Finally, a hike!

In Between, Shining Rock Wilderness Area  -  2013

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Two and a half months into 2013, and Sunday afternoon I finally found time to do a little hiking. The weather was better on Saturday, but Saturday is usually my "catch up on chores day". There was a slight chance of showers predicted for late Sunday afternoon, but I decided to take a chance since I had a pretty good case of cabin fever. Theresa wanted to stay home and work on a PowerPoint presentation for work, so with hopes of cooperative weather, Courtney and I headed off to the Shining Rock Wilderness Area.

At the lower elevations in our area, the first faint signs of spring are beginning to appear. Not so higher up. The portion of the trail we were on was mainly around 3800', about 1200' higher than where my house sits. Winter is still in control up there. Except for a few tufts of green grass sprouting up in the wet areas, brown and grey are still the dominant colors. No budding trees, no early wildflowers, just bare trees in every direction. I made a few photos of the river, but my search for early spring photos was a bust.

Despite spring still being weeks away at that elevation, we had an enjoyable afternoon. The rain held out, the temperatures were mild, and it was good just to get out, stretch our legs, and breathe that mountain air. Courtney and I still believe that a day out on the trail beats sitting around the house any day, even if it still looks like winter.