Hiking in the Snow

Stillwell Trails

He is probably correct; if my son did not ask me to hike the Stillwell trail during a snowstorm, albeit a light one, I would not have gone. As a matter of fact, although I have lived close by for more than 5 decades I have never been there. It truly is a small hidden treasure on our overpopulated highly congested island. Off a main road next to a shopping mall is a non descriptive, basically unmarked parking lot, where the trail head begins. As you begin the hike the roar of traffic is present, but the further you go into the woods it disappears behind you. And then it is quiet with only the wind and crunch of snow and ice beneath your feet. Along the way were beautiful boughs of branches dusted with snow. It looked postcard perfect. And the presence of other hikers were no where in sight. There is a spot where civilization reappears and you cross a road (on which no one will stop at the crosswalk for you) to begin the 2nd half of the trail. On the way back, my son noted an imprint of a sneaker in the snow. Gauging by the imprint and the length of stride, a runner had recently been on the trail. We also saw a dog's paw print but did not see or hear any animals. We hiked about one and a half hours out and back. It's not the Colorado Rockies; not even close, but it's what we have close to home. I'm glad we went. I truly enjoyed it! Another activity I've enjoyed while I'm waiting to be cleared for running. Perhaps, I will have to try and run the trail this spring when the snow and ice are gone and I'm back on the running track again.