We were happily waiting until New Year’s Day to travel. Then, before the latest storm, the trails were a frozen and dangerous mess. We moved our trip up a week, deciding to leave Jackson on Christmas Day. Last week’s weather left a heavy blanket of snow. We’ve never seen Jackson or the Mount Washington Valley look so picturesque.
But the long, dismal refrain, dating back to the spring with my Shingrix vaccination reaction/illness and through the sweltering and wet marathon summer, continues haunting us. Our hiking and mileage have suffered, and we never had a chance to peak.
The last days have been awfully pretty, but I long for bare earth beneath my feet again—while increasing our training mileage and speed. We have not had a substantial hike since we climbed South Dakota’s Black Elk Peak under the stars with the mountain goats in April.
The snow is not going anywhere, and Sunday’s rain may make the trails into skating rinks. If the trekking continues to be le…
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