Winter Weekend Hiking

Sorry for being MIA yesterday… sometimes living life is just more important than documenting it, you know?  That was definitely the case for me this weekend, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!

Saturday night I went out with a friend and had an absolutely wonderful time.  No good pictures to show for it, but there was a delicious grilled chicken salad, mint brownie ice cream, funny movies, and great company involved… I think that says it all!

Yesterday morning, I fueled up with a bowl of hot oats with strawberries and tea for breakfast.

I haven’t had oatmeal in quite some time, but I wanted something stick-to-your-ribs heavy that would keep me full for a while because after breakfast it was time to layer up and head out to a nearby mountain for a hike.  It’s been really cold here lately, but luckily the weather warmed up a tad over the weekend, making it the perfect time for a winter trek in the woods. 

(Just an FYI: I looked like that for about .5 seconds before the sweat started pouring down my face and I had to put my hood on to keep the wind out.)

There was a dusting of snow on the ground and a good bit of ice, making things a bit more challenging than going out there in the summer, but it was definitely a fun adventure!

The weather was perfectly clear, and you could see for miles in every direction. 

Each time we stopped for a break, I snapped a picture of the beautiful views, and I seriously couldn’t get enough of them.  Completely breathtaking!

I blamed all the stopping on wanting to take pictures, but let’s face it, it was really because I could barely breathe. It’s funny how you think you’re “in shape” because you go to the gym five days a week and then you get slapped in the face by reality when you try to climb a mountain.  The incline is steep for a good section of the middle of the hike, and my short little legs had to work hard getting me up and over some of those rocks! 

It was all worth it when we made it to the top though.  A fellow hiker said you could see Boston and Mount Washington from the summit… if only I’d known which direction to look in!  I guess I’ll have to Google it before the next time.

Once at the top, we stopped for lunch while taking in the views (and wind).  I was famished and suddenly the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I’d packed for lunch became the most wonderful thing on the planet.  It’d been a long time since I’d had a PB&J, but you just can’t go wrong with an old classic! 

I also packed some veggies as snacks, but the only other thing that made it out of my backpack were the cookies I made on Saturday (recipe coming soon).  Go figure. 

The way back down was a lot easier physically, but a lot more difficult mentally.  Instead of physically working hard to get up and over steep rocks, you had to strategically think about how to get back down without tumbling face first into the abyss.  Luckily snow pants combined with snowy, slippery rock faces make for some great sliding.  It was like hiking and sledding in one single adventure!

After a little grocery shopping, some X Games watching, and a hot, hot shower, dinner was delicious steak with Montreal steak seasoning and roasted asparagus with olive oil and black pepper. 

I can’t think of many ways to better end a fantastic weekend!

Questions:

Do you ever go hiking? What about in the winter?

What did you do this weekend? Anything fun?