Issue link: http://janet.uberflip.com/i/1542558
HOOK 15 HOOK 15 Trekking through the Adirondack High Peak Wilderness, crunching snow be- neath my boots instead of autumn's leaves, I couldn't be happier. More than a few feet of snow blankets the forest floor around me, untouched except for the dark indents of fallen s3cks or ici- cles. The surrounding woods are abnor- mally silent, any lingering sounds being absorbed by snow on the ground. I brush fresh powder off pine branches that protrude into the trail. Maybe I'll see another hiker, but the chances are slim, in a place where animal tracks are much more frequent than a person's. This hike is intensely enlivening, like many things during the winter, ...well worth it to find snow-capped peaks and ice-ridden cliff faces. There may not be anything to see when I reach the top of Sawteeth Mountain, my fourth winter Adirondack peak, and that's alright. A cloudy, storm filled summit view beats spending the day inside; I am not doing this hike for the love of the view, but for the love of the winter experience. I love being outside when I can for the other three seasons of the year, so why not get outside for the fourth? It began by researching proper 3ps and advice, The surrounding woods are abnormally silent, any lingering sounds being absorbed by snow on the ground. I brush fresh powder off pine branches that protrude into the trail. Maybe I'll see another hiker, but the chances are slim, in a place where animal tracks are much more frequent than a person's. This hike is intensely enlivening, like many things during the winter, ...well worth it to find snow-capped peaks and ice-ridden cliff faces. Winter Text by Ethan Gresko and inves3ng in reliable gear to help me through cold days and colder nights. Soon enough, I was donning a pair of snowshoes, no longer in the style of a tennis racket, but fi4ed with trac3on, key for ge5ng across both fluffy snow and icy ledges. Local parks were my train- ing grounds, with enough snow in New York State to get a hang for walking with more weight on my feet, and a heavier backpack filled with necessary cold weather gear. It