What You Missed
Winter 2025-2026
Winter 2025-2026
On Wednesday, February 25th, I really wanted to go for a hike as the weather forecast was for some sun and temperatures into the high 20's or low 30's. In addition I had complete ambulance coverage at least for a few hours. When I woke up the temperature was 22 degrees and there was hardly any wind. I had wanted to go somewhere away from Livingston Manor but had a limited amount of time and did not know the conditions at Beaverkill, Huggins Lake or Trout Pond trails. I was pretty sure I would need to wear snowshoes and break out most of these trails and I did not know how Sheena would do in the deep snow. In the end I decided to go to the Parksville Rail Trail as I knew the conditions there from our past hikes last. I slept in a little and then finished some chores around the house waiting for the temperature to rise. I started getting ready at noon. There was still almost two feet of snow on the ground from the BIG storm and a couple of more inches of light snow had fallen overnight. The snow had settled only a little as the temperatures had not been much above freezing. I knew that I would not need snowshoes or spikes as we had been on the trail the week before. Sheena loves warm places and has a short coat but also seems to really like the snow. I began to get ready with blue skies and a good amount of sun. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty as does the snow. Sheena actually does get in about twice the mileage that I do as she forges ahead and then comes back to me! I have transitioned from using a leash all the time to using a GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door or wanders around my study watching me get dressed! On this day she could hardly contain herself as we had not been out for over a week! I got dressed in a Patagonia merino quarter-zip top without a baselayer. I put on a pair of insulated hiking pants which seemed to have no maker's label attached. The pants fit well and seemed to have just the right insulation. For boots I decided to put on my old pair of Salomon B52s which still fit well and keep my feet warm enough. I have recently bought several brands of socks and put on a pair of boot socks from Camel City socks which have a mixture of merino and bison fiber. I decided to wear my Baerskin Tactical Hoody instead of my trusty Mammut hoody. I had done this before and was satisfied with the results. The Baerskin Hoody is heavier and has a fleece construction. It does not have the pit zippers to vent heat but it blocks the wind very well. I grabbed a pair of Leki Micro Vario poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I chose a warmer fleece hat to completely cover my ears. I took an insulated pair of OR gloves along but intended to wear the lighter knit ones. I remembered to wear my OR Crocodile gaiters to repel any snow but also to keep my lower legs warm. I decided to take my pack as there was some snow frozen on the tress and I suspected we might be the first to hike the trail after the overnight snow. I thought this would be a good photographic opportunity. As we walked out to the car, the sun felt warm but a slight breeze made me wonder how it would feel hiking the trail in the shade. I put our gear in the back of the car and Sheena in the back seat and left Livingston Manor at 12:20 PM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. I got out of the car and checked the trail and found there was still a hard-packed track in the snow but several inches of new snow were untouched. I made sure Sheena's ecollar was adjusted correctly and let her out of the car. When I opened the car door, Sheena came out like a shot and headed for the trail. The temperature was 27 degrees but it felt a little warmer as we started on our hike at 12:30 PM.
The whole trail was covered in snow varying from 8 packed inches in the track to over 2 feet off the trail. The difference between the pack track and the snow just off the track was still remarkable given the time that had passed since the last major snowfall. We continued our hike trying to stay on the track where most people had stepped. I stopped before entering the trees as I wanted to take some shots of the snow frozen on the evergreens. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting or increasing her pace. On this day she seemed to be very interested in the many game trail that crossed our path. I tried to keep her out of the snow but eventually gave up deciding the temperature was warmer than it had been in some time. We were soon under the cover of the trees which blocked any sunlight and did make it feel cooler. Sheena was enjoying the hike, the snow, and the various game tracks. She did not seem cold as she had on some previous hikes. I was happy I had the Baerskin hoody which was more than warm enough and blocks the wind. The temperatures had been warm enough over the past few days to melt some of the snow making walking a little more difficult where people had chopped up the trail. There had been a few snow showers and enough wind to cause the snow to drift Ito the track. It seemed that no one had been on the trail for several days. When Sheena went off-trail, she was sinking so that her legs and belly were in the snow but she did not seem to mind. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. It was hard to judge the water level in the stream as most of it had a layer of ice from shore to shore with snow on top. This time there were some open spots compared to our previous outings. We continued walking on the trail trying to negotiate the choppy surface. We came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and I stopped to take a peek. I got out my camera and took pictures of the trail and the walkways. I asked Sheena to pose which she does very nicely. I also took some shots of the bench covered in snow to give woe perspective. I took pictures of the stream and then put the camera away. We walked across the wooden walkways which had a thick ridge of packed snow. The area before the bridge was a little icy but I negotiated it without problems. The large patch of mud that is often present after the bridge was completely covered in snow as were all the other such areas.
