Looking for Views: Whiteface and Esther 2013-01-15

Mike (TelemarkMike), Rev (Mike's canine personal trainer), and I, visited Whiteface and Esther on Tuesday. The weather was favourable, the trails paved in concrete-like snow, and the views were impressive. Rev set the pace and obliged us to complete the circuit in five and a quarter hours. The three major rest stops of the day (Esther, bend in the auto road, and Whiteface) added up to about 50 minutes. Rev chided us (it sounds like whimpering to human ears) whenever we appeared to stay in one place too long. However, keeping us moving was not Rev's primary motivation. The time we wasted at rest-stops, stood between her and the summit where she was rewarded with doggy treats.

Observations:

A tremendous amount of snow has melted.
Trail's snow-spine was hard as concrete.
Conditions allowed for faster travel than in summer.
I wore Trail Crampons, Mike wore snowshoes, Rev went barefoot.
Post-holes were evident but diminished by the recent thaw.
Dogs, although loyal, prefer to always be ahead of you.
Large swaths of the auto road are no longer covered in snow.
The snow cover has deteriorated on the lower portion of the trail up Marble Mountain.
Met only two hikers (on Whiteface).
Mike led up. I led down. Rev allowed us to think we were leading.

Personal Trainer Rev's Suggested Milestones
(Concessions made for humans, like rest-stops, and only two legs)
07:45 AM, ASRC.
09:30 AM, Esther. 09:35 AM, Depart Esther.
10:30 AM, Auto road. 10:35 AM, Depart along auto road.
11:05 AM, Whiteface. 11:45 AM, Depart Whiteface.
01:00 PM, ASRC.

Next time Mike and I go for a hike, I'll ask that he put ankle-weights on Rev!