Mid-Atlantic Winter Recreating...

It's been pretty cold here in the DC area the past couple weeks. The nights have been getting down into the high negative teens (that's Celsius...so the positive teens Fahrenheit). With a near constant wind over the past few weeks, the windchill has been getting into the low negative teens if not pushing -20 C. I'm very use to this. For my friends and family who have yet to venture beyond either of the polar circles the weather has proved merciless and frigid. We've already had one major snowstorm that dumped about 55 cm on the DC area and more are predicted well into late February. I'm longing for the wind and snowdrifts of Antarctica right now...

The cold does not stop me from heading into the wilds. The problem with a lot of DC climbers is the fact that the second the temperature drops below 10 C they run for the comfortable confines of a gym until there's enough fake snow strewn about the few ski resorts we have in the region. Finding climbing partners who are willing to venture out in the cold and snow in the middle of January to climb a few pitches of trad is definitely a feat. Trying to coordinate schedules is even worse! There is always skiing though. The nearest resort to the DC area is Ski Liberty near Gettysburg, PA. Albeit a small resort...it's something. The closest place where I'd have to wear a transceiver would be 9 hours away in New Hampshire. So here I am, stuck in this hole called the Mid-Atlantic. I should come up with a paypal donation account to raise money to fly me somewhere snow laden and mountainous...