Neither Here nor There: Shoulder Season in the Mountains

snow on the mountain over foliage in the valley

Some visitors like New England for the sharp contrast between the four seasons Winter Spring Summer & fall. Folks living here, especially in the mountains, know that New England has much more than those. By my estimation the White Mountains have roughly ten seasons. Each has it's challenges and charms, defined by the substantial shift in weather or daylight. Now is the time when Foliage Season is over but Almost Winter has not yet begun. We are in the 9th season of the year, Shoulder Season.

The trails this time of year are a mixed bag. Gone are the dry hero dirt days of summer. The remnants of foliage season lay half strewn on the ground. Up high the first snow & ice flows can be found. Walking the trails takes extra concentration. The transition from slick leaves to mud to ice happens in a few short steps some days. The most surprising bit is "brown ice" when a wet mud section freezes just solid enough to walk & fall on. In these conditions I always go with poles since slippery trails with no traction devices is a recipe for knee surgery.

"brown ice" lurking on the trail

Dressing for shoulder season is just as tricky. Will it be a light shirt and shorts day in the sunshine? Or will it be snowing sideways on the summit? I don't want to put away the summer clothes, and once in a while during this season I might get to wear them. But this is also the time to get out the down parka, the alpine weight pants, the heavy hard shell jacket, winter gloves and goggles. The toughest days are when it is still almost summer at the trail head, and almost winter at the summit. I sometimes consider using my 65 liter backpack to carry all the layers I might need on a shoulder season day hike. The packing alone can be exhausting.

1st snow on the trail for the season

But this is also a wonderful time to be in the mountains. The leaves are falling away which allows for views of the peaks from lower down on the trail. The crowds thin out rapidly as fair weather hikers decide to stay home. The first glimpses of snow make me excited for the ski season to come. The still autumn conditions in the valley and almost winter conditions at the summits permit me to enjoy both in a single day.

When I first moved to New Hampshire I disliked the grey & rust color landscape in "twig season", the other name for this time of year. But now I embrace the duality of it. This is the season for finishing the harvest that just was and hoping for the joys of winter that is about to be. So don your gaiters and dig out your cold weather gear, dear reader. Enjoy the mud & twigs & falling leaves this Shoulder Season. With all the snow falling on the peaks this week Almost Winter might be almost here.