Although we are back in a Covid lockdown, outdoor exercise remains an exemption, which we take full advantage of by walking everyday, if only for an hour loop around town.
Yesterday, with sun and cold north winds in the forecast, we headed out to snowshoe in one of our favourite forest trails (Hawk's Ridge & Voyageur Trail), just a 5 minute walk from our home. Snowshoeing in the forest will shield us from the cold north winds.
Heading out
I'm wearing traditional First Nations' mitts (moose hide & felt), given to me as a retirement gift.
They were made by one of the ladies of our local First Nations Community.
Careful Trudy, one wrong move and all that snow will come down on you!
Turning onto the Voyager Trail. Appears nobody has been on it!
Rabbit trail!
Preferred area for rabbit because the dense Spruce trees provide cover from the elements & protection from predators.
Arrive at Hawk's Ridge. Perfect time for a well-deserved rest!
View from Hawk's Ridge overlooking Lake Superior.
- Distance snowshoed: 13.3 kms
- Temperature in Forest: - 22C
- Temperature outside shelter of Forest: - 28C with windchill
Brrr!
ReplyDeleteIt was cold
ReplyDeleteWow chilly! I suppose a whole new skill set is needed for coping with those conditions. Love those moose mittens. Dan you appear to be wearing denims. In the UK we're always advised not to wear denims while hiking, for insulation reasons, so, personal question here, are you wearing thermal long John's underneath?
ReplyDeleteHi Tony! Definitely wearing long-johns underneath and my hairy legs add another layer of insulation! Because it was only a day excursion, with no plans of stopping for a long period of time, I don't have a problem wearing my denims. I'm quite comfortable & warm in them. I do get quite warm when snowshoeing, so I don't require heavy layers. I do have a pair of waterproof/windproof winter hiking pants. I'll wear them if we are planning to stop for a period of time, such as making a campfire lunch. In these cold temperatures, the last thing you want is to get overly sweaty because the minute you stop, the cold will get you. Been there many times... not fun!
DeleteHi Dan, thanks for the inside information. Very interesting. I've never walked anywhere as cold and dry as that. I came close, high in the French Alps once, but it was summer, with little wind and although we started in the dark, we were moving quickly so the concern was not to work up a sweat, as you say.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your winter walking.