Write-up: Sharon Kaelin

Leader: Sharon Kaelin

Co-Leader: Amanda Zdanowicz

While many tramps were spending the weekend at Camp Fowler, ten of us took advantage of a beautiful February day to hike to Brandy Lake.  After an inch or two of fresh snow from the night before and clear skies, we set out.  Some wore microspikes and carried their snowshoes and some wore their snowshoes from the parking area.

Since the first part of the hike is along a snowmobile trail we had to pull over a few times to let the sleds go by.  When we got to the turn off the snowmobile trail, this is where those wearing spikes had to change into shoes. Two tramps that were wearing spikes but didn’t bring their snowshoes had to turn back at this point because though the snow was crusty you still post-holed 8 to 12 inches without snowshoes.

We got to the lake and had lunch in the sunshine with a quiet view of the lake.  After lunch we made our way back to the cars.  When we got back to the snowmobile trail all tramps changed out of our snowshoes and either put on spikes or went with just our boots.

Just as we were signing out of the trail register we witnessed a car accident right in the road next to where we were parked.  Thank goodness no one was hurt.  I know after seeing that, I drove a lot more carefully on the way home.  I’m sure others did too.