It´s really starting to look and feel like winter here in Hossa. Permanent snow has landed and autumn has slowly developed to early winter. Wool-socks, mittens, fur-caps and long johns have to be brought into use latest now! In November the natural surrounding is dominated by stillness, nature slows down and gathers strength for the upcoming winter and this provides a great chance for recreating nature experiences; you hardly see anyone anywhere on the hiking trails and being affected by the calming effect of nature is inevitable.

October and especially November are considered as grey and dull off-season months when there isn´t much to do or see here but I want to prove this wrong. Snow and the evergreen coniferous forests create alternating landscapes and summer activities like hiking and fishing are just as enjoyable but in a different way. Few degrees below zero is not a reason not to go out and be active, putting enough clothes on solves the problem and it just provides some variation; after the first night frosts that freeze the ponds and lakes, it´s time to start the winter fishing season and put the nets under the ice.

 

 

 

 

During one of my walks I bumped into a real logging site, beavers had been quite busy with their winter preparations. These large rodents that can weigh up to 35-40 kg are building their winter nests at the moment and gathering wood and branches in front of it for the winter. The animals themselves are rarely seen because their extremely cautious and move mostly during the night.  One interesting, hard to believe fact about beavers is that they´re said to be the only land mammal besides elephants that can take down full grown trees. I sure have seen big trees that have been chewed down by beavers so why not.

Late autumn is a very atmospheric time of year in the northern wilderness!