A frosty morning did not frighten 12 hikers . We started out from areas behind the Washington Apts and stayed on the sidewalk before donning our snowshoes and following fresh snowmobile tracks into the Woodpecker Trail System. We snowshoed west and then south of the Trailer Pk to Slipper Lake snowmobile entrance. There we had our snack break.
A few wise stories later we continued along a well stomped out trail beside the lake and bushwacked back to the main snowmobile trail. We looped back along our same trail.
The Woodpecker Trail System lived up to its name . We saw a pileated woodpecker high in the top branches of maple trees on our way into the bush and on our way back.
Consensus was that it was likely the same bird.
Some deer mice had been busy scurrying from one hiding place to another. One set of hare tracks was also visible in the fresh snow.
Thanks to Jackie for being Sweep.
Distance covered was 6.5 km.
