In regard to the weather, I’d like to dispel the myth that you can’t hike in “bad” weather. As long as it isn’t dangerous weather, hiking during “bad” weather, such as a mild rain or light snowfall, provides some of the best times to hike because there are fewer people to bump into and more wildlife to see.
Snow? So, what? Bundle up and head out the door on any one of these hikes.
In the winter of 2008, I hiked “all alonely” (my daughter’s phraseology) at Shrader-Weaver Nature Preserve and Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary when there was about eight inches of snow on the ground and more snow was falling. These were two of my most memorable hikes. Shrader-Weaver was perfectly still, peaceful and serene, which was only amplified by the falling snow dampening any noise. It was literally so quiet I could hear my heart beating.
Later in the day, at Mary Gray, my heart skipped a few beats when I came around a blind corner and was about 30 feet from two coyotes taking turns pouncing on something beneath the snow. Both were so busy diving into the snow and sending up plumes of snowflakes that neither noticed me for several moments. Once I was spotted, they turned and cautiously trotted away.