My toes initially felt a little cool in the Camel City socks but now were just the right temperature. I was wearing a pair of boots that still fit well but are over 10 years old. They seem to support my feet but sometimes leave my feet cool since the insulation is past its prime. The Camel City Socks were doing a fine job of keeping my feet warm. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area was also covered in snow with no hint of mud or ice. As we approached the falls there was a slight increase in noise from the stream. The falls came into view. I cleared a space for my pack, put it down, and got out my camera. I looked at the path down to the streambed and really wanted to get down there to take some shots. I knew I had my spikes in my pack but also knew that if I fell it would be a long time before anyone could offer help. I decided to take my pictures from above. I took shots of the lower rapids and then walked along the edge to take pictures of the falls and some of the stream above the falls. There was still a lot of ice above the falls. The falls itself was still frozen but more water was flowing beneath the ice. I finished by taking pictures if the picnic table heaped with snow and a few more of the trail. I packed up and we walked passed the picnic table. I decided that we would continue on to the Parksville end of the trail as Sheena seemed to be doing fine. The remainder of the walk to the other end of the trail went quickly. Sheena took the lead which she sometimes is reluctant to do as there are sometimes dogs at the end of the trail. The large dog across the stream was absent. As we approached the end of the trail, the dogs that are usually outside barking were nowhere to be found! We tagged the end of the trail at 1:26 PM meaning it had taken us 56 minutes to hike and for me to take pictures. and headed back. It seemed the temperature had increased a few more degrees. We kept a fast pace back toward the car with Sheena in the lead continuing to wander off trail into the deeper snow. Every time I placed my pole off the packed trail it would sink deeply reminding me just how much snow was present. Sheena seemed fine and was not favoring any of her paws because of the cold. Within 8 minutes we passed by the falls and continued to push the pace. We soon came to the bridge and the walkways, where we carefully walked over the slippery snow which was starting to melt just a bit. The softened snow made walking a little harder. We continued hiking and and as we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and told her "With" which is the equivalent of "Heel". We arrived back at the car at 2:08 PM after hiking 3 miles in an hour and 38 minutes. The return trip was 42 minutes compared to the 56 minute outbound walk. Clearly this difference was from my photographic efforts on the way out! The temperature was 33 degrees. Sheena seemed fresh and I felt she could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. On the other hand I was a little tired. We returned home and had something to eat and drink.
On Friday, February 13th, I really wanted to go for a hike as the weather forecast was for sun and temperatures into the high 20's or low 30's. In addition I had complete ambulance coverage at least for a few hours. When I woke up the temperature was 22 degrees and there was hardly any wind. I had wanted to go somewhere away from Livingston Manor but had a limited amount of time and did not know the conditions at Beaverkill, Huggins Lake or Trout Pond. I was pretty sure I would need to wear snowshoes and break trail and I did not know how Sheena would do in the deep snow. I though my son-in-law Brad and granddaughter Ashlyn might like to go but we had a late night call and Brad was sleeping in and Ashlyn was not feeling well. In the end I decided to go to the Parksville Rail Trail as I knew the conditions there from our hikes last week. I slept in a little and then finished some chores around the house waiting for the temperature to rise. I started getting ready at 10:00 AM. There was still almost two feet of snow on the ground from the last storm. The snow had settled only a little as the temperatures had not been above freezing until the last few days and then only barely. I knew that I would not need snowshoes or spikes as we had been on the trail the week before. Sheena loves warm places and has a short coat but also seems to really like the snow. I began to get ready with blue skies and a good amount of sun. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty as does the snow. Sheena actually does get in about twice the mileage that I do as she forges ahead and then comes back to me! I have transitioned from using a leash all the time to using a GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! On this day she could hardly contain herself as we had just been out the day before and she had loved getting back out. I got dressed in a Patagonia merino quarter-zip top with a baselayer. I put on a pair of insulated hiking pants which seemed to have no maker's label attached. The pants fit well and seemed to have just the right insulation. For boots I decided to put on my old pair of Salomon B52s which still fit well and keep my feet warm enough. I have recently bought several brands of socks and put on a pair of boot socks from Camel City socks which have a mixture of merino and bison fiber. I decided to wear my Baerskin Tactical Hoody instead of my trusty Mammut hoody. I had done this before and was satisfied with the results. The Baerskin Hoody is heavier and has a fleece construction. It does not have the pit zippers to vent heat but block the wind very well. I grabbed a pair of Leki Micro Vario poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I chose a warmer fleece hat to completely cover my ears. I took an insulated pair of OR gloves instead of the lighter knit ones I often wear. I remembered to wear my OR Crocodile gaiters to repel any snow but also to keep my lower legs warm. I decided not to take my pack as I had taken pictures the week before and the hike is short, at most 3 miles. As we walked out to the car, the sun felt warm but a slight breeze made me wonder how it would feel hiking the trail in the shade. I put our gear in the back of the car and Sheena in the back seat and left Livingston Manor at 10:25 AM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. I got out of the car and checked the trail and found there was still a hard-packed track in the snow. I made sure Sheena's ecollar was adjusted correctly and let her out of the car. When I opened the car door, Sheena came out like a shot and headed for the trail. The temperature was 26 degrees but it felt a little warmer as we started on our hike at 10:40 AM.
The whole trail was covered in snow varying from 8 packed inches in the track to over 18 inches off the trail. The difference between the pack track and the snow just off the track was still remarkable given the time that had passed since the last snowfall. We continued our hike trying to stay on the track where most people had stepped. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting or increasing her pace. On this day she seemed to be very interested in the many game trail that crossed our path. I tried to keep her out of the snow but eventually gave up. We were soon under the cover of the trees which blocked any sunlight and made it feel much cooler. The trees didn't block the breeze as it was coming down the trail! Sheena was enjoying the hike, the snow, and the various game tracks. She did seem a little cold and reluctant to go too far ahead of me. I soon realized that she was listening to the traffic on the highway which was particularly loud and frequent on this day. I was happy I had the Baerskin hoody which was more than warm enough and blocks the wind. The temperatures had been warm enough over the past few days to melt some of the snow making walking a little more difficult. There had been a few snow showers and enough wind to cause the snow to drift Ito the track. It seemed that no one had been on the trail for several days. When Sheena went off-trail, she was sinking so that her legs and belly were in the snow but she did not seem to mind. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. It was hard to judge the water level in the stream as most of it had a layer of ice from shore to shore with snow on top. There were a few more open spots than on our last trip during the previous week. We continued walking on the trail trying to negotiate the choppy surface. We came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and I stopped to take a peek. We walked across the wooden walkways which had a thick ridge of packed snow. The area before the bridge was a little icy but I negotiated it without problems. The large patch of mud that is often present after the bridge was completely covered in snow as were all the other such areas.
