My snowshoes got a good workout in Fernie. I wish there was one quarter of the snow back home. 

Our first snowshoe outing was in the provincial park just outside of town. The snowbanks are high on either side of the road. There's not much space for two vehicles to pass side by side. The x-country skiers at the Nordic Centre were numerous. Everyone was heading out to enjoy a warm, snowy day.

The snowbanks gave me an indication of the snowfall that had been but it didn't really hit home until I saw how high the snow was on the bridges. We walked across the narrow 'trail' that almost reached the top handrail on the bridges. 

As I walked through the forest, I wished that I could bottle the smell. I had to stop on numerous occasions to breathe in the fresh air filled with the smell of spruce sap.

Tree stumps wore snow caps. Running creeks babbled beneath the heavy snow shelves. Icicles formed on the willows that dipped their branches into the icy water.

It was a wonderful two hour outing to begin a mountain weekend.

http://tourismfernie.com/accommodations/camping-rv/mt-fernie-provincial-park 

The day began at 6am. The car was packed and ready for a 6 hour journey. The mountains were calling.

Getting up early and leaving before traffic got heavy was a plus but I also got to witness a most beautiful sunrise. The colors were amazing.

I drove south on HWY 2 until I reached the secondary HWY 540. That would get me the best mountain views. Most of the snow that fell two weeks ago has melted. The culverts are still frozen so the water is pooling and running over the road in places.

The further west I drove, the better the views became. My destination was Fernie BC. There's barely any snow left on my driveway. The gravel is showing through. That is not the case in Fernie. There is more snow than I know what to do with. 

After spending 6 hours in the car, I just wanted to get out into the sunshine and the fresh air. We spent a beautiful couple of hours walking through the trails in town. The temperature was warm and it softened the snow enough to make the trek a bit challenging. Boots got filled and I got stuck a couple of times. We should have had snowshoes on but that's okay. It was a great workout. 

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. There are snowshoes and skis in the car, just waiting for an adventure.

-32C plus windchill was a deterrent to any outdoor activities this week. Instead, I stocked up the bird feeders and watched the action from my kitchen window.

The birds were busy. Redpolls, nuthatches, blue jays, chickadees and a variety of woodpeckers took turns at the feeders. 

There was a 'pecking' order. One aggressive redpoll was selective as to who was going to be at the feeder at the same time. It would sit in the middle of the seed and watch the other birds approach. If it happened to be one that he didn't want there, he would fly up and attack.

The nuthatches and woodpeckers were the only birds that could approach and not be scared off by the redpoll. The chickadees took their chances; some were able to land and eat while others were scared away.

The bluejays swooped in and often went for the cat food instead of the bird seed. Their squawking echoed through the yard; scaring off all the other birds.

The temperature is finally rising so there will definitely be some outdoor time this afternoon. I hope you will have the opportunity for some outdoor time as well. I'll be back next Friday. Happy trails!

The wind gusted so hard that the garden flag in my yard flew parallel to the ground. I don't like being out in the wind but I needed to be outside. I thought it wouldn't be as bad if I hiked a wooded forest trail instead of being out in the open. I was right for the most part.

The warm temperatures earlier in the week melted more snow; creating icy conditions on the trail. My trusty cleats provided the traction required to make it up and down the hills.

There wasn't much wildlife to watch but what I did see was pretty entertaining. The squirrels were being tossed around on the branches as if they were riding a mechanical bull. The birds fought the air currents. I could see the crows and magpies rise and fall in their flight path; moving forward a couple feet and then being pushed back by the wind.

The wind howled through the branches. It swayed the tree trunks to and fro. I could hear them creak and groan but then I heard a distinct crack and branches breaking. It was the type of sound one hears when felling a tree except this time it was Mother Nature felling it a mere twenty feet behind me.

The trunk snapped and down it came. I looked up to see how close it was. It took a couple seconds to register that it was falling right where I had just walked. The surrounding evergreen branches slowed the tree down as it fell but the top five feet of it landed on the trail. There's a first time for everything and that was a first time experience.

The temperature has turned cold again. The thermometer told me it was -25C yesterday morning. That was a little unexpected. I checked the weather forecast the night before and there was no mention of it going that low.

It's hard to believe that it is already February. The Groundhog Day rodents sent mixed messages. One report said six more weeks of winter yet another said spring is around the corner. 

We can't complain as it's been a very mild winter. Some snow fell over the last couple of days but there needs to be more before the local Birkebeiner ski event. Some areas on the ski trails had grass showing through the tracks. The event has been canceled in the past for lack of snow and/or frigid temperatures. Here's hoping that it will be a go for 2017.

http://canadianbirkie.com/home 

Saturday is my next outdoor day. I haven't dusted off the x-country skis this year. That just might be the activity of the day. What will yours be?

Happy trails 'til next Friday!

Moose tracks cross the pond surface.

Best hiking cleats ever.

Snow blown through the trees and long shadows across the trail.

The wind blew a tree down behind me on the trail.

Water droplets created from the freezing rain the night before.