Northern Pride

February 6, 2019 

I went for a walk in the forest by the airport this afternoon, to enjoy the frozen sunlit forest, hoping the exercise and chill would chase this damnable cold from my head and throat.

I dressed well for the weather, not like those naive Arctic Ultra Marathon runners from Outside a few days ago who got blackened frostbit fingers and bellies in hours. Two layer toque, 7cm thick poofy down parka, merino wool shirt, down mittens with liners, waffle weave long-johns under trousers, bulky socks, all finished off with upper-calf high insulated boots lashed tight at the top.

An enjoyable tramp it was. Walking briskly enough to generate heat, but slow enough not to sweat; moisture being deadly in the cold. Snow was over top boots on occasion but not to the point I wished for the snow shoes left back at the house, except for the fun they'd have been. Pulling coat tight, I scooched under snow laden branches, successfully warding off would-be frozen dumps down my neck. "Haha!" sez me, I've learned a thing or two in my five decades of northern living!

Sun streams through snow laden branches, the very picture of beauty. Plentiful deer sign here and there, along with coyote, fox and rabbit. I made way through untrammeled snow as far as the highway before turning around and retracing my trail back to the truck and then home.

"And that" I said to self as I entered my cozy warm house and proceeded to shed layers "is how to properly enjoy the Yukon winter!".

Oh! Would you look at that…

A full two handfuls of snow had crept down the back of each of my boots. My well insulated legs had not felt the chill, yet, but pants were already soaked from the melt. If I was really on the trail, I'd have been in BIG trouble come nightfall.

Damn. Pride goeth before the fall. Thankfully this time the drop was short!

[Caption: all that snow on the mat came from *inside* my boots. Such a newbie cheechako mistake!]