The transition from 2017 to 2018 has included some pretty nasty weather…The wind has definitely been blowing, accompanied by polar, soul-crushing cold, creating conditions that are “not safe for man or beast”.  The New Year has begun, and we have great hopes for another year of adventures!

 

After a dry and snow-less start, December ultimately brought us some wonderful deep snow, and even some sunny bluebird days, perfect for getting out on our Tubbs snowshoes to explore our favorite winter trails. It has been fun to have enough snow to test out some new snowshoes, which I received as part of my role as a Tubbs Snowshoe Ambassador. This winter, I will be running some Introduction to Snowshoeing clinics and treks for our local recreation department, helping others recognize how much enjoyment we can have on snow! It will also be nice when the temperature warms a bit, and trails are groomed, for skijoring and sledding!

            A snowless trip to Lake George, NY, and scouting out a new Vermont State Park

 

                                        The dogs on their annual tree gathering expedition          

 

  Snow arrives! Lots of fun running in fresh snow, and Edgar got out for some kicksledding!

 

More fun on our local trails…more snow please, can never get enough!

After our successful trip to the GMC Hadsel Mares Camp New Year’s Eve, we had made reservations for this year, extending our stay to two nights.  This would ideally give us more time for snowshoeing in the Northeast Kingdom, and the opportunity to explore a few new trails. (refer to “Raising a Raquette on New Year’s Eve”, blog post 01/31/2017, for info on last year’s trip)

The end of December was marked by bitter cold; we knew that we would stay warm in the cabin, as the wood stove is very effective.  We were pleased that there had been a nice accumulation of snow, so snowshoeing would not be an issue. But that cold…with forecast for wind chills of 25 or 30 below ( daytime!!) we knew that we would have to limit the time we, and the dogs, spent outdoors. Well, we are well equipped for winter weather, so we loaded up all our puffy coats, dog jackets, wool layers, balaclavas, goggles, extra hats, gloves, mittens, bag balm…and LOTS of dog booties and Paw Wax! Off we went, into arctic temperatures, ready to celebrate the beginning of a new year, with all the inherent optimism and hopes that entails.

Brrrr, it was cold. The thermometer was in the interior porch of the cabin.

 

Toasting the New Year…while the dogs snuggled to keep warm!

 

Cold, but oh, so beautiful on the trails!

 

2017 was a pretty amazing year, with all our new GO tent trailer, new equipment, and wonderful explorations near and far.  Our social media contacts were so helpful in trip planning, and we hope to utilize this network to assist us in panning our 2018 adventures.   We thank you for following along on our “somewhat indulgent” personal blog, and hope that you have enjoyed our photos and stories! Happy 2018, and Paddle Safe! ( We will be paddling in less than 100 days!)