Walking (Snowshoeing) In A Winter Wonderland

The Peaks from inside

I am soooo neglectful of my blog these days - time has become a premium where I jealously hoard every spare minute, and I still don't seem to get everything done that I had planned.  So it was a pleasant surprise to learn I did not have to work today due to another blast of winter weather.  Bad roads and not many people venturing out I guess.

Anyway I immediately knew I wanted to get outside and revel in the vestiges of the latest storm.  I've lived in Flagstaff more or less consistently since 1992, and I've witnessed a depressingly high number of exceptionally dry years, so having a season where the snow falls with regularity and abundance is a real blessing.

I enjoy snowshoeing when conditions allow, and this year I have had ample opportunity to get out into the backcountry and make some tracks.  One area I especially enjoy is called the Dry Lake Hills, a collection of volcanic outliers of the San Francisco Peaks that lie just north of Flagstaff, a short drive from my home.

While I was adventuring, I realized it would be relatively easy to shoot some video with my phone and share some of the experience.  Probably not Oscar worthy, but certainly not a candidate for the Razzies either, at least not in my humble opinion.  Anyway watch if you like, or just enjoy some of the random pictures I took.

The large open area at the top where the "Dry Lake" is located

My route started by climbing the hill on the left

Is there anybody out there? (Nope)

But Wait... There's More!

Barely a week after I posted this, Flagstaff received yet another storm, this one dropping anywhere from 26 to 30" of new snow, bring the total (as of March 2nd) for the season to 142 inches - making the winter of 2022/23 the second snowiest since official record keeping began 101 years ago.

Of course I could not wait to get back outside and decided to document the adventure more completely.  I actually tried to get out during the storm but strong wind and the threat of being crushed by falling fire-killed snags made me rethink the attempt, and when the storm began to clear the next day off I went.  So here in six parts is my vlog of the outing - don't worry, this one features the actual environment instead of my handsome mug, so you might actually see something worthwhile.

 

The Start Of A Beautiful Day

The Easy Part Is Over

The Ravine

Just Over Halfway

Getting Close Now

The Top!