Grace Lakes

February 14 Make-up Basic Snowshoe field trip: 2 instructors and 7 students enjoyed a mostly dry and warm day. The temperature was in the low 40s, very little wind, mostly cloudy with patches of blue skies, and occasionally some drizzle. Much of the trail is under less than two feet of snow, with several bare patches. There was quite a bit of brush and flowing water on the CAT track. The usual route to the first lake right past where the avy pit usually is located was not passable due to deep and fast moving water. We attempted to skirt the lake from the side but were challenged by terrain that extended us past a Basic-level trip. We dug a snow pit in our usual place; avy probe hit the ground around 25 inches. All students applied their mental Photoshop "snow" layer to the unseasonably bare environs, and made it a great day! Overall a successful trip. This may have been Grace Lakes' last gasp for snowshoeable conditions this season, unless there is significant new snowfall.