Every winter we snowshoe over to Clay Lake, then work our way through the forest to the open grasslands, passing Stony Lake on our way back.   This journey on the snow is about 8 km, but our actual route varies each time.

The whole route is outside of the McQueen Lake Environmental Center which meant that we had to cross an older grazing lease fenceline twice on the northeast corner of the route.   We also found some thick forest on the north side of Sagittata Hill, but much of the route was on ponds or grasslands slopes.

Our route passed by the old Joe Reid Homestead (1912 – 1918).   Joe set traplines for mink, beaver, lynx, and muskrat throughout the area, especially near the ponds.

Hoar frost covered the trees is several spots along our route and a bit of sunshine poked through the clouds before the weather closed in.

We passed through the Nature Conservancy of Canada grasslands passing by the shores pf Stony Lake, then down to the line of ponds below the Lac du Bois Road, our return route.