There are few feelings finer than cross-country skiing fields and forests through deep, dry, fluffy snow on a sunny February day. As promised, I offer you a vicarious adventure via photographer extraordinaire Nancie Battaglia’s seasoned sensibility. Few if any have possess her talent for balancing Adirondack beauty with the thrill of sport.
During an until recently mostly snowless winter, it’s a bit of a fluke to be able to document these conditions. So I’m especially grateful that photographer and weather gods got in sync long enough to fulfill my wish.
Tomorrow, a brisk but sunny Saturday with an expected high of 30° and snow blanketed meadows and wooded trails, will be an opportunity to explore Rosslyn’s backlands on cross-country skis. Care to come along? (Source: Groundskeeping with Griffin)
Boots, bindings, skis, poles. Then off across the backyard, through the orchard, to the first fields.
Then tree-ward, snow dappled with filigreed shadows, sound damped, just the rhythmic swish, swish, swish of skis gliding through powder.
Heart’s pumping faster now, body’s warm, and spirit’s eager. But enthusiasm is gentled, balanced by the bucolic winter landscape and meditative metronome of skis and basketed poles advancing.
Sometime the track passes through brushy transitional areas thick with tittering songbirds enjoying dried berries and seeds.
The outer perimeter of Rosslyn’s wildlife sanctuary is marked to ensure newcomers know that they’re welcome to hike, snowshoe, and ski (but not to hunt or trap.)
Proceeding further west, transitioning between forest and fields and forest once again, evergreens — mostly white pines — edge out birch, poplar, ash, elm, and cherry.
The western and southwestern portions of Rosslyn’s 60+ acres return to forest, more trees that begin on the far side of Library Brook. But first there are several meadows well trafficked by white tail deer, eastern coyote, red and gray fox, bobcat, porcupine, raccoon, grouse, hawks, and bald eagles.
Canada geese settle here seasonally to recuperate on their migrations north and south.
And in our earlier years a thriving colony of beavers engineered a complex network of ponds along Library Brook. Multiple dams created stepped ponds and interconnected wetland waterways that ensured rich habitat for waterfowl (and the wildlife that preyed upon them.) Tragically, during our several year initiative to purchase and protect this riparian habitat, the beavers were “controlled” with electric fencing, and the beaver-works were ripped out with heavy machinery.
But I’m allowing a sour memory to settle on Sweet afternoon. No use in that!
As sun arcs toward the Adirondacks and afternoon shadows lengthen, it’s time to glide eastward on fresh, undisturbed snow. Long, effortless glides as subtle slopes invite a sense of youthful care-freedom.
Retracing earlier ski tracks through the orchard, Rosslyn’s icehouse and carriage barn grow larger, and the sapphire blue of Lake Champlain glistens through the trees. Almost home..
What do you think?