Ramblings of an Outdoor Girl

Back in the deep freeze. There was a week of warmth and sunshine. That was just a bit of relief from the Christmas deep freeze. The 'extreme cold warning' was back this week with temperatures in the high -30Cs again.

The days were sunny and for me the temps were tolerable as long as there was no windchill. I watched each day to see if my garden flag was waving. If it was still, I was outside.

I ventured out for some snowshoeing on 4 out of 5 days this week. I dressed for the weather and had a great time on the trails. When it is cold, the sounds are crisper. The bird calls echo through the woods. The snow is crunchier and the creaking of the trees is louder. You can experience a 'different' world in the woods.

I'm all for the layering when going outside. My winter jacket is good to -40C. I'll wear a couple lighter weight shirts underneath. I have some windproof nylon pants that are fleece lined. I'll add a pair of leggings under them if it is colder than -24C. My boots have a thick, warm lining that is good to -40C. I'll wear a light pair of ski socks in those. A pair of gloves inside a some mittens, a warm touque and a neck tube finish off the ensemble. I'm looking pretty stylish by this time.

At the trail head I'll add hiking spikes or snowshoes depending on the snow conditions. Both keep you safe on the icy patches. In either case, I use one or two hiking poles for some stability during the hike.

I may take some hand warmers with me but don't use them unless absolutely necessary. I try to stay out for about 1-1.5 hours and most often my hands stay warm without them. Once I get moving, the fingers stay toasty as the frost builds up on the outside mitten layer.

Winter doesn't mean that you have to stay inside. With the proper clothing to keep warm and comfortable, you to can enjoy the winter experience. It's not going to go away so all I can say is embrace it.