This is the time of year that always seems to get me down a bit, especially living here in New England. The days are getting longer, warmer and yet winter still has a strong hold on the North East and is unwilling to bend to the gradual yet inevitable changes of the incoming spring. Consequently, it is neither winter...nor spring and the landscape is painted with dreary grey and black hues.
For us climbers, the March thaw is a harbinger of things to come as we watch and wait to see the ice begin to bake and witness the challenges of yesterday crumble to the earth, only to become a memory or perhaps next season's goal.
The early spring, or "mud-season" as it is so affectionately known to those of us living in the North East is neither good for ice climbing nor skiing and is too wet and muddy to rock climb, hike or camp. The weather can be unpredictable and can change at a moment's notice as best exemplified by the out of state hiker (who we have all passed on trail) in shorts and a tee shirt, shivering and distraught after being caught unexpectedly in an early April snow squall!
So now I find myself caught in the space between wishing that spring would come, and not wanting to hang my ice tools up for the season quite yet. It is the same dilemma we face as climbers every year...the "in-between season" blues.
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