My toes initially felt a little cool in the Suri socks but now were just the right temperature. I was wearing a pair of boots that still fit well but are over 10 years old. They seem to support my feet but sometimes leave my feet cool since the insulation is past its prime. The Camel City Socks were doing a fine job of keeping my feet warm. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area was also covered in snow with no hint of mud or ice. As we approached the falls there was only a slight increase in noise from the stream. The falls came into view. We walked passed the picnic table which was piled high with snow. I decided that we would continue on to the Parksville end of the trail as Sheena seemed to be doing fine as we were not stopping for photographic opportunities. The remainder of the walk to the other end of the trail went quickly. Sheena took the lead which she sometimes is reluctant to do as there are sometimes dogs at the end of the trail. The large dog across the stream was absent. As we approached the end of the trail, the dogs that are usually outside barking were nowhere to be found! We tagged the end of the trail and headed back. It seemed the temperature had increased a few more degrees. We kept a fast pace back toward the car with Sheena in the lead continuing to wander off trail into the deeper snow. Every time I placed my pole off the packed trail it would sink deeply reminding me just how much snow was present. Sheena seemed fine and was not favoring any of her paws. Within 10 minutes we passed by the falls and continued to push the pace. We soon came to the bridge and the walkways, where we carefully walked over the slippery snow which was starting to melt just a bit. The softened snow made walking a little harder. We continued hiking and and as we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and told her "With" which is the equivalent of "Heel". We arrived back at the car at 12:00 PM after hiking 3 miles in an hour and 20 minutes. The temperature was 31 degrees. Sheena seemed fresh and I felt she could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. On the other hand I was a little tired. We returned home and had something to eat and drink.
On Tuesday, February 10th I wanted to get in a hike somewhere away from Livingston Manor as I had coverage for ambulances calls until 2:00 PM. An early morning ambulance call got me up a little earlier than I expected. When I returned from the call at 10:00 AM, the temperature was 27 degrees on the back porch and I decided we might as well set off on our hike immediately. The very low temperatures had kept us inside but I thought this temperate would be warm enough for Sheena. I put on A Patagonia merino wool 1/4 zip top with a long-sleeved baselayer. I put on a pair of insulated hiking pants which seemed to have no maker's label attached. The pants fit well and seemed to have just the right insulation. For boots I decided to put on my old pair of Salomon B52s which still fit well and keep my feet warm enough. I have recently bought several brands of socks and put on an alpaca boot sock from WillowAce to compare to several other socks I had worn. This was a test of a thick and cushioned alpaca socks to one that are slightly thinner one from Camel City made from a bison and merino blend. I decided to wear my trusty Mammut hoody which blocks the wind but has pot zips to dump heat. I grabbed a pair of Leki Micro Vario poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I decided I would need snowshoes and chose a pair made by TSL which have a great binding system and work well on flatter trails. I chose a warmer fleece hat to completely cover my ears. I took an insulated pair of OR gloves instead of the lighter knit ones I often wear. I put my gear in the back and Sheena in the backseat and headed out the DeBruce Road at 10:25 AM. Sheena seemed excited as she perched on the console between the seats. After 6 miles, at Mongaup Pond Road, I turned left and continued to follow the road bearing left onto Beech Mountain Road at the fork. When we arrived at the trailhead, I found the large lot was not plowed so I parked in the smaller lot where there were no cars. Sheena was acting as if she couldn't wait to get on the trail which I hoped was a good sign. I checked the trail to Frick Pond and found a packed trench. I walked across the road and found a very high snow bank blocking the entrance to the Flynn Trail. There was no evidence that anyone had used the Flynn Trail. When I let Sheena out of the car, she started to run around using her nose to detect game tracks. I put on my snowshoes and immediately realized I had forgotten my OR Crocodile gaiters. I used the snowshoe bindings to hold the cuffs of my pants down and hoped that would help. I grabbed my pack and locked the car. We headed for the woods road toward Frick Pond. The temperature was 26 degrees and the skies were overcast with a feeling of snow in the air.
We set off on the woods roads that leads to the register on the Quick Lake Trail. It was obvious that the track had been set by a skier and was very narrow. It was hard for me to stay on the packed track and when I slipped off I immediately sank into the deep snow along the side of the track. I thought about lengthening my poles but decided to leave them as they were. We continued on the trail passing the trail register. Sheena was out ahead of me running up the trail and off the trail to follow animal tracks. I found the walk challenging but manageable as long as I stayed on the ski track. All of the small streams that cross the trail were frozen. I was surprised that the track was almost filled with beech leaves in places. We passed the Lobdell Memorial and came to Gravestone Junction where the ski tracks turned to the right on the Logger's Loop trail. At this point I noticed that there were some snowshoe tracks headed to the left. We turned left and followed the tracks toward Frick Pond. We came to a large snowdrift. Sheena trotted over the top of the drift and I made it halfway before sinking in deeply. I continued through the drift and down the hill to the bridge at the outlet of Frick Pond. I took off my pack and got out my camera. I took some shots of Sheena on the bridge and then walked out onto the bridge. I took pictures of the pond at several zooms and took other shots of Beech Mountain. The skies were completely overcast and there was very little contrasts to photograph. I finished by taking some pictures of the outlet stream covered in snowdrifts. I stowed the camera in the pack, shouldered the pack, and walked across the bridge. I negotiated the huge snowdrift at the other end of the bridge and continued up the hill. There were more snowdrifts along the trail on the west side of the pond. We arrived at the junction with the Big Rock Trail and turned right to follow that trail and the snowshoe tracks. We came to the wooden walkways which were covered in a thick layer of snow. I stopped to take pictures of the trail covered in pine needles and the walkways.
We continued on the trail walking through the spruce tunnel. For some reason the skier had decided not to follow the trail and went a slightly different route. I followed the skier as there was some advantage to the packed tracks. We came to the two bridges across the inlet streams. The water was completely frozen and the bridge were covered in snow. I stopped on the second bridge to take shots of the frozen stream. I also took some pictures of the wetlands at the upper end of the pond. We continued on the trail around the north end of the pond. Sheena seemed to have as much energy as when we started but I was starting to tire. I felt some muscle strain in my inner thighs and hips. When we arrived at Times Square, we turned right to complete the loop around Frick Pond on the Logger's Loop. Sheena had started up the Big Rock Trail on the packed snowmobile track but came back when I called. The Logger's Loop has a very gentle but long climb and then a slight descent to Gravestone Junction to complete the loop. The track here was not as well packed making walking more difficult which did not seem to bother Sheena. I started up the hill which tired me even more. For some reason the skier decided to leave the trail and ski through the trees. I continued on the trail trying unsuccessfully to keep up with Sheena. As I crested the hill I ran into snowdrifts more than 3 feet deep! I struggled through these drifts hoping I would not experience any leg cramps. I finally made it through the drifts amd started down the other side. As we came to the primitive campsites and privy, there were two trunks across the trail that had been there for months. I was surprised that the new maintainers had not cleared these obstacles to make hiking easier! I used to maintain these trails and supervised other maintainers until the NYNJTC "fired" me. We were soon back at Gravestone Junction where we turned left. We walked the Quick Lake Trail back to the trail register and then followed the woods road to the car. It was 12:25 PM and we had hiked the 2.2 miles in 1 hour and 40 minutes with an elevation gain of 210 feet. Sheena did not seem tired but I was glad we were done.
On Thursday, February 5th, I really wanted to go for a hike to make it two days in a row before the temperatures plummeted for the weekend. The temperatures had been so low that I had not taken Sheena until yesterday. This represented a three week hiatus as I was not all that excited with the extreme cold either. the forecast for Thursday looked a lot like the weather from Wednesday with slightly higher temperatures into the high 20's with sun and a slight breeze. When I woke up the temperature was 22 degrees and there was hardly any wind. I had ambulance coverage and decided we would try to get in a hike. I had wanted to go to Frick Pond or Trout Pond but I was pretty sure I would need to break trail and did not know how Sheena would do in fresh snow. I the end I decided to go to the Parksville Rail Trail as I knew the conditions there from the day before. I slept in a little and then finished some chores around the house waiting for the temperature to rise. I started getting ready at 11:15 AM. There was still almost two feet of snow on the ground from the last storm. The snow had settled only a little as the temperatures had not been above freezing. I knew that I would not need snowshoes or spikes as we had been on the trail the day before. Sheena loves warm places and has a short coat but also seems to really like the snow. I began to get ready with blue skies and a good amount of sun. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty as does carrying my pack. Sheena actually does get in about twice the mileage that I do as she forges ahead and then comes back to me! I have transitioned from using a leash all the time to using a GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! On this day she could hardly contain herself as we had just been out the day before and she had loved getting back out. I got dressed in a Patagonia merino quarter-zip top without a baselayer knowing that it would keep me warm. I put on a pair of insulated hiking pants which seemed to have no maker's label attached. The pants fit well and seemed to have just the right insulation. For boots I decided to put on my old pair of Salomon B52s which still fit well and keep my feet warm enough. I have recently bought several brands of socks and put on an OTC alpaca sockboot sock from Suri to compare to the Camel City socks I had worn the day before. Thid was a test of thick and cautioned alpaca socks to one that are slightly thinner made from a bison and merino blend. I decided to wear my Baerskin Tactical Hoody instead of my trusty Mammut hoody. I had done this the previous day and was satisfied with the results. The Baerskin Hoody is heavier and has a fleece construction. It does not have the pit zippers to vent heat but block the wind very well. I grabbed a pair of Leki Micro Vario poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I chose a warmer fleece hat to completely cover my ears. I took an insulated pair of OR gloves instead of the lighter knot ones I often wear. I remembered to wear my OR Crocodile gaiters to repel any snow but also to keep my lower legs warm. I decided not to take my pack as I had taken pictures the day before and the hike is short, at most 3 miles. As we walked out to the car, the sun felt warm but a slight breeze made me wonder how it would feel hiking the trail in the shade. I put our gear in the back of the car and Sheena in the back seat and left Livingston Manor at 11:30 AM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. I got out of the car and checked the trail and found there was still a hard-packed track in the snow. I made sure Sheena's ecollar was adjusted correctly and let her out of the car. When I opened the car door, Sheena came out like a shot and headed for the trail. The temperature was 24 degrees but it felt a little cooler as we started on our hike at 11:48 AM.
The whole trail was covered in snow varying from 8 packed inches in the track to over 18 inches off the trail. The difference between the pack track and the snow just off the track was remarkable. We continued our hike trying to stay on the track where most people had stepped. A snowmobile had been through as I could see the pattern of the track and the cut of the skis. The anowmobile had created a nice wide track which made it easier to walk. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting or increasing her pace. On this day she seemed to have increased that distance and was very interested in the many game trail that crossed our path. I tried to keep her out of the snow but eventually gave up. We were soon under the cover of the trees which blocked any sunlight and made it feel even cooler. The trees did block the breeze. Sheena was enjoying the hike, the snow, and the various game tracks. At one point she ended up behind me and a gave her the "Up trail" command. To get by me she went off trail in the deep snow. For a few seconds I could see only here ears and her back until she barky from beneath the snow and back onto the trail. I was happy I had the Baerskin hoody which was more than warm enough and blocks the wind. The temperatures had been below freezing for days so the snow had omly compacted a bit off the trail. When Sheena went off-trail, she was sinking so that her legs and belly were in the snow but she did not seem to mind. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. It was hard to judge the water level in the stream as most of it had a layer of ice from shore to shore with snow on top. We continued walking on the trail trying to negotiate the choppy surface. We came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and I stopped to take a peek. We walked across the wooden walkways which had a thick ridge of packed snow. The area before the bridge was a little icy but I negotiated it without problems. The large patch of mud that is often present after the bridge was completely covered in snow as were all the other such areas.
