Great Outdoors: wisconsin state park

Seems like almost every year in early spring I like to take vacations that are always adventurous. And many times these vacations require preparation and training. March 2012 it was climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. April 2013 it will be climbing Mt Whitney to raise money for Big City Mountaineers.

I think one of the things I like most about taking these vacations in the early spring is the fact I have to train all winter long. It provides me a great opportunity to dig out the winter gear and go.

Today I just wanted to share with you some of my favorite places I've gotten to this winter for training and why these places are special to me. Maybe next time you're thinking I'd like to go for a walk or a hike some where new - you'll get to explore on of these places and find the magic in them like I do.

Mt Kit Carson (Mt Spokane State Park)

Spokane, WA

OK, so for those of you in Wisconsin - this is not near us. But this was probably one of the best snowshoeing trips I did this winter for training. It was a beautiful place to snowshoe and had a great view of the Spokane Valley and out toward Idaho's panhandle.

The trail starts out following a small stream that yes, even with all the snow, was still flowing in the winter. It then follows up through the woods and provides peeks of the area all the way up. And if you really like snow and the magic of mother nature and how she can sculpt snow with all her powers, you'll really enjoy this trip. I saw snow that was so heavy on trees that it made the tree roll over on itself and look like a candy cane and/or snail.

Snow sculptures along trail up Mt Kit Carson

Mt Kit Carson - Mt Spokane State Park

The trail starts at about an elevation of 3,900 ft and ends at about 5,260 ft. Once at the top, I took a break to take in the views, have a little lunch and head back down. This was the perfect place to be on December 21, 2012 and end another year of adventures.

View from atop Mt Kit Carson

Ice Age Trail - Multiple Areas

Southern Kettle Moraine - State Park Headquarters

Heading west toward the Horse Riders Camp

This is a great hike. You start off on the Ice Age Trail heading through an open field. In the winter it can be a big expanse of white snow and during the spring, summer and fall it's full of wild flowers. Absolutely beautiful. And if you're lucky enough like I was this winter, I got to break trail. Since no other human footprints were in the snow, I was able to see many of the tracks left by the natural inhabitants to this area.

You could see the field mice tracks running around on top of the snow and then where they dove under. You could see the fox tracks on the Ice Age Trail that would go off trail when they caught the scent of the field mice. And plenty of rabbit tracks as you got closer to the edge of the field toward the wooded area. Nature at its best.

Following fox tracks on the Ice Age Trail

And then once you get back in the woods - peace, quiet and solitude. Looking at the shadows of the trees on the snow, listening to the birds, eating lunch by a frozen pond. What else could you ask for? What a perfect place to snowshoe.

Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine - West from headquarters

It's Wisconsin, so for training we don't have any mountains to climb, but this was a good trail for some quick hits up and down for pushes of about 175 ft.

Southern Kettle Moraine - Ice Age Trail - Eagle Segment

Great day to get those snowshoes out and train because of the friends I had with me. It was great getting them out snowshoeing especially since one had not done it before. I love introducing people to the outdoors so this was a special snowshoe trip.

We had fresh snow and got to break some trail while out on the Ice Age Trail. It was also a part of the Ice Age Trail I hadn't been on in a while so it was great to visit it again. Another area where you get to go through some open fields where in the summer months are filled with wild flowers. And this is Wisconsin so getting to snowshoe along the farmer's fields in the winter provides you with open views of the woods and area that Southern Kettle Moraine and these people get to call home. Beautiful.

Ice Age Trail - Eagle Segment

Again - not a lot of elevation to gain while training, but another 135 ft gained on this day.

Northern Kettle Moraine - Ice Age Trail - Milwaukee River Segment

Probably one of the most scenic (in my opinion) parts of the Ice Age Trail in Northern Kettle Moraine. From the New Fane trails parking lot, you'll head through the forest and then an open field for a bit. But after crossing the road, you're in the woods. The first section once you cross the road is full of remnants of the glaciers that went through Wisconsin. High hills that you'll cross over and walk between provide some amazing scenery.

View from the Ice Age Trail - Milwaukee River Segment

I trained here by snowshoeing on one of our coldest days. It was -4 degrees fahrenheit this day with the wind. The second segment of this trail after crossing the next road climbs a hill and for a while follows the edge of the bluff. From here you can see out quite a ways and even see the ski hill in Kewaskum, WI. It really is an amazing view. But didn't stay up here too long on this day due to the wind. Continued on with the dogs and got back in the trees for the little protection they provide during the winter months.

Ice Age Trail - Milwaukee River Segment

Again, not much elevation gain - maybe about 200 ft from the lowest point to the highest point, but still a good area to snowshoe in. And again, finding peace and solitude in the woods.

Training Continues

Those are just some of the favorite spots so far this winter where I've gone snowshoeing for training, though are not the only ones. I hope this makes you want to go out and hike or snowshoe some of these areas. They really are a great way to explore nature and some of the natural surroundings of the Kettle Moraine areas of Wisconsin. Our state park system does a great job of maintaining and providing this for us to use, so get out there and use it. And if you ever need someone to explore it with - just let me know.

Time to get ready for the big climb. Though still 6 months off - it's never too early to start training. And what better time to start training than in the fall.

Day 1 of training was an unexpected hike with the dogs at Lapham Peak in the Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest. Saturday turned out to be a beautiful fall day and after taking Jasmine to the vet in the morning and getting some housework done, I couldn't take it any longer. I needed to get out. I decided to take the dogs out and do the 7 mile advanced black loop at Lapham Peak. I'm not quite sure why it's "advanced", but maybe it's just me and my non-stop hiking and visits to as many mountains as possible that makes the hills on this trail seem fairly easy.

What started off as being a typical walk with the dogs in the woods and their normal 20 minute or so miles (they always seem to need to pee, poop or sniff something) turned out to be a brisk walk through the woods. With the cooler temps, the dogs decided to move quick - even Wailea with her hip dysplasia and repaired knee. What typically would have taken us about 2 1/2 hours or so ended up taking us just 2 hours. Wow - those girls moved.

With that there only a few occasional breaks to enjoy some of the fall colors that were left. What a perfect day, the remainder of the colors were bright and strikingly orange and red colors. And what a perfect way to start training for the climb up Mt Whitney. Based upon this, I'm hoping the rest of my training days go just as well.

Fall colors at Lapham Peak, Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest

Climbing the Tower

After finishing the 7 mile hike in 2 hours, I let the dogs take a break while I took a quick run up the tower at the park to get an overhead view of the fall colors in the Delafield area. Wow - it always amazes me, no matter what time of the year at how this area looks from above.

Fall colors from the tower at Lapham Peak, Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest

I think the best part of running to the top of the tower was the trip down. As I was walking down the stairs of the tower I saw a group of kids running to get to the stairs to climb up. And one of the kids exclaimed - "this is a high tower, but this isn't no Eiffel Tower". No kid, you're right, it's not the Eiffel Tower, but it is a view into the heartland of Wisconsin in fall.

Here's to hoping fall, winter and spring bring just as many beautiful days for training. Because if so, training is going to be a blast.

To find out more about my bid to climb Mt Whitney with Summit for Someone and Backpacker Magazine - read some of the following:

Great Outdoors

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Training for Another Mountain Climb