Currently, summer is blazing. The planet feels parched and toasted. Five or six months ago, we should have been in the middle of winter’s tempers and flurries, but, unlike summer, winter was rather a flop. However, one week in February brought all that winter should be- briefly. I will cover the limited topic of snowshoeing through that period now, perhaps less briefly than its own briefness might merit.
Although we went snowshoeing in late December and on New Year’s Day, the bulk of our participation in that sport last winter happened in the space of just one week, during which we went out on three occasions. A storm unloaded so much snow in that span, it’s miraculous we were able to find three safe days and locations; avalanche danger was extreme in many places. For instance, conditions were so hazardous in Little Cottonwood Canyon that guests were “interlodged” for days at its ski resorts, meaning not allowed to even leave their lodges. Where did we find lower-risk terrain? We went to the Mill Canyon Trail in American Fork Canyon, South Maple Hollow at Suncrest, and then back again to Mill Canyon monitoring avalanche threats and carrying a heap of avalanche gear each time.
Surprisingly, the best snow of the three outings was found at Suncrest, the place we thought we would find the most tracks and substandard accumulation. The powder was so deep at South Maple Hollow, sometimes past our knees, that we couldn’t accurately discern routes. That’s how we ended up on Zooropa, which is used solely by bikes in the summer.
The landscape at South Maple Hollow had been carved by gusts into deep rolling drifts and gullies that required substantial amounts of effort to navigate. A single wandering snowshoer’s prints crossed our path occasionally. Otherwise, we encountered no tracks. I guess there isn’t a high demand for snowshoeing during the middle of the week, especially when it is bitterly windy. Oh yes, did I mention, this was the coldest I’ve ever been snowshoeing. Usually, you get cozy and end up removing layers. This time, I put my hood up instead of removing anything and wanted to cry over my hands! They were so frozen for the first 15 minutes or so that I did briefly consider recommending we give up and turn around. I do not often quit or even entertain thoughts of quitting… so that says more than just that I’m wimpy.
The wise ancients once said, “The candle that burns the brightest burns out in about a week.” Our season of snowshoeing confirms that universal truth. Luckily, the snowboarding season didn’t end quite so abruptly, but I will cover that pastime later. I wouldn’t want to shoe you too far along.