The morning was still and clear: a perfect time to head out to
the mountains north of Albuquerque and for
Caroline and Scott to try out snowshoeing for the first time.
We loaded our rented snowshoes and other gear into the van and
after a yummy group breakfast at Weck's Restaurant, friends
Naomi, Petra and Tanya piled into the van with us and we headed north into
snow country. It was pretty nerve-racking at first, after
driving for more than an hour only to find dry roadways and
snow-less mountains. But we persevered and finally came
across the East Fork trail, marked with a small cross-country
ski sign on a tree. The snow looked more than plentiful -
we were in business!
Our party, headed up by Naomi, was
comprised of three novices and two experienced snowshoe-ers.
Being two of the three novices, we weren't sure exactly what to
expect; snowshoeing always seemed like something that, while
handy if you need to walk across snow you might sink into, a lot
of work that can be avoided by not snowshoeing. In some places,
it definitely seemed helpful to have the snowshoes, like we were
moving with greater ease by not breaking through the top frozen
layer of snow. Since we were mostly walking on a frequently
traversed path, however, most of the snow was pretty well
packed. Scott, of course, needed to spend time off the path to
make full use of his equipment, and was surprised just how far
you can sink into the snow even while wearing snowshoes.
Although fairly easy to move about in - after all, Naomi was
able to show us dance poses and Scott was (nearly) able to click
his snow-shoe-heels - both (and only) Caroline and Scott managed
to trip themselves and fall over into the snow (once each).
Fortunately, no greater injuries were sustained than the
blisters on our heels. It was a great day, and all in all,
a good time was had by all participants. The trail, flanked by tall
evergreens on either side as far as the eye could see, was
snowy, serene and beautiful and we were
even treated to a little sunshine on our return trek.
Although not as difficult as Caroline had initially feared, it
was quite a workout and proved to be a perfect post-holiday
outing - thanks for the great idea, Naomi!
Naomi, Petra, Scott & Caroline are ready to hit the trail!
Naomi & Petra pose one more time
Scott & Petra practice their tandem snowshoeing
and decides to keep going...
and going...
Naomi takes a 'snow angel' break
Petra treks on through the trees