The weather and snow conditions couldn't have been any better up on the mountain today.
The wind was light, the temperature brisk and most of the trek was spent in a calm, pristine environment. There was plenty of sunshine, great conversation and just taking in the moment. It was Eric's first time snowshoeing and not only did he enjoy the trek, he became quite proficient over the course of the day! We were even treated to an amazing sunset while on the summit! Fantastic time for certain!
Regrettably however, permission was granted sometime last year for new ski runs to be constructed on the back side of the mountain which are well underway at this point. I can't express the sadness and disgust I felt as we traversed the three huge swaths of devastation from top to bottom while trekking out along what used to be a significant portion of trail #140. A large forest habitat area within this beautiful State Park, that had been extremely well managed, now gone. A place where snowshoeing, back country skiing, horseback riding, hiking and biking once coexisted in a place of beauty and serenity have been forever changed. Quite a blow I must say. In my opinion, the "preservation of natural resources" for the generations that follow was somehow pushed aside in this decision making process. Tragic indeed!