Snow Shoeing Fun!

I have some updating to do, but I wanted to post pictures of what we did today. It's the last day the kids have off for their Winter break, which I normally reserve for waking up late, just one more time and relaxing.  But the weather didn't cooperate earlier in their break to go snow shoeing, ...so today, off we went.

There is a recreational area about 45 minutes away from us that has groomed cross country ski, snow mobile and dog sledding trails.  They also have a nice large area with several loops for snow shoeing.  It was chilly when we got there, around 35 but the forecast was for 50 degrees!  That is almost short sleeve weather in this really dry air.   And pretty soon we were shedding layers.  We took 2 young sisters from the Hall and they got warm fast too.  Last time I went snow shoeing it was on a mountain and very hard, but this was flatter trails with small inclines here and there so it was a lot easier and extremely enjoyable.  The scenery was great too...

Us and the teens :)

We had to take a potty break so right before we got to the trails we stopped at a waterfall area we had hiked in the summer and here there was a bathroom.  The stream was so beautiful.

This is how it looked in the summer.  

Us and the Rock

This is how the rock looked last time we saw it.  

 

 Ready to hike!

 So quiet on the trail and the evergreen trees smelled wonderful!

Happy to be outdoors!

 Annnnnnd...he wonders why he was soooo tired an hour later.  If it looked deep, he jumped into it.

His head was so sweaty it was dripping :/

 

Me and Rachel

Silly girls

 Charles

Off trail, very deep

 Snow marker.  They say it usually gets this high.

Charles and Zak

Pulling up the REAR haha

 We're not sure what this was

We stopped at this lookout point to have lunch.  There were benches overlooking a snowy meadow.

In the background you can see the Showdown Ski Area mountain. 

Chillin'

 And...again...  with the falling down and laying in the snow... 

 :)

We did all 3 loops.  Actually we just did the whole outside perimeter.  

 An example of a warming hut.  This one was right at the beginning of the trail but on the cross country ski trails, there are 3 of these huts on various trails.

Amber, seriously posing......

Done!  Going home to homemade french onion soup in the crockpot!

1/8 of a mile up the highway is the Ski Area so we went to check it out.  Can't wait to come here to ski!

c, m, c & z!