Following Atticus: Forty-Eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship by Tom Ryan is published by William Morrow. It tells the story of my adventures with Atticus M. Finch, a little dog of some distinction. You can also find our column in the NorthCountry News.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Some Days, It's Not That Pretty

Today we were on North and South Kinsman and we never escaped the clouds. On days like this, when it is raw and a bit windy you have to hold onto yourself. It's not that it's dangerous, it can be desolate and it can play with your head. The gray skies, the ghostly mists, the cold wind, they can lead you to believe you are alone in the world and while in reality you may be miles away from the next closest person it can seem even farther away. Two years ago, when we first started hiking in the winter this was one of the biggest challenges for me. It didn't seem to bother Atticus at all, but it played with me and on occasion it still does. This is one of the challenges of hiking alone so much of the time. Winter hiking can be beautiful, but it can also be a little lonely and has the ability to challenge the spirit just as much as it challenges the body. This video was taken today on the summit of South Kinsman and it gives you an idea of what it was like.

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