N e w s

The week of March 8th begins with considerable morning cloudiness on Sunday giving way to sun in the afternoon with highs in the high 50's. Monday will be mostly sunny and pleasantly warm with highs in the high 60's. Tuesday will be warm with times of clouds and sun with highs in the low 70's. Wednesday will be mostly cloudy, remaining warm with a couple of showers and highs in the low 60's. Thursday will have periods of rain in the morning followed by clouds and a breeze and highs in the mid 50's. Friday will be mostly cloudy and colder with highs in the high 30's. On Saturday there will be sunshine and a few clouds with highs in the mid 40's. The higher temperatures and rain this week will accelerate the melting of snow and ice. This causes trail and snow conditions that are less than ideal. As he snow melts on the trails snowshoes will be necessary as the packed conditions will give way to "mashed potatoes". Thick ice will start to melt but this can make it even slipperier. Conditions may change significantly from morning to afternoon and day to day. Overnight temperatures will still be cold enough to freeze what melted during the day in some places. Spikes and/or snowshoes are necessary on most trails and what you wear will depend on your hiking location. Daylight is slowly increasing heading toward the spring equinox with longer and longer days. Packing a working headlamp is always a good idea as it may mean the difference between finishing a hike easily and wandering around in the forest. NEVER assume that conditions at the trailhead are the conditions on the mountain. When the weather conditions are constantly changing, be sure you have dressed appropriately in clothing that will wick away moisture to prevent it from accumulating in your clothing, which can, at the very least, be uncomfortable. Layering should be with non-cotton materials as cotton tends to hold moisture. Keeping hydrated is essential no matter the temperatures since hydrating properly will allow you to hike longer and in greater comfort. Be sure to carry plenty of water with you as local water sources can be unreliable and may be contaminated. Once you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Remember, the weather forecast is only a prediction and always contains percentages. Be prepared and have a plan for the most likely and least likely forecast! Are you prepared to stay out overnight on a trail? Conditions in the morning can change drastically by the afternoon. Conditions at the trailhead do not always reflect the conditions on the peaks! Variable trail and weather conditions are a hallmark of these mountains. BE CAREFUL AND BE PREPARED!

Sheila: September 24, 2011 - July 12, 2024

Sheila was with us for more than 12 years. She was a great friend and a fantastic hiking companion. She went with me on all but a handful of hikes in many diverse places. Her first hike was at Frick Pond in December 27, 2011. Her last hike was July 1, 2024 on the Parksville Rail Trail. After that hike, her health began to deteriorate rapidly. When she could no longer breathe properly we called on the staff of the Jeffersonville Animal Hospital to put an end to her suffering. We cannot express are gratitude for the caring and compassionate treatment we received. The end was quick and quiet. Cindy and I stayed with Shiela until it was over. She never seemed in distress. We are heartbroken but knew that what we did was right for our good friend.

Winter Hiking Gear

Recently there has been a lot of discussion on social media about snowshoes and other winter traction devices. The choice of this kind of equipment is highly personal and depends upon diverse criteria including hiking terrain and hiker budget. Few people will ever agree completely on the "best" equipment and even on what equipment to bring on a hike. Steve Olesen was kind enough to work up two chart that deal with this subject. One chart lists some popular brands of snowshoes while the other has other traction devices from spikes to full crampons. Many thanks to Steve. Check out his list below:

Snowshoes
Other Devices

Tuesday: January 6th: Parksville Rail Trail
Monday: January 12th: Parksville Rail Trail
Wednesday: February 4th: Parksville Falls
Thursday: February 5th: Parksville Rail Trail
Tuesday: February 10th: Frick Pond Loop
Friday: February 13th: Parksville Falls
Wednesday: February 25th: Parksville Rail Trail
Sunday: March 8th: Parksville Rail Trail