One of the highlights of winter hiking in the Sierra Nevada is the surreal calm of the forest under a blanket of snow.
There are very few leaves to rustle and, when the snow is powdery, not even footsteps make a noise.
That’s why the sudden burst of birdsong on a recent trip to Chickadee Ridge was such a pleasant surprise. One moment a group of Tahoe Rim Trail Association members was walking through the forest and enjoying the silence when the trees burst to life.
Chickadees fluttered over and around the group chirping and, presumably, looking for a handout. No one gave the birds any food because it’s not good to feed wildlife. But that didn’t stop the chickadees from trying, many going so far to land on people who stopped for too long.
The opportunity to share those kinds of unexpected moments are why the association is leading a series of winter hikes this season. The idea, according to trails director Lindsey Schultz, is to remind people there’s no bad season to experience the Tahoe Basin. That’s assuming people take winter precautions.
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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