I had thoughts of snowshoeing down to the lake this morning just to, at the very least, see the lake. Alas, the updated forecast from our weather radio informs us that rain is now likely for most of the day. So, stockpiling firewood & getting the tarp setup now becomes a more urgent necessity. But first, we get to enjoy a few glazed cinnamon rolls Vickie has baked in the dutch oven that delectably complements the scrambled eggs.

After finishing hacking up a nearby popple tree, Aurora & I start on the large downed cedar tree just behind our tent. Feeling that we have stockpiled enough wood, and considering that the rain has not yet started, I agree to go exploring with Aurora. At first she wants to see the lake and we start down that trail but, she soon tires of having to bushwhack around the fallen trees so we end up retracing our trail in from yesterday. As mentioned earlier, there is a decent overlook that our cameras never do justice to. Still, it's a scenic backdrop for our explorations today. We pass by a sprouting of young birch trees; I think the colors are really cool when they are at this stage of just beginning to sport the white paper bark. There's even an old scraggly tree that Aurora says, "looks spooky" just a little further down the trail. Just as things are getting interesting, the rain lets loose and we hastily scramble back to camp where Vickie has hot water for cider & hot chocolate waiting for us.

Huddled under the tarp while a slow steady rain persists, I ask Vickie what she thinks of winter camping so far? The rain notwithstanding, she says it's mostly been a very enjoyable experience, adding that the biggest thing is how much more a person has to plan ahead to have a cup of coffee, prepare a meal or just getting camp setup the way we want it. Her future hope would be that we do trips that minimize (if not eliminate) having to move camp.

As forecast, the rain continues on & off for the rest of the day into the evening. However, we do manage to keep our fire going through it all, even cooking our pork roast and potatoes for supper. Needless to say, rain it even more of a downer when winter camping. We don our raingear but, for the most part, we stay under the tarp for the bulk of the day. Once again Aurora never ceases to amaze us with how she can keep herself entertained in almost any circumstance. Using our little cups, she creates a city of little snow castles around the fringes of the tarp. Thankfully, through it all we are able to go to bed dry & warm.