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| Hiking | 4.50 Miles |
1,440 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.50 Miles | | | |
| 1,440 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | I originally wanted to snowshoe the box camp trail, but on the way up the Mt Lemmon Highway it was obvious the snow was rapidly burning off the southern slopes. So, I decided to hike the Green Mountain Trail instead, which is more on the northern slope. I started at the upper Green Mountain Trailhead parking area around 0830. It was still cold, close to 30 degrees, according to my tiny thermometer. The snow was unbroken and was already melting in any of the areas getting sunlight. There is one large ridgeline between the trailhead and Bear Saddle, and the trail makes a large bend out to the south there. That area receives more sun and the snow had melted completely off in places there. I had to carried the shoes for a while in that area, but it was only for a short distance.
When I first started in the morning it was cold and the snow was dry. There was still snow up in some of the trees and the slightest breeze would dislodge some of that snow it would fall and leave long streamers of ice crystal shimmering in the sunlight.
There were a couple trees that had come down across the trail, and with the snow and wearing snowshoes, I found it more challenging than usual to scramble under or over them.
Later, as it began to warm, the snow became wetter and began to accumulate on the snow shoes. It felt like you were walking with large blocks of ice underfoot, because you were. At first I could easily just raise my foot slightly and shake it loose. But, as the snow became wetter, stickier, it would not come loose. While walking I thought of a way to dislodge it. I raised my right foot ahead of me and tapped the shoe with my walking stick. The snow dropped right off. However, I did this midstride without much thought of what would come next. The shoe pivoted to vertical on my foot and when I brought it back down the tail buried in the snow. I was off balance and the only place I could go was onto my back. Next thing I know I'm lying on my back in six inches of wet snow, laughing. What came next was not pretty, old, fat guy, with snowshoes on, trying to get up from six inches snow. I was just glad my daughter wasn't there, she'd still be laughing.
I ate lunch at Bear saddle on some dry rocks in the sun. I returned the way I came with a slight detour to the San Pedro Vista. When I arrived back at the parking lot there were several teenagers playing in the snow near the parking lot. They looked to be having fun. |
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