No Snow? Find Peace in the Wilderness

Everyday it snows. A wee bit. I'm not at all discouraged because the hiking is great. Best of all, many wilderness trails are better than ever because the snowmobile clubs have been out this fall clearing all the fallen trees from the trails. Thank you!

When there is just a little snow on the ground, the snowmobiles are snug in their garages and sheds, and the wilderness is so quiet. Sophie and I stop. We listen. We hear only the chickadees and nuthatches breaking the stillness. We follow the tracks of deer, coyote, and bobcat, and try to learn what they're eating. We're in awe of the roaring brooks and creeks still full from November's heavy rains.

Last winter the wilderness was quiet for months because there was so little snow. I rarely saw another human on my jaunts to wild, desolate, frozen ponds and up hill and ridgetops. I can live without the snow for a little while.