Chiseling Away the Ice

In the last entry, I went hiking in the snow - Great fun! While back at home, the icy snow covered driveway was waiting to be shoveled.  I much prefer the light, powdery snow which you can easily clear. This snow could not be shoveled.It had turned to ice. It had to be scraped or chiseled away.

Last year, my favorite winter purchase was a pair of Microspikes for the boots. They are

fantastic because they enable you to hike even when the trails or driveway are icy.

This year, it may be this strange looking shovel. When our local friends who have been in the mountains for years saw this shovel, they politely shook their heads and said it was " interesting". I laughed when I first saw it arrive at our house. Way too big...how could anyone use it?

Today, I have to admit, it is a great shovel. I was able to clear most of the driveway by chiseling away the ice without leaning over constantly and killing my back muscles in the process.

My husband, the ever constant DJ in my life, played some highly energetic dance music from the window to keep me going after I had already been shoveling for over an hour. Ulterior motives, I know, but it worked.

My reward? Sitting by this fire and eating scrumptious blueberry/apple pie from Gary's Deli - The best pie in town!

A Cold and Snowy Hike

When the forecast is 100% chance of snow, it's exciting because the landscape will transform itself within a day or so. With that thought in mind, I took a hike to capture the clouds rolling in before the snow storm arrived.

Once the snow fell, we spent the day hiking the Devil's Slide trail. It is one of the most popular hikes in the San Jacinto Wilderness.

Suicide Rock is one of the majestic views from this trail. As we climbed higher, it became engulfed by clouds.

The 2.5 mile hike starts at 6,420 feet and reaches 8,100 feet at the Saddle Junction.

At the Saddle Juntion, there are trails which lead to higher destinations like Tahquitz Peak and San Jacinto Peak at 10,804 feet. Some of the trails are closed due to the Mountain Fire in July. They remain closed for safety reasons and/or natural restoration.

It was great to hike through this area which earlier in the summer was full of chest high ferns. It escaped the wrath of the flames that destroyed other areas.

 Walking through a snow covered forest before any other person brings feelings of peace and solitude. If you are lucky, you can see the tracks of animals who were there before you arrived. The forest was quiet except for the crunching of our boots in the snow and the occasional falling of icicles from the trees.

 The silence was broken when the Clark's Nutcracker began calling loudly from the top of a tall evergreen.

Although it was a very cold day, it was worth bundling up and seeing the beauty of the first major snowfall of the season.