- Joined
- Nov 27, 2004
- Messages
- 3,124
Hi All,
I was up north this weekend, enjoying that rare combination of clear blue sky and nice (-15 C) temperature. Perfect weather for some lengthy snowshoe outings. There is an area of wetlands that I have wanted to explore for a few months, but I waited until now just to be sure that the water (underneath 4 ft. of snow) was thick enough to walk on. I'm not worried about falling through on my snowshoes, but my four-legged hiking companion has a knack for seeking out and plunging through thin ice, and that's never fun.
So, here are a few photos. Enjoy - I sure did.
You can get a sense of how pristine the snow was in these shots - One of the best parts of snowshoeing is knowing that you are making your own trail. The sun shining through the trees was amazing. I was navigating by compass only, but I didn't worry about getting lost - not too hard to retrace your steps in this powder!
Ruby going off-trail, following some rabbit tracks. Lots of deer and rabbit activity in the area.
The area is wetland, with marshy spots and some areas of flowing water - except in the middle of winter. This is actually a shot of a stream, and there are some pockets where you can still see water. Generally, though, everything is sufficiently frozen to walk over.
Obligatory knife shots. The first is my Delta 5, which saw quite a bit of use chopping dead branches away from the trees in my path. Reliable as ever. The second is my little EDC scandi, which I used to cut up some fallen green wood (casualties of the winter storms).
From a survival standpoint, I was once again blown away by the abundance of fallen, snow-covered evergreens that would make the perfect base for a winter shelter. I'm going to attempt an overnight stay some time in February.
All the best,
- Mike
I was up north this weekend, enjoying that rare combination of clear blue sky and nice (-15 C) temperature. Perfect weather for some lengthy snowshoe outings. There is an area of wetlands that I have wanted to explore for a few months, but I waited until now just to be sure that the water (underneath 4 ft. of snow) was thick enough to walk on. I'm not worried about falling through on my snowshoes, but my four-legged hiking companion has a knack for seeking out and plunging through thin ice, and that's never fun.
So, here are a few photos. Enjoy - I sure did.
You can get a sense of how pristine the snow was in these shots - One of the best parts of snowshoeing is knowing that you are making your own trail. The sun shining through the trees was amazing. I was navigating by compass only, but I didn't worry about getting lost - not too hard to retrace your steps in this powder!
Ruby going off-trail, following some rabbit tracks. Lots of deer and rabbit activity in the area.
The area is wetland, with marshy spots and some areas of flowing water - except in the middle of winter. This is actually a shot of a stream, and there are some pockets where you can still see water. Generally, though, everything is sufficiently frozen to walk over.
Obligatory knife shots. The first is my Delta 5, which saw quite a bit of use chopping dead branches away from the trees in my path. Reliable as ever. The second is my little EDC scandi, which I used to cut up some fallen green wood (casualties of the winter storms).
From a survival standpoint, I was once again blown away by the abundance of fallen, snow-covered evergreens that would make the perfect base for a winter shelter. I'm going to attempt an overnight stay some time in February.
All the best,
- Mike
