In hindsight, I should have gone with snowshoes from the start. Otherwise, the day was ideal.

• Temperatures: about 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Skis: expertly waxed.
• Snowshoes: packed just in case.
• Extra layers, snacks and water: in my backpack.
• Snow: lots.
• Friends: 3 dozen.

This wasn't a typical snowshoe jaunt. It was part of a going-away party for our friend John Davis, who was about to embark on another HUGE endeavor. (As just part of his long resume, John continues to serve as volunteer land steward for the Eddy Foundation in its work to conserve lands in Split Rock Wildway. This wildlife corridor, inspired by Wildlands Network, links New York's Champlain Valley with the Adirondack High Peaks via the West Champlain Hills.)

To begin the adventure, we joined a passel of friends - some on snowshoes, some on skis - for what was billed as a "hilly and a bit technical" winter trek through the Adirondack Coast's Split Rock Wilderness from Essex to Westport.

We met at a friend's house in Essex, where I noticed that there was a wide range of ski and snowshoe gear represented; from alpine telemark skis to metal-edged backcountry skis to waxable skinny traditional cross country skis, like the ones on my feet.

About half of our group was on skis, and half donned snowshoes. Just before our departure, I questioned my choice and wondered if I should switch to snowshoes - and decided against it. Hindsight is 20-20, someone once told me.

We departed en masse, skiers first, single file on a trail that left our friend's house and soon joined the Split Rock Wilderness trails- part if the Champlain Area Trails (CATS) system. 


It is interesting to hike with such a large group. And slower, as we were all together in the beginning (and reassembled at key junctions later). The snow was absolutely perfect, the sun was out, and we were chatting socially, so no one was in a huge hurry. We knew the faster skiers would break away soon enough, and the rest would spread out appropriately. The leaders packed the trail, so it was tracked for both skis and snowshoes by the time the last of our group came through.

Before long, we were skiing adjacent to Lake Champlain - visible to our left though a small amount of leafless trees.

We stopped at a breathtaking overlook to regroup after a short time. As it was estimated that we'd only gone about 1/16 of the distance toward our destination, it was a quick photo op and snack break before we headed out.

 

Immediately after that stop, we encountered a steep downhill, which was wide enough to easily navigate with skis, and a good introduction to the use of my snowplow muscles. At the end of the hill, I noticed a sort of pileup. Not that anyone had fallen down, necessarily, but the trail changed direction dramatically to a steep uphill climb - an opportunity for me to test my herringbone uphill ski muscles. This would not be anywhere close to the last time I was going to use those muscles that day.

Ever herringboned up a steep hill with fairly long skis on a trail that's packed in the middle, with deep-ish powder and small seedlings on the edges that can catch your tips and tails? Yeah. That.

For the next ~5,000 miles, the trail was primarily uphill, narrow and technical. This is my memory of it, anyway. I also remember just how absolutely gorgeous the woods are there. Gorgeous and technical. There were areas that allowed a bit of kick-and-glide, but I was moving generally slowly in comparison to the other skiers. As we passed along one section next to a running stream, it was even necessary for me to take my skis off and carry them; post-holing up to the next level area.

Eventually, we reached an intersection at which point the skiers were to descend to the right, and the snowshoers would take the left trail - the two would meet again after the downhill section.

Now THIS was a fun ride. My skis were fast; especially since I was nearly the last of the skiers who had broken the trail ahead of me. Keeping my speed in check, I still fell down a couple of times into the deep snow - a reminder that the skis were really keeping us aloft as I plunged my pole deep down to stabilize and prop myself back up onto my feet.

We did meet the group back at the junction, and had a standing lunch break while we waited for everyone to catch up. After, the skiers took the lead on a short 1/4 mile to the junction that would take some of our group back to the main Split Rock Wilderness trailhead, and the cars that would take them to the party at the end destination.

With all of the work on my skis that day - I was prepared to ditch my intention of completing the whole trek - which was about 7/8 finished at this point. However, one of the group who was heading to the cars offered to trade his snowshoes for my skis, and I switched over and joined the rest for the hike toward Barn Rock and on to our friend's house just past the Rock.

I was happy to step along with another snowshoer, now far behind the skiers who had gone on the rest of the way. Still quite a workout - this section of the trail was familiar to me and easier, but it didn't feel much easier after my herringbone-filled day.

We arrived at the edge of the publicly-accessible Wilderness, and stepped off onto our friends' private land to the party that awaited us. Very soon I forgot completely about the uphills - remembering instead the spectacular conditions and camaraderie on our casual snowy adventure on the Adirondack Coast.

All it took was a bit of quiche and some hot chocolate.

 

-Kim Rielly is the director of communications for the Lake Placid CVB/Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, and a proud resident of the Lake Champlain Region.