En Passant 2015 day 5: Snow walking

Today I went back to the road head that I had got blown back from two days ago. In between times I had bought some ladies leggings to use as thermal underwear (to some amusement from the shop owner!) - but they weren't needed. I climbed from 1450 to 1750 m in 3.5 km. Chicken shit by mountaineers' standards - but for someone of 56 who lives in the flatlands it gave a sense of satisfaction (hence the rare selfie).  When I got tired I stopped and looked at the fluffy white clouds.

I can't remember when I last walked up to such a height or had to do snow walking,  not for long stretches, but sometimes on steep gradients - kick your boot in twice, lean on the pole (on the mountain's side) and repeat -it's like riding a bike really, once learnt...(but then I did do a mountain leader's course - stage 1 - twenty years ago, when I was looking at alternative career options to becoming an academic).

By the frozen lake I heard marmots, their voices amplified by the canyon and the frozen lake.

 

 

But the intended trip onto the waterfall seemed like one step too many.  The snow was deep, the gradient steep and I hadn't told anyone where I was going. And there was a church in the valley beckoning!

Gone tomorrow?

The trees are watching

 

 

And spring beckons?