It’s our favorite time of year when it begins to feel like winter...and it felt like that today in Harriman State Park, NY! Winter begins next Thursday, December 21st and ends March 19th, 2018. This is a great time of year to head out for a hike!

"While I knew Gavin would love the slide itself, I wasn’t sure how much he would enjoy any necessary off-trail travel to reach the slide. I asked Jan Wellford about the climb, and he said the bushwhacking was not that bad, you just had to get around the near vertical face of the falls, which is a major ice climbing spot in the winter months. I decided that Gav and I would give it a shot..."

There are 35 high peaks in the Catskill Mountains that are above 3,500ft elevation. People that summit all 35, plus 4 of them in winter, can become “Catskill 35ers“. For most people that is enough. I am not one of those people.

Everyone has their bucket list and it's an ever changing list. It changes with age and what’s going on in your life and yet some places or events never change. About five years ago when I really started getting into the outdoors and trail running, I learned of all these amazing places: New Zealand, Patagonia, the dolomites, the PCT, AT, etc. How long would it take for me to travel to all these places while still trying to race, work and spend time with friends or even find friends who would want to go with you!? 

Today, conditions were good for snowshoeing in the Harriman State Park area of New York. Some of us opted for the no snowshoe approach, but had to raise the effort quite a bit just to keep pace. Hiking poles & microspikes definitely helped but still were no match for the efficiency of proper snowshoeing.