This morning's hike was TBA, but only 2 hikers showed and one bowed out. The solitary now hike leader returned to his home and called in a guest to make it a dual, windy, stove brew-up, hike. We started from Frame and headed to the Crystal Lake Hammock site. Wow, the lake was almost fully frozen. The windy conditions made the boiling water take longer than usual, but there is nothing like the purring sound of an Optimus 8R stove. We snow-shoed most of the way in and out so there is now a nice packed trail. Our guest made sure she stepped alternately so as to make a track that Sirje would have approved of. Coyote or fox tracks were crossed, but no encounters. Today was a great opportunity for us to check out our winter load-out on the first real snowy and cold hike for us.
