snowshoeing

Went snowshoeing today at Painted Rocks trail, along the Little Spokane River. The sky was that kind of blue you only get in the winter when the temperature drops below 35 degrees and snow covers the land. We started out going across the field--the snow had a top crust which was crunchy and kept us from sinking. We headed toward the river, and when we got closer (inside the trees), there were deer tracks all over, some bird tracks, and finally, when we doubled back away from the river toward the trail in the ponderosas, we saw what we're sure were cougar tracks. Above us the basalt outcrops were a shimmery gray and dotted with snow overhangs, and the pines looked positively orange against that. Later we saw ducks, Canada geese, a hawk, chickadees or something that looked just like them, and a woodpecker. Definitely worth the short drive to do it, and the fields covered in snow were absolutely blissful with their dents and shadows where snow was blown into a pattern of bumpy drifts.