No shoes like snowshoes

I can't think of a better way to end the year than to go snowshoeing with a good friend and a goofy dog (or is it the other way around?). Margaret seemed to agree with me, so we decided to explore the Gold Creek Basin back-country as our send-off to 2006. It was a winter wonderland -- snowy, quiet, and beautiful. We wandered around for a few hours, sometimes following tracks and sometimes breaking our own trail. Cowboy had a great time leaping, bounding, and swimming in the snow, although he wasn't very cooperative when I tried to make a snow angel (he thought it was time to jump on me, lick my face, and tunnel underneath my head). It was a clear sunny day, and once we got off the main trail, we were all alone in the woods. After a few hours, we realized that we were exhausted (breaking trail in heavy powder is hard work!) so we headed back. In spite of myself and my tendency to get lost even when following actual trails, we had no problem navigating back to the trailhead. All in all, a great day in the mountains with a great friend! And a goofy dog.