Winter in Rangeley

March 22, 2015

For the second time this winter as I pulled into the driveway of Red Quill I could hardly see the windows because the snow banks were so high! It was a clear and bitter cold night; the stars twinkled behind the frozen brittle branches of the birch trees in the backyard. A few deer stood beneath the thicket of evergreen trees and stared at my headlights, their nostrils steaming with breath, their thick healthy coats making them look like miniature elk. I shut my headlights off and strained to see them in the dark. When I got out of the car they had already disappeared into the night.

Around camp I could see the tracks of rabbits and weasels crisscrossing the yard and I added my own footprints to the mix. I was eager to track them in the morning.

Adventure called this winter and it has kept me from writing about what a fantastic winter it has been! I was away in January exploring the jagged peaks and glaciers of Patagonia Chile and Argentina–a truly wild landscape! And although I was happy to be away during the bitter cold start to this season, it was also nice to come home to the cozy fire of Red Quill and fresh snow.

~Leah