My toes initially felt a little cool in the Suri socks but now were just the right temperature. I was wearing a pair of boots that still fit well but are over 10 years old. They seem to support my feet but sometimes leave my feet cool since the insulation is past its prime. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area was also covered in snow with no hint of mud or ice. As we approached the falls there was mo increase in noise from the stream. The falls came into view. We walked passed the picnic table which was piled high with snow. I decided that we would continue on to the Parksville end of the trail as Sheena seemed to be doing fine as we were not stopping for photographic opportunities. The remainder of the walk to the other end of the trail went quickly. Sheena took the lead which she sometimes is reluctant to do as there are sometimes dogs at the end of the trail. The large dog across the stream was absent. As we approached the end of the trail, the dogs that are usually outside barking were nowhere to be found! We tagged the end of the trail at 12:27 PM and headed back. It seemed the temperature had increased a few degrees. We kept a fast pace back toward the car with Sheena in the lead continuing to wander off trail into the deeper snow. Every time I placed my pole off the packed trail it would sink deeply reminding me just how much snow was present. Sheena seemed fine and was not favoring any of her paws. Within 10 minutes we passed by the falls and continued to push the pace. We soon came to the bridge and the walkways, where we carefully walked over the slippery snow which was starting to melt just a bit. The softened snow made walking a little harder. We continued hiking and and as we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and told her "With" which is the equivalent of "Heel". We arrived back at the car at 1:08 PM after hiking 3 miles in an hour and 20 minutes. Sheena seemed fresh and I felt she could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. On the other hand I was a little tired. We returned home and had something to eat and drink. There had been no ambulance calls while we were gone which made me feel good.
On Wednesday, February 4th, I really wanted to go for a hike as it had been three weeks of bad weather and ambulance calls since we had been out. The temperatures had been so low that I did not want to take Sheena out and I was not all that excited with the extreme cold either. Tuesday night I looked at the forecast and the temperature were not to rise above the mid 20's but some sun was predicted. The the wind chill though was supposed to be minimal. When I woke up the temperature was 20 degrees and there was hardly any wind. I had ambulance coverage and decided we would try to get in a hike on the Parksville Rail Trail. I did some things around the house and waited fro the temperature to rise before started getting ready at 11:30 AM. There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground from the more than 18 inches that had fallen in the last storm. The snow had settled only a little as the temperatures had not been above freezing. I did not know if we would need snowshoes on the railtrail so I decoded to take them along in the car and pack my spikes. Sheena loves warm places and has a short coat but also seems to really like the snow. I began to get ready with blue skies and a good amount of sun. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty as does carrying my pack. Sheena actually does get in about twice the mileage that I do as she forges ahead and then comes back to me! I have transitioned from using a leash all the time to using a GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! On this day she could hardly contain herself as I had only been able to run her up and down the driveway. I got dressed in a Patagonia merino quarter-zip top with a long-sleeved baselayer knowing that would keep me warm. I put on a pair of insulated hiking pants which seemed to have no maker's label attached. The pants fit well and seemed to have just the right insulation. For boots I decided to put on my old pair of Salomon B52s which still fit well and keep my feet warm enough. I have recently bought several brands of socks and put on a boot sock from Camel City. These socks are made in the USA and use bison fiber as the main component. I noticed when I put them on that they were lighter than some of the alpaca socks I had tried. I decided to try my Baerskin Tactical Hoody instead of my trusty Mammut hoody. The Baerskin Hoody is heavier and has a fleece construction. It does not have the pit zippers to vent heat but is touted to be windblocking. I grabbed a pair of Leki Micro Vario poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I chose a warmer fleece hat to completely cover my ears. I took an insulated pair of OR gloves instead of the lighter knot ones I often wear. I remembered to wear my OR Crocodile gaiters to repel any snow but also to keep my lower legs warm. I decided to take my pack so that I could take my camera as I thought the snow on the trail and the waterfalls might be good subjects for a few shots. I expected the falls to be at least partly frozen. I put a set of spikes in my pack just in case I needed them. As we walked out to the car, the sun felt warm but a slight breeze made me winder how it would feel hiking the trail in the shade. I put our gear in the back of the car and Sheena in the back seat and left Livingston Manor at 11:45 AM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. WI got out of the car and checked the trail and found a hard-packed track in the snow with no ice so I decided to leave the snowshoes in the car. I made sure Sheena's ecollar was adjusted correctly and let her out of the car. When I opened the car door, Sheena came out like a shot and headed for the trail. The temperature was 22 degrees but it felt a little cooler as we started on our hike at 12:00 PM.
