January 31, 2009

Today I woke early to the sound of small footsteps going downstairs. I decided that I wanted to try my new snowshoes and I thought it would be a good activity to do with my son. After making a few phone calls to find a place to rent snowshoes for him, we made our way up the Middlebury gap to the Rikert Ski Touring Center at Breadloaf. What a beautiful day it was with pristine snow conditions and the sun shining so bright. It was crowded at Rikert since it was graduation weekend for Feb freshmen at Middlebury College and families were parking at Rikert to be shuttled to the Snowbowl where graduates traditionally ski down the slopes.

We spent about 45 minutes snowshoeing on trails and taking breaks laying in the snow on the sides of the trails. The highlight of my son's first time out on snowshoes was when we came upon some animal tracks along the trail. We followed them for a ways until they were lost in tire tracks of the snowcat groomer. We turned back when my son's hands became cold in his wet fleece mittens and he grew tired of walking.

We returned to the lodge and described the tracks we saw to a man behind the counter. He brought out a card with different animals' tracks and we came to the conclusion that we didn't think they were tracks from any of the animals we saw on the card. We sat in the lodge for a while eating our snacks as we watched folks go in and out.

Finally it was time to head home so we made the trek down the gap back into Middlebury. When we got home the first thing my son told his dad was about the animal tracks we saw. I think it was a good first experience for him and I am hoping he will be inclined to go again. Maybe next time we will remember to bring our animal tracks book.