Skiing in Circles (post script)

The next morning I’m up early. The condensation has frozen and I’m nothing but a frost ball. It’s cold outside and I’m cold, which makes me hustle to get back onto the skis so that I can start moving again. Soon, I’m backtracking from my initial backtrack. I pick my way along, the virgin Trail in front of me sits completely covered in white. Sunlight having replaced the blizzard of yesterday. It’s beautiful outside today, but I don’t care much. I just want to find my way back to the Trailhead.

I can’t seem to find my way anywhere. I have systematically spun myself in circles. I’m tired of wearing this heavy backpack. I can’t find the Trailhead, but I do eventually stumble across the highway. My compass tells me that I need to head north. I pitch my thumb and start trying to hitch a ride. And I try for a while, with just about everyone driving by. I must look terrible, the backcountry having gotten the best of me. Finally, an old Hippie stops his jalopy and proceeds to drive me for several miles until my vehicle appears. Sitting right where I left it, only yesterday. Suddenly, I’m out of the Vermont Wilderness and back into the safety of my operating vehicle with a heater.

I start my vehicle and begin the long drive home. I’m exhausted and my shoulders hurt from carrying the backpack. My knees hurt from skiing with the wrong skis, and of course the pack. I’m wet and mangled and Route 18 has pretty much kicked my butt. Even though I never really skied Route 18. I sort of circled around it, never really going anywhere. And now I’m going home, yet I feel like I’ve actually been someplace. It occurs to me that even the worst adventures are still adventures. It also occurs to me, sometimes going absolutely nowhere can still be quite challenging.

Post Script:

The Catamount Trail (Vermont)

Route 18 attempted February 10, 2010

Aborted: Poor Weather and Unmanageable Conditions

 

-Poor Training Regiment: I need to train with a heavy backpack so that when I’m on the Trail, I’m used to the bugger.

-Heavy Packs and Light Touring Skis Never Mix. Bring backcountry carving skis, with grid, properly waxed, for support and manageability, with solid backcountry carving boots. 

-Private Lands mean poor signage. Bring a GPS system and study Forest Service Maps. Make sure that I carry two sets of maps so that I can compare the two.

-Bring tent instead of tarp because of the condensation factor. Sweat is tough to overcome when backcountry skiing.

-Pick a beautiful day to ski terrain that I don’t know, blizzard conditions spell trouble.