Semester in Ecuador: Snowshoe Adventure

The land had already been wiped clean, its edges softened by strokes of white. Still the sky dropped it's feathers of snow around us as we clipped snowshoes onto our winter boots. Across the field we trekked, our small group of brave adventurers; land and sky blending together, merging into a silver cocoon, a soft shell of gentle shadows.

The five adventurers

The day was cloudy but bright. The sun fought it's way valiantly through the cloud-layer, skipping between the billions of falling crystals to light the land below. Ahead the white was broken by the deep green of pines.

The forest reached out its trailing fingers fringed with needles as we reached the wall of trees.

I entered the forest, my energetic brothers, Willy and Timmy, hopping in behind on their smaller snowshoes. As the rest of the group filed into the forest I heard someone remark: "It feels like stepping into Narnia." I definitely agreed.

The snow was falling more gently under the canopy. It drifted in swirling motes between the branches and bows of maple and pine, birch and fir. The evergreens were the most beautiful, their forms draped with crystal cloth. Branches hung low with the weight of snow and most of us would duck carefully under the sagging bows. The rest barged right through them or waited until the unsuspecting walked beneath before giving the tree a helpful nudge. (It wasn't just the kids either.)

It was quiet under the cover of the trees. The sound of our crunching snowshoes, laughter, exclamations of wonder and friendly chitchat livening the air. There are times to enjoy the silence but this day was a day of company and companionship as we followed the path together into the white landscape.

Along the winding path we went. Through the glittering forest we walked. Our snowshoe path following the white ribbon of the Wescot stream. We crossed the ice; hiking over hills, dips and rises before stopping in a clearing surrounded by tall trees. We dug a deep hole in the snow and started a little fire in the bottom of Jon's "chimney kettle". The kettle sucked the heat up through the middle to quickly and efficiently heat the water that was poured in the outer section of the kettle.

The wind began blowing harder and we would occasionally get whiteouts as walls of snow blew down from the trees. The snow looked like falling smoke or spirits as it twist and folded in sparkling waves from the branches above.

It was such a beautiful day for a snowshoe and I'm glad I got to share it with a few others. Nature was at one of it's most beautiful moments on that day. A moment we were so lucky to be able to witness.

I am having another snowshoe on March 10th for those who missed this one, those who want to come again, and everyone else who wants to go on a snowshoe adventure.