The whole trail was covered in snow varying from 8 packed inches in the track to over 18 inches off the trail. The difference between the pack track and the snow just off the track was remarkable. We continued our hike trying to stay on the track where most people had stepped. It looked as if a snowmobile had been through as I could see the pattern of the track and the cut of the skis. I generally don't like snowmobiles on hiking trails but this one had created a nice wide track which made it easier to walk. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting or increasing her pace. On this day she seemed to have increased that distance and was very interested in the many game trail that crossed our path. I tried to keep her out of the snow but eventually gave up. We were soon under the cover of the trees which blocked any sunlight and made it feel even cooler. The trees did block the breeze and I hardly felt any for the entire hike. After a short distance I knew I was dressed warmly enough but noticed Sheena was acting as if her feet were cold. I thought we might have to cut the hike very shorty but I came up with a plan. I had Sheena run ahead and then called her back. I did this several times and she seemed better as it increased her circulation. Sheena was enjoying the hike, the snow, and the various game tracks. I was happy I had the Baerskin hoody which was more than warm enough and blocks the wind. The temperatures had been below freezing for days so the snow had omly compacted a bit off the trail. When Sheena went off-trail, she was sinking so that her legs and belly were in the snow but she did not seem to mind. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. It was hard to judge the water level in the stream as most of it had a layer of ice from shore to shore with snow on top. We continued walking on the trail trying to negotiate the choppy surface. We came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways where there is a bench. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and I stopped to take a peek. I decided to take some shots and put down my pack to get out the camera. To get to a good vantage point I had to walk off trail through the unbroken snow and found myself sinking in to my knees! I took shots down to the stream trying to emphasize snow covered ice stretching from bank to bank and as far as I could see upstream. I also took some pictures of Sheena standing by my pack and my poles driven down into the snow to try to give some idea of depth. When I was done, we walked across the wooden walkways which had a thick ridge of packed snow. The area before the bridge was a little icy but I negotiated it without problems. The large patch of mud that is often present after the bridge was completely covered in snow as were all the other such areas. The culvert under the bridge appeared permanently blocked and the water that does flow freezes into layers of ice. No one seems concerned about solving this problem.
My toes initially felt a little cool in the Camel City socks but now were just the right temperature. I was wearing a pair of boots that still fit well but are over 10 years old. They seem to support my feet but sometimes leave my feet cool since the insulation is past its prime. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area was also covered in snow with no hint of mud or ice. As we approached the falls there was mo increase in noise from the stream. The falls came into view and I looked at the path down to the stream. No one had attempted to descend the path and I also decided against it even though I had brought my spikes. We walked to the picnic table which was piled high with snow. I noted that the time was 12:33 PM. I took off my pack and got out the camera. The falls, there area below and the area above were all frozen solid! There were a few gaps in the ice in the pool below the falls and in the rapids farther downstream but otherwise the ice was solid. I could hear and see a little water running under the ice. I took pictures of the falls from slighlty different angles and zooms. I walked just a little upstream through the deep snow and found that my camera battery was dead. I walked back to my pack, replaced the battery, and walked back through the snow to a viewpoint above the falls. to take shots of the falls and the raids above the falls. When I was done I walked downstream a little passed the falls and took some shots of the stream and the rapids there. I decided that we would return to the car as my legs were feeling tired and I did not want Sheena to get too cold. At 12:41 PM we truend around and headed back. It seemed the temperature had increased a few degrees. We kept a fast pace back toward the car with Sheena in the lead continuing to wander off trail into the deeper snow. Every time I placed my pole off the packed trail it would sink deeply reminding me just how much snow was present. Sheena seemed fine nad was no favoring any of her paws. We soon came to the bridge and the walkways, where we carefully walked over the slippery snow which was starting to melt just a bit. The softened snow made walking a little harder. Sheena decided that she would do some zoomies on the slippery walkway! We continued hiking and and as we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and told her "With" which is the equivalent of "Heel". We arrived back at the car at 1:08 PM after hiking over 2 miles in an hour and 8 minutes. The trip back took only 27 minutes as I did not stop to take any pictures. Sheena seemed fresh and I felt she could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. On the other hand I was a little tired. We returned home and had something to eat and drink. There had been no ambulance calls while we were gone which made me feel good.
On Monday, January 12th, I really wanted to go for a hike as it had been almost a week of bad weather and ambulance calls. Sunday night I looked at the forecast and it was not good. The temperature was not to rise above the mid 20's and the wind chill would be in the single digits! When I woke up the temperature was 26 degrees and there was hardly any wind. I had ambulance coverage and decided we would try to get in a hike on the Parksville Rail Trail. Cindy likes flat trails and the out and back nature of the trail would allow us to turn around at any point. I asked Cindy if she would like to take a walk and she agreed. I did some things around the house and started getting ready at 10:15 AM. There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground despite the warmer weather and rains. The snow had settled and compacted and there was quite a bit of ice. I knew we wouldn't need snowshoes but should take spikes with us. Sheena loves warm places and has a short coat but also seems to really like the snow. We began to get ready with blue skies and a good amount of sun. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty as does carrying my pack. Sheena actually does get in about twice the mileage that I do as she forges ahead and then comes back to me! I have transitioned from using a leash all the time to using a GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! On this day she could hardly contain herself as I had only been able to run her up and down the driveway. She was also excited that Cindy was going and constantly ran between us as we were dressing. I got dressed in my Mammut crew top with a long-sleeved baselayer knowing that would keep me warm enough. I put on a pair of insulated hiking pants which seemed to have no maker's label attached. The pants fit well and seemed to have just the right insulation. For boots I decided to put on my old pair of Salomon B52s which still fit well and keep my feet warm enough. I have recently bought several brands of socks and put on an OTC from WillowAce which are made from alpaca and seemed very thick and soft. I put on my Mammut hoody to block the wind and keep me warm. It also has a lot of zippers to dump heat when needed. I grabbed a pair of Leki Micro Vario poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I chose a warmer fleece hat to completely cover my ears. I took a light pair of knit gloves but packed a pair of warmer ones. I remembered to wear my OR Crocodile gaiters to repel any snow but also to keep my lower legs warm. I decided to take my pack so that I could take my camera as I thought the snow on the trail and the waterfalls might be good subjects for a few shots. I put a set of spikes in my pack just in case I needed them. As we walked out to the car, the sun felt warm but a steady breeze made me winder how it would feel hiking the trail in the shade. We put our gear in the back of the car and Sheena in the back seat and left Livingston Manor at 10:30 AM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were one pickup truck parked in the lot when we arrived. We got out of the car and checked the trail and found a hard-packed surface with ice and a covering of new snow. I made sure Sheena's ecollar was adjusted correctly and let her out of the car. When I opened the car door, Sheena came out like a shot and headed for the trail. The temperature was 28 degrees but it felt a little cooler as we started on our hike at 10:47 AM.
