Marian and I had an awesome training hike today on the East Coast Trail from Portugal Cove to Brock’s Head Pond. This is one of my favourite sections of the trail and I often take students out on it during the summer. With the combination of snow and freezing rain we’ve had in the past few days, the snow conditions were perfect for fast hiking and speed work on the hills and the interplay of ice and water was spectacular.

Much of the rock was covered in verglas as were many of the trees. It was a winter wonderland.

The ice on the branches caught the occasional beam of sunlight and invited us to pause and admire nature’s handiwork.

There were a few places of water/ice interface including small stream crossings.

Bigger stream crossings…

And the biggest water/ice interface…Brock’s Head Falls…

The day was a mix of warm and cold, ice and water, sun and grey. The beauty big and small stirred our souls and our imaginations. Our traction-equipted snowshoes made hiking a breeze and it was fun to see the trail in an entirely new light.