This may be the last mountain blog I post for a while, due to my current hip situation and rehabilitation steps. Nevertheless, I remain hopeful that strength will return and I will be able to keep my June hiking trip as planned.
As for this particular day, there are days in life when everything is as it should be. Full of ease, wonder and joy. Saturday, March 18th was one of those days. Mallory and I actually slept in, enjoyed a hearty breakfast and then headed to Blue Mountain for the perfect afternoon hike.
The Adirondacks had been blessed with enormous amounts of snow a few days prior. Blue Mountain is a fairly popular hiking spot, even in the winter, so we knew that the trails would be well-traveled despite the snow. Plus, more snow equaled more sliding on the descent!
We arrived at the trailhead around 11:30 a.m. The lot was only plowed on the shoulder of the road, so after climbing mounds of snow, we snowshoed to the trail register.
I signed in the book this time and next to our names, I simply wrote “Joy in the Journey.”
Mallory took the lead, which was a blessing since I was nursing a bum hip. Honestly, I was quite thankful for the idling along and wondrous discoveries that would dominate this climb. Well that, and some Frisbee playing, but we’ll get to that in a bit. For now, slow and steady was our mantra.
Is there anything more beautiful than the sun bursting between trail trees?
Leading the way!
Glistening mountain sparkle enveloped everywhere we turned…shimmering snow ahead of us, clear blue skies above us, and magical trail fungi decorating the trees around us.
The hip held on for now, so we switched places and trekked onward through the Blue Mountain forest of joy.
Yes..more mountain mushrooms. I can’t help myself.
We arrived at a clearing and paused to take a breath. Gazing all around to inhale just how incredible life really is. Mother Nature’s magnificent treasures graced our journey. We loved everything there was to love about this trail. I know this is a popular spot in the warmer weather, but winter on Blue is simply breathtaking. The quiet peace that filled the crisp mountain air…soft cushioning snow underfoot…magic all around. A peaceful happiness lived within our souls.
I believe this was our most leisurely hike to date. No rush, no fuss…just a couple of girls and all nature had to offer.
I think Socrates said that wonder is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom and pure happiness! I was actually reaching for my phone to take the “sunlight spilling through the trees again” photo, when Mallory snapped this shot. We’ve climbed 6 mountains together this winter, and I still never know when she is taking my picture! #sleathphotographer 🙂
At 1:35 p.m., we reached the summit of Blue Mountain. The views from Blue Mountain were spectacular, to say the least. Blue stands at 3759 feet tall and marked my 5th fire tower and Mal’s 2nd of the season.
A message left by previous hikers…both very sweet and humorous!
A view of the High Peaks in the distance from the stairs of the tower. Again, I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but the snow-capped peaks and surrounding mountains sprinkled with fairy snow dust…nothing beats it! A true appreciation for the flow and architecture can be formed in the winter. I would imagine the lush green views of summer are just as wonderful. But this girl remains partial to frozen wonders.
Miss Mallory peering through the tower windows at the picturesque scene over yonder.
No climb is complete without a fire tower selfie…thankful for this lady!
Blue Mountain Lake
It felt heavenly to remove the snowshoes for a bit and relax in the summit sunshine. Tea time had arrived for me and a bit of hot cocoa for Mallory.
It was also time to break out the frisbees. Mallory tried to find some trail sleds for the descent but all were sold out. So she came up with this idea of using a frisbee instead. And thus creating #frisbeebuttsliding. We thought, in addition to be extremely amusing, that this would also be an easier descent option for the girl with the bum right hip.
As we made out way back down the mountain with Frisbees in hand, we bumped into the sweetest young lady. Her remarks were priceless! “Oh my goodness, are you guys playing Frisbee??” We all burst into laughter and explained our plan of sledding down the mountain on them. But I guess in a way, yes. We were. We were playing our version of Mountain Frisbee. Pure Joy…with that capital J! Mallory and I slid our way down the mountain upon our Frisbees. #laughterfordays
Hilarious fun!
After the frisbee buttsliding antics had concluded, we snowshoed the remain distance back to the trail head.
At 3:45 p.m. we bid Blue Mountain farewell and thanked her for the glorious afternoon.
Total distance: 4.5 miles (including climbing the tower)
Total time: 4 hours and 15 minutes, with a lovely summit rest stop
Thank you Winter for a fantastic hiking season. Blue Mountain Joy.
Yes..find where the joy resides. Never miss a day of it! Joy knows no age, it just knows smiles, laughter, play and peace. It knows how to grace your path with wonder and beauty. And…Joy also knows how to fill your spirit with timeless amusement and miracles of happiness. Find your joy and sing it louder than any song. Joy is the light.
And mountains are full of light.
Joyfully sliding into Spring,
J
rundanceclimb 