My walk on Neon Lake yesterday was a sunny, peaceful, very enjoyable outing.  It was a great opportunity to get a different perspective of the area.  I don't have a canoe and the only water I can walk on has to be frozen so being able to see the shore was a treat.

I wasn't the only one that left imprints in the snow.  Animal tracks came down to the surface from the trail.  Most had not held their shape due to the melting so it was difficult to tell who was out there.

I had a close look at a beaver lodge.  In the summer I can see the lodge from a shelter on the trail but have never seen it up close until today.  I had a view of the shoreline and could see where the beavers took down the trees to construct their home.  At the rate they are taking them down, there could be a bare spot in front of the shelter next summer.

The sun shone brightly, making the snow soft on the top with a layer of water underneath.  In the shade, close to the shore, the snow had an icy, crystallized top layer that crunched under my snowshoes.

I hiked halfway around the lake along the shoreline and came back the same way.  I could hear the adventurous skiers on the trail.  They must have made the right wax choice for the conditions today or they would not have made it up the hill that was on the other side of the trees.

When I got back to the parking lot a young fellow was getting ready to head out with his skis.  He was rummaging around in his bag, attempting to guess what type of wax to use.  We had a discussion about the trail conditions.  He wanted snow just as much as I did.  The rain and slippery conditions were impeding his training for the Birkebeiner.  He may not have to worry about training.  With all the rain of late, there may be no snow to ski on by February 14.