27-Jan-2003
Hello hiking fans!
Well, it hasn’t been the best weather for hiking or kayaking in the mid-Atlantic, and what with the holidays, well, we missed getting out a December newsletter. Quite frankly, “eat, drink and be merry” was more our mantra than “get outside.”
But with all the snowfall, we have been doing more cross-country skiing than ever. Our most notable trip has been out to West Virginia, near Monongahela National Forest. We skied some of the groomed trails at White Grass Valley Touring Center (www.whitegrass.com) and even went onto some backcountry trails on the edge of Dolly Sods Wilderness area where we were among the first to break into a foot of fresh powder.
Our summer hiking caveat is “water is life.” When cross-country skiing in 10 degrees (minus the wind chill, which I can’t even imagine), we learned a new one: “Heat is life.” And the only way to generate any heat is to keep moving, which we did, for six hours straight. Sweating under five layers of clothing in sub-freezing temps – now that’s a workout you can’t get in the gym!
We hit some trails even before the grooming machines – most notably a windswept section of Three Mile trail called “the Whales” because the wind whips the snow into shapes resembling the rolling backs of whales. We met the groomers on snowmobiles, who told us the drifts we were skiing on top of were probably seven feet deep. I quickly took a picture of their fantastic shapes before the snowmobiles drove over them.
We climbed higher and higher – about 1,200 feet elevation gain - until we ended up at the top of Bald Knob for a spectacular 360-degree view. Since the sun was getting ready to set, we set off downhill to White Grass’ cozy, warm lodge, where hot soup, beer and wine awaited. The dinner menu smelled fabulous, but we had a cozy cabin with full kitchen waiting back at Harman’s North Fork Cottages (www.wvlogcabins.com).
We flipped on the gas fireplace, whipped up some linguine with clam sauce, then filled the whirlpool tub to soak our screaming muscles. All the comforts of home – and then some! This third-generation family-run business has beautiful log cabins – some built just last year – right on a stocked trout stream. They have hiking trails leading into the vast Monongahela National Forest, and Dolly Sods is across the road. (If you go, tell Todd that Mary and Bill sent ya!)
To see some photos of this great trip go to our Web site, www.burnhamink.com, and click on “Trail Photos.”
Winter is a tough time for all of us to keep in shape. We’ve joined the local gym and try to get out and walk as much as possible. Yet, southern temps beckon! In February we’re heading to Florida for some kayaking and camping on the Everglades’ Wilderness Trail – we’ll let you know if we see any ‘gators!
Until next month, try some outdoor winter activities so you’ll be ready for that first spring hike!
Mary and Bill
Authors of the award-winning
Hike America Virginia
www.Burnhamink.com
