photo.
I continued up to the 7.5mi mark and then turned around, well satisfied with my day. On the way back I decided to swing by the trail shelters at the 6mi mark, since I had never seen these ones up close before, despite all my years of hiking the trail.
Stats: 15.25mi, 4100ft gain, 6.5hrs
