A Late Spring Stroll

It has been quite dry this spring, however more than sufficient rain has been received to allow for vegetation to emerge. Most trees have finally leafed-out over the past couple of weeks; the leaves on the ash last to emerge are just beginning to show.

Today's weather was spectacular - sufficient inducement for Tucker and me to take an extended stroll in the woods.

We started at the top of Cabin Mt. and followed a set of trails through woods, around bogs, and across streams out to a location known as Pointy Knob. A small selection of images follow...

Woodland Trail

Upper Stonecoal Bog

Upper Stonecoal Run

Stonecoal Waterfall

The View from Pointy Knob (other way Tuck!)

Sarvisberry

When we lived in Charleston I came to associate my birthday (today) with the blooming of dogwoods and redbuds. Here in Canaan Valley it is too cold and the growing season too short for dogwoods and redbuds (although if one takes a short 30 minute drive down off the mountain there is a relative abundance of them). Instead, we have sarvisberry (serviceberry) trees. Less showy than dogwoods, sarvisberries are none the less an attractive sight - standing out from the leafless trees that surround them.

Local folklore holds that the flowers signal the time when traveling preachers on horseback would return after the snow's retreat...and the ground would be soft enough to bury the winter's dead.

Glad tidings and birthday wishes, eh?

Regardless, like the Junco pictured below, I welcome the sarvisberry's bloom.

After the Snow

Tucker and I visited one of my favorite spots, Blackbird Knob and the Left Fork of Red Creek in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area. I've visited this area numerous times over the years - used to camp here with the boys when they were little - and even brought a boy scout troop here once.

The walk in is down a rocky ridge through an extensive mountain laurel thicket.

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The creek .

Tucker and I explored around the north side of Blackbird Knob where a beaver pond is known to exist. I was curious how they made out after our long cold winter. Six weeks after our last serious snow, and even after several weeks of 70 degree weather, we still found some deep drifts of snow lying up against the hemlock and spruce stands.

The pond is in great shape. I'm sure they were quite warm all winter in their huge lodge.

Tucker explored the dam which extends for well over 150 yards and is 3 feet high.

We didn't see any of the beavers (perhaps if we go back and spend a night?), but we did see a mallard making use of their pond.

And noticed some future inhabitants (and mallard food) getting ready to hatch (frog eggs).

Retirement

In a most fitting coincidence my retirement date coincides with April Fools Day.  It was exactly one year ago today that I left my career as a chemist/researcher/manager behind and embarked on the next phase of my life.  A year later I still haven't quite figured out what this next phase is, but at least I'm having some enjoyment exploring a few of the options.  In recognition of today's significance (at least to me) I chose to spend some of it outside wandering.  

After breakfast I took the pups to the Sods so they could poke around the edges of the last of the melting snow.  They seem to find the edges of the retreating snow drifts most interesting - apparently this is where the best scents are located.

Tucker and I then headed over to the (closed) ski area where we could hike up the easiest trail (amazing how steep it is going up) and ski back down another.  I packed a lunch for us to enjoy while on top.

Tucker climbing Timberline

Lunch spot off the backside on top.

The bumps on Off The Wall are still in excellent shape.

The drop-in to Cherry Bowl Glades

Cherry Bowl Glades.  A favorite out-of-bounds (supposedly off-limits) skiing location purportedly going to be transformed into an official trail for next season.  Not sure if I like this idea or not.

The trail back down.

Spring, er... sort of

After 2 weeks of mild weather a good bit of the snowpack has diminished.  Thankfully, so far, the melt has not been accompanied with any local flooding.  Areas south and north have not fared so well.  Fortune has been on our side.

Spring is oft associated with pastel colors of yellow, blue, and green...but not in the mountains.  Here the couleur de rigueur is brown.  Brown grass.  Leafless brown trees.  And most certainly, brown mud.  Mud covers roads, shoes, cars, and dogs.  It will be mid May before new growth appears and the hills turn green.  However, there is beauty to be found if one just takes the time to look for it.

      

I Love Spring Skiing

Warm days and cool nights transforms the snow surface into corn snow.  Combine this with a moguls and it makes Dave a very tired boy.  The only saving point is the surface doesn't soften until after noon allowing (thankfully) for only a few hours of prime time skiing.  The question remains what will wear out first - the snow - or my knees?

O Canada!

February was a month filled with an amazing amount of snow.  It started with a blizzard and never let up.  Nearing the last weekend of the month a mountain-top storm ensued with gale-force winds.  A state of emergency was declared for the region and the National Guard called in to help with snow removal.  In the midst of the last storm my trusty snowblower became not so trusty and died.  A pulley snapped.  Thankfully I was able to borrow a neighbor's snowblower and keep our driveway open.

But today was entirely different.  Sun!  I don't believe we've had more than 3 or 4 sunny days since the beginning of this year.  Our spirits lifted, Deb and I decided to go on a Canadian vacation...sort of.

Up the hill from our home is Dolly Sods.  A 30 minute climb with snowshoes takes us to an entirely different world.  As we headed out we passed through woods with sunlight filtering through the trees falling on the snowpack below.

Soon we encountered frost-coated trees.  This is a type of Hoar Frost  known as soft rime and forms on the windward side of branches.

A bit further up the conditions become more severe and a different type of frost is encountered, hard rime.  At the top of the ridge and extending across the plateau beyond hard rime coats all the trees, rocks and wind-blown surface snow.

Drifts fill in the voids between spruce trees.

A survey across the open plains yields a view that is similar to the tundra region in Canada.

Under foot are mountain laurel and blueberry bushes.  In a few short months this area will be filled with new life.  But for now it is still locked in winter's grasp.  

Before leaving the area we saw some drifted in animal tracks that might have been from a bobcat and found some scat that fit that description as well.  I would love to get look at one of those elusive creatures sometime.