The whole trail was covered in snow varying from 3 packed inches to 8 inches off the trail. There was definitely a lot of ice underneath the snow! Just as we started, we could see a woman with her dog on a leas just coming out of the trees. She shouted something to us but it was hard to hear with the traffic on the Quickway. I took Sheena by the collar and pulled her to the side of the trail expecting the woman to walk by us. After a few moments, I looked up to see her walking her dog off trail through the brush. I could only think that her dog was so badly behaved that she couldn't chance being near us! We continued our hike trying to walk in Te snow rather than the ice near the middle of the trail where most people had stepped. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of us a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting or increasing her pace. On this day she seemed to have increased that distance and was very interested in the many game trail that crossed our path. We were soon under the cover of the trees which blocked any sunlight and made it feel even cooler. The trees did block the breeze and I hardly felt any for the entire hike. After a short distance I knew I was dressed warmly enough and Sheena was enjoying the snow. I was happy I had my hoody which was warm enough, blocks the wind, and sheds the snow. The temperatures had been below freezing at night so the snow was largely still frozen and not clumping. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for us when necessary. The water level in the stream was higher than on my the last trip and there was about as much ice. We continued walking on the trail trying to walk in the snow and avoid the ice. Cindy was having more trouble with the ice and asked to stop at the next bench so she could put on her spikes. We came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways where there is a bench. Cody sat down to out on her spikes. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and I stopped to take a peek. I decided to take some shots and put down my pack to get out the camera. I took shots down to the stream trying to emphasize the volume of water and the ice along the sides of the stream. I also took some pictures of Sheena on the walkway and some of the walkway without her. When I was done, we walked across the wooden walkways which were slippery due to a layer of packed snow and lots of ice ice. I wondered why I was not as smart my wife and had not it on my spikes which were doing little good in my pack. The area before the bridge was icy but we negotiated it without problems. The large patch of mud that is often present was frozen solid as were several others along the way. The culvert under the bridge appeared permanently blocked and the water that does flow freezes into layers of ice. No one seems concerned about solving this problem.
My toes were just the right temperature and the Willow Ace socks were warm and supportive. I was wearing a pair of boots that still fit well but are over 10 years old. They seem to support my feet but sometimes leave my feet cool since the insulation is past its prime. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area was covered in ice. Soon we could hear the increase in noise from the stream. The falls came into view and I looked at the path down to the stream. No one had attempted to descend the ice path and I also decided against it even though I had brought my spikes. We walked to the picnic table and I took off my pack and got out the camera. Compared to my last visit there was less ice but a much greater volume. I took pictures of the falls from slighlty different angles and zooms. I walked just a little upstream to take shots of the falls and the raids above the falls. When I was done I walked downstream a little passed the falls and took some shots of the stream and the rapids there. We decided that we would continue to the other end of the trail as Sheena seemed fine and we were feeling good despite the long layoff. We started off toward the end of the trail. The large dog across the stream was absent. As we approached the end of the trail, the dogs that are usually outside barking were nowhere to be found! We tagged the end of the trail at 11:40 AM. It took us 53 minutes to make the trip out which was much longer than decent trips. I attributed it to the moments taken for photography. We immediately turned around to return the way we had come. I noticed that the gallon milk jigs that someone had placed to line the trail were now acting as litter along the trail. Whoever placed them may have had good intentions but had not come back to clean up their mess! We kept a fast pace back toward the car with Sheena in the lead and Cindy pushing me from behind! I was able to keep up with them. Walking on the snow was better than walking on the ice but I envied Cindy who was crunching behind me with her spikes. We soon came to the bridge and the walkways, where we carefully walked over the slippery snow and ice which was starting to melt just a bit. Sheena decided that she would do some zoomies on the slippery walkway! We continued hiking and and as we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and told her "With" which is the equivalent of "Heel". We arrived back at the car at 12:15 PM after hiking about 3 miles in an hour and 28 minutes. The trip back took only 35 minutes as we did not stop. Sheena seemed fresh and I felt she could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. On the other hand Cindy and I were a little tired. We returned home and had something to eat and drink. Cindy reclined on the couch nearly exausted. I had forgotten that she had not been out in some time! There had been one ambulance call while we were gone and the crew covered it which made me feel good.
