Tuesday: Snowshoe Day

I have to admit, I am feeling really, REALLY fatigued after Snowshoe Day.  My body is a limp noodle.  This morning that Spouse o' Mine and I snowshoed across McCullough Gulch, which is just below Quandary Peak, south of Breckenridge.  As is the rule of hiking, I dressed in layers.  It was 11* at mid-morning, and I felt like I was in proper attire.

Well.  

A half hour up the trail (and it was a quasi-trail, mainly made from telemark skiers early in the morning.), and I was sweating.  Positively sweltering.  I took off my jacket to remove my wool turtleneck, and then replaced the jacket.  By then the sun was doing its intense job, partnered with the gorgeous snow.  We continued on.

Well.  Another stop.  Hot.  I was HOT..

I slung off my backpack, and then removed my jacket.  What's left, you might ask?  Just my "base layer".  A thin, turtleneck undershirt.  I really, REALLY wanted to peel off my ski pants as well - I had base layer thermal tights on underneath, but the logistics of removing snowshoes, then the hiking boots, then removing the ski pants...all without benefit of a tree to lean on to, made me decide to commit to mind over matter. 

So I sucked it up and went on along the trail.  It's probably a good thing, 20/20 hindsight, that I didn't get the ski pants off, because by noon, we were along a north trail, with no sun to soak us in heat and sweat.  I even put my jacket back on. 

Melon break:

The hike was certainly worth it!