We flippantly toss around the phrase “it’s freezing” throughout the winter, but on average about every other year, at least in the last few decades, the main portion of Lake Champlain hasn’t frozen entirely (the Lake’s bays do freeze regularly). In the twenty years between 1988 and 2007 (the last year for which NOAA shows data), the lake froze nine times.

John Davis, Josie Casey, Jamie Phillips hike a wildway trail. (Photo credit: Adirondack Life)

Beech bark damage, inflicted most likely by a bear. We saw many similar marks during out Champlain Area Trails snowshoe outing at Poke-o-Moonshine's Lost Oak Valley this past Saturday. Much damage, but no bears!