"ITHACA IS GORGES."
This "punny" little quote is blasted in every t-shirt shop in the town of Ithaca, New York. After hiking, I had to agree with this statement whole-heartedly. After spending the week harassing my friend on how to prepare for mountain hiking in winter, I ended up settling on a couple pair of leggings, layers of underarmour, thermal socks, and some worker-style boots. As we drove up to the park, a sign read "Buttermilk Falls" and we braced ourselves against the cold as we hopped out of the car to walk on the bridge facing the rushing waters. Although some of it had frozen, the view was beautiful and the crisp air was refreshing. Taking in the beauty of it, we eventually set on the trail and although I had expected an incline, I forgot how out of shape I was. As our fearless and unwavering leader, Lindsey, led us up the beaten path, Chelsea, Shannon, and I huffed and puffed behind swearing that we were on an 85% grade incline...it was probably like 7%, if that, to be honest. I developed a grateful mentality and proceeded to squeal with joy and gratefulness as we continued to struggle up the mountain/hill (I still can't tell the difference?). Due to the winter's effects, the paths to the actual gorges near the water were blocked off due to ice, but we still caught visions of the watery ravines. Though all the leaves had fallen, the moss and evergreens still manifested a presence of life. By the end we drove to another waterfall, and gazed upon its greatness, only to be enthralled by the sight of a fisherman in high rubber overalls casting away in the river. Insanity. Delving into the nature, it's easy to see why this town is so obsessed with being healthy and sustainable. Shout to Lindsey for the great trip!
This "punny" little quote is blasted in every t-shirt shop in the town of Ithaca, New York. After hiking, I had to agree with this statement whole-heartedly. After spending the week harassing my friend on how to prepare for mountain hiking in winter, I ended up settling on a couple pair of leggings, layers of underarmour, thermal socks, and some worker-style boots. As we drove up to the park, a sign read "Buttermilk Falls" and we braced ourselves against the cold as we hopped out of the car to walk on the bridge facing the rushing waters. Although some of it had frozen, the view was beautiful and the crisp air was refreshing. Taking in the beauty of it, we eventually set on the trail and although I had expected an incline, I forgot how out of shape I was. As our fearless and unwavering leader, Lindsey, led us up the beaten path, Chelsea, Shannon, and I huffed and puffed behind swearing that we were on an 85% grade incline...it was probably like 7%, if that, to be honest. I developed a grateful mentality and proceeded to squeal with joy and gratefulness as we continued to struggle up the mountain/hill (I still can't tell the difference?). Due to the winter's effects, the paths to the actual gorges near the water were blocked off due to ice, but we still caught visions of the watery ravines. Though all the leaves had fallen, the moss and evergreens still manifested a presence of life. By the end we drove to another waterfall, and gazed upon its greatness, only to be enthralled by the sight of a fisherman in high rubber overalls casting away in the river. Insanity. Delving into the nature, it's easy to see why this town is so obsessed with being healthy and sustainable. Shout to Lindsey for the great trip!