I called my sister Mary this morning, as I do every morning. She was not home. Jim said she was climbing Black Bear Mtn. She and her friend Dawn do a fair amount of climbing at all times of year - but I think this is her first of '09. Black Bear Mtn. is between Inlet and Eagle Bay.
This pic she sent me was taken last year but doesn't matter 'cause the view is the same and today was snowier with less visibility. Mary says, "I've climbed it all seasons but winter is the best! Atop Black Bear you have a 360 degree view and Raquette, 7th, 4th lakes and more are visible. It is about a 1 1/2 hour hike up and a bit faster down...if the trail is packed. Last year Dawn and I hiked it and the first mile was packed as it goes along a snowmobile trail but the last 1.2 miles we had to break trail in over 1' of snow!! Took a bit longer...two hours up but down was easier at about 1 hr 25 min. No place on earth like the top of a mountain!!"

Oh, I did catch up with her by phone in the late afternoon. She had made it home and was sitting enjoying a cold beer, complaining of a bit of soreness from her day. Understandable, as after she got home from climbing the mountain, she says she helped Jim shovel roofs. Now, she will be in good shape to use her splitting maul when Jim has his load of firewood delivered.