Part 3 - Hays Brook Equestrian Trail

The snow had become deeper as we hiked along the Hays Brook horse trail and it appeared to me that some of the cross-country skiers had turned around and gone back to their cars. The little path in which we walking became more narrow and difficult to walk. So we also turned around, heading back toward the parking lot:

We reached the spot where the dogs had previously found a fascinating smell and I saw blood stains. Some animal had met its death the previous night, I figured. The dogs had been "reading the forest newspaper" with their noses:

With a variety of towering conifers all around us, we made our way back through the wintry beauty:

And I was happy despite my aching ankle tendons:

Clover, the skinniest and lightest of the dogs, was also the greatest adventurer. She not only strayed from the skiers' path, she bounded joyously through the snow, pushing branches out of her way as she ran exuberantly through the forest:

Yes, Clover, I'm talking about you:

Fergus ran also (as you can tell by his flopping ears), but stayed mostly within the skiers' tracks:

I began to imagine how this would look in the summertime. Of course, there might be horses on the trail then and my dogs would bark. Hmmm. Perhaps I'll have to be careful when I hike this trail. But if there is a horse trailer parked at the trail head, I can simply take another trail:

We were almost back to our car. The dogs were not at all slowed down, but I was:

When we arrived at the trail head, someone was just getting out of their car and my crew ran up to them, welcoming them like family. I'm glad my dogs are so friendly, but I am mindful that not everyone is happy to be greeted so exuberantly by dogs they don't know, especially if one of them is Seamus' size. So I called the dogs back to the car and we headed for home:

Part 2 - Hays Brook Equestrian Trail

I was hiking the Hays Brook horse trail with my five youngest dogs and the wintry beauty of the Debar Mountain Wild Forest was wonderful. The snowy trail, however, was becoming difficult for me to walk because of the torn tendons in my ankles. We walked in a narrow path left behind by cross-country skiers:

But the dogs were happy, the scenery lovely:

And I'd long wanted to take this trail to its conclusion. It is ignored in books of hiking trails and I wanted to know where it leads:

The pooches played, sniffed and investigated. This photo caught Fergus leaping through the snow:

The dogs smelled something quite fascinating and collected in one spot to check it out. I didn't see whatever it was, though:

And little Madeline investigated under a Balsam bough:

This is why such scenes are often referred to as cathedrals:

My two happy, loving, poodle buddies, Seamus and Fergus:

Lichens brought color and texture to the winter scenery. It would be a shame to walk a trail such as this and miss the small miracles all around:

The Beech trees were still holding on to their leaves, providing a contrast in color and texture. We turned around and began making our way back to the car, but I'll post about that tomorrow:

Part 1 - Hays Brook Equestrian Trail

There was still a lot of snow on the ground and my ankles were sore (I later learned I had torn tendons), but I decided to try a nice, level, easy hike. I took the five younger dogs down Route 458 to Route 30 to the Hays Brook Horse Trail:

We pulled in to the parking lot at the same time as a cross-country skier with a cattle dog. His dog, I thought, was threatening Fergus, but he instructed me to watch how it never bit, but only "pushed." He was right. He explained that was cattle dog herding behavior. For all my experience around dogs, that was new to me. But I concluded that he was right. Fergus, on the other hand, got out of the cattle dog's face in a big hurry!:

The skier and his dog headed for the three trails which crossed the Osgood River. I took my pooches down the horse trail where we'd taken so many rest stops in the past. I've always promised myself to hike this trail some time when Winky and Wally weren't around so we could go far enough to see where it led:

The snow was deeper than I'd expected and I walked carefully, mindful of my injured ankles, in the narrow path which skiers had created. The dogs mostly stayed in it also:

The snowy forest was beautiful and the dogs ran and played, filled with joy:

Fergus and Madeline raced back and forth while tubby ol' Seamus (who looks like a black dot on the trail in this photo) just waited for us:

Painful ankles or not, it was hard to be anything but happy in such breathtaking winter splendor:

Skinny little Clover was the only dog who strayed from the ski path, and she bounded through the deep snow without a qualm:

We traveled onward, enjoying the experience:

The ski tracks began to peter out as we progressed, making walking more difficult. But there was a lot more to see before we'd call it a day. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Stopping At Hays Brook On Our Way Home

It had been a busy and somewhat stressful weekend up at the farm and it was soon time to travel home. We drove as far as Hays Brook Horse Trail and, to my surprise, someone had plowed the access road. Well, it wasn't completely plowed, but enough so that I could get in to the parking area:

The happy dogs ran around the parking area:

Madeline went almost into the forest while Wally just trotted around:

The plow had left deep snow banks surrounding much of the parking area which discouraged us from exploring further:

Both Wally and Winky began picking up their feet painfully and refusing to walk anywhere. It became clear to me that the snow was too cold for their feet. This surprised me, because they are not usually bothered by the cold. But I picked them up, one at a time, and put them back into the warm car. Wally was quite appreciative but Winky snarled and snapped when I set him down - as he always does. That's why Winky was deemed unadoptable at the shelter. He's come a long way and can be quite charming and sweet at times - but he'll also always be crabby and unpredictable:

Once the two geriatric dogs were safely back in the car, I decided to follow what appeared to be a deer trail into the forest. I called the dogs, who then preceded me with great joy, running full speed into the woods:

The three Papillons, AKA "The Silly Sisters," explored together for a while:

Seamus caught up with the smaller dogs and joined in the fun:

Fergus kept an eye on me. I think that girdled tree behind him probably was a deer rub, where a buck had scraped its antlers:

It was very, very cold and we didn't stay long:

I gave a call for the dogs to head back to the car:

Once they were all loaded back up into the car and I'd satisfied my mind that no dog had been left behind, we headed back out the access road for the highway:

Heading For Home, A Stop At Hays Brook

It's difficult to find rest stops in the wintertime, but I try. On this trip home from the farm I was (barely) able to drive through the unplowed snow to get to the trail head for the Hays Brook Horse Trail. The dogs were excited:

I let them out of the car and they ran off in all directions, sniffing and playing and having a grand time:

The trails, road, forest and everything were covered with snow and I figured the small access road into Mountain Pond would make a nice winter trail:

So I began walking away from the car and called the dogs to come with me. A couple of them were "stuck" on a fascinating smell, but they came after a moment's hesitation:

The youngsters ran on ahead while I urged the old timers onward and admired the spectacular scenery:

And pretty soon I more or less had the dogs together in a group:

Imagine that - All seven dogs together and easy for me to keep an eye on:

We kept walking as Clover, ever the adventuress, ran too far ahead. Usually I get miffed and call her back, but on this day I just let her have fun:

By this time Winky had fallen far behind, but he was working on keeping up:

So we turned around and rejoined old Winky not too far from the car:

I got all the dogs loaded up into the car and ready to continue on our way except for.................

..........except for crabby old Winky, who was just plodding along. He finally arrived back at the car and had a great deal of trouble jumping up into it. But with a bit of help, he made it and we continued on our way. As it turned out, there would be no more rest stops on this trip because there was too much snow: