Before I started, from my house I could see some dark snow clouds drifting over the mountain top. The day started sunny, but darkened as I trekked uphill on the Fatback. Once up on the ridge line, where there is a very scenic
overlook into a 3000 foot river canyon, the weather was instantly not good. There existed 20-30mph winds blowing
snow mixed with ice pellets stinging my face, plus a thick fog was part of the
mix. The blowing snow and fog made visibility a few feet at best. There's a forest out there somewhere...
Having just climbed a difficult 1000 feet in the last 2-miles my thin layers of wool were damp with sweat and I was instantly freezing up. I quickly pulled a fleece vest and jacket from my pack and put them on. My internal chatter was now going at mega speed, taking mental inventory of additional clothing and survival equipment I had on the bike or in my pack…another wind proof fleece, a down puffy coat and vest, a wind proof winter parka (that is in the seat pack I strapped on for no known reason at the last minute before I left home), plenty of extra gloves, hats, facial covers, wind proof and water proof matches, a mini butane flame thrower (starts fires quickly), extra food, mini stove, knife….OK, I had enough stuff to NOT die up here any time soon. In fact I could quite easily spend a few nights. I have much confidence in winter and wilderness survival, payment from all my past winter trials in winter wilderness trips and Antarctica. Bottom line - I love winter and snow.
The forward momentum from this point on was definitely a
trial for one’s mental toughness, lots of slow going and blind riding. There
were many times I’d be riding slowly along, at a best possible speed, when I’d
suddenly stop because my front wheel was axle deep in an snow drift across my intended path...time to
get off and trudge through. I spent plenty of time hike-a-biking (which is
always part of fatbiking anyway). A "normal" person would probably get lost up
there, but normal I am not and I know that place well, even in blowing, whiteout conditions I
always knew where I was at. There were times when I did get some reprieve in
tree canyons in which there was no wind and it was like another world with soft
fluffy snow coming down.
Forward progress became more difficult with drifts forming at an amazing rate with the strong winds building giant roller drifts (which on a good day I would have fun on, but today these drifts were soft and difficult to get past. In the end I made it to my turnaround point. I wasted no time starting back since it was getting late.
My tracks were totally non-existent where I’d just been. The way back was a tad easier since it is mostly downhill and some of the fog had let up, but the wind and blowing snow was still in full force keeping this adventure real.
By the time I got back to my trusty Subaru the legs were rather tired and I felt hunger. I’m sure my previous day’s activities, working out on "nature’s elliptical trainer" (snowshoeing in deep snow), did not help the tired feeling in my legs. It feels good!
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