I saw people climbing Whaleback Mountain yesterday, even though the resort didn’t appear to be open, and decided to see if I could join them! After Mass in Lebanon, I drove over to Enfield and arrived by about 0900 - I was one of the first people in the parking lot. I spoke with the other folks who were already there and figured out how to navigate the slopes. Apparently, the place is operated by the Town and is used by locals even on days when the office isn't open and the chair lift isn't running. Before I headed up the mountain, I also got some ski/snowshoe courtesy tips (“sharing the road”). Everyone else was climbing the mountain on wide downhill skis with skins on the bottom but I opted for my snowshoes. Temps started in the high teens but climbed into the 20s - I was plenty warm with the layers I had. The climb wasn’t too difficult (in terms of footing) because there were a few worn tracks. Where I strayed from those, however, I sank up to my waist in the snow. I kept pace with the other climbers but felt like I hadn’t climbed a mountain in years. The views on the way up - and especially at the top - were well worth the huffing and puffing. Wow! All the other people at the summit converted into “downhill mode” (helmets on, skins off) and skied away quickly. I paused for a bit, enjoying being the only person left in the winter wonderland, and then followed after them. This ultimately turned out to be a mistake: there were no pathways and the steepness made big slides very likely. Needless to say, I planted myself face down and on my backside a few times. After a tough slog with several falls, I made it to the bottom (done by 1130). The parking lot was quite full and the resort staff were firing up the lifts. After the morning snow adventures I’d already had, it seemed like a good idea to skedaddle. If I get more days like this, the winter weather won’t get me down at all!
