It was the perfect early spring day! My buddy, his pup and I set out just before sunrise. It was a calm and quiet morning, and only two other cars at 7AM. It was fun to see the terrain gradually vary as we increased in elevation. Definitely felt like I needed my spikes to be comfortable hiking most of the way.
Dog was such a trooper. We helped him cross some water to keep his paws warm, but otherwise he did super well (9 month old).
The trails were surprisingly dry in a lot of the rocky areas. There was obvious thaw in spots that were resulted in a slick of ice or slush. There were definitely shades stretches of incline and beyond that were snow packed (had it been warmer it would’ve been quite soft). The weather was a little chilly before sunrise, it was about freezing , but by the time we finished in the afternoon we were fielding temperatures in the mid/low 50s at the base.
The wind was exceptionally moderate the entire day, and there were many moments of still air with the sun beams warming up my face. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky or a worry in my mind. Best day to get back on my feet. Definitely a challenge but worth every step.