Thursday, February 12, 2009

Bunchgrass Creek Snowshoe Outing

This is my sister and me at the beginning of our latest snowshoe outing. On Wednesday morning we drove up Logan Canyon, parked along the highway just past the Tony Grove turn off, and hiked up the Bunchgrass Creek trail. Unlike our other hiking outings, Wednesday's weather was overcast with a few snow flurries. We also had to wear snowshoes for the entire hike. I felt like Nanook of the North trudging through the snow.





This is a young aspen with a bit of naturally occuring graffiti. P is for powder!











And this is my powder pooch! Annie loves the snow. She rolls in it, licks it up, runs like mad through it. I call her my all-terrain dog.







This trail may look moderate. Actually it is moderate, but moderate kicked my tush! My sister brought along a GPS that told us how far we'd hiked, the elevation, temperature, etc. We started up the trail at 10 AM and my goal was to hike until noon, taking little breaks along the way. Well, by 11:45 I called Uncle. My joints felt fine. I was just beat. Hot, sweaty, and tired. The GPS said we'd gone only 1.6 miles. If snowshoeing on a moderate incline for under 2 miles tuckers me out, how am I ever going to scale the mighty Wellsville Mountains? The climb up Deep Canyon to the Wellsville Ridge is 2.9 miles with an elevation gain of 2,720 feet. From there the hike along the ridge to the Wellsville Cone is 3.2 miles and an elevation gain of 1,350 feet. Add it up. That's 6.1 miles and an elevation climb of 4,070 feet! My days of missing my morning Nordic Track workouts are over. I am motivated not to die on September 12th. I'll be kicking my workouts up a notch.




This is Bunchgrass Creek. I'd like to see it again in the summertime.

4 comments:

Flashlight Girl said...

You're scaring me! 4700 ft elevation climb in 6 miles? I'm really trying not to wimp out on you. I am working hard, but the banana bread in the kitchen is persuasive too. . . :) I think I'll have to start riding the bike before bed, too. (Yah, right.)

Suko said...

How'd you set up the photos like steps? Very cool!
Annie is adorable! Fun post.

Cammy said...

I so admire you for the challenges you're conquering! (And a brilliant decision to "build in" accountability!)

Kristie said...

Hey Christine, I saw your article in the HJ. I was impressed. I was in a ward with you at one time(about 4 years ago). Do you remember me? That's so great what you are doing to get stronger and feel better, and it sounds like fun as well. I would like to hike up the Wellsville Mountain someday too.
Kristie Haslam kristiehaslam@yahoo.com