On Tuesday, January 6th, I finally could see my way clear to get out for a walk. December had been a terrible month for hiking and I only got out for two days! I had not hiked since the seasons changed! The excuses ran from terrible weather, to my annual cold, to family and church commitments. The biggest problem was the number of ambulance calls and the lack of responders. At the close of December we had responded to 118 calls which was our busiest month ever. The number of people responding had decreased so that less than half of our members responded to calls. This has had a negative effect on my health and has to change! I had ambulance coverage from 8:00 AM TO 2:00 PM and thought about taking a hike with Sheena. I needed to sleep a little later in the morning to make up for sleep I had missed on three overnight calls. I got Cindy a cup of tea at 7:00 AM and then laid down. I awoke again at 11:00 AM feeling refreshed and ready to get some exercise. There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground but it had settled and compacted so I didn't need snowshoes. The temperature at 11:00 AM was already 36 degrees so I decided not to wear snowshoes as the snow would clump on them as the temperature rose. Sheena loves warm places and has a short coat but also seems to really like the snow. I decided to hike the Parksville Rail Trail because it is out and back and I could turn around whenever I wanted. I also knew that the trail was probably packed by people walking the trail. I began to get ready with overcast skies with only a few patches of blue. The Parksville Rail Trail is under three miles out and back but keeping a quick pace helps increase the difficulty as does carrying my pack. Sheena actually does get in about twice the mileage that I do as she forges ahead and then comes back to me! I have transitioned from using a leash all the time to using a GarmimSport PRO electronic collar which has many versatile settings and seems to do the job. This allows Sheena to roam and keeps me sane by not having to yank on her leash. It seems that Sheena likes hiking as she smells my clothes and then runs to sit by the door! On this day she could hardly contain herself as I had only been able to run her up and down the driveway. I got dressed in my Mammut crew top with a long-sleeved baselayer knowing that would keep me warm enough. I put on a pair of insulated hiking pants which seemed to have no maker's label attached. The pants fit well and seemed to have just the right insulation. For boots I decided to put on my old pair of Salomon B52s which still fit well and keep my feet warm enough. I have recently bought several brands of socks and put on an OTC from Suri which is alpaca. They seemed tick enough but maybe slightly large. I put on my Mammut hoody to block the wind and keep me warm. It also has a lot of zippers to dump heat when needed. I grabbed a pair of Leki Micro Vario poles I have been using for some time because they are light and lock without slipping. I chose a warmer fleece hat to completely cover my ears. I took a light pair of knit gloves. I decided to take my pack so that I could take my camera as I thought the snow on the trail and the waterfalls might be good subjects for a few shots. I also put a set of spikes in my pack just in case I needed them. I put my gear in the back of the car and Sheena in the back seat and left Livingston Manor at 11:20 AM. I drove out Old Route 17 toward Parksville and turned left under the Quickway overpass onto Service Road. I drove toward Parksville and pulled into the parking area on the right side of the road just after Fox Mountain Rd. There were no cars parked in the lot when we arrived. I got out of the car and checked the trail and found a hard-packed surface. I made sure Sheena's ecollar was adjusted correctly and let her out of the car. The temperature was 36 degrees but it felt a little cooler as we started on our hike at 11:48 AM. When I opened the car door, Sheena came out like a shot and headed for the trail.
The whole trail was covered in snow varying from 3 packed inches to 8 inches off the trail. I tried to walk where most people had stepped to continue to pack the track that others had set. Off her leash Sheena would run ahead of me a certain distance and then maintain that distance by waiting for me or increasing her pace. We were soon under the cover of the trees which blocked any sunlight and made it feel even cooler. After a short distance I knew I was dressed warmly enough and Sheena was enjoying the snow. I was happy I had my hoody which was warm enough, blocks the wind, and sheds the snow. The temperatures had been below freezing at night so the snow was largely still frozen and not clumping. The trail runs parallel to the Little Beaverkill and the new section of State Route 17. It follows the route of the O&W railroad and is very flat. Sheena was setting a quick pace and I didn't mind as long as she would listen and wait for me when necessary. The water level in the stream was high and at about the same level as the last trip and there was about as much ice. We continued walking on the trail through the snow following the track until we came to the viewpoint just before the wooden walkways. This spot has a nice view down to the stream and I stopped to take a peek. I was not convinced that I was going to take any pictures so I continued the hike. We walked across the wooden walkways which were slippery due to a layer of packed snow and some ice. The area before the bridge was icy but we had no troupe negotiating it. The large patch of mud that is often present was frozen solid. The culvert under the bridge appeared permanently blocked and the water that does flow freezes into layers of ice. No one seems concerned about solving this problem.
My toes were just the right temperature and the Suri socks were warm and supportive. I was wearing a pair of boots that still fit well but are over 10 years old. They seem to support my feet but sometimes leave my feet cool since the insulation is past its prime. We came to the landslide that had brought down several trees that had been cut and cleared. This area was covered in snow with some ice underneath. Soon I could hear the increase in noise from the stream. The falls came into but I decided not to descend the path to the streambed as the path was covered in snow and ice. Even though I had brought my spikes, I decided not to descend to the stream. I walked passed the picnic table, which was covered in snow, to an area just above the falls. I looked at the falls and they were frozen but I decided to skip the photography. Compared to my last visit there was a lot ice in the stream and even more in the falls. I decided that we would continue to the other end of the trail as Sheena seemed fine and I was feeling good despite the long layoff. We started off toward the end of the trail. The large dog across the stream was absent. As we approached the end of the trail, the dogs that are usually outside barking were nowhere to be found! We tagged the end of the trail at 12:23 PM and then immediately turned around to return. We kept a fast pace back toward the car with Sheena in the lead and I was able to keep up with her. Walking on the snow was not as easy as walking the bare trail but was less difficult than using snowshoes. We soon came to the bridge, where Sheena and I carefully walked over the slippery snow and ice which was starting to melt just a bit. Sheena decided that she would do some zoomies on the slippery bridge! We continued hiking and and as we approached the end of the trail, I called Sheena and told her "With" which is the equivalent of "Heel". We arrived back at the car at 12:58 PM after hiking about 3 miles in an hour and 10 minutes. Sheena seemed fresh and I felt she could have hiked out and back on the trail another time. I on the other hand was a little tired but felt I could have done a longer hike. We returned home and had something to eat and drink. There had been no ambulance calls while we were gone which made me feel good.