The varying weather conditions continuously change the wintery landscape, that is one the basics from which the essence of the winter wonderland is created. At times of very cold temperatures forests are covered with frost and the environment is all white, like straight out of a fairytale. Then suddenly if the weather warms up and the wind starts blowing, trees are stripped off their snowy mantle and the evergreen forest is yet again revealed. The time of day highlights different colours and the growing amount of sunlight brings its own aspects too. The world of sounds in the wintery forest is also completely different, the heavy loads of snow ”eat” the sound so a differend kind of silence is heard.

I have personally been looking forward to these first sunny days when you really begin to notice that the spring is just behind the corner! The environment seems to be rather deserted but there sure are several signs of life if you keep your eyes open. Animal tracks tell a story written in the snow. Pictures below are from my snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing trips at the Hossa recreation area last February.

In two of the pictures you see a silhouette of an attacking bird of prey, one has captured wolverine tracks and the rest are taken of landscapes at different times of day just to show you the beautiful, varying sceneries of this remote winter wonderland called Hossa!