Trinity Alps Reconnaisance Hike

With sleepy eyes, and still in bed, I pushed the blinds aside to see the sky. Blue. BLUE?!?! Out for a hike!!!

Matt and I had planned on going to check out the Trinity Alps at some point this weekend, so we decided that today would be the day the weather gods finally smiled upon us. Since we had no prior knowledge of how much snow they get each year, or if any had fallen yet, we called the ranger station. The park ranger told us that the road was clear and paved from the highway to the trailhead. And snow levels were at 4,000ft, so we wouldn't see any snow on the way there, at the trailhead, or anywhere until five miles in.

Well.... two miles before we even got to the trailhead, the road was completely impassible. Fallen trees and about eight inches of slushy snow stood in the way between us and our planned hike. The snow was starting to rot already, so it definitely had been here awhile already. I didn't let this get in my way. We hiked the final two miles, and arrived somewhat exhausted to the trailhead. But since we made it this far, we decided to at least check out the trail. The snow only got deeper. Totally doable with snowshoes, but we didn't plan for snow after what the ranger had said. We slogged through almost knee-deep snow, postholing the entire way, uphill both ways (of course).

The hike was a welcome Winter Wonderland. Just what I needed. Up until this point, and the 50F days, I've been in disbelief that Christmas is coming. This finally convinced me that, while it may not be winter in Eureka the way I'm used to winter, it is indeed happening elsewhere.

It started to get dark after three miles, so we turned back. The trail is definitely good enough to backpack in the winter, which was our main reason for the short day-trip.

As we headed back to the car, we stopped at the outhouses. The dry winter air had sucked all the moisture from the skin on my face, so I was back to thinking in Alaska winter mode as I entered the Identical-to-Alaskan-Park-Outhouse. As I sat down on the toilet seat, there wasn't the familiar sting of melting frost on my buttocks. I did a little happy dance while sitting on the potty. Winter hiking isn't so bad here either!!! :)