Tag Archives: winter photography

Back On The Trail…Soon Enough

As the coldest air of the season sets in, thoughts turn toward spring hiking. When I was younger, the idea of hiking in the cold, rain, and snow was never an issue. One time in the early 2000s, my hiking buddy and I hiked Anthony’s Nose in a blizzard. While it was an awesome hike, it probably wasn’t the best decision I have ever made.

As I have grown older, my desire to hike in extreme conditions has waned. The need for every hike to have an epic view has waned. Needless to say, my hiking priorities have changed, and every chance that I have to be out in the woods is just that, a day spent on the trail. If the hike is two miles or eight, the focus is on the hike, not on checking off boxes that some folks think are important.

So, why am I telling you this? Today is the day before Christmas, and with the “once in a generation” storm now over, the frigid air has settled in, and it truly feels like winter. All I can think of now is planning hikes for the spring. With new maps in hand, my thoughts are now consumed with preparing for and getting out hiking.

While It is true that I have not been able to get out hiking much in the last year, it is my hope that 2023 will be much different. I miss being out on any trail. I miss the smell of the earth, the feel of the trail under my feet, and most of all, just being outside.

The first step in this process is complete. I have updated each of my maps: Bear Mt. (Northern & Southern), East and West Hudson, and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Now I can pore over them and revisit hikes of the past, as well as combining different trails to make new hikes.  

As in the past, this sometimes time consuming task is a vital one. I don’t find many things to be calming, but this happens to be one of them. Sitting with each of the maps, I can spend hours going over trails, distances and calculating the time needed to complete a hike. It is, quite simply, soothing.

Does this mean I won’t venture out before spring? We’ll see…

So feel free to join me as I begin my journey back to the trail.

The Aftermath

“What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?”

-John Steinbeck 

I took these photos the day after the second nor easter dumped 19.5 inches of the white stuff on us.

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It’s Blowing And Snowing!

Call me crazy, but in the middle of our second nor easter in a week, I decided to head outside to take some pictures.  The storm was raging and even though It was dark and I was more than a wee bit cold, I braved the elements to get these pictures!

In the moments when the wind slowed to a dull roar, being outside in the snow was very peaceful. The sound of the snow falling provided me with a sense of peace and some tranquility.

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A Hike Before The Rain

When I checked the weather this morning, it said a high in the 50’s with rain after 5pm. At the start of the hike it was 46 degrees and mostly sunny. As I made my way through the park, it got cloudier and cloudier, with rain falling on me for the last 25 minutes.

With that said, it was still a beautiful hike for the 24th of February. It could have easily been 20-25 degrees colder with some type of frozen precipitation either falling or on the ground.

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The parking lot at the start of the hike.

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The entrance to Nirvana!

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During the summer this stream was dry, even after rain storms.

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A shot of some trees and the blue sky.

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My favorite picture of the day!

Happy Hiking!!!

Hike #2-5.0-9.2

Wow…It’s cold outside!

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The last few days here in Mahopac, NY have been brutally cold. Daily highs have been in the teens with lows close to zero. To add insult to injury, tonight it looks like the temperature is going to drop to below zero!! The picture in this post was the first thing I saw when I decided to venture outside today. Needless to say, I was met with a biting cold that literally stole my breath. So I took a picture and I hope that it conveys just how cold it is here!

Let me know if the picture reflects the bitter cold that I experienced.