The second snowshoe

Perhaps the other wonderful thing about shovelling at night is knowing there’s a fresh batch of snow to go snowshoeing in in the morning.

Armed with a toasted brie and fig confit rosemary panini from Cafe Molo in Wakefield we headed out, despite the sheer cold (-25 with the windchill...). The trailhead for #72 is at P17, just after the Wakefield turnoff. It also begins in an open field and, with the wind, can be a bit brutal; but it’s just a short distance along the edge of a forest before you enter the trees.

This lovely trail winds through the forest, up and down through a changing landscapes of trees—elegantly smooth elephant-leg Beech trees, massive, gnarly, old trees with chunky bark, tall and teetering birches shedding their skin in fine curls; delicate new undergrowth, and even smaller saplings balancing delicate snowballs.

We followed the junction down to the Brown cabin, hoping for another welcoming fire to warm up by, but the cabin was locked. So we sat at a picnic table and ate our delicious sandwiches, sheltered from the wind, and basking in the sun, feeling the fresh air prickle our faces, enjoying the beautiful day.