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Did you #OptOutside on Black Friday this year?
For our #OptOutside experience, we headed up to Shenandoah National Park for a hike. A late start forced us to change up our plans a bit, but we still had a good time. We hiked an out-and-back trail to Lewis Falls instead of the Lewis Spring Falls loop trail to the waterfall. Skipping the loop meant we missed hiking a section of the Appalachian Trail, and I think we also missed seeing the waterfall from a lower position, though I’m not completely sure of that.
The out-and-back trail took us to the top of the 81 foot waterfall, but we couldn’t see much of the falls at all. There was no railing around the rocks, so we didn’t go too close to the edge. We were being super cautious in the icy conditions.
Cold weather fun
We knew the weather would be cold, so we’d dressed for temps around freezing. What we weren’t prepared for was the snow and ice on the ground. A nor’easter came through a week before Thanksgiving, and we only saw icy rain and sleet at our house. Apparently Shenandoah received a couple inches of snow and ice. While a lot of the snow had melted, some of it had partially melted, then re-frozen.
So some of the “snow” on the ground was actually ice, which made for some fun times. Ocean took a step and promptly ended up on his back. He hopped back up, took another step, and was back on the ground. He likes to be independent, but he didn’t mind Jeremy holding his hand and helping him this time.
To YakTrax or not to YakTrax?
We could have used some YakTrax or similar traction devices, and I even have a pair at home. But in the eight and a half years we’ve lived in Virginia, we’ve never once, until this hike, needed YakTrax. The last time I used mine was when we lived in Colorado. So while we could have used them for this hike, I don’t know that we’d actually use them again if we did buy some. I’ll probably get some for Jeremy and Sunshine, but finding decent options for little kids is harder than I expected. I found a couple options, but the reviews weren’t great. Have you used any toddler/preschool size traction devices that you can recommend?
The last time we did an icy, snowy hike was years ago, when Sunshine was Ocean’s age. Back then, we hiked to Devil’s Tower in the Colorado Rockies. The picture below was taken at the beginning of our hike, before we got to all the ice and snow. We didn’t use YakTrax then, either. Perhaps we should work on being a bit more prepared and keep them in the car, so they’re there if we need them. I suppose that’s the best way to ensure that we never do need them again…
Hiking on a snowy, icy trail was a new experience for the boys and much fun was had with throwing chunks of frozen snow at each other. Yes, it’s been a long time since we got to play in the snow. And no, no one was hurt :).
The sun was setting as we loaded back in the car, and the temps were dropping, so it was definitely a good decision not to hike the longer loop. We’ll come back and do it again when we can start earlier and not risk getting caught on the trail after dark.
52 Hike Challenge
I’ve talked about the 52 Hike Challenge and how it has helped us make more of an effort to get outside and explore, whether it’s an #OptOutside event or just a Tuesday in October. Chronic health issues make it easy to cocoon myself at home, but I know that being more active is important. In fact, being more active has helped improve my symptoms and I’m feeling better all the time.
Like the idea of a goal with accountability and want to join the 52 Hike Challenge? It’s not too late. The 52 Hike Challenge does not operate on a calendar year, so you can sign up at any time throughout the year, and you have 12 months to complete 52 hikes. Sign up using my link and I’ll earn a small commission at no additional charge to you. You can also click on the 52 Hike Challenge image in the right sidebar.
