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Yes, it might come as a shock by this point to see snow in a few photos. For this edition, we’re spotlighting a hike made by the Grateful Boomers back in late February. Actually, to be specific, we’re talking about three hikes made in just one week. 

The first was the six-mile, moderate hike to Mt. Pleasant. This is a popular trail but it was still surprising to encounter a group of 12 hikers from Lynchburg at the summit. The spectacular views and relatively easy climb made this a great trail to revisit. The group then headed north for the weekend for more hiking and some education in landscape design. The destination was Warrenton, so they rented a Shenandoah State Park cabin. The Friday hike started on a boardwalk through wetlands and ended on a ridge overlooking the Shenandoah River. 

On Saturday, the Grateful Boomers headed for Warrenton for the Virginia Society of Landscape Designers’ annual symposium. The first presentation was about Dark Skies. An astronomy professor and author at UVA spoke about light pollution and how and why to decrease it. The second presentation was Bringing Nature Home by a well-known ornithologist and author. He spoke about biodiversity, why it’s important, and what to plant to achieve it. 

A detour on the way home on Sunday led to a four-mile hike at Swift Run Gap. Snowfall the previous night made for a serene hike and because the atmospheric conditions were just right, there was a circumzenithal arc, and upside down rainbow. 

With a little curiosity, every experience in nature can be a learning experience. Walking through the trees, breathing in the forest is medicine.