Christmas Hike

I always want it to snow in the winter. I hold treasured memories of snow days from growing up in the suburbs of Chicago. But Boise is typically mild in the valley. Those who want snow must seek it in the mountains and ski basins - for the most part.

This year, the snow began falling on 12/23, kept falling through 12/24 and gave us a perfectly white, and sunny, Christmas day. Of course I had to go play in it!

My husband and I agreed to go for a walk in the afternoon. We would head towards the golf course by way of the Greenbelt and maybe go up towards Table Rock. Because we weren't taking a good deal of supplies, the farthest we would go would be a point 2 miles from home for a 4 mile round trip - max.

A winter wonderland awaited right outside our apartment door. 

Someone (me) made a snow angel on Christmas Eve day. 

Sure, we could have walked in the street and avoided post-holing on the sidewalk, but where would the adventure be in that? Besides, we were kitted out for snow and snow we would have! 

The Greenbelt had tracks from skis and fat tire bikes. 

Geese and ducks gathered in the water near the water treatment plant.

Table Rock looms over the golf course which was closed for golfing, but we saw skiers making tracks across it. 

Houses up on the foothills are nearly covered in misty clouds. 

I wanted to hike all the way up to Table Rock. Kind of. But only if we had brought water. 

I liked how icicles dripped from the tree's needles. 

This bench gives a good indication of how much snow we really got. A lot! 

Those little yellow flags mark the holes on the putting green. 

Ambrose makes his way up the trail slow and steady. 

At last! A bird held still enough for me to take his portrait. A robin, I think. 

Climbing the snowy trail in the icy air gave me a feeling of pure joy. Every breath was exhilarating. Even though every step was difficult, even though the wind bit at my exposed skin, being out there and exerting myself was perfect.  

Yeah, we went up there.

I was getting closer to the plateau where we'd have to stop. 

The wind was getting stronger and colder the higher I climbed. 

Since I knew the point of return would be exposed and windy, I took shelter in the lee of a large boulder and waited for Ambrose to gain on me. There, I watched snowmelt drip off of the rock and managed to capture it just before it fell. 

I thought the orange flags marked the trail, but then I started to see them "everywhere."

I could see hardier souls than us on top of Table Rock. Although, to be fair, they could have driven up there, if their vehicles were up for it. There is a paved road up there, after all. 

Ambrose is almost to the plateau! 

He made it and I got him to take a picture of me. The down jacket and down balaclava were a little too heavy for walking on the Greenbelt, but for being up there in the wind they were barely warmth enough. 

I think I'm getting better at taking pictures of us with the camera - this was my first try :)
 

Going downhill, Ambrose kept pace with me. 

Here, he demonstrates the depth of the snow. 

We're almost back to the flats of the Greenbelt. I have reached the point where I can't wait to get home and shower. 

And yet, I found it in myself to take the time to climb the golf course parking lot's snow plow pile. 

Ambrose walked in the street on our last stretch home, but I stubbornly stayed on the snowy sidewalk. 

He told me that he liked being on the street because he was ahead of me. And it was true, I couldn't keep pace with him. My feet sunk into the snow and slipped and slid while he ambled on.

But I wasn't about to let that stop me.

With only a couple blocks to go before home, I started to run through the snow. I half ran, half leaped through the snow, gaining on him. When I reached the shoveled sidewalk in front of an apartment complex, I gained yet more. And then I hit one more patch of snow and went for it. I was breathing so heavy I was sure he could hear me coming; he said he heard my footsteps on the clear patch of sidewalk. But it was through snow that I drew even to him, and then passed him, heaving for breath and very satisfied.

Despite not feeling very cold while I was walking, once I got into that hot shower, I realized that our 3 hour hike had left me colder than I realized as my skin burned at the warmth.

But I still can't wait to do it again.