Skiing and Swimming? - Day 131

  We've gone back to winter. It was beautiful, but messy walking.

I remembered that the trail went along the top of the ski runs at Holimont,...

...but I had forgotten that the trail gets down to Ellicottville by walking down one of the ski runs. Yikes! The resort was open today. I tried to walk beside the snowy run, but then I lost the blazes. I walked down beside one of the runs that wasn't being used. This whole adventure was a little stressful. I'm not a downhill skier, and I didn't know what the "rules" are for ski runs. There was nothing that said the trail is closed when the resort is open. But I got some funny looks from skiers. I had to cross two of the runs. Anyway, I finally made it safely down to the road.

The next adventure was Poverty Hill. This was another 700-foot climb. Most of it too steep. (There were multiple hills today- approximate climbing of 2700 feet, and descent of 2600 feet.) I decided I'd eat lunch either at the top, or if I "dropped" before that.

About halfway up, I could see a small building farther up the hill. I thought it must belong to the landowner. The more I climbed, I began to realize that the trail went right to it.

It's a small shelter with a bench that says, "Rest, Remember the Good Days." There were still about 100 vertical feet to go, but I stopped there for lunch. Perfect place! (And protected from the wind.)

Were the adventures over? Not on your life. Coming down the other side of Poverty Hill the slope is exceedingly steep. The trail is, um... poor. But I finally got down. The map says "cross creek on bridge."

Nope. Well, it was only tilted. I could probably have gotten across, but it now only leads to more water. Not exactly useful. (And I was not going back up that slope with the bad trail.)

I called Marie and told her my situation, and that I was going to try to cross farther upstream, but I might have to bail out for the day at this point. And... she should bring dry clothes in case I got soaked.

The creek upstream was all braided channels and very soft mud. I sank to mid-calf in one place that looked fairly dry. I shimmied across the first channel on a log. But there were still several to cross. I kept walking upstream. Marie showed up. It gave me more confidence just knowing that someone was watching in case I got in trouble. I kept testing the bottoms of the channels with my stick, and they were all that soft mud below the water that was a foot or more deep.

I went even farther upstream and found a channel that had rocks in the bottom. I waded it, and it did not go over the top of my boots. Yes, I wore the boots today because I figured it would be wet. I just hadn't considered how wet!

Two more channels to go. I got one wet foot in the first one, and the second one I could step across!

I sat in the car, ate a snack, and assessed if I should go on. My foot wasn't that wet. I had 4 miles to go to reach my goal. It was late, but not that late. There were a couple of hills ahead, but the worst ones were behind me. I did go on!

Yeah, I was tired, but Marie tracked me at the road crossings and walked with me a little way. Almost at the end of the day, I was given this pretty view of McMurray Creek.

Miles today: 15.7. Total miles so far: 1717.

See Not Jimmerson Hill