Tom-Field-Wiley 12-23-09

After a very nice stay at the Highland Center last night, I hiked the Tom-Field-Wiley ridge today. Up to Tom first, then over to Field, out to Wiley, back and down past Avalon.

Trails were packed down nicely. The powder is simply gorgeous. Snow shoes are the appropriate footwear.

Saw a pleasantly large number of people in the trails today. Aside from a father and daughter I met last night, there was a meetup group of five, another group of three, one gent hiking alone, and a young couple. Everyone in snow shoes.

If you have a chance, do get up this weekend. The snow is really really nice right now, soft powder, packed down but not really hard or icy. Bring microspikes as well; crampons won't do you much good, but having done four different mountains since Saturday, I can say that most likely, snow shoes will be the way to go.

Seasons greetings!


Brian

good report -- it's "Willey" though

I stand corrected!

Hey Brian, I think we crossed paths today. I was one member of the meetup group, the one with his eyes nearly frozen shut (long lashes are great nucleators for condensation!). I think we were just ahead of you for most of the day.

We did get some decent views from Avalon, not sure if you ventured up there or not. The fresh powder stuck to all the trees was a nice substitute for the lack of views from the summits.

Cheers,

Pat

Perhaps because I was hiking alone, which I do extremely rarely, especially in the winter, but I bumped into a lot of interesting folks. I was happily surprised to see someone who had been on one of AMC hikes several years prior. Bombadil's group, I believe, also had someone who owned a Cilo Gear pack, which I also own and absolutely love.

I think my experience on the mountain would have been quite different had I not seen anyone else, and I must confess to being greatly relieved to see two different groups hiking out to Willey as I was returning, just in case something happened to me.

Bombadil, I didn't go out to Avalon. At that point I was ready for some company and decided simply to head straight down, although I did get some nice views from Field back toward Tom before heading down.


Brian