Valentine’s Day just passed and there’s actually snow on the ground here in my part of Ohio, so it’s a good time to give some love to winter. Winter weather generally brings groans and sighs among adults. A big part of that is the fact that as adults, we see snow and know that we’re also going to be seeing lots of brake lights as we head to work or to take the kids to school. Sure, there’s still something about a snow day (check out Helena Fitzgerald’s lovely article on this at The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/02/why-adults-still-love-snow-days/606481/) but it’s cold, so who wants to go out there?
I do! And you should too. When the snow starts to fly, I’m itching to layer up, get my boots on, grab my camera, and head out to the woods. Hiking in the snow is magical; it’s like being teleported to another world. The muffling properties of snow and looking at the world as though you’re in a snow globe makes even the most familiar locations seem brand new.
About a month ago, we got our first real snowfall of the winter. I had the day off and decided to give myself a real snow day. After the morning rush cleared out, I headed to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and started hiking the Buckeye Trail by Blue Hen Falls.
Blue Hen Falls is an easy-to-reach waterfall. You can climb down to get different views, although if you try this in winter, be very careful. I only went down a little ways because of how slippery it was, but in the summer I like to climb all over. When I was there, most of the falls had frozen, but as you can see, there was still some flowing water.
I then turned to the Buckeye Trail. The Buckeye Trail extends all over Ohio, stretching over 1,400 miles, marked by blue blazes. There are sections to jump on all over the state. (Check out the Buckeye Trail Association’s website for maps and more info: https://www.buckeyetrail.org/) The section between Blue Hen Falls and Jaite begins with a large hill that takes you up through the woods. Eventually, it turns into more of a pine grove and back down along the river. You then have to cross the river to continue on the trail. Normally, you can either jump from stone to stone or even just wade across, but winter does pose some additional hurdles – namely the slippery nature of the rocks and the cold of the water. While I saw several other people cross, I decided not to risk it that day with my camera.
Heading back, the sun came out, which changed the trail again. Sunlight glinting off snow is a brightness hard to match, even in the summer. It makes the sun seem stronger than it feels on those cold days. So much of Ohio’s winter at this point is made up of grayness and rain, which contain their own mysteries, but it does make you appreciate blue skies and sunlight even more.
After I finished my time at Blue Hen, I went to Springfield Lake. While the sun was trying to shine, the snow was flying again. I like going to Springfield because of this willow. If I really was a dryad, this might be my tree. I love the way it hangs out over the water, I love the trails of leaves in the summer and how they move in the wind, and I love its silhouette in the winter as it hibernates through the winter and waits for spring.
Hiking is a four-season activity for me. There’s definitely a lot more preparation for winter hikes in terms of dressing properly and staying warm, but the beauty and mystery of snow-covered trails makes it all worthwhile. I’ll be excited to watch green slowly take its place as spring comes in, see wildflowers bloom, listen to bees buzzing and birds singing in summer, and then see the woods explode in color as autumn makes its return. Winter deserves its share of love too.
~ I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’ ~ Lewis Carroll