Seattle, Day Hiking Ambassador
For the past two months, my friends have had to listen to me whine about how much I wanted it to snow so I could go snowshoeing. I probably snowshoed every day last winter, and there is nothing more that I want right now than to finally hit the snowy trails again.
Unfortunately it’s mid-December, and it’s a balmy 8C (46F) here in Southampton, ON.
Last year at this time, I was getting snowed in and unable to drive on some local roads. It was delightfully freezing, and I nearly missed a flight because my vehicle was completely engulfed in snow.
We did have a spontaneous snowstorm last month, which brought nearly 20cm (7.8in) of snow over two glorious days—before it promptly melted and turned back into a tropical winter.
Who invited this El Nino, anyway?
But—I’m the type of person to make the most out of any situation, so you can bet I was out there as soon as the sun came up, trekking through the snow in my newest set of Tubbs, trying my hardest not to break out into some sort of Disney musical in happiness… okay maybe not quite.
The dogs (Gemma & Rockzo) and I headed out through the backyard and into the forest, forging the very first trail of the season through the dense trees and snow. We hiked along until we passed last year’s winter fire pit, and into a section of low furry pines. Having not been there since last winter, I was excited to rediscover my favourite spots, and worked off memory to get to a beautiful clearing in the woods. As I emerged to the wide snowy space beneath the open sky, I stopped, looked up, and stood there in silence for a few moments.
That moment was the epitome of why I love to snowshoe.
There is just something about standing alone in the quiet forest, where snow hugs the branches around you, and seems to swallow the noise of the world.
It looks like it’s going to be a green Christmas this year, but there will be the odd snowfall along the way, and I cannot wait to get back out there.