Finding peace, piece by piece.
And so begins the 46. We couldn't have asked for a better day for a spring hike, especially it being the first one of the year. It always interesting seeing how the body will react to a stress it has not felt in a while. I've always loved how hiking always differs from other physically sententious actives. Hiking uses muscles in the legs, ankles and feet that have been dormant, even when staying extremely active in the winter. The focus on the stabilization of the feet and more dynamic use of the calf and thigh muscles always gets the blood pumping.. Beyond the obvious workout, it was interesting to finally be outside again and as I like to call it, "breath in the new".
The new air, new sights, and new life are always good to be among. The trail proved to be muddy most of the way but was easily manageable. The accent of Giant allowed for some great opportunities to stop and rest while taking in some fantastic views. It pops up every time I go out but every hike is a learning experience as we encountered some ice close to the summit, 0.5 miles, which was a great time to use crampons...if we had brought some.. Upon reaching the summit the wind was swirling so the temperature was drastically different from the majority of the hike, but it was a magnificent view of the other high peaks. I wished I could have obtained my GPS watch prior to this adventure to display speeds and time but maybe next time. Overall, Giant Mountain proved to be a great start to the season and a great start to the Adirondack 46. #GetOutThere