On a recent hike on the Whitefish Trail in Beaver Lakes, the full range of winter trail conditions were present – a layer of slick ice covering nearly bare tread, packed snow, and 6 inch deep powder. As we made our way and moved through the different aspects and elevations, we experienced all the different stages of our winter so far. In some areas there was fresh snow on branches and animal tracks along the trail, in others we could see exposed ground and plants starting to wake. Though these variable conditions can make trips on the trail quite unpredictable, I really enjoy seeing how the season is slowly changing little by little each day. Have you noticed how much lighter the days suddenly feel?
As we move into March, temperatures are predicted to stay above freezing during the day and below freezing at night. We should expect frozen, hard conditions in the morning on the Whitefish Trail and a softer surface in the afternoons. We recommend Yak Trax or other traction assist devices in the morning with special care in high-use areas. Before long, sections of the Whitefish Trail that have been hibernating since December will start to reappear and reveal our world-class trail once again. Get out and enjoy the snow – it’ll be gone before we know it!
Send us your winter trail reports and photos to info@whitefishlegacy.org!