Notes
Ian, Zak, Alan, Ben, Nathan and I took off for the loop and quickly realized it was going to be a tough day. With very little tracks already in the snow we post-holed three quarters of the run. The crunchy crusty top layer over powdery loose snow made the going real challenging.
Most of the way we ran single file stepping in each others footprints. There was the occasional snowmobile track and truck tread that made the going slightly easier, but as soon as we'd get in a rhythm it was back to post-holing. I got my right foot wet at one point early on but it didn't really matter because everything else was wet from the melting snow at the sock line and sweat from the hills. The wind wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, but it was strong enough to cool us down at the top of some of the rises.
With a barely frozen river crossing, slipping, sliding, falling in snow holes between railroad ties and getting our ankles cut up from the crusty top layer it was an epic day. We had a few options to hit dirt roads and head home early, but all of us decided we'd tough it out for one more section and push hard through the snow.
By the end of the run I was cooked and really struggled to get up lunchbreak hill and finish the speedy end down Bradbury. My ankles were bleeding, swollen, and quite bruised and I was ready for a delicious sandwich at E&L's.